Poetry Of Sculpture

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The Poetr y of Scu lptu re

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Wu Weishan

The Poet r y of Sc u lpt u re

World Scientific NEW JERSEY

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LONDON

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SINGAPORE

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BEIJING

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SHANGHAI

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HONG KONG

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TA I P E I

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CHENNAI

Published by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. 5 Toh Tuck Link, Singapore 596224

USA office: 27 Warren Street, Suite 401-402, Hackensack, NJ 07601 UK office: 57 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HE

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Wu, Weishan, 1962[Diao su de shi xing. English] The poetry of sculpture / Wu Weishan. p. cm. ISBN 978-981-279-007-1 (alk. paper) 1. Wu, Weishan, 1962- 2. Sculptors--China--Biography. 3. Wu, Weishan, 1962---Aesthetics. I. Title. NB1049.W85A2 2008 730.92--dc22 [B] 2008008567

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Editors:

Shang Rong Nanjing University Institute of Sculpture Art Bryan Low Chuen Chieh

Translator: Titus Teo Ken Hian Designer: Ng Chin Choon

Copyright © 2008 by World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without written permission from the Publisher.

For photocopying of material in this volume, please pay a copying fee through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. In this case permission to photocopy is not required from the publisher.

ISBN-13 978-981-279-007-1 ISBN-10 981-279-007-1

Printed in Singapore.

Foreword

Rooted in ancient Chinese culture, and drawing inspirations from the great revolutions in Western art of the last two centuries, Wu Weishan forges no less a task for himself than to sculpt the very essence of Chinese civilization. From the serenity of the massive 老子 (Laotze) to the dark biting sharpness of 鲁迅 (Luxun), Wu Wei Shan searches again and again for the meaning of Chineseness throughout three thousand years of her long and complicated history. His sculptures strike a delicate balance between 神似 (likeness of spirit) and 形似 (likeness of form), a balance that is at the very foundation of the definition of art in China. I had once characterized Wu Weishan’s pieces with three Chinese ideograms: 真、纯、朴 ; 真 (genuine, candid, real, essential, true), 纯 (pure, chaste, natural, ingenuous, honorable), 朴 (unostentatious, simple, modest, earthly). All of these characteristics exude abundantly from every piece of his sculptures, big or small. I believe Wu Weishan is destined to become one of the great sculptors of the 21st century.

Yang Zhenning 扬振宁 14 March 2007

Contents

Foreword

Yang Zhenning

Adv a ncing towa r d s a B o u n d l e s s U n i v e r s e

7

1. Father and His Poems

15

2. Spiritual Sketches

25

3. Picking Up Treasures from Old Bookstalls

27

4. The Country of Tulips

27

Global Village of Artists

30

China in the Eyes of Europeans

33

An Old Dutch Man’s Special Affections for China

34

Playing Host in the Netherlands

37

The Screw on the Move

39

Making a Sculpture of the Queen of the Netherlands

41

Speech by F.J.M. Houben, Chief Representative of the Queen of the Netherlands and Governor of the Province of Noord-Brabant, at the Handing-Over-Ceremony of Sculpture of the Queen of the Netherlands

42

Speech by Wu Weishan at the Handing-Over-Ceremony

45

5. Pursuing Dreams in Paris

45

Standing in Front of Mona Lisa

46

Close Up with Auguste Rodin

48

The Lessons from Horse

50

An Instant Moment Can Also Be Eternal

53

6. Crossing the Pacific

53

Holding Exhibitions in San Francisco

58

The Bridge Is Only That Long

61

Robin’s World

63

Avenue of the Stars

65

Visiting “Son” in the U.S.

69

A Strange Encounter at the Museum — Rumination on Works

71

7. Full Moon in Britain

71

The Sleeping Child Wins the Award

78 My Sculptures Do Not Cater to Westerners An interview after winning the Pangolin Award Xue Longchun and Shang Rong

86

Sculptures by Professor Wu Weishan

Anthony Stones

95

8. The Season of Cherry Blossoms

95

Holding Exhibitions in Tokyo

97

Inexpressible Emotions

Tom. M Aoyama

98

A Challenger of the Modern Soul

Saburo Kosugi

107

9. Boisterous Hong Kong

110

Heaven and Earth and Affections between Mother and Son

112 Wu Weishan's Stint at HKUST Foreword of Wu Weishan's Sculptures and Paintings Woo Chia-wei

113 The Symbol of Chinese Culture Speech at the Unveiling Ceremony of Qian Mu’s Sculpture 115

The Pinnacle Display of Portrait Sculpture

King Yeo-chi

Sculpting the T im e s

127

1. Extraordinary Character

Sculpting a Portrait of Yang Zhenning

133

Reading Wu Weishan’s Candour, Purity and Simplicity

Yang Zhenning

134

Speech by Yang Zhenning at the Unveiling Ceremony of His Sculpture in Tsinghua University (May 2004)

135

Speech by Yang Zhenning at the Unveiling Ceremony of His Sculpture in Nanjing University (October 2005)

136

Speech by Yang Zhenning at the Opening Ceremony of “Casting the Soul with the Literary Heart — Exhibition of Wu Weishan’s Sculptural Works”

137 2. Talking about Form and Spirit with Pride and Exultance On the Spirit of Art by Fei Xiaotong 143

3. A Name Remembered throughout Generations Impressions of 100-year-old Gu Yuxiu

151

4. A Devoted Ox of Chinese Culture

In memory of Xiong Bingming

162 166

Solidified History Sculpting with Four Hands

Xiong Bingming

168

Knowledge of Self Is Wisdom

Wu Weishan

171

5. An Oriental Old Sage

172

Promoting Chinese Culture, Creating a New Era of Sculpture

175

6. Making a Sculpture of Lin Sanzhi Six Times

183

7. The Humour of a Master Mathematician

Chang Jian

187

8. Sculpting Confucius Using Ancient Methods

189

9. An Instant of a Peasant-Scientist

192

10. The Form of Old Man Shanyuan

195

11. Sculpting the Confident and Deep Xiao Xian

197

12. The Soul of Similarity and Dissimilarity

199

13. A Minute Detail

201

14. Sculpting Wu Zuoren

203

15. Sculptures of Cultural Notables

On C reating Fre e h a n d Sc u l p tu r e

225

1. The Theory of Freehand Sculpting (Excerpt)

230

2. My Views on the Characteristics and Styles of Chinese Sculptural Art

Expounding the Eight Major Types of Ancient Chinese Sculpture

231

I. Primitive, simple and unpolished imagery

232

II. Strange abstractness of the Shang dynasty

233

III. Decorative and realistic depiction in Qin figurines

234

IV. Firm and vigorous freehandedness of the Han dynasty

237

V. Ideal modelling in Buddhism

239

VI. Realistic depiction of the customs of the Song dynasty

240

VII. Form exaggeration in imperial mausoleums

241

VIII. Expression of simplicity among the people

245

3. Sculpting the Spirit of the Times

253

4. The Soul of Western Han Dynasty

Imageries in Wooden Sculptures

260 5. Free Discussion on Sculpture Part 1: Rumination on Comparison 263 6. Free Discussion on Sculpture Part 2: Vividness in Ambiguity 267 7. Free Discussion on Sculpture Part 3: Viewing Sculpture beyond Ambiguity 269

8. From Clay to Bronze

273

9. The Primitive Spirit in Modern Sculpture

283 10. The Poetry of Sculpture Speech at the UNESCO Centre of Macau and University of Macau 305 11. Tradition and Innovation Speech at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology 325

12. Pictures of Freehand Sculptures

Appendix

A Collection of Comments and Short Reviews

334

Boutros Boutros-Ghali

Former Secretary-General of the United Nations

335

Johannes Rau

Former President of Germany

339

Jiang Shusheng

Chairman of Central Committee of China Democratic League and Former President of Nanjing University

340

Jin Shangyi

Chairman of China Artists Association and Painter

342

Fan Di’an

Director of the National Art Museum of China and Art Critic

344

Wang Wenzhang

President of the China Art Academy

346

Yuan Yunpu

Professor of Qinghua University and Artist

347

Shao Dazhen

Professor of China Central Academy of Fine Arts and Art Critic

348

About Wu Weishan

350

Postscript

Between heaven and earth Shafts of light Languidly penetrate It is the flowerlike feather When the evening glow shines upon it It becomes A myriad of colours that dazzles the eyes

Wu Weishan


A dvanc i n g t o wa r d s a B o u n d l e s s U n i v e r s e

I n t r o d u c t i o n

I cannot figure out the source of Weishan’s artistic creativity, but it is certain that apart from the artistic traditions of China, elements of Western art and culture are also present. His Western art resources are based on his gleanings from the academic exchanges in Europe and the United States. Any modern Chinese artist is destined to go beyond China. Weishan’s sculptures have undoubtedly been produced from his dialogues with Western sculptors, which were carried out in equality and sincerity. — Extracted from The Pinnacle Display of Portrait Sculpture King Yeo-chi (金耀基)

Sculpture of Father, 1991. Bronze

His head is slightly lifted, with cheekbones protruding from his bony face. His eyes are filled with uncertainty; untidy hair is swept to the back....

6

The Poetry of Sculpture

Wu Weishan

1. Father and His Poems He is not a poet, yet his heart abounds with poetry. — a note to the title (2001)

I sculpted a portrait of Father for his 66th birthday. That was six years ago. He was an ordinary intellectual, and this sculpture was only an expression of my special affection for him as a son. This sculpture was later cast in bronze: This is a real life portrayal, but more significantly, it is the Father framed in the depths of my memories. Since I began remembering things, I rarely saw my parents smile. Mother was always frowning with worries. Among seven of their children, I was the fifth child. Father was the sole breadwinner of the family. In 1967, Father, with a black placard hung on his neck, paraded the streets with a group labelled “Cow Monsters and Snake Demons” 1 who wore hats, for a public persecution. However, fortunately, he was not bound and forced to crawl on the streets, like some others were. At a rally of denouncement, Father stood on the stage as a Red Guard read out his “crimes”, to which he did not bow his head in shame. Instead, I saw him getting in line every morning in front of the statue of Chairman Mao to “seek forgiveness”. In the hot summer of 1969, on his 40th birthday, Father wrote while he was wrongly accused and tortured in the “cowshed” 2 :

For 20 years, I have been loyal and faithful, Devoting myself to education without any sloth. Calamity befalls and I have been turned into a devil, I sit in the cowshed, scorning at the cold harsh reality with bitter hatred. At that time, Father wore a black cord cotton coat, cotton trousers and a hat. Due to his persecution, I was also vilified and discriminated against by classmates when I was in Elementary Grades One and Two. In the harsh winter of 1969, Father was ordered to go to the countryside and the whole family followed him. My 80-year-old grandfather, grandmother, 4-year-old

1

A term used to vilify landlords, rich farmers, anti-revolutionaries, rightists, intellectuals and any that were perceived to be inclined to capitalism during the Cultural Revolution.

2

A place where “cow monsters and snake demons” were imprisoned.

Advancing towards a Boundless Universe

7

brother and 6-year-old sister all became new peasants. Because of this order, Father was delivered from the hardships of persecution. He devoutly learned from the poor and lower-middle class peasants and saw the simplicity and sincerity in them. He decided to reform himself thoroughly, often singing the song We Advance on the Broad Road. He also got up early in the morning to see the sun rose over the vast land. All my elder sisters and brothers dropped out of school to work as peasants. They dug rivers and collected dung in winter, harvested crops and generated green manure in summer. Father experimented to produce this “920” pesticide and reared 100 chickens, which became news in the neighbourhood. Unexpectedly, when the movement of “One Attack and Three Oppositions”3 started, Father became the “live target” in this movement. The work group portrayed him as a typical example of capitalism. Later, his superior transferred him to learn at one of the “May 7 cadre schools” 4 , and he was spared from being persecuted again. Not long after, Father was summoned to return to school to teach. With gratitude to the Communist Party, he worked with zeal and passion. He was childlike and upright, but vulnerable, sensitive and emotional. Becoming a teacher again, he joyfully wrote:

Blurring the line of truth and error is absurd in itself, Talking about it, I am inflicting hurt on myself. Rain suddenly pours from the sky, Making withered vines, wild grass and elms rejoice.

During this period, he wore a dark blue Chinese tunic suit.

In the mid-70s, everyone in the country followed Zhang Tiesheng (张铁生) to hand in unanswered examination scripts, but Father always urged us brothers to study, and read poetry. He made little booklets, copied classic poems, verses and aphorisms in it, and let us memorize and recite them. He woke up at 5 am, prepared lessons and recited poems under a kerosene lamp. By 7 am, the corners of his lips were filled with saliva. He loved reading Li Sao, talking about the Dreams of the Red Chambers, discussing Li Bai (李白) and Du Fu (杜甫), admiring Wang Bo (王勃), eulogising Su Dongpo (苏东坡).

3 To

attack counter-revolutionary activities and to oppose corruption, engagement in speculation and extravagance.

4 Set

up in late 1968, in accordance with Mao Zedong’s May 7 Directive, which was released on 7 May 1966. In this directive, Mao suggested setting up farms, later called cadre schools, where cadres and intellectuals, “sent down” from the cities, would perform reformative manual labour and undergo ideological re-education.

8


Wu Weishan

He particularly liked those tragic patriotic poems, wailing and weeping when he recited portions that were spirited or intensely deep. He was also good at cutting newspaper articles and making them into scrapbooks, showing great concern for current affairs and closely following the situations outside. He held Lu Xun (鲁迅) in high esteem, filling the house with hangings of his handwritten works of Lu Xun’s poems and famous quotes. All these enabled youths like us who, at that time, could only learn from textbooks and poems and verses of Mao Zedong (毛泽东), to be nourished with some traditional culture, and to understand the standard-bearers of the New Culture Movement at an earlier time. The Bronze Sculpture of Lu Xun which I later made, as part of the series of sculptures of China’s historical and cultural figures, had inner connections with the early impact of Father on me. One very deep impression I had was this: on a summer night, Father called me into a mosquito net and read to me On Detailed Description. This article seemed to be the work of Wu Diaogong (吴调公), which was published in Xin Hua Daily. I was in lower secondary then. He instilled in me some literary theories, emphasized the “class nature” of literary, which mainly came from the Speech by Mao Zedong at the Literary Symposium in Yan An. He was full of understanding and passion as he talked about this. In 1978 and 79, I failed twice in the college entrance examination, later entering Wuxi Industrial Arts School to learn clay sculpture, hopes of entering college dashed. I was lost and discouraged. Father wrote a poem to encourage me, sending me across the river to the foot of Mount Hui, where I began my scale to the peak of art:

Laughing at obstacles despite the failure to enter college, The journey of art commences without delay. Looking at the sky from the bottom of the well invariably leads to a narrow view, Sailing across Yangtze River opens up new vista. For many years, I took this as a form of motivation. Whenever I think of this, the spectacular scene of crossing Yangtze River from northern Jiangsu province comes to my mind — the boisterous waves, surging to the east.... In 1982, Father retired. With the regrets of unfulfilled ambitions, he lamented, “Though the flesh is weak, the spirit is willing. How could I bear to forsake my ambition? I hope to be restored in future, visiting the beautiful land again.” At that time, I had graduated from the arts school. Unemployed at home, I made a portrait of Father with bamboo brushes and ink. This portrait was well preserved even till now, but the newspaper articles had turned yellowish. From the spirit of the portrait, he kept the sages of old in his heart, often reciting “Leaning on lonesome pine, I linger on”. The corners of his lips


9

were tightly sealed and sagging, revealing his inner world of “starting from scratch to gallop speedily with great ambition”. Not long after, he sighed at being “a sick horse wailing in the manger”, immediately thinking of “reviving the ambition”, thus setting up the “Soaring Education Centre”. “Soaring” delivered good results in the yearly college entrance examination. Elated, Father regained the fighting spirit of the past, and wrote a highly spirited “Song of Soaring Education Centre”: “Hong Bridge in Yankou is clad with the splendour of spring. This is where palatial ‘Soaring’ educates its students. .... It is gratifying to see the abundance of talents mushrooming. It is my great pleasure to nurture students through running this centre. The soaring of China relies on these talents.” During this period, my siblings and I were all working and hence my parents had no financial burden. The unfair political treatment and mental stress which Father suffered for many years were all gone. Through setting up the education centre, Father found his value in his old age, redressing all the suppression he experienced in the past. On hindsight, Father’s experience mirrored, to a certain extent, the fate of a generation of ordinary intellects. I was born in 1962, amid the onslaught of natural disasters which lasted for three years. It was told that when Mother gave birth to me, the only nourishment she received, during her confinement month, was the soup boiled using a few small fishes. My parents did their best to raise us. Now among us siblings, some become workers, civil servants, doctors and university professor; some changed occupations midway, but all worked conscientiously in their own vocations. This had much to do with Mother’s life examples of honesty, simplicity and diligence and Father’s poetry education which was filled with passion and reason. Now my parents are old. Father wrote a poem in October 1998, on Mother’s 70th birthday:

Sharing weal and woe for 50 years, I witness your virtues and faithfulness through the storms of life. Now enjoying the fruits of having raised our children, We, the humble couple, rejoice in this occasion. The thoughts and feelings were so perfectly expressed in this poem. Though Father was then already 72, he was still childlike. It seemed that the glow of dreams was only a step away from him. He pursued it every day, gaining new hopes every day. When he came to Nanjing, he enjoyed visiting historical sites along Qinhuai River, strolling in the old campus which he once studied in, talking about those professors who taught him before when he was in university: Chen Shouzhu (陈瘦竹), Zhu Tong (朱彤), Zhu Zugeng (诸祖耿), Meng Shengrui (蒙圣瑞).... He missed those good old

10


Wu Weishan

Soul of the Nation — Sculpture of Lu Xun (partial view), 2006. Bronze

Sculpted with knife, it is hard and cool. In simplicity, I seek accuracy, forming the image with sculpting knife. With swift and sharp strokes, the spirit comes into being. This is the hardest skull — The pillar of our nation.


11

days, often remembering my great-great grandfather Gao Yedong (高也东) who was then an imperial scholar, my great granduncle Gao Ershi (高二适) and Professor Zhao Jiwu (赵继武) who was the son of the sister of my maternal grandmother. Father’s self-confidence and pride were unconsciously exuded when he related to the cultural heritage of the family. In particular, Gao Ershi, with his influence on China’s modern and contemporary era as a master of culture, also aroused in Father a deep sense of attachment to the early education he received from him. “The excellent literary talent of Gao Ershi leave him great honour in the annals of history, he is known to the world as a star in the sky.” Now, he pinned the hope of fulfilling this cultural ideal on the third generation. This was not only due to the common traits of the elderly, but also the habitual thinking mode and responsibility of educators. Among his several hundred poems, this portion of content glitter with the light of love marked by “humanity” — it was an ode to the true meaning of life. His goals of education encompassed “love”: love the country, love the people, and love the career...the core was to love the country. This was how an upright intellectual really felt. Father could not be regarded as a poet, but his heart was filled with poetry. He used poems to express his ideals and passion for life, which were very genuine. Some poems related to the political situation at that time, which were not purely art or literature, but under the guiding principle of creative writing where “content determines the form”, it was inevitable that an ordinary intellectual be influenced and manipulated. This was exactly a true record of his life and feelings. He has also written lots of idyllic poems. The home-bound sails, smoke from kitchen chimneys, aquatic birds that dwell along the shore and hilly woods once described by ancient poets had been redefined with new meanings in these poems. These complemented those political poems as a more complete revelation of his spiritual state, which was natural, relaxed and free-spirited. The sound of a vertical flute gives a distant feeling, seemingly coming from ancient times, yet appears to flutter in the boundless void of future. Its melodious and rhythmic tunes resemble Father and his poems....

