LEE Kwun Leung Vincent (09429670)LEE Kwun Leung Vincent (09429670)

Master of Social Science in China Studies (History)Master of Social Science in China Studies (History)

Xu Beihong: Chinese-Xu Beihong: Chinese-ink painting as a ink painting as a nationalistic propaganda nationalistic propaganda of enforcing China for of enforcing China for political and ideological political and ideological changeschanges

Ultimate purpose of researchUltimate purpose of research

Early 20Early 20 thth Century – Century – Change of functionChange of function: Chinese-ink paintings : Chinese-ink paintings were no longer the extravagant court items owned by were no longer the extravagant court items owned by monarchical rulers, but a monarchical rulers, but a popular mediumpopular medium for intellectuals to for intellectuals to spread patriotic affectionspread patriotic affection

How Xu Beihong initiated a re-modification on painting How Xu Beihong initiated a re-modification on painting methodologies – stressed stylistic and thematic methodologies – stressed stylistic and thematic breakthroughsbreakthroughs with traditional techniques as solid basiswith traditional techniques as solid basis

Messages delivered by Xu Beihong – Boosted up the morale for Messages delivered by Xu Beihong – Boosted up the morale for Chinese participation in anti-Japanese defence, together with a Chinese participation in anti-Japanese defence, together with a critical reflection on the corruption and disunity of Kuomingtang critical reflection on the corruption and disunity of Kuomingtang governancegovernance

Reform on Chinese aestheticsReform on Chinese aesthetics

Racial features apart from Racial features apart from literati temperamentsliterati temperaments

Strengthened the “plastic” Strengthened the “plastic” expression and diminished the expression and diminished the complicated brushstroke complicated brushstroke detailsdetails

Stressed the idea Stressed the idea ““observationobservation” apart from the ” apart from the consistency between hands consistency between hands and feelings from heartand feelings from heart

Penetrated into, instead of retreating Penetrated into, instead of retreating from, national and secular affairsfrom, national and secular affairs

Denied the fine-art Denied the fine-art academia in Shanghai for academia in Shanghai for their blind pursuit on the their blind pursuit on the Western trend of Modern Western trend of Modern ArtArt

Tight connection with Qi Tight connection with Qi Baishi (Baishi ( 齊白石齊白石 ) to ) to investigate on the investigate on the methodological reforms methodological reforms of Chinese-ink paintingsof Chinese-ink paintings

Xu Beihong’s acknowledgement on May Xu Beihong’s acknowledgement on May Fourth MovementFourth Movement

XXu Beihong regarded the four “Wangs” (u Beihong regarded the four “Wangs” (Wang Shimin, Wang Shimin, Wang Jian, Wang Hui & Wang YuanqiWang Jian, Wang Hui & Wang Yuanqi 王時敏、王鑒、王翬、王原祈王時敏、王鑒、王翬、王原祈 ) ) as “eight-legged” and feudalistic: narrowed themes, rigid as “eight-legged” and feudalistic: narrowed themes, rigid expressions, lack of stylistic vitalityexpressions, lack of stylistic vitality– Felt depressed with literati painters’ over-persistence on Felt depressed with literati painters’ over-persistence on

imitating the styles of ancient mastersimitating the styles of ancient masters

Avocation: To absorb the advanced experiences of Avocation: To absorb the advanced experiences of Western art as a mean of restraining the Western art as a mean of restraining the inferior inferior encroachment of formalistic art from the Westencroachment of formalistic art from the West

Xu Beihong’s acknowledgement on May Xu Beihong’s acknowledgement on May Fourth Movement Fourth Movement (continued)(continued)

Changed the philosophy of Changed the philosophy of apprenticeship: Masters should lay apprenticeship: Masters should lay their apprentices with solid their apprentices with solid technical foundations, guide them technical foundations, guide them to develop their own creativity and to develop their own creativity and tolerate their stylistic innovations.tolerate their stylistic innovations.

Sought an aesthetic coexistence Sought an aesthetic coexistence between Chinese and Western between Chinese and Western styles, whereas the moisturized styles, whereas the moisturized infiltration and harmonious infiltration and harmonious luminance of Chinese ink had to be luminance of Chinese ink had to be inherited continuously.inherited continuously.

