There are different opinions about which painters "Yangzhou Eight Eccentrics" refer to. Some people say it's eight, others say it's more than eight; Some people say these eight, others say the other eight. According to various writings, there are as many as fifteen people. In the late Qing Dynasty, the eight eccentrics were recorded earlier and most completely in Li's Comments on Painting and Calligraphy in Ou Tuoshi, so most people still take the eight eccentrics proposed by Li as the standard. Namely: Wang, Zheng Xie, Gao Xiang, Jin Nong, Li Yi, Huang Shen, Li,. As for the painters mentioned by others, such as Ruan Yuan, Hua Yan, Min Zhen, Gao, Li Mian, Chen Zhuan, Bian Shoumin, Yang Fa, etc. It can also be included because of similar painting styles. Because the word "eight" can be regarded as a number or a divisor. It's just a profession. You can't say that you are a positive person, nor can you say that you are a negative person.
It has been nearly a hundred years since the rise of Emperor Kangxi in the last years to the death of Luo Pin, the youngest painter among the Eight Eccentrics in Jiaqing four years. Their paintings are numerous, widely circulated and immeasurable. According to the catalogue of Yangzhou Eight Eccentrics compiled by modern people, more than 8,000 paintings have been collected by more than 200 museums, art galleries and research units at home and abroad. As an outstanding group in the history of China painting, they are world-renowned and push Xu Wei's ink splashing technique to the peak.
Yangzhou Eight Eccentrics was very famous before his death. Li Yi, Li, Gao and Li Mian were summoned by emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong respectively, or tried to draw or entrusted them. In the eighth year of Qianlong, Li Hong read Zheng Banqiao's Picture of Cherry Blossoms and Bamboo Shoots, and recited Zhu Wen's Oval Seal, which made him a treasure of imperial travel. In the 13th year of Qianlong, when Li Hong made a southern tour, he named Zheng Xie "History of Calligraphy and Painting". Luo Pin has traveled three times. "At that time, the corporal Wang Gongqing Yin of Xiyuan, the East Pavilion guest, and Wang Fu were at the door, afraid of being late; Meng Gong was shocked. His face was clear.
The bold and innovative painting style of Yangzhou Eight Eccentrics has been passed down by later painters, sometimes with derogatory meanings. Famous painters in modern times include,, Zhao, Wu Changshuo, Ren Bonian, Ren Weichang, Wang,, Wang Yiting, Chen Shiceng, Qi Baishi, Xu Beihong, Huang and Pan Tianshou. They are all influenced by the works of "Yangzhou Eight Eccentrics" in some ways. Most of them spoke highly of the works of "Yangzhou Eight Eccentrics". Xu Beihong wrote an inscription for Zheng Xie's Zhu Lan: "Mr Banqiao is one of the most outstanding figures in China in the past 300 years. His thoughts are strange, his style is strange, and his calligraphy and painting are especially strange. Looking at his poems, paintings and calligraphy, I want to see Gao Zhi, but also reflect benevolence and sadness in amazement, especially rare among ancient and modern geniuses. "
There is also a saying in Yangzhou that the "Eight Eccentrics in Yangzhou" refers to the "Ugly Eccentrics" in Yangzhou. Because the artistic style of Yangzhou Eight Eccentrics was not recognized by the so-called orthodox painting school at that time, they pursued nature, that is, truth and reality, so they moved some life-oriented and civilian works into their own paintings and even exposed the dark side of society. This behavior harms the interests of the rulers, saying that they are all "ugly monsters" in the painting world, hence the name Yangzhou Eight Monsters. Finally, literary theorists summarized the "Eight Eccentrics in Yangzhou" as eight people. There is a memorial hall in Yangzhou, where their statues stand. It's just a profession. You can't say that you are a positive person, nor can you say that you are a negative person.