12


Wu Weishan

Soul of the Nation — Lu Xun, 2006. Bronze

“Abundant thoughts are linked with vast universe while shocking thunders are heard in places of silence.” I love reading Lu Xun’s poems since young. When I was a child, my house was filled with hangings of Father’s handwritten works of Lu Xun’s poems. Imagery of a few decades has turned into an immortal soul towering over Earth.

Soul of the Nation — Lu Xun (side-view of full body), 2006. Bronze

“Forbearing to watch my friends turn into ghosts, I angrily face the crowd holding knives, seeking the little poem.” This figure becomes the everlasting memory of all who seek the soul of the nation, just like a monument that perpetually moves forward.


13

The Independent and Boundless Gao Ershi, 1998. Bronze. Now at Gao Ershi Memorial in Jiang Yan.

Gao Ershi is an outstanding modern poet, scholar and calligrapher of our country. Treading the literary arena in a spirited manner and with an air of scholarly refinement.

14


Wu Weishan

2. Spiritual Sketches

Reflections from some drawings done 20 years ago

In the summer of 2001, my elder brother came to Nanjing from northern Jiangsu province, bringing for me a big bundle of notebooks and draft paintings. When I opened it, my thoughts were immediately transported twenty years back: These were my diaries and sketches when I was 17 to 20 years old. They had been placed under the care of my elder sister at Dongtai. As the old city was re-developed, they got lost when her house had to be demolished and relocated. They were later found in the hands of businessmen, so my elder brother bought them back from an auction, returning them to their rightful owner. I was very excited. It seemed that from these, I once again saw the younger me with hair parted from the centre, dark-faced, youthful short moustache, clad in Chinese tunic cotton-wadded jacket and a pair of yellow military sneakers. At that time, I carried a drawing board or a notebook all day, doing sketches everywhere. The faded yellow bag contained a few sesame cakes, which were my meals for the whole day.... I was born into a scholastic family in Lixiahe area of northern Jiangsu province. When I began remembering things, I seemed to have seen some picture albums and paintings kept at home. I also enjoyed reading illustrations in classics and paintings on ceramics and porcelain wares at home. I tried to do real-life sketches at the age of 11, doing sketches of old folks I was acquainted with in the same town. At 17, missing by only one mark, I failed in the college entrance examination to the Science faculty, enrolling in Wuxi Art and Crafts School instead. The school was located at the foot of Mount Hui. It was actually a school built from the warehouse of a factory that manufactured clay figurines, Wu Weishan painting on a parched riverbed in with a few houses, 45 students northern Jiangsu province in 1980.


15

The Rocks of Mount Tianping. Drawn with fountain pen in 1981.

The 18-year-old me had never visited any famous mountains or rivers, but the mountains in Jiangnan were, in my opinion, peaks of great height. In the summer of 1981, I braved the sweltering heat of 38ºC and scaled Mount Tianping in Suzhou alone. I stood on the peak and behold the spectacular scene before me, thinking of Dong Qichang’s (董其昌) “Theories of Northern and Southern Schools of Painting” with deep sentiments. I drew the conclusion that principles are derived from time and place, and aspire to “search all the amazing peaks” in the world.

Ripples. Drawn with fountain pen in 1981.

I strolled on the stone bridges of the water town in the morning or evening, seeking a sense of serenity. The gentle ripples stirred by the little fishes shattered the tranquillity of the water.

16


Wu Weishan

and six to seven teachers. Most of the students were natives of Wuxi. Since I could not understand Wuxi dialect, I spent all day drawing and making clay figurines. To a young lad who had lived in northern Jiangsu province for 17 years, everything looked interesting in southern Jiangsu province: the Yangtze River, green mountains, exquisite gardens, water alleys, old vines, courtyards, stone bridges, boats with bamboo coverings and old tea-houses. I began to sketch using the simple techniques I had learnt. At that time, the sketches of Wu Kaicheng (吴开诚), a teacher, exerted a considerable influence on me. He was good at outlining with a pencil to bring out different degrees of brightness. When the outline was drawn, he would rub it gently with his hand and the spirit of the subject immediately came into being. His uncle was Jiang Ren (蒋仁), a painter who studied in France in the early days. Influenced by his uncle, Wu’s sketches permeated a sense of French flavour. Wang Dameng (王大蒙), another teacher, loved talking about the beauty of forms in paintings, as well as the layout featured by spacing, black and white. Moreover, there was a master clay sculptor that lived near the school — Gao Biao (高标), who was in his eighties. He was candid and full of passion. His clay sculptures were voluminous, clear and vivid, just like his simple and honest personality, which earned him great respect among his peers. I visited him often at his home and seek guidance on sculpting. It soon became a routine and when I did not visit him for several days, he felt lonely instead. Later, whenever I was free, I would take my drawings and clay sculptures to him to seek his comments, while watching him sculpt from life with the acme of perfection — kneading clay chickens and dogs of those that passed by his doorway, at an amazing speed. When I graduated, he kneaded a pair of clay monk-shoes for me and wrote on my sketchbook, “Wu Weishan is a hardworking student. I’m very touched.”


17

At the age of 19, I travelled widely in the country, capturing scenes of ordinary labourers working. The people-oriented theme in my artworks comes from Situ Qiao (司徒乔), Jiang Zhaohe (蒋兆和) as well as the love for the land when I was banished to the villages as a child. These provide a firm foundation for my subsequent creation of the series of sculptures of historical and cultural figures. From nature to culture, and reflecting on nature from culture, my drawing brushes and sculpting knives remain focused on the theme of “man”. I pray that the impact of these artworks remain in the simple and lasting life, and in the image that is touching, approachable and respectable.

Summer Day. Drawn with carbon pencil in 1982.

Egg Seller. Drawn with fountain pen in 1982.

The Accountant. Drawn with fountain pen in 1982.

At the Partition of the Farming Field. Drawn with fountain pen in 1981.

The Old Peasant. Drawn with fountain pen in 1981.

Just fallen asleep. Drawn with fountain pen in 1981.

The Fisherman. Drawn with fountain pen in 1981.

There was another master clay sculptor, who could produce a set of drama figurines in a few minutes. She was Yu Xianglian (喻香莲), a master of Chinese art and crafts. Her techniques of forming figures through kneading and pressing, though three-dimensional, had parallel lessons for me in my sketches. In April 1999, when I invited her to visit Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, she was already grey-haired. With the lapse of time, what I have benefited from those years has nourished my soul of art. When evaluating my artworks, Xiong Bingming (熊秉明) wrote, “Artists who create with agility often lack depth while those who create with painstaking efforts lack continuity and fluency. In contrast, the works of Wu Weishan are created with swiftness and yet evoke repeated reflections on them for a long period of time. His ideas are flexible and varied, out of the norm.” This is closely related to what I have benefited from my early days. At that time, some classmates were eight or nine years older than me. Pretty well-grounded in their learning, they often talked among themselves about focusing on “flavour” in drawing. I could not understand what “flavour” meant because of the early education I received from Father on poems, emphasizing “mood”, whereby the scenery in southern Jiangsu province was always the object of my emotions and thoughts. It was also because I loved novels, so when I saw people in real life, I would tend to surmise their situations in life and try to seek out the “literary nature” in them. As I settled down in the village with my parents at the age of seven, my familiarity with the land later resulted in me drawing peasants in most cases. When the summer or winter vacation came, I would go home to northern Jiangsu province from Wuxi by the steam-boat, for two reasons. Firstly, the ticket for the trip was cheap. Secondly, I could have opportunities to sketch the peasants and chat with them on the boat. There was once when a classmate living in the city was on the boat with me. He jokingly remarked that he could not see any difference between me and the peasants whom I sat with. In the late 1970s, Picasso and Matisse were introduced to the circle of fine arts in China. I could not appreciate their artworks, but instead developed a liking for the paintings of Situ Qiao. This painter, active in the 1930s, was probably not known to contemporary young artists, but the people-oriented theme, sense of justice, kindness and integrity conveyed in his paintings have always moved me. Each of his paintings reflects his succinct forms, swift movements (from analysis of his paintings), ability to grasp the essence of things in an instant moment, passion and kindness. Five Policemen and a Zero is the most representative sketch among his works. In the spring of 1980, Professor Wu Guanzhong (吴冠中) held a painting exhibition in Wuxi, giving lectures at the same time. I made quite a number of imitation copies of his paintings and also attended his lectures. Though I could not fully understand, I was deeply attracted by the mood in his literary works. From then, I began to


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explore the beauty of forms and mood of literary works, which was depicted in my paintings of gardens and sceneries. Later, Professor Qian Shaowu (钱绍武) also gave lectures to us and brought a batch of sketches for us to make imitation copies. At that time, I read with intensity his sketchbook, Random Thoughts. Professor Zhang Daoyi (张道一) encouraged us to draw from life so that we could aspire to have our works recorded in the history of fine arts. At that time, my monthly living expense was 13 yuan. I restricted myself to spend 8 yuan on meals, 3 yuan on books and 2 yuan on activities like visiting exhibitions. Gradually, I got acquainted with Nicolai Fechin, Adolph Menzel, Käthe Schmidt Kollwitz, Rembrandt van Rijn and Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, et al. Those ceramic figurines and ceramics became the subjects of

Giraffes. Drawn with fountain pen in 1981.

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my imitation and I gained new perspectives each time. One most unforgettable event was this: From the winter of 1980 to the spring of 1981, the school sent us on a field trip to the Binhai county. From morning to evening, the vast plains of northern Jiangsu province, peasants, winter-sun, spring breezes and oxen became the subjects of my drawings. Some peasants, for fear of having their souls captured by my drawings, shielded their faces with hands, while some smiled with innocence. The sun above the vast land shone bountifully on their bronze-coloured and seasoned skin, as well as their crooked but strong fingers. When seeing these sketches now, I seem to hear their voices again. Undoubtedly, the blind man playing Huqin (a stringed musical instrument) and those old folks selling peanuts and fishing-nets, as captured in the drawings, must have passed away long ago.... I also have an attachment to the giraffes, camels and intelligent fowls in my drawings. It can be said that when sketching them, I see them for the first time in my life. Although I have not done a thorough research on them and the drawing techniques are immature, I am genuinely curious about them. Sketching cannot be done after a thorough research on the subject; it must be done concurrently with the continuous process of researching and familiarizing. Sketching does not only serve to express man’s experiences and emotions, it also records the process of human cognition. Looking at the hundreds of sketches that can still be kept, I can’t help reproaching myself. Since I entered college, I rarely did sketches. I remembered after year 2, I began to use a camera to “collect materials” for painting. From then on, having gained some fame, I never sketched anymore. The lazier I was, the more unfamiliar sketching became to me. Perhaps this is the common weakness of modern young artists and painters. Even students from the academies of fine arts are rarely seen to be sketching. No one knows when such a phenomenon occurs. This probably has to do with the pursuit of “Abstractness”, “Modernism”, “Post-Modernism” or so-called “Globalization”. I am not against the revolution of art at all. However, no matter what, art can never be separated from the main body of artist — the perfect combination of the hands and heart produces things that move people. Even though sketching is not used as a method to train techniques of painting from life, it can be used as notes for modelling artists. Now, it seems that the art of painting and sculpting using hands is passé, as concepts can be expressed directly from piecing real objects together. However, I always believe art is not about productivity, as it cannot be renewed or replaced like mobile phones and computers. The perpetuity of an excellent work lies in its imbedded humanity. In fact, the collection of materials is only a part of sketching. It focuses on developing acute observation skills and fluent expression skills of art,


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as well as training the ability to combine functions of the eyes, brain and hands at a higher order. Variability always comes with the twinkling of an eye. As the subject changes, ways of thinking and painting techniques change accordingly. There are no patterns to follow in changes. The process of sketching is marked by the ability to grasp the features and adjust accordingly; the form of sketching is characterized by succinctness and clarity. All art masters in the Western art history have outstanding achievements in sketching, for example: 1) Sandro Botticelli (1445 – 1510) sketched the scene of hell and goddess Venue on leather paper with fountain pen and ink. 2) Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519), with his sketches using a silver pen, demonstrated the lofty beauty of integrating science and art, which was meticulous yet expansive. 3) Peter Paul Rubens (1577 – 1640) relied only on a line that was soft and random in his sketching, which was good enough to demonstrate life. 4) Rembrandt van Rijn (1606 – 1669)’s theatrical employment of light and shadow enables even his sketches to emit enchanting metaphysical light. 5) Gustave Courbet (1819 – 1877) enlightened many in his instant comprehensive grasp of weight, form and spirit with his self-portrait sketched using carbon pen. I think even till now, people will not forget the humour and candour in Édouard Manet’s sketches, the quick-wittedness and passion in Auguste Rodin’s sketches, the romanticism and decoration in Henri Matisse’s sketches, as well as the conflict and unification of movement and solidification in Paul Cézanne’s sketches.

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The Scenery of Wannan, 2001. Colour painting.

I always cannot forget the attachment to the homeland that I used to live in. The late autumn in Wannan pictures tones of greyish yellow, drifting along with the soft tempo of nature, meandering and continuous, interplaying with dryness and dampness. It reminds me of the hand scroll The Rocks of Mount Tianping, painted 20 years ago.

Though sketching does not appear in the history of fine arts in China, the powdered manuscripts of painter-workers and ink-line markers of sculptors throughout the generations are often able to outline the form and spirit of the subject in a few strokes. These are still preserved in many unfinished ancient murals. Freud Sigmund, a master psychologist in the West, divided human consciousness into sub-consciousness and apparent-consciousness. One’s sub-conscious being is revealed through one’s random behaviour triggered by the innermost parts. Sketching, in a swift manner, undoubtedly glitters with the painter’s force of life, hence possessing innovative power that is extremely strong and often very vivid. Its artistic quality is the characterization of the spirit of the main body. As a common saying goes, “Punching requires the use of hands while singing requires the use of voice.” The highest realm of art must be expressed through the highest realm of techniques. Sketching is the most effective way for practicing techniques of fine arts, as it only requires simple tools and short length of time, and allows great flexibility in extensive space. It is also an important means of getting inspirations. The work of creation does not commence after being inspired; but rather, it takes place in the course of art-creation, where sparks of inspiration appear intermittently. Getting hold of the chain of sparks brings about the creation of artworks. More than just speed drawing, sketching is an experience throughout the process of the life of art. It is the premise of creation. It is creation itself.


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Wu Weishan: I was just 20 at that time. Taken by Xiaosha in 1980.

3. Picking Up Treasures from

Old Bookstalls

Often, there were some old bookstalls set up at the front and rear gate of our college. They normally came out in the evening and stayed all the way till midnight. I really liked to visit these old bookstalls, which were filled with old and new books, books of taste and style as well as books appealing to the masses. I often had unexpected discoveries, finding books that I had been looking for. I was engaged in portrait creation and based my portrait of outstanding figures on some photos which were available. However, photography was only invented in the last century. Therefore, there were no images for reference to characters before the late Qing Dynasty. Once I found an old version of Paintings of Characters in the Qing and Ming Dynasty at an old bookstall. It contains more than 200 paintings of characters, including Zheng Banqiao (郑板桥) and Shi Tao (石涛), et al. Due to the limited abilities of painter-workers at that time, some of them seem to resemble each other. Nevertheless, its entire spirit reflects the styles and characteristics of that era. In particular, their garments, hairstyles and postures are extremely valuable for reference. I was thrilled at getting this book, just like spotting a treasure, and was greatly inspired by it, hence having painted works such as Jin Nong, the Calligrapher and Painter and Wang Gen, the Philosopher. In 1959, the People’s Fine Arts Publishing House published Punctuation Annotation: A Collection of Jiezhou’s (芥舟) Paintings for Learners (narrated by Shen Zongqian (沈宗骞) and written by Qi Zhenlin (齐振林)) and Punctuation Annotation: Shan Jujing (山居静) on Paintings (written by Fang Xun (方薰)). They are extremely valuable as they contain the lessons and summaries of former artists in their research on traditional paintings. These works have great value. Though the sentences are short and concise, they carry great significance, as they are the crystallization of many years of experience. Some of them appear poetic and carry profound meanings. However, they have not been reprinted and available copies are limited. I bought this book also from among a number of old bookstalls, spending only 2 yuan. I had deep sentiments while reading it. Many “master works” and “master essays” written by contemporary artists, merely for elevation of their professional status, pale in comparison with the abovementioned books, some of which can be considered classics. For example: 1) I employ the techniques from many schools of painting for my own use.


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The heart and hands need to be unconscious of each other, forgetting whether I am a person of modern times or ancient times. 2) The wonder of painting techniques varies individually due to different interpretations. Therefore, there are no hard and fast rules. 3) These reflect the wisdom, reasoning and sense of people in ancient times. They are so profound. The books that I found at the old bookstalls left a deep impression on me. The kind of emotion felt in the course of book searching resembles the joy of finding precious stones among the pebbles by the sea.

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4. The Country of Tulips Along the coasts of the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, I search for withered wood that float around. These withered woods may come from the opposite coast or along the shore on the same side. They may be parts of ships shattered by huge waves or wood released by a certain romantic poet. Weathered by time and nature, they become darker and darker, seemingly turning into fossils.

At the invitation of the Art Foundation of the Netherlands in August 1996, I went to the European Ceramic Work Centre to take part in the implementation of the China-Netherlands Project, Red-White/Blue Project. From the four months of interaction with people and things over there, as well as the change in lifestyle, there was much food for thought with regards to life for me. The Netherlands, in my imagination, is bluish green. More than ten hours of flight brought me to this land which was not so unfamiliar to me, as I had earlier experienced the aura of European civilization in the process of my research on the history of fine arts. There were windmills, wooden shoes and hanging lamps in Bert Hermens’s garden. What I saw was the refreshing greeneries depicted in paintings by Johannes Vermeer and Vincent van Gogh. What made me so excited was this: I bought a small metallic sculpture in an antique shop in Den Bosch, which is a broken piece dating back to about 100 years ago. It is a sculpture of a Chinese man created by a Western sculptor. Despite the fact that this Chinese is in a long robe with a long plait, his bone structure still follows the inner bone structure of a Westerner. Therefore, it is extremely difficult for an artist to accurately portray a person of a different race. Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione, an Italian painter working for the imperial court of China during the Qing Dynasty, is a case in point. Though he produced Chinese paintings with water-ink and xuan paper, his ways of observation and thinking were always westernized. Suffice to say, the peak of art originates from the depth of the source of culture.

Global Village of Artists “The long history of Chinese culture and the work of Chinese artists here have determined that we will continue to foster art exchanges with China. I hope more Chinese artists will be coming to work at the European Ceramic Work Centre, building a golden bridge of friendship through art.” This was part of a speech made by Adriaan van Spanje, director-general of


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the European Ceramic Work Centre, on 30 October 1996. As a Chinese artist going abroad for academic visits, I was very heartened to hear this. Yang Zhilin (杨志麟) and I were invited to take part in the art research entitled “Red, White and Blue” at the European Ceramic Work Centre in August that year. This centre is located in Den Bosch, a famous city in the Netherlands. Apart from a cathedral that was built in the 11th century, this centre is the most famous in this city. I remember when I had just arrived, I was attracted by the sculpture towering in the distance, at the gate of the European Ceramic Work Centre. It was formed with steel poles, each 10 metres high and of different thickness, as well as white artistic ceramics parts, each 1 metre tall and of different sizes. It demonstrated the characteristics of this centre in an artistic way. In the evening of the next day, as it so happened, there was a farewell party for two artists from New Zealand and Britain respectively. Tens of artists at the centre gathered together, roasting meat, toasting bread and drinking beer, just like a big family. Since its establishment five years ago, the centre has seen artists from 35 countries in Asia, North America, Africa and Europe working here. This

European Ceramic Work Centre (EKWC, the Netherlands).

