In his early years, his family was poor, and he should be a scholar of Kangxi, a juren of Yongzheng and a scholar of Qianlong. He used to be the magistrate of Fanxian County and Weixian County in Shandong Province.
Later, he offended the local gentry and was dismissed from office because he helped the county people win the lawsuit and handled the relief. Before and after the breakup, I lived in Yangzhou to sell paintings. He is good at participating in running script, calling himself "six and a half books" and has a unique style, which is praised by critics as "the best in ancient drama".
Good at poetry, poetry near Xiangshan. His works, such as Fierce Officials, Lynching Evil, Journey of Orphans and Escape from the Wilderness, describe the sufferings of the people deeply. I wrote "Letters from Home" and "Daoqing", which is naturally frank and open, and is known to the world. In painting, it is one of the eight eccentrics in Yangzhou. Author of Complete Works of Banqiao.
Confessions of burned paintings
Zheng Banqiao can write poetry, write and draw. Fiona Fang has known Fiona Fang for dozens of miles, and people call him a master of poetry, painting and calligraphy. In particular, his paintings of bamboo, orchids and stones are lifelike and full of gestures. They are both spiritual and meaningful, and then he wrote several poems with his words, big and small. He paved the streets with grass and stones and covered them with bright red stamps. It really makes people love and praise more and more.
Zheng Banqiao is a native of Xinghua Water Town. I lived in Yangzhou in the first year, and spent all my days with my friends, Eight Eccentrics, making poems and appraising paintings. In ordinary life, he sells money by writing and drawing. Because his handwriting is good, his poetry is good, his painting is good, he buys a lot of people, and his life is good. He is a well-off family.
One day, he heard that there was a Jiao Shan in the middle of Zhenjiang River, with beautiful scenery and many bamboos planted on the mountain. Zheng Banqiao thought: Living in Yangzhou, there are too many people coming and going, so you can't read some books quietly. Cape Mountain is a quiet place, a good place to draw and study. In addition, there are many bamboos in Jiaoshan. I love painting bamboo all my life, and I live in Jiao Shan.
Soon, he crossed the river and came to Jiao Shan. He walked around Kanshan, and finally took a fancy to Biefeng Temple in the back hill, so he discussed with the abbot of the temple to stay.
This Biefeng Temple, built at the top of Houshan Mountain, has only a few dilapidated houses with air leakage and rain leakage, and there is no good way to go. It's hard to climb high and low. There is only one old monk in the temple, who is both an abbot and a handyman, so he can't be idle when he is busy. There is not a well on the mountain. Although Jiao Shan is surrounded by a raging river with plenty of water, it is really hard to get it out of the river barrel by barrel.
Zheng Banqiao lived in Bifeng Temple, first helped the old monk pick a jar full of water, then cleaned the house, put up the window, put down Four Treasures of the Study, looked around, and felt quiet and elegant, so he picked up a pen and wrote a one-inch couplet and posted it outside the door:
Why is the room elegant?
Not many flowers.
When the old monk saw this white-faced scholar, he didn't put on airs, spoke kindly, and worked hard. He was very happy and was more hospitable to him.
After settling down, Zheng Banqiao looked at the river view every day, walked around the bamboo forests around buddhist nun, and lived a fairy-like life. He looks! Go shopping! As soon as I realized it, I ran to the study, spread out the paper and drew a string of bamboo stones. That stick of ink bamboo, green stems, lush branches and leaves, with one or two strange stones, coupled with a few interesting poems, unique calligraphy, is very beautiful. Zheng Banqiao hung some proud pictures on the wall, enjoying and pondering.
Old monks in buddhist nun also know calligraphy and painting. Seeing that Zheng Banqiao's paintings are so good, he repeatedly praised them: Good paintings! Good painting! 」
When Zheng Banqiao heard the old monk's praise, he always said modestly, "Master, please don't laugh, please give me more advice!" ! 」
The news that Zheng Banqiao could draw was soon known by the monks in charge of the small temple at the foot of the mountain. Everyone came to see for themselves one by one, and no one did not give a thumbs-up and said yes. As a result, everyone asked him for paintings.
Some people can't find a painting at the moment, so they look around and borrow one to hang. These monks took Zheng Banqiao's paintings back and were seen by wealthy businessmen and tycoons who came to visit the temple. They are all greedy, so they ask the monks. The monk asked Zheng Banqiao for paintings without spending a penny, but the rich officials and businessmen asked the monk for paintings, so the monk took this opportunity to earn more money. Those rich officials and businessmen have money anyway, as long as they draw well, they don't care if they spend an extra 3252 or 1282 silver.
Later, Jia Jia, a wealthy and powerful official and businessman, knew that the painters used to live in Bifeng Temple, so he bought paper for himself, asked the monk in charge of the small temple to lead them to Bifeng Temple to invite Zheng Banqiao to paint, and wrote down their shop names.
