Introduction to Wu Daozi:
Wu Daozi (about 680-759), also known as Daoxuan, was a famous painter in the Tang Dynasty, and his painting history was regarded as a saint. Han nationality, from Yangzhai (now Yuzhou, Henan). Born around 680 AD (the first year of Yonglong), he died around 758 AD (the first year of Gan Yuan). Lonely and poor, you will have a painting name when you are young. He used to be the county commandant of Qiu Yan (now Ziyang), and soon resigned.
After that, he settled in Luoyang and engaged in mural creation. During the Kaiyuan period, he was called to the DPRK for his good painting, and successively served as a doctor, an internal teacher and Wang You. He studied calligraphy with Zhang Xu and He, watched sword dancing and experienced the skill of using a pen. He is good at Buddhism, ghosts and gods, figures, landscapes, animals, plants, pavilions and so on. , especially good at Buddhism and figures, and good at mural creation.
Wu Daozi's main achievements:
Wu Daozi's outstanding achievement in painting art stems from his deliberate innovation and courage to create. His two words are recorded in the famous paintings of past dynasties: "Everyone is close at hand, but I am far from painting. Everyone is alike, but I am far from the mortal world." This shows his unconventional and bold spirit of innovation in painting.
Therefore, his works have become a model for painters to learn, and his paintings are called "Wu Family". Therefore, Zhu, a native of the Tang Dynasty, praised the painters of the Tang Dynasty in the Preface to Famous Paintings of the Tang Dynasty, but he was lucky in his name. The reason why talented Wu Daozi is unique in today's world can be traced back to Lu and Gu. "
Wu Daozi also promoted the art of painting, carefully taught his disciples, and passed on his superb skills to the next generation, so that the art of painting was succeeded by others. According to the Records of Calligraphy and Painting and the records of famous paintings in past dynasties, he has many disciples, among which Lu Lengjia, Li Sheng, Zhang Zang, Zhu Yao and Zhai Yan are famous.
Qiu Han "defiled Danqing, studied under Wu Daozi, and was especially good at Taoism and Buddhism". Zhu Xi studied under Wu Daozi, and he was also "wonderful". Wu Daozi taught by example, or asked his disciples to recite formulas and learn colors. Or ask them to copy his paintings or fill in the colors according to his instructions.
There is a record in the Record of Famous Paintings in Past Dynasties: "When Wu Sheng (Daozi) painted, he put pen to paper and left, making Yan (Zhai Yan) and Zhang Zang paint more colors." Sometimes, when Wu Daozi paints a mural, he only sketches and gives the rest to his disciples. In the revered temple in Luoyang, Zhai Yan completed the book "The Changes of the Sun, Moon and Tibetan Scriptures" described by Wu Daozi.
Wu Daozi's painting art had a far-reaching influence on the painting in the Tang Dynasty. He was honored as a "painting saint" by later generations, and later his apprentice took over the title of "painting saint".