Ye Yiwei
Ye Yiwei (1918.04.13～2013.02.26), male, named Hangzhi, nicknamed Zongru, alias Shuxizi, Longmashan native. Born in Wuyi County, Zhejiang Province, president of Xiling Seal Society, famous calligrapher and seal carver, seal carving theorist, former consultant of Zhejiang Provincial Calligraphers Association, former librarian of Zhejiang Provincial Literature and History Research Center, former consultant of Zhejiang Provincial Electric Power Calligraphers Association, Zhejiang Province Former consultant of Zhijiang Poetry Society, former vice president of Hangzhou CPPCC Poetry Society, and former honorary chairman of Wuyi County Calligraphers Association. In 2001, he was awarded the Gold Medal of "Old Writers and Artists with Outstanding Contributions" by the Zhejiang Provincial People's Government. Comrade Ye Yiwei died of illness in his hometown of Wuyi, Zhejiang Province on February 26, 2013, at the age of 96.
Chinese name: Ye Yiwei
Nationality: Chinese
Birthplace: Caoma Lake, Wuyi, Zhejiang Province
Date of birth: 1918.04 .13
Date of death: 2013.02.26
Occupation: Librarian of the Institute of Literature and History
Main achievements: Famous seal cutting artist
Representative Works: "Talks on Seal Engraving", "A Brief History of Chinese Seal Engraving", "Selected Poems of Yiwei", etc.
Introduction
Ye Yiwei (1918.04.13～2013.02.26), Xiling Seal Director of the Society, a famous Chinese calligrapher and seal carver, and a seal carving theorist.
On April 13, 1918, Ye Yiwei was born in Wuyi County, Jinhua Road (Qinhua City), Zhejiang Province. He was 6 months old. His father died of illness and his mother died when he was 3 years old. His grandmother and wet nurse lived in the city. Parents grow up. After graduating from Hushan Primary School, he entered a private school to read classical Chinese and poetry. Later, he taught himself Chinese literature and ancient Chinese, and extensively dabbled in other social subjects, laying a solid foundation in Chinese studies.
Ye Yiwei worked as a secretary and clerk in the army and government departments, and was later recommended to Hangzhou No. 11 Middle School as a high school Chinese teacher. The family lives in a staff dormitory of more than 50 square meters allocated by the school. The study room was converted from a balcony. Apart from a desk and a small bookcase, there is basically no other items. Friends often visit, and at most one person can sit down in the study, while others stand and chat for most of the day. At that time, Ye Yiwei was already well-known in the Zhejiang seal cutting circle. He became self-taught by copying the works of seal cutting masters such as Wu Changshuo, Zhao Zhiqian, and Wu Rangzhi, and formed his own style.
After retirement, artistic creation became Ye Yiwei’s main job, and most of his works were completed after retirement.
The era in which Ye Yiwei lived experienced the Northern Expedition, the Anti-Japanese War, the War of Liberation and the "Ten Years of Catastrophe". He summed it up: "You will meet your old age when you are not born at the right time", but he can In the ever-changing situation, I always persist in art. After the reform and opening up, it was the golden age of his artistic creation, and his major writings and creations were all produced in these more than 20 years. He is a scholar who does not seek glory and wealth, is dedicated to cultivating virtues, keeps pace with the times, and only knows his shortcomings.
On February 26, 2013, Comrade Ye Yiwei died of illness in his hometown of Wuyi, Zhejiang Province at the age of 96.
Artistic Achievements
Ye Yiwei carved tens of thousands of seals in his life, most of which were donated or given to friends. He donated works to 77 units and institutions, including the Zhejiang Provincial Museum and Ye Yiwei Art Museum. To the Ye Yiwei Art Museum in Wuyi County Library alone, he donated 1,482 pieces of calligraphy and seal cutting works, books and materials, including calligraphy and painting. There are 213 works, 258 seals, 281 seal-engraving screens; 730 books and materials, including more than 20 academic works (including manuscripts) and more than 90 papers.
The only thing Ye Yiwei owns is the 50-square-meter faculty dormitory allocated by the school in Hangzhou. He spends all his money on artistic creation and lives in poverty. The only time I sold a few seals in my later years was because my wife was seriously ill and needed medical expenses urgently, and I didn't want to burden my children with too much.
