2009年9月16日
于知仁堂
杨庚新
美术史论家，《艺术》杂志执行总编。作者: 闻正 时间: 2009-11-24 19:20
The New “Cyan Pine and Emerald Cypress”
-----a record of artist Yang Yongan
By Yang Gengxin
On February 15th, 2009, Yang Yongan’s solo art exhibition “Cyan Pine and Emerald Cypress” had its grand opening in the National Art Museum of China. In spite of the chilly spell of early spring in Beijing, people came to the exhibition with a great passion. Sixty of Yongan’s recent works were presented to the public. With a magnificent imposing manner and strong impression, the exhibition themed as Cyan Pine and Emerald Cypress is a gift from Yongan to China for celebrating the sixtieth year of the founding of the motherland, since he is in the same age with China. He sincerely hopes that his motherland is evergreen and last forever as pines.
Cyan Pine and Emerald Cypress has realized Yang Yongan’s long-cherished wish of holding a solo exhibition in the National Art Museum of China, as well as his dream of being an artist since childhood.
Yang Yongan was born in a normal farmer family in Qinghe of Haidian district, Beijing in October 26th, 1949. In his childhood, influenced by his father, Yongan was very fond of reading, writing and painting. His biggest dream was to become an artist in the future. In his high school, both of his cultural course and fine arts course were excellent. However, the “cultural revolution” ruined his dream of studying in an art academy. In 1968, he had to go back to the country and do labor as others: working hard in the field in daytime; sketching and painting beside the field at noon; reading and writing at home in the evening. Difficulties in life had sharpened his will to learn painting and become an artist. Since then, he cultivated a habit of sketching. Till today, Yongan never smokes, drinks and gambles which he believes is directly related to his pursue of art in his young age.
In his youth, Yang Yongan had splendid performance in various fields, making great progress and being active in farm-working, producing as well as culture publicizing. He said: “As long as man live, no matter what he does, he should have some spiritual pursue. The harder situation you face, the more independent and upward spirit you will need.” “As heaven maintains vigor through movement, a gentleman should constantly strive for self-perfection,” the quote from Zhouyi Shangjing had become Yongan motto. From a normal commune member, to the leader of production team, the director of village, the vice rural master, rural master, Yongan went through these step by step.
Yang Yongan had various hobbies, reading, writing poems, photographing, and in all these, his favorite one was painting. He loved to paint small flower-bird works, and even had much more enthusiasm on panoramic landscapes. Sometimes he also did woodcarving, paper cutting without established rules or setting patterns. At last he could be the apprentice of Master Liang Shunian and systemically set on the path of painting, were by an accidental chance.
In middle 1970s, Yongan saw a large Liang Shunian’s work Cyan Pine and Emerald Cypress in Changzheng restaurant near Peking University. The impressive erect pine and twisted ancient cypress made Yongan astonished and shocked. He stood there for quite a long time and determined in his heart to find Master Liang Shunian and learn landscape painting from him. What a coincidence, Liang Shunian’s brother Xu Yuebin lived in the fourth production team of Qinghe. Yuebin had studied from Beijing famous artist Qi Jingxi together with Liang Shunian and Guo Chuanzhang in his early years. Xu Yuebin collected three works of Liang Shunian which Yongan treasured a lot and borrowed those originals from Yuebin to copy. Yongan felt that his shortage in painting and further studied Chinese traditional painting in Qi Baishi Art Open College and China Painting and Calligraphy Correspondence College together for four years.
In April of 1992, introduced by Xu Yuebin, Yongan took twelve of his traditional Chinese paintings to Liang Shunian’s home for his advice. After review each one of them, Shunian found Yongan’s painting had spirituality and inscripted on the front page of Yongan Yinpu as “Produce magnificence from small space, to graver Yongan.” Master Liang Shunian painted an improvised work of Pine and Rock for Yongan; during painting, he taught Yongan how to paint by personal example and verbal instruction. One month later, on May 29th, 1992, Yongan officially became Shunian’s apprentice after the traditional bowing ceremony. After the ceremony, with great pleasure, Shunian painted a work about the poem of “While picking asters neath the Eastern fence，my gaze upon the Southern mountain rests”. That year, Shunian was 81 and Yongan was 43, and Yongan became the last apprentice of Shunian.