Wu Weishan stayed in a room on the second floor, the right-most room in the picture.

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Taken in November 1996 in the Netherlands. Wu Weishan received good comments after giving a speech at the European Ceramic Work Centre.

Wu Weishan (second from left), Anton A.C.M. Leenders, Chairman of the Friendship Society, NetherlandsChina (VNC) (third from left), Xavier Toubes, world-renowned ceramics artist (second from right), Geeytlap, world renowned ceramics artist (first from right).

is the world-renowned “Global Village of Artists”. The former name of the European Ceramic Work Centre is Ceramics Work Centre, established in early 1973. At that time, it only accepted works from some young artists in the Netherlands, and limited them to ceramics art. Adriaan van Spanje came to Ceramics Work Centre in 1987. Through meticulous and detailed investigation and research, he proposed that work at the centre should be concentrated on the creation and exchanges of art at a high level and quality. To be specific, the emphasis should be on inviting artists with achievements in creation. It should not be confined to the fields of ceramics and porcelain, sculptors, painters and designers should also be accepted. On the other hand, the centre should be open to the world — artists of all countries should be invited. As a result, the former centre was transformed into the European Ceramic Work Centre, with European culture as the background. This plan was supported by the Dutch government. Facing a serene canal with gulls flying around, the centre surrounded by ancient architectural buildings formally came into operation in August 1991. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands also made a special visit to the centre. As discovered from data collected by the centre, influences of various arts have greatly revitalized this ancient art of ceramics. It has developed from traditional mono-ware production to a medium of expressing concepts


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of modern art. Furthermore, these new concepts of art exert a direct impact on and give guidance to the industrial production of ceramics, influencing different aspects of life. The annual Centre open house also attracts the attention of many common folks. People have realized that artists of the centre have given ceramics a new value. This provides a point of entry for artists in the demonstration of how art is displayed in real life. This “Global Village of Artists” has become a paradise that artists of the world long for. All quotas have been fulfilled two years ago. Xavier Toubes, a master of ceramics art in the contemporary world, is the artistic director of this centre. Not long after I got there, I had attended exhibitions and slide-shows of artworks several times in the centre. At 10 every morning, we would get together, drinking tea and coffee as well as chatting with one another. Besides art, we also talked about customs and traditions of different countries. The strict and careful scientific management and the artists’ attitude of creating freely constituted the special tempo of life at the centre. With regards to this centre which integrates modern advanced technology with the latest information on art in contemporary times, Adriaan confidently said, “The centre is advancing through development, developing through continuous accumulation of experiences, while reinforcing exchanges with Eastern countries, especially China. This is the plan in future.” Holding his hands, I remarked, “The European Ceramic Work Centre is not only the centre for art, but also the centre for friendship!”

China in the Eyes of Europeans The European Ceramic Work Centre, where I was attached for academic exchange, receives artists from different countries each year for short-term stints of art creation. Many world-renowned artists have left their quality artworks behind at this centre, such as Tony Cragg from Britain and Xavier Toubes from Spain. The centre has a routine — each morning at 10, all artists would gather to chat while drinking tea and coffee. They were very concerned about the two of us Chinese (Yang Zhilin and I) who had just arrived. Besides everyday life and arts, the topics of our conversations were more on Confucius. Confucius has become the symbol of China. They attributed all things Chinese to the influence of Confucian philosophy. We did not want to comment on the accuracy of their opinion. As a Chinese, what matters to me is how the world views China. They talked enthusiastically about “rites” and “do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire”. They

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Wu Weishan at the European Ceramic Work Centre.

In contemporary Europe where the trend of abstract art pervades, Wu Weishan received the warm attention of his counterparts from the world with his vivid display of portrait sculpting, infusing Eastern imageries and realism.

knew China, as a big country, nurtured by the Yellow River, is a nation of proprieties and righteousness. Their perceptions of China were rooted in the Yellow River, Confucius, proprieties and righteousness. In addition, most of them read the novel Wild Swans in English and saw the film Big Red Lanterns Hung Highly. These were all they knew. While feeling proud of Confucius, I sighed at the shallow understanding the world had about China. I always felt invigorated whenever I saw books on China in the bookstores in the Netherlands. However, I could not help feeling disappointed when I turned the pages. The China introduced in these books was mostly about customs and traditions of minorities in Yunnan and Guizhou province or the religion in Tibet. The title of this particular photo-album was “China”. Was that all about China? Most foreigners, except for a few who have made a trip to China, get to know China only through books and films. There was once when an Italian artist and a Dutch artist were planning to visit China. They got hold of some information on China. I took a look at them, realizing


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that they were merely about old peasants eating under thatched sheds or monks practicing Buddhism in temples. It was so weird! Was it because those writers or editors seek novelty or they wanted to feature “specialties”? Such images of China were actually projected before Westerners! I told them about the present-day situation of the modern life of Chinese people, as well as the current economy and culture of China. While possessing a long history of culture and traditions, China is also a modern civilization, having modern communications, modern transport and modern science and technology. They looked as if they were listening to a miracle. In Europe, it is the Chinese version of European Daily that contains more information on contemporary China. However, the majority of Europeans cannot read Chinese. Therefore, in their eyes, China is characterized by “yellow earth” and “red lanterns”. I look forward to seeing all-round information on contemporary China in the European media and on its bookshelves. This requires some breakthroughs in the perceptions of Chinese film makers and photographers. Let the wide-angled lens focus directly at modern advanced technology and the tempo of modern life.... Let the world know that there is more than Confucius in China! September 1996, the Netherlands

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An Old Dutch Man’s Special Affections for China In December 1996, I attended an exhibition of works related to the “Red, White and Blue” project held in the Gallery of Fine Arts in Antofine. My exhibit, named The River, 30 metres long, was made with materials such as old clothes and ceramics. Together with my academic report entitled Water — The Spiritual Mirror of Man, these formed my review on Eastern and Western cultures as well as reflection on the exchanges between Eastern and Western cultures. When I got to the exhibition the next morning, I saw a Dutch man, aged over 80, taking photos of my exhibit. When he knew I was the author of this exhibit, he held my hands, and offered to take a photo of me before my exhibit and asked for my address in Antofine. At 8 sharp that night, he came to send me a set of photos on my exhibit, along with a batch of his own design-works, which were all associated with themes concerning Yin and Yang as well as Eight Trigrams. He said, “I love Chinese philosophy very much. When I first saw your exhibit The River, I at once believed it was the Yellow River. At the same time, I thought of the words of French artist Marcel Duchamp, that grouping different things together organically leads to the formation of an interesting sculpture.” He offered to let me choose any one of the artworks that he had brought with him as a souvenir for me, to remember there was an old Dutch man with special affections and love for Chinese culture. I was pleasantly surprised to have found favour in his sight. I was proud of the strong communicative power of Chinese culture and touched by the sincerity of the Dutch people. In mid-December 1996, I left the Netherlands for China. A month later, I received a mail-parcel from the Netherlands. Inside were a number of enlarged photos of my artworks, nicely decorated. These photos were from that old Dutch man. He had also included his resume. He turned out to be a famous photographer! This was another wonderful encounter! He said, in the letter, that when he was taking photos of me, my serious facial expression left a deep impression on him. He looked forward to me visiting the Netherlands soon again. Until now, each time I look at the souvenirs (his artworks) from him at my bedside, I always feel heartened to have made this friend. It is a friendship forged over great distances, regardless of age differences. I remember, during the evening when we met, I presented him a fan with my painting on it, in reciprocation of his gifts. The painting was inscribed with the title Spring Breeze. May the spring breeze of friendship transcend time and space, constantly abiding in the world. February 1997, Nanjing


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The River — An assembly artwork of Wu Weishan at the European Ceramic Work Centre.

This piece of art uses the ethnic costumes of people of different nationalities and ethnicities to form a river that flows endlessly.

Playing Host in the Netherlands Chinese cuisine is delectable. This is a well-known fact among Europeans. One can even see Chinese restaurants lining one after another on the streets in Europe. In front of the Cologne Cathedral in Germany, there is a Beijing Restaurant. In the downtowns of Brussels, the capital of Belgium, there is a Shanghai Restaurant. “Great Wall Restaurant” and “Fengshou Restaurant” are often seen in Paris and Amsterdam. Homesickness always emerged in my heart whenever I strolled along the streets in foreign countries, especially in the evening when I saw glittering Chinese characters and familiar names of Chinese restaurants amidst western setting of soft lights and red wine. At the same time, I was heartened to see the great extent Chinese cuisine has spread to. I remember, before going to Europe, I was worried about not being able to have Chinese food there. After returning to China, some people also asked me if I had Chinese food abroad. In fact, after getting there, one would discover that Chinese cuisine have occupied a place in

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the life of Europeans. Later, whenever I am asked of this again, I simply tell them vividly that I once cooked decent Chinese noodles to treat artists from over ten countries. These are noodles topped with delicious ingredients. When I first arrived in Europe for academic exchanges, several Dutch friends invited us to a Chinese meal at a Chinese restaurant. It was run by Chinese from Guangdong province. The food was not quite authentic. Not only did they lack the characteristics of Guangdong cuisine, they were neither close to Huaiyang flavour or the spicy flavour of Sichuan. Perhaps it was because the chef had lived overseas for too long that the original methods of cooking had been changed unknowingly. As a result, I later developed a liking for Western food because Western food in the Netherlands is more authentic and less expensive than that in China. Also, it is filling; though the portions appear to be small, they are enough to make me full. However, after half a month, my stomach could not take it. I still felt like eating stir-fried Chinese food and soup. At the European Ceramic Work Centre where I worked, there was a modern kitchen in which artists from numerous countries would cook some food every day, according to their tastes. Therefore, Yang Zhilin, the other Chinese artist with me, and I took turns to cook meals on alternate days. We cooked Chinese food with Dutch poultry, eggs, meat and vegetables. We were good at pouring oil into the pan to be heated first before putting in the vegetables, producing sound and fragrance at the same time. It was such a bustling and lively sight, unlike the other foreign artists who only made do with two sliced peaches and bread spread with jam for lunch. So, often, when oil was being heated, the foreign artists around would sing praises of how “fragrant” it was. They stood at one corner, watching at us curiously as we fried and added condiments in a seemingly disorderly manner. It truly looked like art in action. Once when I was cooking, American film director Marley kept praising how fragrant it was. I heartily invited him to dine with us. He gladly accepted. Later, news that food prepared by the Chinese artists was delicious soon spread at the centre. The European Ceramic Work Centre convenes noted artists of numerous countries to work together. As such, through the years, it has developed the custom of getting artists from numerous countries to cook different meals for all to try. Therefore, one can savour cuisines of tens of countries if one stays there for a period of time. Not long after getting there, I tried many kinds of cuisines from countries such as New Zealand, India, Britain and Africa. Of course, as a traditional virtue of the Chinese people, courtesy demands reciprocation. Since all of them loved Chinese food, we had to make a proper demonstration. First, we wrote a “notice” on the placard of the centre: Chinese artists W.Y invite all artists and staff of the centre to a meal on 18 October. We prepared a meal for over 20 people, based


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on usual estimates. To our surprise, on the morning of that day, we heard that quite a number of people who seldom attended the usual gatherings would be coming also, mainly to savour the great taste of Chinese food. Ten more people were suddenly added. The food prepared was not enough and that it was too late to cook more. I suddenly recalled a scene when I was young, where seven of us siblings ate noodles from a big pot. So, after some discussions, Yang Zhilin and I decided to cook noodles topped with delicious ingredients. In this way, the amount of main dishes needed would be reduced. Furthermore, the vegetable soup was also very tasty. Noon came. A big pot of noodles was distributed into more than thirty bowls, each with three kinds of fried Chinese dishes, plus a delicious soup that was sour and spicy. Those foreigners, used to eating spaghetti, were so amazed when they ate the long and thin noodles produced in Shanghai. I introduced them to the relationship between noodles and longevity and its implication of “frequent exchange”, representing the friendship between Chinese people and those in the world. They kept praising while eating, “delicious! delicious!” What touched us most was the presence of Adriaan, president of the European Ceramic Work Centre. He also delivered an excellent speech, which was filled with love for Chinese culture and friendship with Chinese people. We knew he normally did not attend the gathering of artists at the centre, probably due to his extremely busy schedule. In the end, he urged all to return with warm applause for the “frequent exchange” demonstrated by us Chinese artists. This was only an ordinary meal. A bowl of noodles topped with delicious ingredients costs only several yuan. However, the response was unexpected. I would not have the guts to invite so many people if I were in China, because a banquet dinner for one table would cost several thousand yuan at least. Though we invited foreigners to a Chinese meal, the way we entertained them was in an authentic European style. Back in China, I miss the scene of inviting foreign friends to lunch — a gathering of friendship, simple and inexpensive, yet full of sincerity. 28 November 1996, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

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The Screw on the Move On September 7, the artworks of Tony Cragg, contemporary British sculptor, were exhibited in Antwerp, Belgium. On that day, we drove from Den Bosch to Antwerp. It took us more than an hour to get to this ancient city, already well-known in Europe since the 15th century. This exhibition was held in the International Sculpture Park of Antwerp. Before the commencement of the opening ceremony, we were first amazed by the presence of original artworks by masters such as Auguste Rodin, Antoine Bourdelle, Henry Moore and Aristide Maillol, which were displayed on spacious lawns. It was a wonderful encounter! Often seen in painting-albums, Balzac, Spring and King and Queen as well as works of other styles and schools have been in existence for nearly two centuries. Under the brilliance of sunlight and greenery, they demonstrated the spirit of different times and the perceptions of artists. The flowing water divided the park into several oases. Ducks, upon seeing tourists, would get ashore, crying and chasing after them. Perhaps they have not experienced being hurt in this world; hence they are always not guarded against man. Bert Hermens, chairman of the Art Foundation of the Netherlands, narrated the history of Europe and introduced us to those sculptors who had left behind their lasting works in the world. Of course, the pulse of social progress can be felt through forms of artworks and change in materials. A sculpture named Wind, which was in an arc shape, joined by steel sheets of different lengths and sizes, clearly represented the traces of emotions of the artist in the course of creation. Each steel sheet was naturally arranged and organized according to the wind direction, reflecting the emphasis of modern artists on the directness of the medium of materials, as compared to classical artworks whose surfaces were brightly and flatly polished. Amidst the greenery, there was a pillar tens of metres high. It was surrounded by mirrors, which had the effect of diffusing volume and expanding space. Some sculptures used electricity to make abstract designs of art constantly move with grace. I asked Hermens, “If this can be considered sculpture, then countless windmills of different designs in the Netherlands can all be regarded as sculptures, can’t they?” He was amused but did not comment on it. Perhaps, the aim of modern sculpture is not about telling people “What is this?” and “What is it trying to express?” Its intent is to raise some questions and provide a new mode of thinking, or negate the old mode. As the British ambassador concluded his opening speech, artists from numerous countries subsequently came to the exhibition venue. It was a square spanning over 10 000 square metres, scattered with the works of Tony. Each sculpture was about 30 to 40 metres apart, enabling each of


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them to be organically integrated with the environment. With space, the value of sculpture was fully demonstrated. This reminded me of the many sculpture exhibitions that I visited in China. There was no space for people to go around, admire and ruminate, thus losing the message which the spirit in those artworks intended to unravel and convey. This is often the case with city sculpture. No matter how the environment is and whether or not space permits, the galloping horse, the girl, the lion and the stainless steel ball become multi-functional sculptures that adjusted easily to different conditions. In Tony’s exhibition, there was a bronze sculpture in the shape of a hill. It was formed by many stamp-seals of different sizes, with a big question mark at the top. It captured the attention of many. It was after buying a picture-album introducing his works that I got to know, that in Den Bosch where I stayed, an amazing sculpture named The Screw on the Move was also his creation. There was a pool next to this ancient city. In order to “revive” it, sculptors created unique “watermills”. Along with the constant movement of spiral rolling-wheels, water turned from stagnant to moving, thus quantifying time and giving birth to life! As far as the form of sculpture is concerned, the design of the watermill had a modern touch. For the Netherlands, which is known as the country of windmills, windmills are also rich in traditions. Therefore, these works are accepted by people readily. Not long after coming to the Netherlands, I would always stop to make close observation whenever I passed by this place. At dusk, especially, the setting sun at the horizon and the reflection of lamps in the water would cause the “revived” waters to be filled with mystic colours. Yes, concepts, the environment, man, nature and sculpture are all created by artists under different circumstances, with meanings beyond manmade mountains and rocks, stainless steel balls, or “galloping horse” or “girl”.

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Wu Weishan

Making a Sculpture of the Queen of the Netherlands

In August 1996, at the invitation of the Art Foundation of the Netherlands, Wu

Weishan went to Holland to take part in the research on the China-Netherlands Project, Red-White/Blue. At the European Ceramics Work Centre, Wu Weishan displayed to artists from numerous countries his portrait sculptures of historical and cultural notables created through the years. It was a chapter in the history of Chinese culture recorded by sculptural art. These works astounded all those present, particularly Anton A.C.M. Leenders, Chairman of the Friendship Society, Netherlands-China (VNC). He immediately decided to request the Dutch government to invite this sculptor from an ancient Eastern country to sculpt a portrait of the Dutch Queen Beatrix, who is the symbol of the Netherlands and well-liked by the Dutch people. Wu Weishan gladly accepted the invitation. He captured her noble and perpetual smile that was mesmerizing like the tulips, freezing that instant moment with his amazing techniques.

The sculpture was a great success. With the Dutch media vying to report it,

Wu Weishan became a household name in the Netherlands over night. Strangers would greet him when he walked on the streets. These warm and friendly Dutch people were saluting him for his art and thanking him for his artistic sculpture of their beloved Queen, whom they loved with all their hearts. At 5 pm on 6 December of the same year, a simple but solemn handing-over-ceremony was held in the ancient city of the Netherlands, Den Bosch. On behalf of the Dutch Queen and Dutch people, Mr. F.J.M. Houben, chief representative of the Dutch Queen and governor of the province of Noord-Brabant, received the bronze sculpture from Wu Weishan and delivered a speech. In October of the following year, he came all the way to China to visit Wu Weishan who was teaching in the Department of Art, Nanjing Normal University. He presented photos of the Queen’s bronze sculpture, which were originally placed in Breda’s Museum in the Netherlands, to Professor Gong Pixiang (公丕祥), then president of Nanjing Normal University, and to Wu Weishan.

In April 1999, the Dutch Queen visited China. During this visit, she specially

requested the Chinese government to arrange a meeting with Wu Weishan. At the arrangement of the government of Jiangsu province, Wu Weishan held an exhibition of sculptural artworks at Huanxiu Mountain Villa in Suzhou. Accompanied by Ji Yunshi (季允石), governor of Jiangsu province, the Queen, wearing the same smile in the sculpture, shook hands with Wu Weishan and carefully examined each of his artworks. She showed particular interest in the ambiguity in Wu Weishan’s works, comparing it with the works of Giacomo Manzù of Italy. She was full of praise for Wu Weishan’s sculptures of old men of culture, saying that they “came out from the 5000 years of culture”. The Queen herself was a sculptor, having undergone systematic and strict training in sculpting. She stood in front of those works for quite some time and made careful observations. In the end,


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Sculpture of the Queen of the Netherlands. Bronze, created in 1996. Now on display in Breda’s Museum, the Netherlands.

The Dutch media lauded the bronze sculpture for its depiction of the Queen’s gaze that is filled with foresight and wisdom.