In Ye Yiwei’s works, we can see the solid foundation of the seals of the Qin and Han Dynasties, and we can also read the rhyme of the sword style of Zhao Zhiqian, Wu Rangzhi, Wu Changshuo, Lai Chusheng and other modern schools. But it is not static, but "specious", and there is a lot of "I" in it. This shows that he is good at absorbing tradition and integrating it, making it his own, and letting "tradition" "serve" me. The "newness" created by Ye Yiwei in the art of seal cutting is not the "newness" of once-popular forms and appearances, but an innovation known as "poetry making seals" - using a poet's feelings to examine and create seal cutting works .
Ye Yiwei is also a prolific writer on seal cutting theory, including "History of Chinese Seal Cutting", "Chinese Seal Cutting Art and Techniques", "Seal Cutting Talks", "Seal Cutting Talks Sequel" and "Seal Cutting Interesting Talks" and more than 20 seal-cutting books with wide influence. Among them, "Chinese Seal Cutting Art and Techniques" has been reprinted 10 times and is one of the most popular popular seal cutting textbooks in China. His creations serve his theoretical research, and in turn, his theoretical research experience can be well reflected in his creations, truly integrating theory and practice, and influencing a generation of young and middle-aged seal carvers.
Character remarks
In 2011, Ye Yiwei commented on himself at the "Ye Yiwei Calligraphy Art Seal Engraving Exhibition": My name is Ye Yiwei, so this grass root is a reed grass root. . I am 94 years old this year, and the grassroots are very old, so I am very ashamed. But there will be changes at the grass roots. For example, the Cordyceps sinensis we often say is very valuable, so we can also change it in calligraphy. But it is unrealistic for me, because I do not have this condition. Cordyceps sinensis grows on a plateau above 4,000 meters above sea level. I grew up in Wuyi, Jinhua, so it is impossible to cultivate cordyceps sinensis. So I am very ashamed, and please criticize and correct me.
Main works
Ye Yiwei is the author of "Seal Engraving Talks", "Seal Engraving Talks Sequel", "Seal Engraving Interesting Talks", "Chinese Seal Engraving Art and Techniques", "Notes on Carving Insects", "Seal Engraving "Appreciation", "Yiwei Seal Words", "Yiwei Seal Traces", "Yiwei Poetry Selections", "A Brief History of Chinese Seal Engraving", "Seal Engraving Science", "Chinese Seal Engraving History", "Guqin Seal Engraving Score", etc.; He has published more than 100 papers in professional newspapers and periodicals such as He has his own new insights into the research on the art of seal cutting, such as proposing the theory of "Seal Engraving Zong Qing", which believes that on the basis of "Yin Zong Qin and Han Dynasties", the seal cutting of the Qing Dynasty (especially the late Qing Dynasty) should be used as the ancestor, and its essence should be taken for development. . The art of seal cutting should give full play to its social functions, contribute to the construction of socialist spiritual civilization, emphasize the independence of seal cutting art creation, and get rid of the position of being a vassal of calligraphy and painting; in creation, it should be based on the realm of expression and not be bound by techniques. The creation of seal cutting art develops in accordance with the law of "extraordinary and positive come into being", and seal cutting artists must improve their own literary, artistic and moral cultivation. He also has a lot of research on poetry, and his poetry creations have been included in "Selected Contemporary Chinese Poetry", "Selected Contemporary Chinese Poetry", "Selected Contemporary Chinese Poetry", etc. His seal cutting and calligraphy works have participated in many exhibitions at home and abroad, and have been included in special collections, engraved in the forest of steles, or collected in museums. In the spring of 2005, Xiling Seal Society held a seminar on "Poetic Heart Seal Making" at Ye Yiwei Art Museum.