In Liang Shunian’s early years, he learned painting from Qi Jingxi and later became an apprentice of Zhang Daqian in Da Feng Tang. At the beginning, his landscape painting took Beizongmaxia style and had a very solid foundation; later, Shunian was fond of Huang Gongwang, Wang Meng, Shi Tao and Shi Xi, and combined his style with the strength of both south and north styles in traditional Chinese painting. In 1970s, Shunian travelled Huang Mountain, Lijiang River and The Three Gorges, and his style changed into full of power and grandeur with strong brushwork and ink. Master Liang Shunian was famous for his cloud of Huang Mountain, and especially distinguished by his pines. His pine of Huang Mountain were just like flying dragon, presented and hided itself in the cloud sea which was really amazing, thus people gave it a special name “Shunian Pine”. Most of Shunian’s early work about pine was panoramic, which emphasized on the change of cloud to present the splendid overall view of the great mountain. “Flowers scattering outside the wall part the cloud, comes the wind as tide go through the pines.”(At Qingliangtai of Huang Mountain, 1972) “To others pine is the spirit of Huang Mountain; to me cloud is the essence of it. Huang Mountain is my teacher and friend, the spirit and essence of it couldn’t generalize its truth.”(In Huang Mountain, 1972) All these poems inscribed on scrolls were the image reflections and aesthetic pursue of Liang Shunian’s pine and cloud of Huang Mountain. In this period, his works such as Li Bai’s Poetic, Tiandu Peak of Huang Mountain gave priority to cloud and mountains, and the pines were casually depicted in a simple and sparse manner. Since 1980s, pine had generally became the main theme of Shunian’s work, and in his paintings, people and scenery were mixed together by poetic and artistic concept. He also had large feature works which use pines as the main subject, such as Black Tiger Pine in Huang Mountain (1983), Pine and Rock, Pine and Bamboo(1987), Alpine and Nullah ;Cyan Pine and Emerald Cypress. These paintings almost all took pine and cypress as subject and gives them symbolic meaning. “Never feel lonely when the door is closed, if only have the pine to be a good companion in winter.”(Liang Shunian’s poem Feeling after Retired at Home, 2000) “Pine and cypress are nestled together near the running water; keep evergreen in spring and autumn as well as the chilly winter.” (Liang Shunian’s poem inscribed on Pine and Cypress: Doucun 90, Dec.2001) These poems were the artist’s reflection of life and his spiritual sustenance, which revealed profound traditional humanistic spirit.
In traditional Chinese culture, pine and cypress have always been the spiritual symbol of faithfulness, righteousness, nobleness and grandness. “Only when chilly winter comes, man would notice that pine and cypress withered aftermost.” In Lunyu Zihan, pine’s quality of defying severe cold is considered a metaphor of people’s nobleness. Master Liang Shunian loves pines and paints many pines in his whole life, taking pine as the favorite subject to express his emotion; he has large amount of poetry and paintings leave to the world which is an important culture heritage in China art history.
To learn the painting of pine from Master Liang Shunian in his later years is a greatest happiness and a rare chance for Yongan. Pine brings Yongan lots of luck since he first saw Shunian’s Cyan Pine and Emerald Cypress, to his first meet with Shunian and becoming an apprentice of him. Yongan’s study from Shunian begins with pines and finally success on pines. I have read many of Yongan’s study notes which record the essentials of Shunian’s art lessons and also reveal the growth of Yongan to being a good artist.