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she concluded, “Through making sculptures of children, Mr. Wu has discovered and elevated childlike innocence, demonstrating the unfeigned affections of man for childhood. Artworks of Mr. Wu share spiritual similarities with those of Italian sculptor Giacomo Manzù. With regards to the techniques of expression, they are both good at directly using hands to create subjects, leading to vivid images. It can be observed that the sculptures of old men of culture modelled by Mr. Wu come from the 5000 years of culture.”

Speech by F.J.M. Houben, Chief Representative of the Queen of the Netherlands and Governor of the Province of Noord-Brabant, at the Handing-Over-Ceremony of Sculpture of the Queen of the Netherlands Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Wu Weishan,

I thank Mr. Wu, from the bottom of my heart, for sculpting a portrait of the

Queen and modelling it with such vivid features. I regard this sculpture of Her Majesty as a wonderful work of art. It epitomizes the high standard of art in China. I will place this sculpture in a location that is open to the public. When

Dutch news report: Wu Weishan giving a speech at the Handing-OverCeremony for the Sculpture of the Queen of the Netherlands. Second from left is the chief representative of the Dutch Queen, F.J.M. Houben.


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people see it, they will be reminded of Mr. Wu Weishan’s stay in Brabant.

I must also congratulate the Arctic Foundation in Eindhoven and the European

Ceramics Work Centre with their implementation of the Red-White/Blue Project. I believe this is a very good example of cultural collaboration between the Netherlands and China. It also marks the establishment of official relations between the cities of Eindhoven and Nanjing city, as well as the provincial governments of Nanjing and Noord-Brabant. So, once again, thank you very much!

Speech by Wu Weishan at the Handing-Over-Ceremony Ladies and Gentlemen, The Queen is the pride of the Dutch people. Her heart-warming smile and her gaze that is filled with foresight and wisdom epitomize the people of the Netherlands, who are warm, friendly, diligent and intelligent. This sculpture of Dutch Queen Beatrix is modeled after the Queen as a

On 16 April 1999, accompanied by then governor of Jiangsu province Ji Yunshi, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands met up with Wu Weishan and attended his exhibition.

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symbol. This symbol embodies my comprehensive understanding of Dutch elements in areas such as nature, history, economy and culture. I believe this piece of artwork will become a chapter that bears witness to the SinoDutch cultural exchange. Today, the clay sculpture has been cast in bronze, immortalized. My fingerprints are left on the bronze sculpture, which symbolizes my traces of memories in the Netherlands. There is a Chinese saying, “Ten fingers connecting to the heart.” This expresses my best wishes to the SinoDutch friendship.


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Wu Weishan in front of Mona Lisa in Louvre Museum. Taken on 9 December 1996.

5. Pursuing Dreams in Paris Standing in Front of Mona Lisa After the handing-over-ceremony of the Dutch Queen bronze sculpture on 6 December 1996, it so happened that the Queen would be coming to Noord-Brabant, where I was staying for academic exchange, on the 12th of the same month. The Dutch authorities concerned informed me of the opportunity to have an audience with the Queen. However, I was looking forward to visiting Paris then. That city of arts in my dreams: Louvre Museum, le chateau de Versailles, Centre Pompidou, Rodin, Claude Monet.... countless of glittering holy lights beckoned in the distance! I boldly decided to visit Paris on the 8th of that month. Midnight, Seine River glistened with the reflection of a thousand street lamps. I strolled along the river all night. The next day, I climbed the Eiffel Tower and visited Rodin Museum. Those days in Paris were likened to a child starved for long, drinking the sweet milk of human art. I once wrote these poems: Seven-character quatrain — Climbing the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower reaches to the sky; Notre Dame Cathedral and Louvre Museum reminisce scenes of old. Glistening Seine River invites amazement: Before me stands the glorious city of arts. December 1996, Paris To the tune of Waves Rolling Sand — Close up with Auguste Rodin

An extraordinary star from the ages of old, His brilliance parallels that of Dante’s. Weaving touching stories on this earth of suffering, Yet hardly mitigating the humiliation to his bronze sculptures. Renowned in the world, He continued in old paths and break new grounds. Opening the door of modern era To an advancing new generation. Moving without aim and displaying personalities An elite sculptor. December 1996, Paris


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In Louvre museum, the place where visitors congregate is the spot before Mona Lisa. This painting of moderate size represents a glorious era and depicts the most beautiful virtue of charity in mankind. The smile that leaves the deepest impression in the minds of men corresponds to the indigenous smile in primitive art and the pure smile in Greek sculpture. The world’s attention has been captured here because what her heart exudes is exactly what mankind has been longing for. During my college days, there was a fine arts history teacher who often confined himself indoors. He once vividly described the measurements of Mona Lisa, which differed greatly from the original. Later I specially consulted Qin Xuanfu (秦宣夫), an old professor and historian in the history of Western fine arts. He used to travel in Europe for many years, visiting numerous museums. He was very wellversed in Western art. His features and expressions resembled a Western scholar or artist. Stroking his little moustache, the 90-year-old Qin analysed Mona Lisa, the era it was painted and its painter. Today, as I stood before the painting, I was reminded of Professor Qin Xuanfu. Due to the glass casing and endless flow of visitors, it is very difficult to get near Mona Lisa, to come to a halt to behold its beauty. Therefore, to study and examine its painting techniques, one can only feel from a quick glimpse of the painting that is slightly cracked. I think, for most or all visitors who came with cultural reverence, after seeing the painting, they left either with feelings of satisfaction or regret.

Close Up with Auguste Rodin The greatness of Auguste Rodin lies in his incisive expression of man’s intense conflicts in his heart. What is conflict? It is the basic consciousness revealed in man’s physiological nature; the self-consciousness revealed in man’s social nature; the consciousness beyond self revealed in man’s spiritual nature. These three forms restrict one another under different circumstances and at different stages. The individual and the group, instant and eternal, life and death, spiritual and material, lowly and noble.... Many elements often intertwine and collide to produce conflicts of unrest and peace. True humanity is the combination of these complexities, while true art reveals the glittering lights of humanity from these complexities. The art during China’s Cultural Revolution weakens and diminishes the nature of humanity by using standardized mode of idols, becoming insipid political propaganda. Rodin’s The Burghers of Calais uses the physiological structure and subjective point of expression to model images of characters that sway from side to side, struggle and are full of thespian appeal. Its

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Wu Weishan

Auguste Rodin’s The Burghers of Calais (a section).


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appeal originates from the body, arms and movements that are exaggerated in a nonchalant manner. This is a body of life that has blood, flesh, veins and bones; it is a body of spirit that has emotions, thoughts and energy. I visited Rodin’s works twice in 1992, in Beijing and Shanghai. However, that could not be compared to the examination and adoration of his works in his homeland. This force quakes from the depths of the French land, so overpowering and overwhelming. Though I had seen The Burghers of Calais later in the States and UK, I still felt that it was like visiting an exhibition. It reminds me of the words of Mr Qi Gong (启功): Poems before the Tang Dynasty come from growing, Tang poems come from hollering, Song poems comes from composing, modern poems comes from imitating. The importance of timing, circumstances and human factors in producing great art can be seen from here. The heart-stirring emotions and artistic enlightenment from visiting Rodin’s art are reflected in the works I created upon my return to China, such as The Farmer-Scientist Chen Yongkang (陈永康) and Venerable Hong Yi (弘一).

The Lessons from Horse As we look back on the journey of the history of fine arts, the numbers on every milestone that has a meaningful existence vary. It signifies new improvement and new accumulation. The value of art lies exactly in new creation. The works of Henry Moore are very primitive and natural. They are so primitive that they resemble the cultic rituals of primitive people, with thoughts and feelings of all intelligent beings being revealed through nonsensical piercing and polishing of the surface. They are so natural that their structures amazingly resemble the bones of fowls, bones of beasts and even the human bones. Moore’s works are much modernized and have a strong humane nature. It is so modernized that each of the models transcends the industrial age and implants into the spiritual homeland in modern-day people return consciousness. The humane nature is so strong that each of the works embodies profound meaning, causing one to self-reflect when nearing it. This “horse head”, compared to ancient Greek “horse head”, is apparently richer in its subjective imageries and subjective expression. It has neither the vividness of form, the veins and arteries through which blood flows, nor the structural form that seems real. However, it truly exists with the existence of certain qualities. The change of times influences the images of art, from narrating objective form to the change in expression of subjective nature. It signifies the affirmation of mankind on his thoughts.

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Wu Weishan

Together with Henry Moore’s Horse.

Ancient Greek horse head.


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An Instant Moment Can Also Be Eternal I was captivated by Edgar Degas more than 20 years ago. Because Degas was unconstrained and too focused, the female dancers whom he depicted are all very vivid in drawings and sculptures. Unconstrained refers to him not bound by general visual experience and captures form for spirit, resulting in the form being imbued with the meaning of life. Unconstrained also refers to him walking confidently and independently amongst the masters in the annals of fine arts history, creating works according to his own principles and will.

Before Edgar Degas’s works.

Being too focused refers to his careful observation of the subject’s movement, state, spirit and appeal, fluently presenting the instant change between each of the movements without any conceptual actions and forms; it is only with such focus that such standard can be achieved. Degas provides us with one possibility. This possibility tells me, the perpetuity in sculpture lies not entirely on the “major forms” of the monument — balanced, poised, understanding.... An instant moment can also be eternal! The winding path of life is formed by countless instant moments. Meaningful instant moments are the life of art. Having seen Degas’s works, I found “soul mates” for my Spring Breeze created in 1994 and my Snow Skier created in 1995. This may be what is

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Wu Weishan

Snow Skier, 1996. Bronze This piece of artwork is created for the Heilongjiang Yabuli Ski Resort. Aesthetics scholar Teng Shouyao (腾守尧) changed the title to Balance. This snow skier constantly needs to find points of balance on the steep slope. Therefore, it seems like a frenzied blade of grass manoeuvring on the snow ground that is as white as the xuan paper.


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known as the “hidden message”. When I discovered in Degas’s works the concepts of expressions that I had been pursuing relentlessly, I was deeply stirred. It is a pity that though I know Degas, he does not know me. I went to the States in the second half of 1997, but my dream of art rested in the fascinating tour of Europe. In early 1998 when I was visiting a German-American sculptor in San Francisco, he waved his trembling hands, shook his 94-year-old body, and said, “You should return to China, that is the homeland of art! You should go to Paris; the air there is filled with art! In the States, there is only business, no art!”

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Wu Weishan

6. Crossing the Pacific Holding Exhibitions in San Francisco

Exhibition of Wu Weishan’s sculpture at Raymond Gallery in the United States.

At the invitation of the “Silk Road Art Exhibition” Committee of America and

with the approval from the People’s Republic of China Ministry of Culture, Wu Weishan’s sculpture exhibition was held at Raymond Gallery in San Francisco, USA, on 3 January 1998.

Under the gallery’s dim lights and shadows are the black and white photos

of Wu Weishan in deep rumination. Entering the room, walking to the innermost part, one can admire tens of his sculptural exhibits. Wu Weishan said that such interplay of light and shadow often gives him inspiration.

During the exhibition period, Wu Weishan visited more than ten cities

such as New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, Washington, Houston, Las Vegas and Chicago. He wrote the following in his diary:

I have deep sentiments from visiting these cities, museums and colleges, from meeting old pals and making new friends. From the artworks, I saw many dissimilar yet similar heads — the heads of statues. The similarity is that mankind, culture, humanity and human emotions are all combined


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A Little Girl with Plaits, 1994. Bronze

This is the first piece of artwork collected by American collectors during the exhibition period. At the exhibition, the American collectors were very enthusiastic, collecting a total of 9 works. The first was A Little Girl with Plaits, modelled after my daughter. The collector was a lady in her fifties. Together with her mother who was in her eighties, they attended the exhibition five times. During each visit, they closely admired this work of less than 20 centimetres. Reluctant to part with it, I told my wife over the phone: our “daughter” is left behind in the States.

into “man”, while the dissimilarity is in the multifacetness of races and creation. This provides vast space for thought with regards to my pursuit and exploration of using portraits as motifs to present the peace and progress of mankind, self-empowerment and democracy of nations, the succession of times and the spirit of innovation. The tranquillity and purity in Greek sculpture reveals a perpetual aesthetic ideal; the richness and fullness in Indian sculpture communicates a harmonious paradise; the naturalness and force in African sculpture sing of the passionate songs of life under the sun; the elongation and distortion of Amedeo Modigliani; the movement and displacement of Pablo Picasso; the precision and ambiguity of Constantin Brancusi; the sombre and unyielding spirit of Alberto Giacometti. All these symbolize the perplexity and the return of the souls of modern-day people, while the Egyptian geometrical body exhibits the majesty of God. Of course, what makes me immensely touched and bow in adoration is the look of mercy that exudes from the all-encompassing eyes of Buddha statues in ancient China. That is complete and perfect, rich and full. Deeply stirred and with tears welling in my eyes, I examined this ancient Chinese sculpture which tugged more forcefully at my heartstrings. What touch me are the glow of humanity in Buddhism, and the sublime embodiment of warm human affections through the baptism of religion and art. I was astounded by a stone sculpture of the Sui Dynasty that was not particularly voluminous. It held my soul captive. Staring at the composed smile, I was dumbfounded. Comparing it with Indian and Southeast Asian sculptures, I was enlightened of the sculptural wisdom and forbearing spirit of the Chinese people. “What makes a poet?” Martin Heidegger once asked. In the foreword of my sculpture exhibition in San Francisco, there is also a sigh of “What makes a sculptor?” Yes, the value of existence in every culture can be found in comparison. Since early 1991, I have set the target to sculpt “Chinese”. When I went to Europe in 1996 and the States in 1998, it can be said that as I looked back at my homeland and my personal journey, I was in “foreign territories”. It seems that in a veil of vagueness I have a better understanding of some things pertaining to the silhouette, size and spirit of “Chinese” and “Chinese cultural people”.

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Wu Weishan

Giacometti’s sculpture (taken at the National Gallery of Art, Washington).

Although Greek art and Italian Renaissance impact European art, the influence of “deism” i n t h e m e d i e va l a g e c a n n o t be underestimated. It makes buildings look like sculptures, and vice versa. It is separated from human emotions, towering on the spiritual shore like a rock. Giacometti’s sculpture is the existence of this shore. I cannot avoid this burning look, which transcends time and space to connect with the universe. Indian sculpture (taken at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York).

Modigliani’s sculpture (taken at the National Gallery of Art, Washington).

Faith is displayed in the fullness and richness of the sculpture. All thoughts vanish into thin air….

Different artists have different forms. The role of an artist is to model his or her own form. From M o d i g l i a n i ’s d i s t o r t i n g mirror, I see another image of mankind.

Brancusi’s sculpture (taken at the National Gallery of Art, Washington).

The tiniest organism is the liveliest wandering soul in the boundless universe. The result of conciseness is the natural state of being that can never be further added to or omitted from. Greek sculpture (taken at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York).

A simple line delineates a quiet and solemn existence. The beauty of humanity exudes from within to without....

Picasso’s sculpture (taken at the National Gallery of Art, Washington).

The co-existence of many facets develops visual space. The artist opens up a broader channel for mankind in methods of observation. I manoeuvred around the body of Picasso, every angle was telling me: The secret of creation lies in wild imagination.

African sculpture (taken at New York Gallery).

Under the sun and the trees, the spirit of freedom bursts with the power of life! It makes all civilizations of hypocrisy appear frail and fragile! At that instant when I pressed the shutter, I felt that I had already entered the scorching great land.

The Bridge Is Only That Long It is difficult to ascertain when the first bridge in the history of mankind was built. Perhaps the oldest bridge was no more than a piece of wood — the so-called one-piece wooden bridge. With the progress of productivity, bridges are becoming longer and longer, bigger and bigger. How many bridges are there in the world? Which are the longest and the most famous bridges? I am not a bridge builder nor am I a statistician. From my experience, the bridges that left me with deeper impressions are Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge, Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam, Seine Bridge in Paris, Cologne Bridge in Germany, Tsing Ma Bridge in Hong Kong, Manhattan Bridge in New York and also Zhaozhou Bridge in China, which is a bridge with special significance in the world history of bridge-building. Some bridges have become important landmarks of certain countries or places, some become symbols of certain cultures. In sum, the bridge is the product of man’s hope to get from one side to the other side of the river. On the second day after I arrived in San Francisco, my friend Dr. Chang Siu-fong (张笑枫), Luo Dan (罗丹) and I drove to visit a 94-year-old American sculptor, with Luo Dan as the driver. We passed by the Golden Gate Bridge on the way. The bright red steel-framed bridge tower was tall beyond measure. With green mountains in the distance and blue sky, the bridge spanned the Golden Gate in a spectacular manner. In her early years, Dr. Chang Siu-fong studied in the Department of Philosophy at National Taiwan University. Now, she is in charge of a cultural enterprise in the United States. In recent years, she founded the SOAR Foundation, working hard to appeal for funds to support the education in remote places of China, and doing her best to promote cultural exchanges between the East and the West. There is a strong sense of idealism in her. Sitting in the car, she sighed with deep sentiments, “I have been in the States for 30 years. Each time I come to the Golden Gate Bridge, I would always want to walk through it, but this wish has never been fulfilled.” What she said touched me. The next day, taking the bus alone, I alighted at the stop near the Golden Gate Bridge and walked towards the opposite end on my own. On one side were streams of cars moving on the bridge, while on the other side were islets on the sea. Further in the distance was the Bay Bridge disappearing in the horizon. As I reached the middle of the bridge and looked back at the city of San Francisco, the light of the setting sun had enveloped the hilly city. Dotted buildings formed a stretch of “Mondrian” in a colour of abstract warm yellow. Unfamiliar with this city, I could not relate what I had seen to any stories in it. I could only sigh from the perspective of visual aesthetics. I remember one night seven years ago,

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The majestic Golden Gate Bridge.