Xu Beihong created a portraiture Xu Beihong created a portraiture for Ranbindranath Tagore, an for Ranbindranath Tagore, an

Indian poet-writer, with Chinese Indian poet-writer, with Chinese ink and xuanzhi paper as mediumsink and xuanzhi paper as mediums

Xu Beihong’s acknowledgement on Xu Beihong’s acknowledgement on CommunismCommunism

Eager to liberate painters from being controlled Eager to liberate painters from being controlled by art dealersby art dealers– Felt disappointed with Picasso’s stylistic Felt disappointed with Picasso’s stylistic

transformations for the sake of appeasing transformations for the sake of appeasing bourgeoisies and bureaucrats’ curiositybourgeoisies and bureaucrats’ curiosity

– Regarded Matisse as not respecting the legitimate Regarded Matisse as not respecting the legitimate painting methodologies: too playfulpainting methodologies: too playful

– Art should serve the aesthetic pleasure of common Art should serve the aesthetic pleasure of common people, with a vivid description of social livelihoods people, with a vivid description of social livelihoods and an aspiration of modifying the global and an aspiration of modifying the global phenomenon.phenomenon.

Painting (1): “Painting (1): “The Five Hundred Muscular Men from The Five Hundred Muscular Men from Tian HengTian Heng” (” (田橫五百壯士田橫五百壯士 ))

Adopted the anti-Qin Adopted the anti-Qin revolters from Tian revolters from Tian Heng under the Heng under the leadership Emperor leadership Emperor Han Gaozu (Han Gaozu (漢高祖漢高祖 ) ) as a metaphor to as a metaphor to encourage Chinese encourage Chinese intellectuals not to intellectuals not to incline to imperialism, incline to imperialism, as the Kuomintang as the Kuomintang officials used to serve officials used to serve their own political their own political interests at the expense interests at the expense of national securityof national security

An emphasis on An emphasis on moral integritymoral integrity as a preservation of racial dignityas a preservation of racial dignity

Painting (2): “Painting (2): “Rescue from an Intelligent LeaderRescue from an Intelligent Leader” (” (徯我徯我后后 ))

MetaphorMetaphor: : Impoverished villagers Impoverished villagers who longed for Shang who longed for Shang Tang (Tang ( 商湯商湯 )’s arrival to )’s arrival to help them turn down the help them turn down the brutal governance of brutal governance of Emperor Xia Jie (Emperor Xia Jie ( 夏桀夏桀 ))

ImplicationImplication: Chinese : Chinese people longed for a people longed for a capable leadership from capable leadership from Kuomintang Kuomintang Government to relieve Government to relieve their burden and their burden and counteract with Japanese counteract with Japanese influence in Manchuria influence in Manchuria after the outbreak of 9-after the outbreak of 9-18 Incident18 Incident

Chinese hoped for a thorough liberation Chinese hoped for a thorough liberation from the torture of foreign humiliation from the torture of foreign humiliation

Painting (3): “Painting (3): “Where there’s a will, there’s the wayWhere there’s a will, there’s the way” (” (愚愚公移山公移山 ) ) (created in 1940 during a journey in India)(created in 1940 during a journey in India)

ImplicationImplication: Boosted up the morale of : Boosted up the morale of Chinese people to endeavour with their Chinese people to endeavour with their defence against Japanese invasion defence against Japanese invasion Believed Believed that a staunch persistence on nationalistic that a staunch persistence on nationalistic spirit would result in the ultimate success of a spirit would result in the ultimate success of a racerace

Chinese Chinese should be should be hopeful and hopeful and optimistic optimistic with their with their strengthstrength

Painting (4): “Painting (4): “The Adverse WindThe Adverse Wind” (” (逆風逆風 ) ) (created in (created in 1936)1936)

ImplicationImplication: With regards to : With regards to sparrows’ courage in sparrows’ courage in encountering the obstacles of encountering the obstacles of vibrant wind force, we, as vibrant wind force, we, as Chinese citizens, should persist Chinese citizens, should persist with our high morale in with our high morale in defending our territories from defending our territories from Japanese invasion. Even though Japanese invasion. Even though their military threat was gigantic, their military threat was gigantic, we should not underestimate our we should not underestimate our ability to reverse the declining ability to reverse the declining situation of our race.situation of our race.

To make breakthrough regardless of a contrast To make breakthrough regardless of a contrast between strengths and weaknessesbetween strengths and weaknesses

Painting (5): “Painting (5): “The Spring Rainfall in Lijiang RiverThe Spring Rainfall in Lijiang River” ” ((漓江春雨漓江春雨 )) ImplicationImplication: During the toughed days : During the toughed days

of Second Sino-Japanese War, Xu of Second Sino-Japanese War, Xu Beihong witnessed that the reactionary Beihong witnessed that the reactionary forces within Kuomintang permitted forces within Kuomintang permitted foreigners to legitimize their territorial foreigners to legitimize their territorial humiliations in coastal areas. Xu humiliations in coastal areas. Xu Beihong left Nanjing with anger and Beihong left Nanjing with anger and reached Guilin. As Xu retreated from reached Guilin. As Xu retreated from the social turbulence, he turned to the social turbulence, he turned to appreciate the simplicity and harmony appreciate the simplicity and harmony of rural life and further felt emotionless of rural life and further felt emotionless with the unjust political pursuits of with the unjust political pursuits of current rulers.current rulers.