The two important subject of studying traditional Chinese painting is inheriting and creating. Master Liang Shunian gives two leading cards to his students: one is learning from ancients profoundly; the other is learning from various artists to make your own creative work. In learning from ancients (including masters of today), how people could achieve the profound level? The ancients said: “Skill comes after the will.” Will and skill couldn’t be separated, learning starts from skill and ends with will. Yongan started to learn the painting of pine by drawing branches and limbs of trees. Master Liang once said: “The difficulty of pine painting is to draw the limbs. Pine’s spirit is presented by its limbs. Pine’s limb is like dragon and cypress’s limb is like rope. In order to present the very spirit of pine and cypress, their odd and antiquated quality is needed to mention in painting.” Shunian taught while gave examples. Yongan cherished his teacher’s scripts very much and carefully copied them each time when he was back at home. After review Yongan’s homework, Shunian taught him the art of composition, poem writing, rhythm, and the seal of artist name on the finished works and the conception of painting. Master Liang Shunian used to say that it was not enough to only learn the brush work from ancients, but also to learn their concept and design. Master Liang rated Yongan’s work and inscripted poems and seals on those excellent works of Yongan to encourage him. Year after year, Yongan copied a large amount of ancients’ and today’s master’s works, and handled the basic pattern of landscape painting, also made a great progress in brush skills.
In making one’s own creative work, Liang Shunian insisted to adapt the method of observing carefully through extensive travelling. Pay attention to the quality, physics and state of the material, meanwhile attach more importance to its nature, soul and spirit; achieve the harmonious blend of scenery and feeling, material and spirit. “The purpose of sketching is to catch the spirit, the spirit is much more important than the real object. Understand the soul of the object and amalgamate with it, then you will have artistic acumen.” This is a summary of Master Liang’s point of view on sketching. In Shunian’s 80s, he went to sketch as same and affected his student with his own art experience. In autumn of 1992, Master Liang was accompanied by Yongan to sketch in Beijng Heishanzhai where there had an ancient pine of thousand years. When they got there, Yongan started to take photos and sketched of the tree, while Shunian just watched the tree in still, and when he was back, he did the picture at a heat, and here came the work of Fantastic Pine in Heishanzhai on which inscribed as “In north of Beijing there is an odd pine in Heishanzhai, I went to sketch with friends and found hardly to start when I saw the convolute pine. When I came back I paint the tree by my memory and imagine of it.” But Yongan felt reluctant of drawing the pine. Later, Yongan went to Heishanzhai twice and observed carefully as Master Liang, and finally finished his large work of Dragon Pine in 2000. Master admired Yongan’s courage and talent, and further added rocks, lichen and modified water path on Yongan’s work. Yongan said excitedly that it was the best gift from teacher in the new millenary. The story tells the secret about sketch creation. The methods of “observing carefully through extensive travelling” shorten and even eliminate the distance between sketching and creation. Either creating directly in front of the scenery or reviewing the scenery in memory and create, the traditional method of observing and creation leave a strong impression in Yongan’s mind and affect him profoundly in his future works.
Liang Shunian thinks much of the interaction of copying, sketching and creating in landscape painting and suggests that learn from ancient by copying and reading the paintings, and uses sketching and creating to accomplish your own work. Creating your own work is the purpose of learning from the past. Sketching is necessary since it is an experience to learn from the ancient method. Creating is the extraction and sublimation of sketching; at the meantime it is also a touchstone, finding self weakness and shortage through practice. In fact, during the process of learning painting, copying, sketching and creating are circulating continuously. Enlightened by his teacher, Yongan gradually understands these principles and pays much attention on the interaction of copying, sketching and creating. Generally speaking, before 1990s, Yongan gave priority to copy and do some sketch and create, paying attention to the relationship and connection of the three; in later 1990s till now, he gives priority to sketching and creating and also do some coping. There is no complete boundary from copy to sketch, and then to create in Yongan’s learning; only the emphasis is different in two stages. With twenty years’ efforts, Yongan gradually formed his own way of painting.
During the time of being Liang Shunian’s student, Yongan was sincere and persevered and had a pure heart. Shunian also took Yongan as his own son, no matter the subject, concept, ink work and seal, Shunian told Yongan without any reserve. Yongan learned carefully and added his own understanding: macroscopically, he pays attention to structure and concept; microcosmically, he described each detail and brush carefully. Yongan was not only learning his teacher’s lectures but also doing research about teacher’s style and material and connect them with his own character, learning systematically on purpose.