I took my three-year-old daughter on a bike ride, cycling from the southern end of Yangtze River Bridge to the northern end. Facing the dark sky, my daughter became frightened, “asking for mother”. Now, this incident has faded from her memory. However, to me as a father taking a three-year-old child across such a long bridge at night for over an hour, purely for “sightseeing”, it is inconceivable as I think of it now. I also remember, at the age of nine, when I was ordered to go to the village together with my father, I was used to seeing small wooden bridges. One day, when I went to town and saw a cement bridge spanning about fifty metres, I actually exclaimed, “Ah, sun-bridge!” People always say that when one is far away from home, one would think of what is going on at home. I was, in reality, walking on the Golden Gate Bridge then, but what I was thinking of was all about the past. Walking on the bridge, I occasionally saw some foreigners cycling as a form of exercise, and some young girls in their vests and short skirts, looking into telescopes at distant islets on the Pacific Ocean. Unknowingly, I had reached


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the other end of the bridge. Looking at my watch, I realized it only took me fifty minutes. Indeed, a bridge, no matter how long it is, invariably has an end. It is the case even with the Pacific Ocean. Though people cannot build a visible bridge across it, a plane is exactly like a mobile bridge, connecting all parts of the world. It took me ten hours to fly from Beijing to Schiphol Airport in Europe. The flight from Shanghai to San Francisco is also exactly ten hours. Nowadays, there is a fashionable way of terming this — “Global Village”, which is very much of a universal concept. Such an ideal has come true in a certain sense. Isn’t it so? Through the Internet of present-day, one staying at home can get to know the whole world. This is not a myth. Quite a number of people have dated online, through the Internet, with people of different nationalities. People of different skin colours communicate on the same platform. The same is true of culture. Interaction deepens understanding. The driving force in man’s creation is the same, as analysed by Lao Zi (老子), Zhuang Zi (庄子), Freud and Carl Jung. However, cultural landscapes cannot be identical. There is mutual understanding on the basis of co-existence. Two years ago when I worked at the European Ceramics Work Centre, my workmate Young, a Dutch artist, made an eight-metre-long ceramic sculpture titled The Bridge. The sculptor sought to express his cultural ideals through this work. This was both a visible and invisible bridge of culture. So long as we walk on it courageously, we will know that a bridge is only that long. March 1998, San Francisco

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Robin’s World I have a painting which I treasure. In this painting is a Westerner walking with a stick on the road leading to the sky. The English name of this painting is Robin in China. Robin Winters is a famous sculptor and painter in contemporary America. We worked together for three months at the European Ceramics Work Centre in the Netherlands. When we were about to part, he gave me this painting as a gift. In fact, he has never been to China. In January this year, we met again in New York and hugged each other at the airport. I told him that his painting is now hung on the wall of my bedroom. He was very excited, saying, “China is in my dreams!” Robin has a studio of nearly 200 square metres in Broadway, New York. As known to all, Broadway Avenue runs through Manhattan from east to west. It is one of the streets with the highest traffic volume in the world. His studio lies between the African Museum and the branch of Guggenheim Museum. His studio on the fourth level is full of oil paintings and sculptures and has lots of glass artworks. According to his introduction, his works were mostly produced in the outskirts of New York. Talking about outskirts, I recall when I was in Europe, I once saw a documentary of Robin on television. I clearly remember that there was a river behind his house. I have special affections for rivers, having painted rivers for countless times. I have also used the Seine River and Yellow River as topics to discuss Eastern and Western cultures. He knew clearly what was in my mind. Two days later, we drove to his house in the outskirts and stayed there. Driving along Johnson River, the skyscrapers in Manhattan gradually disappeared and were replaced by snow-clad wilderness in the suburbs at dusk. Three hours later, we arrived at a village which could not be found on the map. It was a village with over 30 different bungalows built along the river. Robin’s house was beside a small wooden bridge. At the entrance stood a sculpture in the shape of a question mark, facing the sky. The house was big, with Robin’s sculptures standing in its surrounds and entrance. This village of over 30 households was so serene that only the sound of running water carrying ice blocks could be heard. When Robin stepped into the house, a dog, which had not seen its master for a long time, jumped affectionately at him, wagging its tail unceasingly. This dog, originally homeless, was picked up from the wilderness by Robin a year ago. Tens of birds reared in the house were chirping “Hello”, “Hello”. Among them was a parrot which had been with Robin for 16 years. Pointing at a very small bird, he said, “We share the same name — Robin.” Robin’s study had a different style. His bookshelves were neatly and orderly stacked with books, as well as his own painting-albums and works. At


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an eye-catching place was a copy of Paintings of Jie Ziyuan (芥子园). I began to read it with curiosity. There were Robin’s markings on it. He told me that he had started to make imitation copies of this painting-album several years ago, gaining a deeper understanding of nature from it. Now, from many of his paintings, one can comprehend the abstract meanings from ancient Chinese sages and the summary of nature. He said, with amusement and profundity, that there was a tree painted on the cover of one of his painting-albums published in 1987, which was integrated with the two elements — “China” and “Nature”. Next to his study was his workshop for glass artworks: furnace, raw materials and finished works stood together with a photo of huge-eyed Picasso hung on the wall. Here, together with his assistants, he often makes use of blazing fire to produce lucent and crystal-clear glass works. Of course, Robin is faced with threats from time to time. In summer, sharply rising water from the river often surges into his studio, sweeping away many of his bronze works which are placed on the balcony. However, he regards this as stimulation. Just like the special eyes of Picasso, this kind of cry from nature enables him to be always sensitive to new aesthetic concepts. In this small village, neighbours give their home-grown potatoes and vegetables to Robin, while Robin gives them some exquisite glassware in return. Primitive transaction reflects pure and simple affections. Looking at the hilly forest across the river behind his house, I naturally thought of The Story of Peach Blossom Haven. It was the dream of Tao Qian (陶潜), wasn’t it? Many eminent scholars in ancient China were recluses and their works revealed the cold and grim beauty of escaping from the realistic world. On the other hand, contemporary artists in the fast tempo of modern life are more flippant and impetuous. It is not the case with Robin. Sometimes, he lives in the outskirts; sometimes, in the downtown area. He has two rivers: one is primitive Taken with foreign friends in April 1998, at the “5000 Years of Chinese Civilizaand natural, while the tion Exhibition”, held in Seattle, USA (Guggenheim Museum, New York). other is modern, has a American artist friends were amazed at the 5000 years of Chinese civilization. At the Guggenheim Museum, they “shifted” their affections on me, being extremely humane touch to it, and amiable. very “Broadway” — an ever

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boisterous river of modern civilization. I seem to have gained some insights. The reason why Robin’s works are always associated with mankind and nature and extol humanity lies in his perpetual affection for “man”. Having heard my analysis, Robin suddenly widened his eyes and held my hands tightly, saying, “I know you, you know me!”

Avenue of the Stars As known to all, there is a Los Angeles in the United States, there is Hollywood in Los Angeles and there are many movie stars in Hollywood. However, perhaps more people know those stars than they know Los Angeles. For instance, Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin are household names. A few days ago, I went to Los Angeles. My friend asked me about the place that I wanted to visit most. Without hesitation, I replied, “Hollywood”. On that day, I spent one whole day at the Universal Studio, enjoying experiences such as water-battles, earthquakes and outbreaks of torrential flood, which are the common scenes in movies. While I was fascinated at how lifelike Hollywood productions are, I also got to know how movies scenes were faked. Though the scenes are unreal, the stars are real. All those glistening names of movie stars on the Avenue of the Stars in Hollywood represent the history of this movie city. On the pavement along this avenue, the centre of each black water-polished sandstone is embedded with a red pentagon-star-shaped polished stone, which bears the name of a movie star. The border of the pentagon-star and the name are all made of copper. One star adjoining another, they form the world-famous Avenue of the Stars. There is a Chinese cinema on this avenue. The square of this cinema is packed with visitors, all lowering their heads, looking for their own favourite idols. This is a more attractive square because each cement tile is imprinted with the handprints, footprints and signature of those movie stars. This brings people’s immortalization of idol adoration to tangible existence. Many visitors were commenting among themselves, “Look, the size of this foot is small. She must have worn high-heeled shoes of high gradient” and “This hand is so lovely!” Here, visitors can find names such as Michael Douglas, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Lee, Tom Cruise and many more. The cement tile bearing the handprints, footprints and signature of Marilyn Monroe is at the left of the square centre. Her handprints show that she had very small hands and that her feet were also adorably small. Her signature, dated 26 June 1953, is quite free-spirited. Perhaps, the romances of this unrivalled beauty and her brief life have left more question marks


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The cement tile bearing the handprints, footprints and signature of Marilyn Monroe.

in this world. Of course, seeing the handprints of this immortalized beauty with my own eyes is also one of the important factors. Many visitors squatted on the ground, taking photos and making video recordings, as if it was the real person of Marilyn Monroe before them. A yellow-haired and blue-eyed lad even lay down to kiss that handprint, forgetting it was nothing more than ice-cold cement. Americans are really full of ideas. Not only do they help stars realize their value on the movie screen, they also let their names create urban culture. On the Avenue of the Stars, some walls temporarily built to block the demolished buildings are also fully painted with faces of stars. Though these faces do not have historical solidification like the handprints and footprints, they create a popular cultural atmosphere with movie stars as the centre of attraction. Only with continual appearance can stars display their glamour. In fact, in the history of 5000 years of Chinese civilization, there have been countless men of letters. When they present themselves, their literary glamour will be like a galaxy of stars. March 1998, Los Angeles

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Visiting “Son” in the U.S.

In December 1999, Dr. William R. Brody, president of the John Hopkins

University, came to Nanjing University together with his wife. While visiting Wu Weishan’s works, he had a liking, at first sight, for the sculpture A Very Young Man. Through the school, he indirectly expressed the desire to collect this piece of work by Wu Weishan who responded to Dr. Brody’s request big-heartedly, “In life, it is difficult to find someone who understands you. I’m willing to present this piece of work to you as a gift. This is an image of a home-grown village youth. His pure and simple smile is already very rare in modern society. His smile embodies the ancient civilization. Now that Dr. and Mrs. Brody are ‘adopting’ this ‘child’, I hope he will continue to wear this smile after he settles in at the opposite coast of the ocean.” Dr. and Mrs Brody were very touched, gladly “adopting” this oriental youth. They also gathered more than 300 American friends at Nanjing University to hold an elaborate and sincere handing over ceremony for A Very Young Man. Together with then vice-president and current president of Nanjing University Professor Chen Jun (陈骏) and Wu Weishan the “father” of A Very Young Man and creator of this sculpture, the four of them held one another’s hands; amidst the warmth and laughter, they handed A Very Young Man over to the hands of Dr. and Mrs. Brody.

On their flight back to the States, Mrs Brody even specially held the sculpture

in her arms, insisting not to wrap it up. She said, “This is my child. I want to carry it myself.”

Later, Dr. Brody wrote again to Professor Jiang Shusheng (蒋树声), former

president of Nanjing University, specially expressing their gratitude and joy, “Wendy and I are pleasantly surprised at the generosity of Professor Wu Weishan, for giving us such an exquisite sculpture. We are just like very proud parents having adopted a Chinese child. This child will live with us, always reminding us of the amicable relationship between the John Hopkins University and Nanjing University.”

When Wu Weishan visited

the United States in April 2003, Dr. Brody invited him to see this sculpture. It was a cheery spring day. In a big hall full of sunshine, A Very Young Man, 1998. Bronze


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A Very Young Man smiled. Mrs Brody was filled with joy in her heart, saying to Wu Weishan, “This child is very adorable. We all like him very much. Today, his ‘father’ has come to visit him, so he is smiling more heartily.”

Dr. Brody, President of the John Hopkins University, USA, and his wife holding an “adoption” ceremony for A Very Young Man. Second from left is then vice-president and current president of Nanjing University Professor Chen Jun.

Wu Weishan at the Maryland Institute College of Art in the United States.

In 2002, I accepted the invitation to give lectures at the Maryland Institute College of Art in the US. This college holds on to the traditions of European classic schools while practicing the pedagogies of modern art, developing itself through a dialogue of conflict.

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In the early 1980s, the art community in China was liberal, seeking to reform the Russian education structure and to be liberated from the art of the Cultural Revolution. “Changing of forms” became the pursuit during this transition period. Regardless of the subjects, to elongate, or crush, or twist, the formation of forms demonstrates the acuteness in the artists’ observation and their sensitivity towards the characteristics of objects. However, once it is programmed and conceptualized, it will become rigid. At the Luxor Las Vegas Hotel, I saw the long, slender legs of the Egyptian dancing diva. I was awed by the precise display of Egyptian sculptural art. Those long and slender legs correspond to objectivity and demonstrate subjectivity.

Egyptian Dancing Diva. Taken at Las Vegas, 1997.

Egyptian Sculpture. (taken at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1997).


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Before Claude Monet’s Water Lilies. (taken at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1998).

There are a few things that have a deep impact on my art: primitive art of imagery, Han dynasty stone sculptures and ceramic figurines, Chinese paintings, calligraphy and Impressionism. I immersed joyfully in the vastness and vagueness that exude from their “sense”. Without extremity, art does not have any style. Extremity refers to the artist’s spiritual direction and aesthetic orientation. From “Mi’s School of Landscape Painting” 5 to the paintings of Huang Binhong (黄宾虹), the Chinese artists had conveyed a state of mind, in an incisive but ambiguous way, that was marvellous beyond words. The school of Impressionism achieves the same effect using different methods. Light and colours in their interplay express a poetic emotion. Claude Monet has many seemingly familiar characteristics with Auguste Rodin, which is why I once fell in love with Rodin at first sight. At the National Gallery of Art, Washington, I seemed to have trodden on home ground as I entered the misty, light-soaked and boisterous world of Monet — Water Lilies. If Mi Youren (米友仁)’s Xiaoxiang Painting has brought me into an elusive poetic realm of the East, then Monet has let me entered an ethereal universe of light and colours. Such elusiveness and ethereality appear continually in my sculpture in a covert manner, leading me to model weathered and mysterious ancient images, and to model the great formless image that is rich and emits celestial glow. 5 米家山水,

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a school of painting landscapes created by Mi Fei (米芾) and Mi Youren (米友仁).


Wu Weishan

A Strange Encounter at the Museum — Rumination on Works In recent years, I visited tens of great museums in Europe and the States. The interesting part is that works which are close, similar and even the same in terms of meaning and form can often be found in ancient and modern times, in the East and West, and in paintings and sculptures. Is that a succession, an unplanned agreement, or a common understanding? Regardless of whether it is coincidental or inevitable, it provides us with food for thought — behind these cultural phenomena, can we see a common psychological structure that exists in people of different nationalities and eras?

Painting of Fu Baoshi (傅抱石) (taken at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York).

Han Dynasty freehand figurine (taken at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York).

The composition, images and spirit are so similar — in paintings of modern Fu Baoshi — in Han Dynasty freehand figurines — it is painting — it is ceramic sculpture The tightly sealed lips contain the same desire to win, The chessboard is filled with the same wisdom of the Chinese!


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Wu Weishan beside a Sui dynasty buddha statue at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Compared to the oil paintings during the early period of the Renaissance, the movements in Henri Matisse’s sculptures are bigger. Of course, as the representative of Fauvism, the modern mobility which he demonstrates basically seeks to transcend the tranquillity in classical art. The display of self is an important characteristic of modernism. At that time, Matisse did not heed Rodin’s advice, blazing a new trail of modern sculpture on his own. It reveals certain secrets on the creative work of art. The pursuits of some modern artists in the 19th and 20th century are to absorb useful nutrients from African wooden sculpture, and to seek vague figments of thoughts from “living fossils” in ancient tribes. The contours that are elongated and full of the sense of form in Modigliani’s works seem to originate from the unrestrained and mysterious dance in the African forest…. The same elongation, but different ambience. The primitive biological characteristics are free from the cares and worries of civilized people. Just like their intimacy with the sun, this represents their fervency for natural emotions. Where do we come from? Where are we heading towards? They are very different from Giacometti’s indifference. One is a group in the natural surroundings on earth. The other is a group in the philosophical world that is rational and deviant.

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Wu Weishan

7. Full Moon in Britain The Sleeping Child Wins the Award

Sleeping Child, 1998. Bronze

(Note: This work was selected for the 50th Anniversary Exhibition of the Society of Portrait Sculptors, UK, and had won the Pangolin Award.)


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This child falls asleep after crying for some time. Perhaps there will be another new game after a moment of deep sleep. There is a poem of Rabindranath Tagore titled Dreamland that fits him perfectly:

The children are all sleeping soundly, Forgetting the game completely. Through the windows, Soft and gentle night breezes caress their eyes and faces. …. Repeatedly, the breeze blows gently at their fine hair, Stroking their faces. Stars smile while falling from the sky, Kissing their slightly open lips repeatedly. I remember I was running a fever when I saw this adorable grandson of my friend. However, his angelic image drove me to sculpt a clay portrait in an instant. I whispered softly, “Sleep, darling! There is a wonderful dream in dreamland….”

Since the establishment of the Institute of Sculpture Art, Nanjing University,

in 1998, Wu Weishan has always valued international exchanges of culture and art. In 2002, Anthony Stones, a British master of classic sculpture and president of the Society of Portrait Sculptors, UK, made a special trip to Nanjing for art exchange with Wu Weishan. The two sculptors of different skin colour, age and cultural background got along very well at their first meeting, becoming good friends despite their age difference. When Wu Weishan first met Anthony, he proposed that they should sculpt a portrait of each other, so as to make friends through art. Like what he said, “Our exchange is likened to that between two martial arts exponents in ancient times. The first meeting entails the exchange of blows, through which the two exponents can get to know each other better. This is what is called ‘Out of blows, friendship grows’.” Facing Wu Weishan, Anthony held his breath and concentrated, completely forgetting his old age of 70. At one moment he stood up, at another he knelt down. Sometimes he distanced himself, sometimes he drew near. His big hands moved up and down swiftly. After one and half hours, a sculpture of Wu Weishan characterized by profundity, tenacity, self-confidence and a tad of conceit was formed. Anthony’s sculpture demonstrates the Western spirit of rationalism. He first outlined the side view before dealing with the entire body. In the course of sculpting, the accumulation of clay pieces resembled Western architecture. He also partially integrated Rodin’s style of sculpting. Clay bits were moderately scattered over the sculpture. As for Wu Weishan, he used two blocks of clay, one for the head and the other for the neck. He set the imagery and the spirit first, and then he began to smear, carry, rub and knead….just like the way in Chinese calligraphy,

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the intent and force are completely applied onto the paper, demonstrating the Eastern freehand spirit to the fullest extent. In a short while, a vivid sculpture of Anthony was formed. Amazed, Anthony started to study Wu Weishan’s sculpture quietly. He made careful observation of each of his works and evaluated them. Among his works, Sleeping Child caught his attention. This sculpture is modelled after a sleeping child with his mouth slightly open and his head leaning naturally to one side. It resembles the childhood of mankind. Anthony saw the existence of another life of art apart from his past understanding of sculptures of political idols. He hoped that Wu Weishan could send this sculpture to Britain for the 50th Anniversary Exhibition of the Society of Portrait Sculptors, UK, in 2003. So this little Sleeping Child crossed the ocean and won the Pangolin Award. Meanwhile, in an amazingly short time, Wu Weishan became a member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors and the Society of Portrait Sculptors, UK. He was the first Asian to have received such an honour.

At the exhibition, Wu Weishan was excited when he saw his sculpture placed

next to with Jules Dalou’s sculpture (Dalou was a French master sculptor in the 19th century). He knew that his work had been treated with respect and that his British counterparts acknowledged and commended his work. Anthony even accompanied him all the way before and after the exhibition, visiting British historical sites, churches, famous sculptures and various major museums, admiring all the precious gems in Britain. These not only serve to recognize Wu Weishan’s personal charisma and his artistic styles, but also represent the Western art community’s recognition of contemporary China artists wholeheartedly. Sleeping Child placed together with Farmer, a work of the late French master sculptor Jules Dalou, at the 50th Anniversary Exhibition of the Society of Portrait Sculptors, UK, in 2003.


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Once again, Wu Weishan returned to China in glory. However, he put the

glory aside and immediately committed himself to his creative work of art. He knew the basic value of an artist lies in his or her works. The crew of the programme, “Extraordinary People of the East”, by China Central Television (CCTV), specially came down to interview Wu Weishan in person. The screenwriters and director were awed by his holistic perceptives of Chinese and Western cultures, his unfailing concern for contemporary Chinese culture and his profound attainments in traditional culture. Not long after, CCTV featured Wu Weishan in two episodes of “Extraordinary People of the East” — “Words from the Heart” and “Solidified History” — introducing the achievements and style of sculptor Wu Weishan in all aspects. This captured the attention of the whole country.

Zha Peixin (查培新), China’s ambassador to UK, with Wu Weishan.

China Central Television (CCTV) featuring Wu Weishan in two episodes of “Extraordinary People of the East”.

On hearing the news that Wu Weishan had won the Pangolin Award in Britain, Zha Peixin, ambassador of China to UK, held Wu Weishan’s hands tightly and exclaimed, “You have won glory for our country!”

At this time, Wu Weishan yet again began to focus on preparing a talk. This

was not an ordinary talk. Though he had given countless talks to students in many institutions of higher learning in the country, this time he accepted an invitation to speak at the National Gallery, London. He knew that once he stood on the stage, he would be confronted with earnest and eager, but sceptical and fastidious Western faces. Therefore, he decided to put his art against the entire background of Chinese culture, spreading the great Chinese culture in the pantheon of art in the West.