Ye Yiwei studied seal cutting, advanced both practice and theory, and had his own opinions, proposing "Yin Zong Qin and Han Dynasties" ", "Seal Engraving Zong Qing" divides learning into two processes: first, learn the Qin and Han Dynasties to inherit the tradition and lay a solid foundation; then study the Qing Dynasty seal engraving for innovative development. Focusing on the study of the artistic ideas of seal cutting by famous artists, we do not simply pursue form, but strive to integrate seal cutting with literature and combine form and content as much as possible. We have made many explorations and are not limited to one pattern. In the seal world, he is called "Poetic Heart-Making Seal". Seal cutting is in line with literature, the artistic connotation is richer, the display form is updated, and it not only serves calligraphy and painting. However, it is more difficult to do so. It requires in-depth study and cultivation, and it is not easy to popularize it. Some people call him "playing the piano alone" and establishing a family. He is the author of more than ten books including "Seal Engraving Series", "Seal Engraving Appreciation", "Chinese Seal Engraving Art and Techniques", "Chinese Seal Engraving History", "Seal Engraving Science", "Yiwei Poems Selected", etc., among which there are many inspiring new topics and writing styles. Simple and easy to explain, he has a great influence on the seal cutting industry at home and abroad.
His poems emphasize: developing the soul, capturing images, creating simple words, and reflecting the times through implication. Five-character poetry has distinctive characteristics and has won praise from the poetry world.
Calligraphy, because it is related to seal cutting, is mostly in seal script, followed by cursive script, with occasional official script, which has a personality, and the content is often composed of self-composed poems, which has a bookish style. He began to learn painting after he was eighty years old. Due to health reasons, he rarely created anything.
Social Evaluation
Ye Yiwei is one of the few seal cutting masters in China whose theory and creation are parallel. He has his own opinions and proposed "Yin Zong Qin and Han" and "Seal cutting Zong Qing", dividing learning into Inheriting tradition and innovating and developing two processes; Ye Yiwei focused on studying the artistic thoughts of seal cutting masters of the school. He did not simply pursue form, but strived to integrate seal cutting with literature, and combine form with content. He also made many explorations and was eclectic and praised in the seal world. It is "the seal of poetry". Ye Yiwei has written a large number of works on seal cutting theory. Many young and middle-aged seal cutters active in the seal cutting circle have benefited from his seal cutting theory.
Liu Jiang, Executive President of Xiling Seal Society and Professor of China Academy of Art: Ye Yiwei is a respectable elder. He has profound attainments in poetry, sealing, calligraphy and literature, and he is a moral person. He is extremely mature, modest and humble, and never drops out of school. He is truly a man of both virtue and skill. My understanding of Mr. Yiwei's "Poetic Heart-Creating Seal" is that the seal-cutting creation's seal-cutting content and formal beauty are closely combined, which enhances the connotation of seal-cutting art, greatly enhances the appreciation of seal-cutting art, and makes people ponder. Among them, there are a few square seals that are endlessly interesting and impressed me deeply: such as the oval-shaped red seal "Qiu Shi", the word "Qiu" is sparse and long, and the head is lowered to explore the careful and full word "Shi". The priority is clear, the density is appropriate, and it is clear. In one body, the image is vivid; the gourd-shaped seal is engraved with only one Chinese character "Meng" in Chinese characters, which is visually ordinary. If you think about it, it is "Meng Gourd"; the large seal with white text is "Yin Yin Mu", with rough lines and large areas of red, which makes people feel Reminiscent of the calmness and heaviness of "Yin Yin Mu"; the two characters "public and private" are roundly printed, and the word "public" occupies a large space and the word "private" occupies a small space. The form is simple, natural and meaningful; "The characters are written in pictographic ancient script, which is both vernacular and vernacular. It is endlessly interesting. There are many such examples in Mr. Yiwei's prints. Every time I read them, I am amazed.
Ye Nansheng, Ye Yiwei’s eldest son: His father is a very traditional literati and very serious. He doesn’t talk much. He is always immersed in his own art world and creates most of the time. Sometimes I see him taking a lunch break, actually closing his eyes and thinking, or even writing a draft, and then creating immediately after getting up. However, his life requirements are very low. In his memory, he never bought himself a piece of clothing. He gave all his salary to his mother. He ate whatever his mother did and never complained. He couldn't even turn on liquefied gas, he could only turn on the faucet because he had to wash his face.