Zheng Banqiao was embarrassed to refuse, because these people were introduced by monks, so he drew some pictures and sent some casually. Rich officials and businessmen always say thank you with a smile, roll their tongues and take away the calligraphy and painting for nothing.
Zheng Banqiao has made great efforts in drawing and writing, but he doesn't talk about pen and ink. The old monk in Biefeng Temple had to put tea and paste water, but he didn't get any benefits, instead, he added a lot of trouble. Zheng Banqiao, I'm really sorry. Who knows that these big officials and wealthy businessmen are insatiable and their appetite is growing. First, they want to draw a small landscape, or an old fan, and then they want him to spend a lot of time in nave. One foot of paper and three buckets of ink make A Zheng Banqiao breathless.
After painting for a while, Zheng Banqiao was at a loss and very depressed. I thought I wouldn't react so quickly! No matter who draws in the future, ignore him and give him a clean answer. Reply three or five times, others are embarrassed to pester this painting again. But another thought is: this is not a good idea either.
I don't even want to be at leisure if I go back to Yangzhou, Zheng Banqiao. If you don't draw, they will haunt you and make you nervous. I think this old monk in buddhist nun is too austere. He is so kind to me. Why don't I take this opportunity to help him?
When he thought of a good idea, Zheng Banqiao discussed his idea with the old monk in this way. The old monk certainly welcomed it and readily agreed.
The next day, someone came with a paper mountain. In the past, the door of the temple was always wide open, but this time it was closed tightly. Come and have a look, it turned out that there was a big piece of paper on the door, which read a few lines:
Painting bamboo is not just about buying bamboo.
The paper is six feet high and costs three thousand.
Renqu talks about the handover of the old theory,
When the autumn wind blows.
Only after reading these lines did people know that Zheng Banqiao wanted money to write and draw. Some stingy ghosts are reluctant to spend money, so they have to go home disappointed with their eyes; People who are willing to spend money will meet the old monk, pay money in one hand and hand in paintings in the other. Zheng Banqiao didn't have the money to sell the painting, but gave it to the old monk.
From then on, fewer people painted, and Zheng Banqiao was much more leisure, so he could spare time to study and practice painting and calligraphy. The old monk got a lot of money, and Biefeng Temple was clean and tidy.
(Excerpted from an interesting talk about Yilin painting and calligraphy)
The six sources of feeling are purity and cleanliness ―― freedom from human desires and passions.
On the Jiao Shan in Zhenjiang, there is a Dinghui Temple. The abbot in the temple likes calligraphy and painting very much. I prefer the calligraphy and painting of Yangzhou Eight Eccentrics. It's a pity that this elder spent a lot of energy and cost, and only got seven paintings and calligraphy in the Eight Eccentrics.
He hung these calligraphy and paintings in the abbot's room for visitors to enjoy, which is a kind of enjoyment. However, what he lacks is the famous Zheng Banqiao's calligraphy and painting. Without his calligraphy and painting, I feel a fly in the ointment.
Later, when Zheng Banqiao came back from Shandong, he had nothing to do. Thinking of the charming scenery of Zhenjiang, he decided to travel across the river.
Zheng Banqiao came to Jiao Shan in the middle of the river and was about to step into the gate of Dinghui Temple when he met the abbot of the temple. Zheng Banqiao civilly gave the abbot a gift, and the abbot respectfully replied. Seeing that the visitor was quiet and free and easy, the abbot decided that he was a man of culture, so he personally welcomed him into the temple, sat down in the abbot's room and invited the young monk to bring tea. Two people are talking about Syria while drinking tea, and they are in love.
Zheng Banqiao drank tea and looked up. The abbot's indoor walls were covered with famous calligraphy and painting. There were seven in Yangzhou, but none in Zheng Banqiao. Why? So, he asked: Why do you lack Zheng Banqiao's calligraphy and painting? 」
The abbot said with great emotion, "To tell the truth, I can't get enough of Zheng Banqiao's calligraphy and painting! If I hang his calligraphy and painting in the abbot's room, it will be even more radiant. 」
Zheng Banqiao said, "Do you know Zheng Banqiao?" The abbot shook his head and said, "I have never seen Mr. Zheng in Zheng Banqiao! I only heard the story of his painting! 」
Zheng Banqiao smiled: What's the story of painting? "The abbot solemnly said," yes, yes, yes, my brother told me himself. I have a brother who is in charge of the temple of fire. Before he became a monk, his family was poor and he often got help from Zheng Banqiao. One day, when he was chatting with Zheng Banqiao, Mr Banqiao said to him, "My dear friend, my brother has been living beyond his means recently. I really have long hands and short sleeves and can't help you. Let's make a painting and sell it to you for a while! " 」
The younger brother said gratefully, "Brother Zheng, your family is not well off, so you don't have to worry about your younger brother. Speaking of paintings, I want one as a souvenir! Zheng Banqiao said happily: In this case, I will make one for you! Then he found paper and ink, but he didn't get a satisfactory brush.