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Wu Weishan

Chinese Girl (part of the side view), 2001. Bronze


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Photographers taking photos of Chinese Girl.

The appearance of Chinese Girl captured the attention of many artists. It possesses the oriental classical beauty. Photographers took her as “model”, engaging in photographic creation.

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In November 2003, he successfully delivered a speech at the National

Gallery, London, entitled My Sculptural Art against the Background of Chinese Culture. Meanwhile, news arrived that another of his sculptures Chinese Girl had been selected to take part in the 2004 annual exhibition of the Royal British Society of Sculptors.

Chinese Girl exhibits the beautiful image of a Chinese girl, with “two

delicate eyebrows that seem sorrowful” and “a pair of affectionate eyes that seem joyful”. She looks serenely at the uncertain far, with the corner of her lips slightly closed. The ambiguity in crafting and the smoothness and softness of the plaster after polishing leave the entire work filled with a mesmerizing beauty of serenity, just like delicate flowers on flowing water and frail willows in the wind. It is apt to name it Chinese Girl. She is the epitome of the aesthetic ideals of Chinese people. The eyes are intricate and elusive, vague and tranquil, full of emotions. This is indeed the finishing touch of life.

Wu Weishan wrote: In the campus, under the tree, The girl that slowly approaches Becomes my inspiration …. I often admire her serenity silently, with words that cannot be uttered. Suddenly, she reminds me of Zong Baihua (宗白华)’s poem: Her silent look Quietly Falls on me, My silent heart Stirs with a wave of Quiet ripple.

This “girl” followed Anthony to London, then to Hong Kong, and finally, back

to Nanjing.


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My Sculptures Do Not Cater to Westerners An interview after winning the Pangolin Award Xue Longchun (薛龙春) and Shang Rong (尚荣)

Since I know Wu Weishan, he has been keeping this hairstyle — long hair

over his shoulders, neither soft nor smooth, yet very sculptural. I believe his hairstyle is not meant to make him look cool, but is a symbol of his firm belief in choosing his own culture. Though young, Wu Weishan is already world-famous. Celebrated scholars such as Fei Xiaotong (费孝通), Yang Zhenning (杨振宁), Ji Xianlin (季羡林) and Xiong Bingming have been encouraging and commending him, as they are deeply impressed by the artistic talent of this young man.

In Wu Weishan’s studio, “Roaming in Art”, a remark by Confucius, inscribed

by Fei Xiaotong, hangs on the wall. Wu Weishan has been practicing this ancient maxim. He never puts on the aloof air of an artist on purpose. Straightforward and sincere, he talks exuberantly with some local accent. He never makes himself mysterious and unfathomable. It is always pleasant to chat with him, but you need to catch up with his train of thoughts. His talk is often non-linear and you seldom have a chance to interrupt. He speaks like a free and endless stream that you almost cannot find a chance to express your opinions. Since ancient times, men of talent have mostly been ebullient. Otherwise, how can they have passion?

If you are one that is perceptive, you will discover that his sparks of talent

often appear in those seemingly ordinary little details. The perspective of an artist is always different from that of the ordinary.

Xue: Professor Wu, I heard that you just came back to Nanjing from Britain. This time, the Society of Portrait Sculptors, UK, has given out five major awards and your sculpture Sleeping Child has won one of them. Recently, many Chinese who went abroad for activities have been quarantined because of SARS. Have you been affected? Wu: No, they were very friendly to me. This time, I have won the Pangolin Award, which is one of the five major awards. This is the first time an Asian has won this major international award. It can be compared to an Asian winning an international ballet award. Xue: Where do the other award winners come from? Wu: This time, award-winning works come from an exhibition commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Society of Portrait Sculptors, UK. The 47

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participating works are selected from more than 300 works sent from different countries, including works of some late outstanding sculptors. The remaining four awards went to artists from Hungary, Italy, USA and UK. In 1965, Italian master sculptor Giacomo Manzù won the Pangolin Award. One person worth mentioning is 80-year-old Imre Varga. He is the most famous sculptor in Hungary. His status in his country is equivalent to that of Qi Baishi (齐白石) in China. As one who is anti-war, his works are mostly related to this theme. For instance, he sculpted a portrait of a soldier clad in a uniform full of medals. However, the soldier is headless with broken arms and legs. In another example, he made a sculpture of a willow-forest. Leaves made of golden and silver sheets are written with names of soldiers who died in the war. These metal sheets produce dingdong sounds when the wind blows, as if those restive souls are trying to relate something. This time, his sculpture that won the Silver Award (the Lifelong Achievement Award) depicts a Hungarian poet who died of hunger in exile during World War II. Xue: I heard that you have become a member of two international societies and this is the first time they accept a Chinese to be their member! Wu: Yes, they are the Royal British Society of Sculptors and the Society of Portrait Sculptors, UK. In Britain, there are many sculptors. Their sculptural culture is much popularized, similar to the calligraphic culture in China. Having been established for 50 years, the Society of Portrait Sculptors, UK, has 30 members from all over the world, including Alfons Karny, a master sculptor in Poland, Joseph Kiselewski, a master sculptor in the United States and Jacob Epstein, a British master sculptor born in New York. This is the only society of portrait sculptors in the world. The Royal British Society of Sculptors was established in 1911. At that time, the first batch of Chinese sculptors went to Europe for studies. 92 years later, it accepted a Chinese sculptor as its member, giving recognition and affirmation to Chinese sculptural art. Zha Peixin, Chinese ambassador to UK, accompanied by attaché Yan Shixun (阎世训), met Mr. Anthony Stones, president of the Society of Portrait Sculptors, UK, Chinese and British entourages and I. For two hours, he talked about cultural exchanges as well as the internationalization and modernization of Chinese culture, saying, “Professor Wu has gained international recognition. He is the pride of the Chinese people and a true ambassador of culture. The exchange between artists is the most fundamental and the most profound thing in cultural exchanges.” At the same time, he felt that the growth of an artist requires talent, diligence, opportunity as well as the recognition and appreciation of the people.


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Xue: This year is the 50th Anniversary of the Society of Portrait Sculptors, UK. Therefore, the awards given out have drawn particular attention in the international circle of art. In its special edition published for this occasion, your award-winning work Sleeping Child and another famous work Qi Baishi (齐白石) have been included. Do the British know Qi Baishi? Wu: Western sculptors evaluated my works as having a very prominent freehand feature and full of Eastern wisdom. Qi Baishi’s works are collected in museums such as Victoria and Albert Museum, British Museum and Oxford University Museum of Natural History. The British are very familiar with Qi Baishi, believing that my sculpture Qi Baishi is similar to his painting style, which is characterized by succinctness, implicitness and conciseness. Qing dynasty painter Shi Tao (石涛) brought forth the theories of “One Line” 6 and “Preparing the drafts through the search of all unique peaks”. Revolutionary in nature, his art views are symbols of Chinese art that emphasizes experiencing life and the changes from complexity to simplicity. Qi Baishi was deeply influenced by Shi Tao’s concept of art. In the eyes of the British, my art is similar to theirs. In the 50th Anniversary Exhibition: The Society of Portrait Sculptors, Anthony wrote, “Qi Baishi is the most outstanding representative of the freehand approach, corresponding to the tradition of ‘One Line’. These principles have provided Wu Weishan with inspiration in the techniques of sculpture. He does not seek to have too much likeness in form, but to capture the spirit of the subject for sculpture. Just recently, I had an interesting experience of being sculpted by him. As a result, I can fully understand how Qi Baishi’s ideas have been integrated into his sculpture.” My award-winning work, Sleeping Child, demonstrates such a belief — true art does not need explanation. Through visual language, people all over the world can understand art. Art that overcomes barriers of nationality, time, space and language can be said to be crystal clear. Interestingly, I happened to see a sleeping child in a cradle at the gate of Buckingham Palace. The manner he slept bears uncanny resemblance with my sculpture. I think the reason why this work of mine has impressed Westerners is that it has brought out the most beautiful affection in man. Xue: Whether in the circle of literature or in the circle of films and television, there has always been a persuasive strategy to conform to Western society. In order to win favour in the West, many Chinese artists expose and exaggerate the undesirable customs and habits in the social life of China. Some even simply present themselves as one that opposes the existing system in China. 6 The

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aesthetic state of oneness in thought, subject and work.


Wu Weishan

At the annual exhibition of the Society of Portrait Sculptors, UK, Annual 2003, Hungary master sculptor Imre Varga is admiring intently Wu Weishan’s award-winning work, Sleeping Child.

Wu: There are similar phenomena in the circle of fine arts. In the past, Westerners’ perception of Chinese sculpture fell mainly into two categories. The first was that Chinese sculptors learnt revolutionary realism from the former Soviet Union, with the sculpture on the bridge-tower of Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge being a case in point. The second was that Chinese sculptors drew lessons from contemporary Western art, particularly political pop art. By the way, this commemorative edition also includes two of my sketches, painted at the age of 18. I am now 41 and my present works still bear resemblance to my former ones 23 years ago. This shows that the blood of culture still remains thick in my veins. My style is the integration of Chinese freehand spirit and Western realism. I believe, to gain high recognition, one should first begin from one’s own culture, and to have confidence as well as to persevere in the pursuit. This is where the charm of Chinese culture lies. Xue: Human emotions are interlinked and of course, the same is true of art. Though you have been treading your own path, you have gained recognition in the West. This shows that your works are appreciated there. Wu: It is not just the fact that I have been recognized by contemporary Western artists and scholars. At the Royal British Society of Sculptors, when I saw works by Italian sculptor Giacomo Manzù and French sculptor Medardo Rosso, I sensed the aesthetics of ambiguity in them. Suddenly,


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I realized that my works were amazingly linked with theirs, though I had never seen their works before, or was I familiar with them. My aesthetics of ambiguity is derived from the essence of a freehand approach dating back to the Han dynasty in China. However, the spiritual stratum of art must be interlinked, whether it is Eastern art, Western art, ancient art or modern art. Every year, the exhibition of the Royal British Society of Sculptors requests for a sculpture by a master sculptor of the last century or the century before the last, from museums such as the British Museum or National Gallery, London, to be displayed at the exhibition. This year, there was no exception. Placed at the eye-catching centre of the exhibition hall were my sculpture, Sleeping Child, and a sculpture, Peasant, by Jules Dalou, a master French sculptor in the 19th century. His sculpture was on loan to the exhibition by the kind permission of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Under the lights, the sleeping child was sleeping soundly, drawing much attention from several visitors. On hearing that I am the sculptor who is from China, they all came up to greet me. Some of them curiously asked me about the creation process, as if they wanted to know the life of this sleeping child. Xue: In recent years, city sculptures used for public landscaping in China have received much attention from the Chinese government, the public and the media. However, portrait sculptors seem to be ignored. Sometimes, portrait sculptors are even regarded as construction contractors, going out every day to clinch deals, socializing in government departments and with construction teams. Wu: It happens indeed. In the exhibition hall in London, beside my entourage and I as well as a few other Chinese cultural attaché, the rest of the visitors were all Westerners. They came from all walks of life, such as earls, famous actors and actresses as well as wealthy people. They all had much knowledge about sculpture and had lots of collections. There was this story about a millionaire. Shakespeare once killed a deer at his ancestor’s manor. When the owner reported the case, he was whipped as punishment. At that time, Shakespeare was only 17 years old. Later, he became famous. The manor and its owner became famous at the same time. This is based on historical records. However, no one knows how young Shakespeare looked like. Now, this millionaire offered 650,000 British pounds to invite renowned British sculptor Anthony Stones to sculpt a portrait of the 17-year-old Shakespeare, the hunting dog and the deer that was killed. In order to express his gratitude to Anthony for taking up this offer, this millionaire opened his secret chamber and invited Anthony to enjoy a twocubic foot portrait painted by Vincent van Gogh for one of his friends. This portrait had never been made public. It costs the millionaire three million

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pounds. Mesmerized, Anthony spent an hour admiring it in great detail. This account shows that many wealthy people in UK possess high artistic qualities and great taste. In Western society, sculptors enjoy a high status. When Epstein was making a sculpture of Sir Winston Churchill, the latter became impatient while serving as a model. He said to Epstein, “Let’s do it this way. You sculpt a portrait of me while I draw a painting of you. In this way, both of us will have something to do without wasting any time.” Unexpectedly, Epstein stopped his work at once, saying, “In that way, both of us will be wasting time.” Though Churchill was the Prime Minister then and also an outstanding painter, Epstein refused to continue his work. This unfinished sculpture is now collected by a wealthy American businessman. He also made a special trip to Britain to visit this exhibition in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Society of Portrait Sculptors, UK. I would like to give another example. Oxford is a university town, with its streets filled with scholars and students. Once an old tree suddenly fell down and crushed a walking painter to death. Some people then put his painting-board, painting brushes and colour pigments for oil-painting beside the stump of that fallen tree, in memory of that painter who died unfortunately. There is such a tradition in Britain. The British love art and artists are held in high regard. Xue: It seems that since the late 1990s, you have been participating frequently in some international exchanges. This is quite different from those artists who shut themselves up in the painting studio. Some people, out of goodwill, even advise you to spend more time in the painting studio. Wu: Yes. I owe it to the Chinese culture for the progress I have made. The Chinese culture is the root of my art. Also, my gratitude goes to the reform and opening up of China, which enables me to make frequent visits to countries in Europe and the United States for art exchanges in the mid 1990s. On one hand, I have introduced master sculptors such as Italian artist Nobert, Dutch artist Bert Hermens and French national Chinese artist Xiong Bingming, as well as their works, to China. On the other hand, I have exhibited my works in the West. In present-day society, an artist cannot only be confined locally, assuming that having a glimpse of international trend, he or she has understood the art of the world and is able to set his or her own style. I have chosen a path which is steeped in my own roots and yet includes a global dimension. Initially, I also had an opportunity to work in the United States. A friend of mine was even helping me to apply for a permanent residence permit. However, I declined the offer. This is because it is very difficult for an Eastern artist to enter the mainstream society in the West. Often, you have to conform to the standards set by the Western


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society. For me, I have the Chinese culture as my background, without which I would drift about aimlessly, becoming a floating log without roots. With this background, I am endeavouring to participate in international exchanges of culture, broadening my horizon and future from these. In the past, my works exhibited in the United States, the Netherlands, South Korea and Japan were all highly commended. Many of my works are also collected by foreign museums. Prior to the return of Hong Kong to China, my works were displayed on a touring exhibition in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Later, my studio of sculpture was even established in Macau, the place where Chinese and Western culture converge. Shang: You must have lots of sentiments about your trip to Britain this time. Wu: In Britain, when Chinese is mentioned, the British would exclaim, “Ah, Chinese restaurants!” Fast food has become synonymous with China. Zha Peixin, Chinese ambassador to UK, was very excited at my winning the Pangolin Award. He said that the fact that a Chinese artist has been recognized shows that the image of Chinese is changing. The history of the Chinese being looked down upon should come to a closure. Resting his hand on my shoulder, Imre Varga, a master Hungarian sculptor aged over 80, said, “I am elated that all sculptors of the world belong to one family, in which the youngest member is Wu from China.” He whispered into my ear, “Both of us are Chinese.” He believed that Hungarian ancestors were Mongolians in China. Hungarian ambassador to the UK also eagerly came over to congratulate me. Shang: How about the environment of humanity in Britain? Or to be precise, has the art environment there broaden your horizon? Wu: Britain is indeed a very rich country. In the United States, though there are many famous artworks in the museums, the moment you step out of them, you will be faced with thronging crowds and bustling streets, which is so typical of a commercialized culture. However, besides the many museums, the streets in Britain abound with old sculptures by famous sculptors, permeating a strong sense of historical and artistic ambience. Therefore, I would say Britain is truly rich. In Britain, there are so many museums, all open to the public for free. In every faculty of Cambridge University and Oxford University, there is an exhibition room with collection of artworks. Accompanied by Anthony, I visited more than 30 churches in the vicinity of Oxford. The Charles Church impressed me the most. Built on green fields, this small church in the countryside of Oxford has a history of 1500 years. Stone sculptures newly found in the church were produced by craftsmen over 1000 years ago. Those sculptures of gods are simple and

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concise and have sharp features, just like new works. It is said that at the time of completion, they were hidden in the wall to avoid being damaged by revolutionaries. These sculptures have been discovered recently while the church was refurbished. What makes me very excited this time is, at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Anthony and I were invited to admire original sketches of Raphael Sanzio at close distance in a special collection room. From his original sketches that are characterized by elegance, meticulousness and heart-warming human affections, I learned what profundity and a spirit of humanity were. This gifted painter only lived till the age of 36. Despite spanning over centuries, his works are still imbued with the breath of life. All these years, I have visited nearly 50 big museums in the world, having seen countless original works. However, it was the first time for me to be awed like this. The Europeans also envied me for having such a rare “opportunity”. Admiring a master’s works just like the way I read books in the study at home can be regarded as an opportunity of a lifetime. In the National Gallery, London, I saw Leonardo da Vinci’s The Virgin and Child with St. Anne. To protect the work, the painting was placed under dim light, admitting visitors one at a time. This piece of artwork was sold to the National Gallery, London, from the Royal College of Art due to financial difficulties. As a result, of the two “treasures” in the College, only the unfinished Han marble sculpture by Michelangelo was left. I went to the Royal College of Art, sitting quietly in front of Michelangelo’s sculpture for the whole afternoon. Then, Anthony and I began to sketch this marble sculpture. This mood was identical to that when I made imitation copies of the paintings of Buddha and temple-donors in ancient temple grottoes in China. To know the history of art in a country, one must not be confined to talking about art only. One must go out to see churches, rural buildings and walls. Only then can one truly comprehend what is meant by art.


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Sculptures by Professor Wu Weishan Anthony Stones

I visited China in March 2003. This gave me an opportunity to visit the

Institute of Sculpture Art in Nanjing University, the Academy of Arts and Design at Tsinghua University, the museums in Shanghai and Nanjing, the 2002 World Sculptors Conference Building and the permanent display at the Beijing International Sculpture Park. I had also met a few artists at work.

Sculptors are seizing the opportunities given by the government’s open policy.

The talented young Nanjing-based sculptor Wu Weishan probably epitomizes the new spirit of Chinese sculpture today.

Born in 1963 into a family of calligraphers, Wu Weishan’s great granduncle

Gao Ershi was one of the most outstanding calligraphers in the 20th century. Wu Weishan himself is also a calligrapher and painter of the traditional style. In China, he is undoubtedly the most eminent figure in his generation of sculptors. His deep reflection on Confucianism and his portrait of Confucius form the core position in the Wu Weishan Sculpture Hall at Nanjing Museum, which features historical and cultural notables. He has a reverence for tradition and also has a fine collection of old paintings and sculptures. His first sculptural project was to make portrait sculptures of great calligraphers, painters and scientists of the last century. The finest of these are his studies on the late great painter Qi Baishi, who was still engaged in painting when he was in his 90s. He died in 1957.

Qi Baishi is the most outstanding representative of a style of painting,

which since the 17th century has been known as Xie-yi (写意, freehand). It is characterized by intensity, directness, purity and concise use of brushstrokes, which in themselves are very expressive. It aims to condense and depict reality. Alongside this is the tradition of Yi-hua (一画, one line), which was derived from the Yuan painters of the 17th century. Yi-hua literally means one line. Its concept is that from the beginning to the end of a piece of work, the brush, connected with the flow of the spirit, is constantly at work. Painting done in such a way is known to be “completed at one go”. These principles inspire Wu Weishan’s approach to sculpture. The clay portrait sculptures which he makes are often as small as nine centimetres high or as big as twice the actual size. It takes him as fast as a few minutes to complete and the longest never takes more than an hour. He does not seek much in likeness, but rather, to capture the spirit of the subject.