Learn from Shunian, Yongan’s Cloud Sea of Huang Mountain commended by Shunian with its splendid composition to express the changeable cloud of Huang Mountain, “This Cloud Sea of Huang Mountain depicted the nature of cloud and mountain, with still and movement blend in one scenery; from painting method, the water and ink are never deliberately designed, all brush work comes naturally and that is an amazing job. By Liang Shunian.”
By learning from famous artist Zhang Daqian and teacher Liang Shunian’s works, as well as ancient scholars’ paintings themed of mountain spring, whispering under the shadow of pines, fishing alone besides unknown river, making poem in the moonlight, Yongan tried to create an atmosphere of an imaginary, ideal world. Pursue a peaceful and lofty artistic view is an ideal of modern people to return to nature.
Yongan loves pine and cypress, and takes them as his favorite painting subject. Not only because his teacher Liang Shunian loves pines and paints pines, but also show his respect and understanding toward Shunian. In Yongan’s eyes, Shunian is just like a pine standing erect. “Heavy snow push down the pine and pine stand erect. If you want to know the nobleness of pine, please wait until the snow melt.”(Chen Yi’s poem writes by Liang Shunian, 1978) “Never feel lonely when the door is closed, if only have the pine to be a good companion in winter.”(Liang Shunian’s poem Feeling after Retired at Home, 2000) Besides this, Yongan has his own reason, which he associates with his growth process and living condition in his childhood.
Yongan has special understanding of pine’s spirit and quality. He says “what I like most is the spirit of pine: it grows in the most infertile rock piles of mountain, no matter how badly the weather is, pine keeps evergreen. So I understand from this: the harder time one has been through in his growth, the better chance he has to be successful, like pines. The things in the world have different shapes and postures. Among all of them, I only fall in love with pines for their modesty and toughness, against all odds of frost and snow. During those years I study pine theme, the pine spirit influence my spiritual world imperceptibly.”
In Yongan’s eyes, the erect and twist shape of pines and cypress both are respectable. They are natural and austere and suitable to be presented by traditional Chinese painting which is emphasize on “method and verve”. Yongan’s desire of the inner spirit of pines and his pursue of ink language reveals his true understanding of Liang Shunian’s passion about pine on his works. Yongan determines to inherit teacher’s will, using the theme of pine and cypress to compose a new “Cyan Pine and Emerald Cypress”.
In the new century, Yongan continuously painted some works that took pines as the main subject, such as Ancient Dragon Pine (2001), Nine Dragon Pine (2003), Lying Dragon (2004), The Spring, Medlars (2005) and so on. In 2006, Yongan retired from the leading position and paid effort on the paintings merely about pine with all his strength. In order to collect material，he has visit ancient monasteries in Beijing suburbs, Tai Mountain, Huang Mountain, Heng Mountain, Hua Mountain, Heng Mountain, Taihang Mountain, Song Mountain, Putuo Mountain, Jiuhua Mountain, Wutai Mountain, Emei Mountain, Wuyi Mountain, Shennongjia, Wudang Mountain, Lao Mountain, Qingcheng Mountain, Sanqing Mountain, Longhu Mountain and Kongtong Mountain. He also has been to the Great Khingan in Inner Mongolia twice, Xinjiang for five times, Tibet for three times. Before the earthquake in Wenchuan, he painted the old cypress in ancient three hundred miles Cuiyunliang on the Shu Path in Jiange. He collected large amount of pine sketching and creation material. Artist Jinhao in Five Dynasties retreating in Taihanghonggu wrote that “the truth reveal after the accumulation of experience.” He believed that it was the inside spirit could fully express the object, not the form and shape of it. “Take out the exterior presentation of the object and keep the truth of it.” This is derived from the same origin of Liang Shunian’ view that sketch by taking the appearance, soul and spirit of the subject.