Felt helpless with the insane of Kuomintang’s Felt helpless with the insane of Kuomintang’s corrupted governancecorrupted governance

Xu Beihong’s contributions: An Xu Beihong’s contributions: An avant-garde to promote avant-garde to promote ideological enlightenmentsideological enlightenments through a stylistic reformation through a stylistic reformation on Chinese arton Chinese art Established “Neo-Established “Neo-Oriental Drawing” by Oriental Drawing” by

merging the Chinese delineative painting with merging the Chinese delineative painting with the scientific elements of formalismthe scientific elements of formalism

Intentional contouring as a respect to objective Intentional contouring as a respect to objective substancessubstances

Paid a heartfelt concern on compatriots’ Paid a heartfelt concern on compatriots’ sufferings – The spirit of compassion through sufferings – The spirit of compassion through aesthetic descriptionaesthetic description

Employed “models” to portray narrative Employed “models” to portray narrative characters with accurate anatomical proportionscharacters with accurate anatomical proportions

Equilibrium between spiritual likeliness and Equilibrium between spiritual likeliness and compositional realitycompositional reality

Pakistan in Jishui, Scholastic Temperaments Pakistan in Jishui, Scholastic Temperaments ((巴人汲水．懷學素養巴人汲水．懷學素養 ))

The righteous behaviour of Xu The righteous behaviour of Xu Beihong – upheld virtues regardless Beihong – upheld virtues regardless of political threatof political threat

Xu returned to Beijing Professional Xu returned to Beijing Professional Academy of Fine Arts in 1941. He defended Academy of Fine Arts in 1941. He defended his students against the slanders and tortures his students against the slanders and tortures of reactionary officials from Kuomintang. of reactionary officials from Kuomintang. He collected the criminal evidences of these He collected the criminal evidences of these officals and submitted his findings to Ai officals and submitted his findings to Ai Qing (Qing (艾青艾青 ), a Kuomintang commander ), a Kuomintang commander who took over the control of the Academy. who took over the control of the Academy.

Xu united with Beiping Artists’ Association, Xu united with Beiping Artists’ Association, Chinese Academy of Fine Arts and Beijing Chinese Academy of Fine Arts and Beijing Professional Academy of Fine Arts to Professional Academy of Fine Arts to organize the “Joint Art Exhibition” as a way organize the “Joint Art Exhibition” as a way of presenting Chinese public with a renewed of presenting Chinese public with a renewed image of Chinese painting methodology.image of Chinese painting methodology. The Ninth Ode of Quyuan – The Ninth Ode of Quyuan –

National Grief (National Grief ( 屈原九歌．國殤屈原九歌．國殤 ))

Gains from this research topicGains from this research topic

““CreativityCreativity” instead of “imitation” and ” instead of “imitation” and “cultivation” (a Western art concept)“cultivation” (a Western art concept)

Painting as a wholesome propaganda – Painting as a wholesome propaganda – influenced people to pursue universal influenced people to pursue universal obligations, not just limited to spiritual obligations, not just limited to spiritual enhancementsenhancements

Painting as a reaction to the cultural Painting as a reaction to the cultural mission of highlighting the elegant mission of highlighting the elegant features of Chinese Civilizationfeatures of Chinese Civilization

To efficiently analyze the patriotic To efficiently analyze the patriotic messages from different iconographies messages from different iconographies of Xu Beihong’s paintings – tight of Xu Beihong’s paintings – tight correlation of his reformed art styles correlation of his reformed art styles with the anti-Japanese intellectual trend with the anti-Japanese intellectual trend of Kuomintang eraof Kuomintang era

The Ninth Ode of Quyuan – The The Ninth Ode of Quyuan – The Mountainous Monster (Mountainous Monster ( 屈原九歌．山鬼屈原九歌．山鬼 ))

Gains from this research topic Gains from this research topic (continued)(continued)

To raise the significance of “To raise the significance of “holistic holistic artist personalityartist personality” in this new social ” in this new social epoch – stressed both conscientious epoch – stressed both conscientious awareness and social participations awareness and social participations instead of over-emphasizing on the instead of over-emphasizing on the spiritual delights from their personal spiritual delights from their personal art realmsart realms

To explore the virtues from Xu’s new To explore the virtues from Xu’s new ideals in art education – Chinese ideals in art education – Chinese humanism (Xu was honored as the humanism (Xu was honored as the Man of Chinese Art Renaissance)Man of Chinese Art Renaissance)

The Ninth Ode of Quyuan – The The Ninth Ode of Quyuan – The Mountainous Monster (Mountainous Monster ( 屈原九歌．山鬼屈原九歌．山鬼 ))

Reference MaterialsReference Materials

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