With regards to the art of painting, Qi Baishi once commented, “Careful

consideration and great prudence are required in the composition of a painting. But as soon as your brush touches the paper, you must display the greatest

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courage and decisiveness.”

Just recently, I had the interesting experience of being sculpted by Wu

Weishan. From it, I can fully comprehend how Qi Baishi’s views are integrated into the sculpture. Two days before making the sculpture, I felt that I was under intense scrutiny. Sitting there as a model for the sculpture took exactly an hour. With great concentration and uninterrupted efforts, Wu Weishan produced a clay portrait sculpture that was 1.5 times bigger than the actual size. Those who know me well told me this sculpture embodies my spirit.

Of course, it is very risky to work the way Wu Weishan does, as you either

win or lose. However, what you gain when you win cannot be obtained through any other way. The Sleeping Child that is currently being exhibited is an example. The portrait was produced on a visit to a friend’s house. The child was unwell and had cried for the whole day. Just fallen asleep, he breathed through his mouth because his nose was blocked.

There are two other aspects of Wu Weishan’s work that deserve attention.

As a professor and dean of the Institute of Sculpture Art, Nanjing University, he constantly imbibes in the new generation of sculptors his ideas, and equips them with the skills and techniques required in sculpting. Through observing him working on his sculptures and paintings, as well as assisting him on largescale project works, his students are brought into his processes of creation.

Wu Weishan’s works is not limited to subject-based work. He also designs

large-scale semi-abstract works like Shadows of the Sea and Bamboos, a work which takes a big right-angled triangle as its model and allows vertical sail shapes to combine with downward groupings of the same shapes — associated with bamboo leaves — to form a contrast. This entire piece of work is made of coloured stainless steel.

In China, the real-life portrait sculpture which we understand in the West

only has a history of less than 100 years. The first batch of Chinese students went to Paris to study portrait and figure sculpting in 1910–1911. Apart from these initial French influences, there came the Russian stylistic influence on China in the 1950s and 1960s. From what I know, Wu Weishan is the first Chinese sculptor to have returned to the Chinese tradition in order to establish an indigenous stylistic approach to portrait and figure sculpture. To achieve this goal, he is at the same time endowed with rich family heritage, talent and intelligence, becoming the envy of many.

A few centuries ago, the great painter Shi Tao (石涛) once wrote an essay

on a situation in Chinese paintings of his time that was similar to the present situation. He advised painters to look up to the masters of old and yet to be mindful that they do not imitate them; but rather, he wrote, “The method which has been followed from the past till now may not be the painter’s best method in modern days.” Translating this into sculptural terms, we can see it is what Wu Weishan is doing now in Nanjing.


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Scrawny Qi Baishi, 1994. Bronze

Qi Baishi’s art lies in condensing the sense, spirit and bearing of images and making them sublime. I had modelled Qi Baishi for more than ten times, spanning over a decade. The most precious qualities in Old Baishi are his simple ‘farmer’ affections, his profound efforts in art and his poetic literary concern. Roger T. Ames, Professor of University of Hawaii and renowned scholar of Chinese studies, was very excited when he saw Qi Baishi at Wu Weishan Sculpture Hall in Nanjing Museum, which features cultural notables. He firmly believed that this is the typical image of Chinese literati from the time of Lao Zi to now, especially that pair of deep eyes which emits sparks of wisdom and the long beard which displays landscapes. This becomes the fulfilment of his decades-long dream. Ames is well-versed in Chinese culture, having translated Lao Zi’s Daodejing (《道德经》). In his world, only the Chinese who look like Qi Baishi are true Chinese. Therefore, Lao Zi must have looked like Qi Baishi! Having found me, and with a tone of insistence whilst discussing, he hoped to put Qi Baishi on the cover page for his translated work Daodejing. He curiously asked: Mr. Wu, what is your relationship with Qi Baishi? If not, how do you model him with such vividness? I said: Yes we are related in a way. He seemed to gain confidence in his speculation, asking anxiously: In what way? With a mysterious laugh, I answered: Old Baishi and I both have the blood of Chinese culture flowing in our veins!!

Wu Weishan with Professor Brian Falconbridge (middle), president of the Royal British Society of Sculptors, in front of its headquarters in South Kensington, London.

At the invitation of Professor Brian Falconbridge, president of the Royal British Society of Sculptors, Wu Weishan visited the society three times. With deep emotions, Falconbridge said, “You are the first Chinese member in our society. Welcome back, here is the home of your art.”


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Sculptural model by Michelangelo

Among the many exhibits in the British Museum, this small model of less than 12 centimetres high by Michelangelo is not eye-catching. However, it has a magical charm that can hold the souls of viewers captive. This is the effect of breath. A work of art is founded on its breath. This is what the East and West emphasize. As the creative work of artists originates from “breath”, the aim of the subject is to gather this “breath”. The sages of China talk about “closeness in great distances” and seeing the world in a grain of sand. This all depends on the state of the heart and the bearing of the artist. In the piece of work, the turning and movement of the body, the tension of the muscles, the highlighted joints, as well as the contraction and expansion of veins can be likened to an undercurrent at the bottom of the sea and a sound that fills the empty valley. Notes taken at the British Museum

A 1500-year-old stone sculpture in a British church.

When we examined this 1500-year-old stone sculpture, we invariably associated it with the Han dynasty figurines and the stone sculptures in front of graves. Men in ancient times who practiced the modelling of forms focused on conciseness and simplicity. It may look unpolished, but in fact, it contains space for countless messages. As such, it exudes vigour. Notes taken in the countryside of Oxford A sculpture on a church in the countryside of Oxford.

Once, over a talk with Fan Zeng (范曾), he humorously exclaimed, “Some sculptures are vividly sculpted, with many details being featured. I think such works must go through the weathering of hundreds of years in order to become art.” Yes, all along I have been pursuing how to “give out light in haziness”. I love pursuing the sparkle in imageries. It stimulates the imagination. Moreover, its inner structure — structural logic — is one whose value never changes; therefore, the train of thoughts in the observer still follows it, even adding some elements at that very circumstance, making it richer and fuller. I am used to such aesthetics and mode of thinking, always attracted to the “remains” of church sculptures whenever I see them. Notes taken in the countryside of Oxford

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Pictures taken by Wu Weishan

Human sculpture of early mankind in the Victoria and Albert Museum.

This is the first time I learn that early human sculptures are modelled on the basis of the skull. The eyes are formed by embedded shells. Probably this is a “replica” of the dead, to record its presence so missed by the living. Among the many art exhibits in the museum, this was one that caught more of my attention. It involves the ecological development of art, as well as the origin of portrait sculpture. This perhaps is the beginning of Western realism sculpture mentality. This has not yet been discovered in the annals of Chinese art history. Of course, the appearance of the skull in primitive religious art and its use in sculpture cannot be compared on the same basis. The former was used as a direct religious tool while the latter was used as a structure for sculpture. Notes taken at the Victoria and Albert Museum

Primitive ceramic sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Apparently, the eye-holes of this primitive ceramic sculpture are to be embedded with shells. It bears the same effect as the relics of Cishan culture 7 in China. Therefore, no matter how different the East and the West are, and how different the races of men are, their primitive mentality remains the same. Notes taken at the Victoria and Albert Museum

Head sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum.

From the analysis of this broken head sculpture which has been subjected to relatively serious weathering, one can clearly comprehend the carefulness and seriousness of the Greeks in sculpting. Its scientific rationality is displayed in symmetry and balance, from which tranquillity and the natural state of being are conveyed. This provides the basic tone of aesthetics for Eastern Buddhist art. Notes taken at the Victoria and Albert Museum

7 A

Neolithic culture in northern China, centred primarily around southern Hebei.


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A corner at Wu Weishan’s exhibition of bronze sculptures and paintings (Yufuku Gallery in Tokyo).

The month of April in Japan is the season of cherry blossoms. The ray of spring shone through Yufuku Gallery onto the sculpture, seeping into the body and making it warm and full. The Japanese visitors came about in an endless flow. I confidently believe that the spirit of the Han and Tang Dynasty embodied in these sculptures from China, filled with the emotions of life, is the reason why the Japanese visitors are touched.

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8. The Season of Cherry Blossoms Holding Exhibitions in Tokyo

On the afternoon of 30 March 2005, at Tokyo time 5pm, the exhibition of

bronze sculptures and paintings by Professor Wu Weishan was given a grand opening at Yukufu Gallery in Tokyo.

Yukufu Gallery in Tokyo is a cultural organization known for organizing high-

end exhibitions. For the first time in its history, Yukufu Gallery held an exhibition for a Chinese artist — Professor Wu’s exhibition of sculptures and paintings. This exhibition was proposed two years ago, during which Japan sent specialists to Nanjing four times to study the works of Wu Weishan. Finally, Yufuku Gallery owner, Mr. Tom M. Aoyama, personally selected 20 works for the exhibition.

On the day when the exhibition was opened, there was a spirited response

from the circle of arts in Tokyo. The media such as “Voice of America”, “Asahi” and “The Weekly News” interviewed Wu Weishan. Hiroshi Sakagami, a noted contemporary Japanese writer and critic, commented that “the sense of history in Wu Weishan’s art first makes people feel that it is can only be produced by a Chinese! It embodies the spirit of the Han and Tang dynasties and demonstrates great talent”. After admiring the works, sculptor Sen earnestly exclaimed, “Japan must really learn from China! Otherwise, Japan will lag behind. From my knowledge of Mr. Wu’s works and contemporary Chinese art, I would say that from now on, China will become the centre of international art.” There were endless streams of Japanese visitors. Received by the Foreign Minister of China Tang Jiaxuan (唐家璇) during her recent visit, Mieko Teno, head of the Department of Finance

under National Corporation, was quite excited after viewing the exhibition, saying that more Japanese should visit this excellent exhibition.

In this exhibition, Wu Weishan’s sculptures were mostly works that employ

the freehand technique to express the sense of traditional aesthetics, such as Sleeping Child, Learning to Walk, A Little Girl with Plaits and Sound of Flute from Ancient Times. They received many favourable comments from the art circle and society.


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At the opening ceremony of the exhibition of Wu Weishan’s bronze sculptures and paintings From left: Tom M Aoyama, board chairman of Yufuku Gallery in Tokyo, Meng Minwei (蒙民伟), an industrialist from Hong Kong, Professor Shi Jianjun (施建军), vice-president of Nanjing University, Wu Weishan and his wife Wu Xiaoping.

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Inexpressible Emotions Tom. M Aoyama*

It is indeed fate that gives me this privilege to hold an exhibition for Mr. Wu

Weishan. Mr. Wu engages in the work of sculpture at Nanjing University in China. Three years ago, I received a photo-collection of his works through a friend in Hong Kong. The moment I saw the photos of his works, I instantly sensed the special perspective that an artist had in observing the world — a perspective that was warm, tender and humane. His works demonstrate considerable artistic expression and even exude a kind of ubiquitous warmth and a magical charm that directly appeals to viewers. At the moment before I closed the collection volume, I seemed to have been moved by an unknown force to continue admiring them. The images of these works seemed to have stayed in my eyes.

With such an impression, I had a strong desire to see his original works.

Therefore, in autumn last year, I made a trip to Nanjing for the first time, just to visit his works. His studio at Nanjing University looked like a big factory, which was necessary for the production of large bronze sculptures. In the exhibition hall near the studio, I saw those three-dimensional works. Though that was the first time I saw those original works, I had a feeling of being reunited after a long period of separation. In that instant, past images that lingered in my eyes overlapped with the real sensation of seeing these original works with my own eyes and merged as one. That was indeed an inexpressible emotion.

One could not help feeling joyful while seeing those works. Similarly, meeting

with the artist himself was also exhilarating. Besides having that tender look which was characteristic of an artist, Wu Weishan was quick-witted and sensitive. His answers to all my questions were full of wisdom and humour. It did not seem like we know each other for the first time, but rather, it was like a reunion between two old friends. In subsequent contacts, his influence on me became deeper and deeper, to the extent of impelling me to hold such an exhibition for him, so as to introduce his works to more people and to share with others such an emotion of being moved.

This exhibition owes its success to the unfailing support from both Chinese

and Japanese friends. I have only assumed a nominal role. I believe this exhibition will uncover a fresh page for Yufuku Gallery. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude to my Hong Kong friends who have provided opportunities for this exhibition, and also to all friends who have rendered their help and support in one way or another. March 2006

* Board

Chairman of Yufuku Gallery in Tokyo and a famous manager.


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A Challenger of the Modern Soul Saburo Kosugi*

Art is produced from the soil in different parts of the world. It changes along

with the tides of historical development, sometimes suppressed, sometimes flourishing, closely linked with the joy and sorrow in history. The end of the ice age has brought about rising temperatures in the global climate. As a result, changes start to take place in the ways of living of mankind. Agriculture and raising livestock have replaced hunting and collection, resulting in the rise of metropolitan civilization at both the Eastern and Western ends of European and Asian continents. They soon extended to large river basins of semi-dry regions. Metropolitan civilization arising from Mesopotamia and Egypt gave birth to Armenian and Persian Empires, and entered Mediterranean regions through Greece, developing into the great Roman Empire. On the other hand, metropolitan civilization emerging from the Yellow River basin developed continually, giving birth to the Chinese civilization, which included the Yangtze River basin; from the Shang dynasty, Zhou dynasty, Spring and Autumn and Warring States Period, it finally led to the formation of the Qin and Han empires. From this series of development, new cultures and ideas emerged, and much attention was paid to attainments in the field of thoughts. As a result, there are Greek philosophy in the West and Hundred Schools of Thought in the East.

China went through a period of separation for about 400 years. The Sui

dynasty, coming from the Northern dynasty, unified China. This unification was succeeded by the Tang dynasty. After the mid-seventh century, the Tang dynasty conquered central Asia and established a vast empire. Its capital, Chang’an, enjoyed the prosperity of international culture as a result of active exchanges with nomadic tribesmen from the West. When it came to the Yuan dynasty, land was further connected to the sea, leading to the establishment of a big trade circle of Europe and Asia, which sowed the seeds of the Renaissance in Italy. In ancient China, there already appeared such simple models like the Qin dynasty terracotta army, which show that in ancient times, there were already workers with the ability to produce models.

Art is created by our forerunners of the new era through cultural revolution.

In the development of art, Wu Weishan is one of the few sculptors produced in the challenge of the modern soul. This can be seen from his sculptures of cultural notables of China. Among them, the statue of Hu Shanyuan (胡山源) can be considered as an excellent work whose powerful expression overwhelms viewers. In addition, his other sculptural works, such as Sleeping Child, Naughty

* Japanese

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urushi (dry lacquer) sculptor and honorary member of the Picasso Museum, Paris.


Wu Weishan

Child and Chinese Girl, are also rare works of quality with their natural display of pure and simple emotions. Wu Weishan is a sculptor who is able to shoulder the task of developing modern sculptural art in the future. Just like van Gogh who discovered modern elements in Utagawa Kuniyoshi, I believe Wu Weishan is the person who can find the truth of future art; he is also one whom the future of art can rely upon. April 2006

Learning to Walk (a section), 2004. Bronze

Learning to Walk (side view of full body), 2004. Bronze

With high little forehead, Black eye-balls, Carrying childlike clumsiness and Aroma of breast milk, He is coming up, Coming up. His pace is Innately steady, Apparently Advancing into a great world in the future.

I have walked here, Mama. I have walked here, Facing the land of spring.


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Dance, 2000, 41.5 x 69.5 cm. I wish to wander freely, floating on high. (National Central University, Taiwan, August 2000)

The Green Colour of Spring, 2005, 45.5 x 34.0 cm. Green is usually the sign of the message and hue of spring; green delights the heart with harmony and tenderness. The fresh green colour of early spring constantly inspires my artistic creation.

Little Lass, 2005. Bronze

This young girl, in the instant of avoiding being gazed at, has already left a bearing of innocence and impishness. Though her eyes and nose are blurred, it gives people an unforgettable impression, especially the goat-horned plaits.

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Random notes on Japan tour. Wu Weishan.


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Wu Weishan doing real-life sketching at a hot spring restaurant in Sendai.

These “cherry blossom ladies” are full of Tang appeal. I have been to Japan for a few times, having visited Kyoto, Nara and Sendai. I often feel the vigour of Tang culture in them. From their mannerism, it seems that the beauties in Zhou Fang’s (周 ) paintings have come to life. I therefore wrote: Sometimes I dream of going back to ancient Chang’an, Getting drunk in wine taverns and banquets, refusing to return. Immersing in the music of stringed instruments played by beauties, In the night on the shore of southern Jiangsu province where the spring breeze blows.

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The sketch by Wu Weishan.


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Intimate Talk, 2000. Mixed materials

The true affections on earth, The pure affections on earth, The deep affections on earth, Are contained in a word of intimate talk.

9. Boisterous Hong Kong

With its predecessor as Central University, Nanjing University has a long-

standing tradition in the arts and humanities. Numerous masters, such as Xu Beihong (徐悲鸿), Fu Baoshi (傅抱石), Chen Zhifo (陈之佛), used to teach here. Later, the education of art was forced to stop due to the restructuring of higher learning institutes and departments in 1952. In 1998, Wu Weishan was engaged as a professor by this 100-year-old university reputed as the “First Class University in Southeast China”. He set up the Institute of Sculpture Art and became its dean. His presence enables the spirit of Xu Beihong in the era of Central University to be carried forward. Labouring on this soil, he has been paying attention to many areas such as literature, history and philosophy, while championing the education of art and establishing his “imagery” sculptures based on his freehand approach. In 1998, with the approval of the Republic of China Ministry of Culture, Nanjing University held an exhibition of Wu Weishan’s sculptures and paintings in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. This exhibition was undertaken by the Hong Kong Arts Centre and UNESCO Centre of Macau respectively, creating a stir in these three places. It can be considered a glory of Nanjing University in its cultural exchanges with regions outside Mainland China.

What was touching is that despite strong typhoon on the day of the opening

ceremony, prominent Hong Kong figures Tian Jiabing (田家炳), Fang Runhua (方润华) and many notables of the literary circle still came to attend the exhibition.

Through the various media channels, the community of Hong Kong art critics lauded Wu Weishan as “The Poetic Sculptor”.

In 2000, at the invitation of Professor Woo Chia-wei (吴家玮), then president

of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Wu Weishan became an artist-in-residence at the university. During his stay, he had been constantly involved in the creation of artworks and giving lectures. During this period, his sculptural works made a breakthrough in materials, shifting from red-soil and clay to the mixed application of gypsum, wood, jute and cloth, as well as from the wonderful display of the nature of soil to the exploration and research into the combination of materials such as gypsum, wood and jute. Based in Hong Kong which has such a unique geographic environment, Wu Weishan considered and ruminated on the relationship between Hong Kong and Mainland China in areas of cultural succession and historical development. He created a series of freehand works on the theme of “Mother and Son”, such as Mother and Son, Intimate Talk, Darling and Cradle. He said, “The broken wooden poles that I picked from the mountain and seaside have become my friends. Every day, I look at them, making new discoveries each day. We try to find imageries in concrete images


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At the exhibition of Wu Weishan’s sculptures and paintings at HKUST.