Understand this, When sketching, Yongan pays more attention on observation and feeling, watching the posture and attitude of pines and revealing the inside beauty of them. The images of pines have different types: strapping, graceful, unadorned, twisted and so on. The responsibility of being an artist is to discover and perceive and make more delighted works. Yongan spends a lot of time and energy on this: Take out the exterior presentation of the object and keep the truth of it. Gradually, he understands the profound secret of style.
Since 2006, Yongan enters the meridian of his art career. He finished a serious of large works themed of pine and cypress, and representatives of these period were including Magical Woods in Plateau(2006), Chessboard Pine, Amalgamation, Entwining Dragon and Phoenix, Magical Wood in Jokul, Heart Peace, Heaven on Zenith, Lucky Dancing Pine(2007), Green in Summit, Evergreen(2008), History of Six Dynasties(2009)
Browsing all Yongan’s works of pines, the early works paint more realistically and pursue the natural beauty of simple and austereness. While the recent works tend to be more exaggerated and symbolic and present more reasonable spirit. From the works we could tell that the artist enters a totally new stage of “subjective” concoct from “objective” copy.
Yongan pursues vigorous and broad concept in his art works, taking extended view and close-up to strengthen and exaggerate the odd pine and strapping cypress. Shorten the distance between pines and the viewer, and cause a strong visual impact. In order to make some large size works, Yongan needs to use big brush and think ink to express the uprightness in his mind, which produces an imposing artistic effect. This magnificent aethestic standard indicated that there would be a revolution in Yongan’s art.
What does Yongan need to do in order to meet this art revolution? He told me recently that he needed to read poems and practice calligraphy. Reading poems could expand people’s point of view and calligraphy could nourish the brush with water and ink. We both mutual encourage on this.
Ascend further, were you to look farther.
By Yang Gengxin
Art History Critic, Executive Chief Editor of ART Magazine
In Zhirentang
September 16th, 2009
Resume
Yang Yongan was born in Qinghe of Haidian district, Beijing in October of 1949. He is the council member of Beijing Artist Association, vice president of Haidian Artist Association, the member of Qi Baishi’s Art Study Association and study from Zhang Daqian’s apprentice in Dafeng Studio. He was fond of art in a very young age. In May of 1992, Yongan became the last apprentice of the well-known water and ink landscape master Liang Shunian and absorbed the very essence of painting from his teacher. Shunian Liang gave Yongan another name “Ji Shi”, and inscribed for his painting studio as “You Zhu Ju”. Since then, Yongan called himself “You Zhu Ju Shi”. Shunian give Yongan his own studio name---“Jing Tui Zhai” and write “Jing Tui Xuan” for Yongan.
In August of 1997, his work “Two Pines” was selected in the art exhibition held in National Art Museum of China for memorizing the 40th year of Qi Baishi’s pass-away.
In December of 1998, his “Pine and Spring” was selected in the art exhibition for celebrating the 50th year of Haidian’s liberation organized by National Art Museum of China.
In May of 2001, his “Pine and Rock Collection” was selected in the third Chinese Mayor Painting and Calligraphy Exhibition.
In March of 2004, “Yang Yongan’s Water and Ink Landscape Exhibition” was held in Beijing Rongbaozhai gallery; Rongbaozhai published Yang Yongan’s painting collection.
In 2006, Yongan held his solo art exhibition in Beijing Huandaoboya Hotel; People’s Art Publishing House printed Yang Yongan’s painting collection.
In 2008, Hebei Art Publishing House published Yang Yongan ---contemporary artist who have the most academic value and market potential.
In 2008, Yongan was selected into one hundred art masters who effect China (Landscape volume) published by Art Talent Center of China Culture Administration.
In February of 2009, Yongan has his solo art exhibition “Cyan Pine and Emerald Cypress” in National Art Museum of China.
Yang Yongan has been participating in “Pine and Rock’s Friends” landscape art exhibition held by Beijing Artist Association for six times continuously. His work “Song of Mountain Spring” was collected by National Art Museum of China; his “Autumn in Plateau” was collected by the Great Hall of the People; his “Pine and Rock Collection” was collected by Party School of the Central Committee of C.P.C. Many of his works are collected by friends and collectors from both domestic and abroad.