China's landscape paintings, from the vigorous Northern Song Dynasty to the Yuan and Ming Dynasties characterized by "scribbling, talking about escape", and then to the modern yellow with highly purified brush and ink, have different aesthetic characteristics in each era. But in any case, there is always one thing in common, that is, the artist conveys his life direction through his art. Cai Jincun's landscape paintings, a lonely pavilion, a lake and a few sparse trees are just a few strokes, and the ethereal breath will come to my face. Qing Yunnan said: "Lonely and helpless, it is best to think about it." In Cai Jincun's picture, there are no redundant actions: houses, hermits, sparse trees, rocks, flowing springs, and brush strokes. The picture is lightly stained with ochre and faded from redundant colors, ethereal and distant, quiet and deep. Cai Jincun's paintings are not a complicated masterpiece, nor are they realistic, but a kind of Zen. Cheng Zhengqi, a Qing man, said in the Collection of Qingxi Legacies: "Painting is not difficult to be complicated, but difficult to be simple. The power of restoration is greater than complexity, and it is not necessary to restore by environment, but by pen. The so-called getting a car weapon is not like killing people. " China's traditional landscape painting pays attention to travel and life, and such a place to travel and live is often the artist's personal life ideal. Through such a simple picture, a few, a piano, a mountain, a piece of water, a lonely but persistent seeker, with an extreme simplicity, return to a simple and comfortable life. Perhaps this is what he is looking for in the picture.
Cai Jincun has studied and absorbed the artistic essence of predecessors and many contemporary artists on the road of exploring art for many years. With his own talent, poetry, books and paintings are highly unified, forming his own unique face. There is a Buddhist saying in Zen Buddhism: "There are innate things and intangible things. Can be the master of Vientiane, never die every four seasons. " People need some extraordinary experiences or years to get rid of flowers and stay simple. If the work is imagined by the artist, then pen and ink are the real state of the artist. The speed of pen and ink is slow, and the traces formed by pen and ink on paper are ethereal and elegant, which is the most authentic expression of artists. Cai Jincun worked hard in terns since he was a child, and later returned to Jinren lower case; Learn Wu Changshuo from seal script and catch up with Shigu and Zhong Ding; Wang Xizhi, a beginner in running script, thought Wang Taimei was too beautiful, so he abandoned him and went down to the Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties. Pear tree and Weibei also work hard. There is a saying: break first and then stand. It is difficult for calligraphy to form its own genre. First of all, it must be rooted in tradition. Secondly, we should have the spirit of breakthrough and innovation and constantly deny ourselves. This is a real challenge and test for calligraphers. Cai Jincun's calligraphy has never been shackled by a teacher, and he is addicted to copying the shadows of his predecessors, so it is sometimes difficult to find out who he is learning from. It's really "if there is nothing to look forward to, there is no trace to find."
Cai Jincun's calligraphy works are simple and natural, and there is no affectation to please others. Zhuangzi said: "Simplicity, the world can't compete with it for beauty". Calligraphy is the trace of the soul and the indifferent sublimation of the soul. Appreciating its works, like a gentle and modest gentleman, is interesting in it, and the more you taste it, the more lasting it will be. Commenting on his calligraphy, Mr. Wang Xunsheng said: "Cai Jincun's calligraphy is full of interest in Gu Zhuo. Without profound knowledge and cultivation outside books, it will never be possible, which is beyond the reach of arrogant or frivolous people. " Cai Jincun is good at brushwork and charm, and doesn't obsess to please others. His lofty personality and interest can be seen from this. Cai Jincun has a poem "No Three No Four" written by Zhu, and the paragraph reads: "The bad habit of being half-hearted begins in the year of knot angle. And I am not proficient in learning books, painting, poetry and calligraphy, and it is even more difficult to get involved. This is no three no four! " Cai Jincun has co-edited more than 100,000 words of calligraphy and seal cutting theory books with friends for 20 years, and his alma mater still has landscape stone carvings such as "Sailing in the Art Sea" and "Peach and Plum Fragrance" required by the school leaders at that time. It can be seen that Cai Jincun's efforts in seal cutting happen from time to time, not as "the printing practice is not deep" as mentioned in the paragraph. This also proves that its theory and practice are very solid.
Cai Jincun's seal cutting style is black and white, large and dense, with no deliberate work, quiet and heavy lines, simple and natural, and no time to learn. Look at its border style, the combination of knife and pen, elegant and smart, just like a small monument in Wei and Jin Dynasties, pleasing to the eye. Without profound calligraphy skills and years of professional training, it is absolutely impossible. Cai Jincun's pottery seal is also unique, with a simple surface, which not only retains the deep taste of stone, but also adds an infinite charm of sealing mud, which naturally cannot be revealed on the stone seal. After high-temperature firing, the density of pottery seal is much higher than that of Yin Shi, and some unsatisfactory places can no longer be decorated with a knife, but should be done in one go. Cai Jincun's pottery prints are exquisite in materials, unpretentious and not profound. Everything revealed is simple natural beauty. Mr. Chen, a great essayist, said: "Seeing Xiao Quan (Cai Jincun) is like seeing a university." Cai Jincun's poems, physique and tone, and the image of Fengshen are all in step with the ancients. Nowadays, many poems that flaunt themselves as great poets are mostly empty and gorgeous, with vulgar words, pale sentences, no personal feelings and a lack of understanding of life. Cai Jincun only regards his poetry as an accessory to calligraphy and painting, but he is strictly disciplined. His poems are sentimental and sentimental, and his poems are beautiful and melancholy. Former country radium wrote in the article "Wind and smoke everywhere, mountains and valleys in my heart": "In my old age, I wrote several poems with Cai Jincun, especially" Falling into the Jianghu ",which is unforgettable so far, and it goes without saying."
Cai Jincun's poems, such as "the top of the mountain often walks at the bottom of the cloud, and the meditation room has nothing to see the mountain." There is a bird in the cold forest, and I know that the villagers are looking for this place. Wangjiang Lake covers the dusk, and the clouds are separated by mountains. I hate the bright moon at home, and I fell asleep several times before I took a clear photo. Let the reader be there and have unlimited imagination. This is undoubtedly the poet's understanding of Zen, and it is also a true portrayal of his life experience and soul. "Li Yue Ji" says: "Poetry expresses ambition and sings its voice." "Preface to Poetry" says: "Poets are also determined. Heart is ambition, words are poetry, feelings are in the heart, and form is in words. Not enough, so I lament. Lamenting is not enough, so sing. Lack of singing and dancing are not the same thing. " Cai Jincun often said that poetry is an accessory of his calligraphy and painting. For example, many poems on paintings are made for painting. Su Dongpo commented on Wang Moshu's "painting in poetry and poetry in painting". In fact, Cai Jincun has many poems with pictures, which is also one of his songs. For example, "The Mistaken Dust Room": "The Mistaken Dust Room used to be Qing, the brothel has no old name, and the tears are lonely and new, so I can't bear to listen when I am drunk." "Love itself": "If you don't repay yourself, you will be tired of violating the Peach Blossom League of the previous dynasty. Qinhuai water and clear self-esteem, Xiangqi takes you to see Lin Quan. " Wait a minute.
Cai Jincun's music works such as Tears of Jerusalem, Snowflakes, Past Lives and Wishing Stone have their own soul stories in every capital, with beautiful and sad lyrics, sincere feelings and beautiful melodies. If poetry is a monologue of his mind, music is undoubtedly the narration and sublimation of his emotions.