This is a book compiled into a volume based on Mr. Chen Zizhuang’s quotations on painting in his later years. Mr. Chen Zizhuang is an artist with a unique artistic style in the modern Chinese painting world. His artistic thoughts have distinctive personal characteristics. These are some of Mr.’s arguments that I extracted from this book.
1. We are not engaged in painting for the sake of painting. We will eventually become a painter. This has no future in art. It must be based on the future of the nation and the longevity of the national culture. As a premise, it makes sense to engage in the art of painting.
? 2. Paintings should make people feel as if they are immersed in the painting, as if they are appreciating the painting in the painting. This is where the so-called charm of art lies.
? 3. Art has its own purpose and must not be dominated by others, as Hegel once said.
? 4. In the process of painting, the brush and ink phases change instantly, and personal consciousness mainly plays a role in it.
? 5. To learn painting, you need to study philosophy deeply. You will become a "painter" at first, and then you will have to break away from the painter. Otherwise, you will end up just a painter, or at most a "great master".
? 6. If you don’t learn philosophy, you won’t be able to rise out of it, and you will always be trapped in a devil’s cave. When you are exhausted from painting, you need to be able to retreat for two or three years to realize your thoughts, and the painting will still change. By constantly reflecting on yourself in this way, you can continuously improve your realm, and finally reach the phase of no one, no self, no sentient beings, and no lifespan.
7. It is not enough to learn painting only by painting methods. It is necessary to improve comprehensively from literature, calligraphy, philosophy, history and other aspects in order to make progress in the painting industry. The reason is simple: a strong man cannot lift himself .
8. Art should give people the highest spiritual enjoyment.
9. There are two elements in painting, one is spirituality, and the other is knowledge. An impersonal spirit cannot control pen and ink, but only those who are knowledgeable can express their thoughts.
? 10. Just talking about techniques in painting is in vain. Some people only talk about artistic conception without knowledge to cultivate it, which is also empty talk. However, like Shen Shitian and Wen Zhengming, although their knowledge is good, they lack spirituality and their writing will fail. Bada and Shitao are both knowledgeable and spiritual. Spirituality is the foundation, and scholarship should treat the root cause, not the end.
11. Understand your own ideological system. Don’t paint other people’s paintings, nor paint nature’s paintings. Paint yourself through nature, and paint your spirit through matter. This is your own.
? 12. Regarding the fine tradition of Chinese painting, the most valuable thing is the painter’s perseverance and unique insights.
13. The difference between technology and art is that technology can be achieved solely by skill, while art requires depth of cultivation.
? 14. If you observe things with your original mind and heavenly mind, your realm will be high; on the contrary, if you look at things with selfish desires and human heart, you will have what is called "obstacles" in Buddhism, and your realm will be low.
? 15. When reading, you must be able to abandon things that are not beneficial to your body and mind.
16. Read books that cultivate your spirit. The spirit is inspired by nature, but it needs to be cultivated through reading to become its instrument.
17. Reading Wang Yangming’s works will be of great help in improving your painting thinking.
18. Reading and writing should be given top priority. Engraving and painting are all "after-skills". In this way, whether it is carving or painting, it is not condescending.
19. Since ancient times, Chinese paintings have been divided into three categories: Shen, Miao and Neng.
What is a divine product? That is to say, it is varied, highly generalized, very similar to objects, and not limited to appearance.
What is Yipin? It is plain and innocent, with real feelings. It is not deliberately portrayed to achieve the state of forgetting both things and myself.
20. In terms of ancient and modern paintings, Bada Shanren, Zheng Suonan, Fangfanghu, Muxi, Dansheng are outstanding products. Wu Daozi is a god. Shi Tao, Wu Changshuo, and Huang Binhong are all top-notch artists, not yet top-notch artists, because I still admire their works. Qi Baishi's works when he was around 90 years old are between the best and the best.
21. As long as the painting can express the interest, it will be fine.