Zheng Banqiao looked up and saw a handle for washing the pot on the stove, so he picked it up, dipped it in ink and drew it on the paper. My brother is unhappy and suspicious. Brother Zheng is making fun of me today. He said he gave me a painting, but it was actually scribbled with a washbasin. What is this painting called?
Zheng Banqiao three times five divided by two, blink of an eye. Zheng Banqiao said to my brother, "My dear friend, take the ink back when it is dry!"! When my brother looked carefully, he found that there were no pictures on the paper, but he drew some messy black ink ideas with the pot washer, which was even more angry. Originally, I wanted to get angry, but on second thought, Zheng Banqiao was always nice to me. He made fun of me today, so why bother? So he said tactfully, "Brother Zheng, there is no place to hang this painting in my house. I appreciate your kindness. Draw it! Just keep it for yourself! 』
When Zheng Banqiao heard that he didn't see the mystery in the painting, he didn't feel angry, so he said, "My dear friend, you can take it back for a few days. If it's not good, I'll send it another day, and I'll draw you a new one! " My brother saw that Banqiao was so sincere and sincere, so he picked up the painting and took it back.
My brother hung this picture on the wall of his room when he got home. In the evening, my brother was lying in bed, and suddenly he saw the place where the painting was hung was full of stars, and the bright moon was in the sky. What a beautiful blue sky! It's really charming. He immediately got out of bed and touched the wall. It turned out to be a picture given by Banqiao during the day. Only then did I know that Brother Zheng painted a treasure painting.
Later, the story of Zheng Banqiao's treasure painting was widely circulated, and people who came to see the treasure painting crowded a temple of fire. 」
After the abbot finished speaking, he said piteously, It will be a great honor for three generations if the poor monk can get a treasure painting from Zheng Banqiao! 」
Zheng Banqiao smiled and said, "Since the elders cherish it, Banqiao might as well make a fool of itself and write a few strokes as a souvenir." . When the abbot heard that it was Zheng Banqiao, he was overjoyed, and the fairy came. He quickly got up and said, I heard about Mr. Zheng's visit to Hanshan Temple today and generously gave him a painting. What a blessing! 」
Zheng Banqiao said quickly, "Please ask the gentleman to fetch Four Treasures of the Study quickly!" ! The abbot repeatedly replied: Yes, yes, yes! "Then he told the young monk to get a pen and ink.
Because the abbot seldom writes at ordinary times, Zheng Banqiao came too suddenly, and the young monk was at a loss at the moment, and finally only found the three treasures of paper and inkstone. When the abbot saw it, he was full of anger and ordered the young monk to find a pen quickly. The abbot himself only cared about grinding ink himself, and he was so anxious that he was sweating.
Zheng Banqiao saw that the ink had been smoothed out, so he slowly unfolded the paper. For a long time, the young monk still didn't bring a pen. The abbot really flew into a rage and was about to have an attack. Just then, a young monk came out of the same room with an old pot-washing handle in his hand. Zheng Banqiao came forward to persuade the abbot to ask the young monk to wash the pot handle, dip it in thick ink, wave his hand and brush it.
When the abbot looked at it, he saw six bamboo poles left on the paper, thick and thin. He was so absorbed in the painting that he was full of praise.
Zheng Banqiao finished painting six bamboo poles, so he stopped writing and said it was finished.
The abbot is really worried now. Although the six bamboo poles are well painted, they are bare and have no branches and leaves, which makes people laugh and cry: you said that the painting is not good, this is the famous Zheng Banqiao original; What did you say?/Sorry? What kind of painting is this? He thought about it, but he couldn't help talking. He asked Zheng Banqiao to change the painting. Banqiao shook his head and said, I can't change it, I can't change it! 」
Just then, the little monk found the pen. Zheng Banqiao picked up a pen, wrote an inscription on the painting, carefully wrote down the four characters of "six clean", wrote down the upper and lower paragraphs, and then wrote it off.
The abbot looked at the inscription and pondered it carefully before he suddenly realized the meaning of the painting. Originally, Zheng Banqiao praised the abbot as a true monk with spotless and clean six roots.
So, he took a look and praised: wonderful! Wonderful! Six clean is the principle of our Buddhist cultivation! 」
Buddhist terminology. Buddhists believe that human eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and heart are called six roots: eyes are the root of vision, ears are the root of hearing, nose is the root of smell, tongue is the root of taste, and touching the root means thinking about the root. They are all the root of evil. So in Buddhist scriptures, children who believe in Buddhism are always required to be spotless and clean.
The abbot not only has Zheng Banqiao's calligraphy and painting, but also Zheng Banqiao provides teaching materials for his disciples. He happily hung this painting in the calligraphy and painting of Yangzhou Eight Eccentrics, making this small abbot room more dazzling.
(Excerpted from an interesting talk about Yilin painting and calligraphy.