With the completion of his work, artist-in-residence Wu Weishan returned to Nanjing University, bringing with him the well-wishes of his students. He left behind the bronze sculpture Mother and Son at the campus of HKUST. Professor Woo Chia-wei, former president of HKUST, wrote with deep emotions, “Mother and Son silently offer well-wishes to students that pass by!” Current president Professor Paul Chu Ching-wu unveiled the red curtain covering Mother and Son….At the same time, Wu Weishan also became the first “Y. K. Pao Distinguished Visiting Artist”.

when we look at paintings and sculptures, after which we find abstractness in imageries. However, looking at wood, stones and mountains is to find imageries in abstractness, then to find concrete images in imageries and then associate life with concrete images.” This was how the Mother and Son series came about. At the same time, the sea of Hong Kong also inspired Wu Weishan to produce a series of freehand colour and ink paintings, such as Heaven and Earth, A Tour in Spirit, White Clouds and Spring and Summer. He wrote in his notes, “The lunatic sprint of De Collin, poetic roaming and elapsing of Joan Miró; Dunhuang, the Eastern romanticism and the realm of Buddhist transcendence; in heaven, there are no colours; on earth, colours abound; the realm of the soul is colourless, vast, elusive and filled with wisdom. They are either blue or yellow, or indescribable red; with infinite changes, they slowly fade into the soft purple light.

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Ming Pao reporting on Wu Weishan.


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Heaven and Earth and Affections between Mother and Son Random Thoughts by the Sea near HKUST Heaven and earth — an ideal place of bliss where people can extricate themselves from the sorrows of life. It is illusionary, elusive, mysterious, colourful, moving and interweaving, cloudy and vast, and full of vigour among men and deities. The value of Picasso lies in his lifelong exploration and change. However, instead of influencing Picasso as a special symbol of art, “change” makes the symbol richer and more three-dimensional. Spiritual pulse and traces of thought move along with the change in time and space. Therefore, the creative work of artists gains life in constant challenges. Chinese feudal culture is based on farming. “Enclosed walls” and “courtyard surrounded by four buildings” are symbolic models — keeping hold of an area, maintaining auspicious fengshui 8, waiting for action in a static state and responding to all changes with immutability. This is called “inheriting traditions”. Therefore, noted masters in the history of Chinese paintings tend to specialize in painting a certain type of species, such as chicken, fish, shrimp, duck, ox, horse, tiger, lion, plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum. Since ancient times, only a few have been able to master the techniques of painting, breaking conventions and limits. Shi Tao’s advocacy of “preparing the drafts through the search of all unique peaks” represents a new force that breaks the culture of “enclosed walls”, hence possessing an epochal significance of succeeding the past to inspire the future. Commercial and nomadic culture is characterized by boundless exploration into and search for new spots of growth. Despite being rootless, it expands and extends continually. Modern Western art is progressing rapidly. It has uncovered the surface of the ice mountain and directly entered the psychological stratum, making modern art varied and flourishing. The development of man’s art often bears an uncanny resemblance to the individual experiences of artists. From early imageries to concrete images, to the realistic depiction after the Deep Affections — Mother and Son, 2000. Mixed materials.

An eternal theme sculpted by gypsum, wood and jute thread — Mother and Son.

8 The

ancient Chinese practice of placement and arrangement of space to achieve harmony with the environment. It is believed to have effects on health, wealth and personal relationships.

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Happy Trio of Deities, 2000. Mixed materials

In Taiwan, I danced with the natives, That night of revelry, Etched in my memory. At the seaside of Hong Kong, I picked up a few pieces of wood, And started to form that Dancing soul….

introduction of science, then to abstraction. This seemingly succinct and smooth curve contains countless successes and failures from experiments, as well as joy and sorrow. Finally, with innovation, it sets off brilliant sparks. This clearly indicates the trail of historical advancement. In the past, I was obsessed with the fingerprints of bronze — the forceful casting narrates the splendour of the bronze tripod, echoed with rhythmic songs of people in the Xia dynasty and Shang dynasty. Flowing clay is instantly merged with molten bronze. The voice and face of a man


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appear constantly in the process, recording the history of “mankind”. Wooden sculpture is both creation and destruction. A good piece of wood grows naturally and has a dignified bearing. A good look at it sparks off inspiration. I then choose a section of it for my own use, making it into sculpture, blending with gypsum, clay and jute threads. It is created by man and nature! This is sculpting, which is milder compared to chopping, chiselling and cutting.

Wu Weishan’s Stint at HKUST Foreword of Wu Weishan’s Sculptures and Paintings by Woo Chia-wei (academician of the Research Centre at National Central University, Taiwan, and founding president of HKUST)

Professor Wu Weishan is the first “Y. K. Pao Distinguished Visiting Artist”

and also HKUST Artist-in-Residence in 2000. During his stint at the university, he fully demonstrated his artistic talents and attainments in Chinese and Western art. The teachers and students of HKUST had benefited much from him. At the

A visit by celebrated Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming (朱铭).

In September 2000, celebrated Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming came to Wu Weishan’s studio at HKUST. Holding Sleeping Child in his hands, he said with sentiments, “Amazing. Some can make big objects well, while some can make small objects well!”

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same time, he did not disappoint us — the picturesque surroundings of Clear Water Bay and the unique academic environment of HKUST brought inspiration and creative energy to Professor Wu, enabling him to produce a series of works in a short period of three months. Among the works, Mother and Son, Wu Weishan’s representative work in his “HKUST stint”, was a sculpture made with great efforts, having its materials taken from the mountain peak near HKUST.

The bronze sculpture of Mother and Son will stand at the path between HKUST

Academic Building and Undergraduate Hostel, silently offering well-wishes to all students who pass by.

As the influence of Wu Weishan in Hong Kong spread, many universities

successively invited him to give talks. In December 2002, at the proposal of King Yeo-chi (金耀基), then president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), and invitation of academician Henry N.C. Wong, head of New Asia College, Wu Weishan assumed the “Gong Xueyin Outstanding Scholar” and accepted the invitation to sculpt a portrait of Qian Mu (钱穆), a master of Chinese studies.

The Symbol of Chinese Culture Speech at the Unveiling Ceremony of Qian Mu’s Sculpture Distinguished President King, College Head Wong, guests, teachers and students, Good afternoon! The sculpture of Qian Mu has been erected at the seaside of Tolo Harbour and at the mountain peak on which New Asia College rests. This adds a shining body of bronze to the scholarly Chi’en Mu Library. Its density, antiquity, simplicity and perpetuity make it look like a symbol of Chinese culture. From Mr. Qian’s incisive and penetrating look, as well as his scholarly, refined, unsophisticated and self-confident lip corners, we can see the common qualities of all Chinese scholars. At the same time, we can get a glimpse of the profundity of Chinese culture. I have sculpted portraits of three members of the Qian family — Qian Weichang (钱伟长), a scientist and a nephew of Qian Mu, and Qian Shengyi (钱声一), a village educator and father of Qian Weichang. Today, the sculpture of Qian Mu standing here is the third sculpture. From different angles, these three sculptures have showed the route that modern China has taken in areas of science, education and the humanities. Qian Mu stepped out of the Mei Village by Tai Lake, becoming a great scholar. 20 years ago, I once read his Cultural History of China, hence gaining a deeper understanding of him at the intellectual level. In fact, another important contribution in


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his life was that he enabled Chinese culture to be rooted and to spread in Hong Kong, a special region. This probably is the significance of erecting a sculpture at CUHK. Yang Zhenning once said to me, “If Singapore is to be compared with Hong Kong, it is very obvious that Hong Kong has a Chinese culture that is more deeply rooted. This should be attributed to Qian Mu for establishing the New Asia College at that time.” Indeed, besides the excellent qualities in the culture itself, the lasting effect of a culture’s vitality also depends on the advocate. Qian Mu was not only an advocate, but also a creator of culture. I thank President and Academician King for his proposal, College Head and Academician Wong for his invitation and also fellow co-labourers of New Asia College for their efforts, enabling me to have this opportunity to make another sculpture of our mother-culture that has nurtured, nourished and guided us. If students of future generations passing by here can feel the throbbing pulse of Chinese civilization while admiring this fossilized bronze sculpture, this will be the truest value of its existence. It will validate the prophesy of Qian Mu: Chinese culture is merged with providence and nature. I believe this is the trend of international culture, which will probably be based on traditional Chinese culture. Thank you! Wu Weishan CUHK, 21 April 2004

Qian Mu, 2004. Bronze

The face of Qian Mu looks like a mountain of profound history. On this mountain, there is a powerful aura surrounding his forehead and a scholarly air lingering between his lips and teeth. From the process of the artist touching history and moulding the soul with his ten fingers, these important elements that contain wide angles and intricate intelligence have naturally come into being. Ding Fang (丁方), oil-painter

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Mr King Yeo-chi, director of Research Institute of National Central University, Taiwan, and former president of CUHK, inscribed the following for Wu Weishan, “The Pinnacle Display of Chinese Portrait Sculpture is Right Here”.

The Pinnacle Display of Portrait Sculpture King Yeo-chi

During the 100th Anniversary of Nanjing University, I saw, for the first time,

tens of portrait sculptures by Wu Weishan in the exhibition hall of sculptures at Nanjing University. Then came a wave of astonishment over me, a kind of feeling that I had when I was at Rodin Museum in Paris many years ago. This year, I am honoured to see Wu Weishan’s sculptures at his studio and Nanjing Museum again. The feeling of astonishment is replaced by heartfelt admiration and extolment. In his guestbook, I pondered for quite a long time before inscribing “The Pinnacle Display of Chinese Portrait Sculpture is Right Here”. In science, there is no “pinnacle display”, but in art it exists. David by Michelangelo and Balzac by Rodin are all “pinnacle displays”. Qi Baishi by Weishan also gives me similar feelings.

Wu Weishan’s sculptures are realistic and to a great extent, freely styled.

The bearing and aura revealed in his sculptures of cultural notables have made


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Wu Weishan taking a photo with six former and current presidents of CUHK.

In 2005, at the proposal of Professor Chen Fong-ching (陈方正), honorary senior research fellow of the Institute of Chinese Studies of CUHK, President King Yeo-chi invited Wu Weishan to sculpt a portrait of CUHK founding President Mr. Li Choh-ming (李卓敏). This sculpture is placed at the Institute of Chinese Studies in CUHK, designed by master architect Bei Yuming (贝聿铭). This is a photo of Wu Weishan with six former and current presidents of CUHK. From right: Current president Professor Lawrence J. Lau (刘遵义), former president Professor Ma Lin (马临), bronze sculpture of founding president Li Choh-ming (李卓敏), former president Professor Arthur Li Kwok Cheung (李国章), former president Professor Charles Kao Kuen (高锟), former president Professor King Yeo-chi and Wu Weishan (extreme left).

me feel the charm of Chinese ink painting and calligraphy, which has a lasting appeal despite the cessation of brushstrokes. I cannot figure out the source of Weishan’s artistic creativity, but it is certain that apart from the artistic traditions of China, elements of Western art and culture are also present. His Western art resources are based on his gleanings from the academic exchanges in Europe and the United States. Any modern Chinese artist is destined to go beyond China. Weishan’s sculptures have undoubtedly been produced from his dialogues with Western sculptors, which were carried out in equality and sincerity.

The portrait sculptures by Wu Weishan can be divided into three categories:

concrete “individuals”, “cultural notables” and “people”. For concrete individuals, there are sculptures of Yang Zhenning and Fei Xiaotong. Here, the realistic approach is most evident. Once unveiled, they would be vividly presented before our eyes. For cultural notables, there are sculptures of Qi Baishi and Lin Sanzhi

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(林散之), featured by considerable freehand techniques and an inclination to

typify. What you see may not be the one whom you saw in person, but it is the one in your imagination. As for sculptures of “people”, such as Sleeping Child, they are the integration of concrete images with abstraction, as well as the merger of uniqueness with universality. The sleeping child before our eyes is always a familiar face even when we close our eyes. Portrait sculptures of these three categories are the same in terms of their artistic nature, but different in techniques of expression. From sculptures of concrete “individuals”, “cultural notables” to “people”, there is a progressive increase in typicality, abstraction and universality. However, every work of Wu Weishan contains a visual force of realistic depiction, concrete image and uniqueness.

Weishan is in the prime of his life. His creativity in art is like a springing

fountain. He is still developing. He is fully aware that the peak of sculptural art can only be reached by constant scaling. He has been looking for the “pinnacle display” of sculpture (especially in portrait sculpture and human body). 17 December 2003


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Mr Tung Chee Hwa (董建华) visiting Wu Weishan’s sculpture studio at Nanjing University. Professor Hong Yinxing (洪银兴), secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Committee of Nanjing University, presenting Wu Weishan’s Painting of Purple Aura Coming from the East to Mr Tung Chee Hwa.

The opening ceremony of “Macao Polytechnic Institute Professor Wu Weishan’s Studio of Sculptures”.

Proposed by Professor Lei Heong-lok (李向玉) , president of Macao Polytechnic Institute, and inscribed by Mr. Ma Wanqi (马万祺) with the words “Sculpture Studio of Professor Wu Weishan”, the studio was completed in May 2001 in Macau. The establishment of this studio provides a platform for Wu Weishan to promote art overseas. The picture shows the opening ceremony of the studio.

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Wu Weishan giving a talk at Macao Polytechnic Institute.

For over ten times, Wu Weishan accepted invitations to give talks at the University of Macau, Macao Polytechnic Institute, UNESCO Centre of Macau and Macau University of Science and Technology. He was also employed by Dr. Fernando Chui Sai-on (崔世安), Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture in Macau, as a specialist to evaluate the international course in Macao Polytechnic Institute.

Edmund Ho Hau-wah (何厚铧), chief executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, meeting Wu Weishan (October 2002).

With the success of the “Exhibition of Wu Weishan’s Sculptures and Paintings” at UNESCO Centre of Macau in August 1999, Wu Weishan continually receives invitations from different organizations in Macau to give talks, hold exhibitions and participate in numerous art exchanges, making great contributions to the development of art in Macau. The picture shows Mr. Edmund Ho Hau-wah, chief executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, meeting Wu Weishan (October 2002).


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Sculpting portraits Through abandoning and gaining Traces of passing time Are found in great changes Gone are the Sounds of secularism Eternal stands the Solidification

Wu Weishan


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Sc u l p t i n g t h e T i m e s


Images of ancient Chinese sculptures were all based on immortals and Buddha, which usually looked alike as they were based on imaginations. Just like the 500 Arhat statues all over China, the sculptors did not attempt to sculpt different images, and even deviated from real life persons. These, together with their limited imaginations, reveal their predicament of limited capacities. Such sculptures cannot be considered as true art, albeit they contain an unsophisticated and solemn spirit. With the rise of figure sculptures in modern times, Chinese sculptural art gradually enters a new arena. Professor Wu Weishan opens a new path in his young age, sculpting epochs, cultures, and a series of cultural notables. He integrates the spirit of culture into the continuous river flow of historical development, promoting Chinese culture and creating a new era of sculpture. — Promoting Chinese Culture, Creating a New Era of Sculpture Ji Xianlin (季羡林)

Extraordinary Character — Science Master Yang Zhenning (partial view), 2006. Bronze

1. Extraordinary Character

Sculpting a Portrait of Yang Zhenning

Introduction

When Wu Weishan embarked on sculpting a portrait of Nobel Laureate

and Science Master Yang Zhenning (杨振宁), Xiong Bingming (熊秉明) who is a professor at the University of Paris and celebrated sculptor, and a good friend of Yang Zhenning, suggested to him, “You must sculpt his mathematics and physics nature into the sculpture!”

How to use clay to portray mathematics and physics nature? Wu Weishan

said that he had held Yang Zhenning in great admiration for a long time. When he first met Yang in 1997, he already felt an impulse to sculpt a portrait of him. From then on, they kept in frequent contact through letter correspondences. In 1999, they finally had a long talk at Nanjing University. Wu Weishan sees Yang as one who, having studied the Four Books and Five Classics in his early years, had mature perceptions of Chinese poems and philosophy injected into his cultural veins. He later went to the United States, taking in Western culture. Therefore, Yang himself is a product of the conflict and unification of Eastern and Western cultures.

Wu Weishan recalls: Xiong Bingming was also present when I faced Yang,

making a clay-sculpture of him. I was drenched in perspiration then. In one moment, Yang smiled, in another, he looked serious, and sometimes, he was in deep rumination. He even said to me, “You can touch my head for a feel.” He knew the heart of the artist very well. When the draft of the clay-sculpture was out, Yang studied the photo in great detail, as if he was seeking some scientific truth. He showed it to Xiong Bingming and later to his younger brother specially. He said, “Though Bingming is my old friend, he is a philosopher and sculptor who can only observe me afar. My brother can do it in close distance, knowing me better in everyday life.” After completing this work, Wu Weishan wrote to Yang, “In the process of human progress, you have made a sculpture of yourself with your character and knowledge. Therefore, on the pedestal of the sculpture, I think it is better to write only three Chinese characters“杨振宁”(Yang Zhenning), without any suffix (professional titles) to it. Also, it is best that you write it personally.” Out of Wu Weishan’s expectation, Yang replied in his letter, saying, “I suggest you write it….”

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Three of my sculptural works are displayed in Tsinghua campus — a statue of philosopher Feng Youlan (冯友兰), a statue of liberal arts and science master Gu Yuxiu (顾毓秀) and a statue of Yang Zhenning in Han white jade, which was unveiled in Tsinghua University. The statue of Feng Youlan was erected at the time of the 90th anniversary of Tsinghua University. Yang Zhenning conducted the unveiling ceremony and gave a speech. In April 2002, at Oklahoma in the US, then 100-year-old Gu Yuxiu, on hearing that I would be making a sculpture of Yang, said to me, “Yang Zhenning is historic!”

Yang Zhenning, 2002. Han white jade. Now on display in Tsinghua University, Nanjing University and Nanjing Museum respectively.

Mondrian-styled window structure and lighting effects make this statue of Han white jade simpler and purer against the background of rationalistic brilliance. Scientists have many windows through which they can know the world, and all phenomena in the world also enter the truth-seeking heart of scientists through windows.

In 1997, accompanied by then president of Nanjing University, current director of the Central Committee of China Democratic League Professor Jiang Shusheng. (second from left), then secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Committee of Nanjing University Professor Han Xingchen (韩星臣) (first from left), Professor Yang Zhenning (second from left) visited the Institute of Sculpture Art at Nanjing University established by Wu Weishan (first from right).

With his extremely acute artistic senses and scientific analysis, Yang examined and analyzed the Hongshan culture, Rodin and Giacometti, etc. He believes every activity of creation shows a style whose degree of intensity determines the contribution of the creator. His incisive understanding of nature, history and humanity, as well as his sincere care and encouragement for younger generations, truly touches me. In his book The Spirit of Chinese, Gu Hongmin (辜鸿铭) once generalized the Chinese in six words — gentle, kind, intelligent, sharp, resilient and determined. Talking about the most important contribution in his life, Yang once said, “The most important contribution in my life is to help the Chinese overcome their inferiority complex.” Therefore, apart from being gentle, kind, intelligent, sharp, resilient and determined, “great wisdom” should be added to describe Yang. His high forehead, square face characteristic of the logic of mathematics and physics, neat hair, intelligent, sharp, affectionate and kind look that always questions the world yet receives affirmation, self-confident, resilient and determined lip corners, slightly hunched back due to working at the desk for long periods of time....

The spirit produces all things. The character is extraordinary.

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These are verses which Yang particularly loves. They are also a reflection of his form and spirit. The pursuit of ideals by Tang dynasty poet Gao Shi (高适) spanned over one thousand years, and was demonstrated in the life of a science master of the 20th century. This is the inevitability of excellent cultural tradition. It contains the Confucian advocacy of redeeming the world through concern for reality, as well as Taoist’s eremitic realm of renouncing the world. This is the Easterners’ spirit of humanity. The spirit of Yang radiates with the brilliance of the rational spirit of Western science. In 2001, at my studio in Nanjing University, the initial draft sculpture of Yang was completed. Before examining it, Yang said with profundity to his old friend Xiong Bingming, “I think if the thoughts and feelings of everyone before they look at their own statues are recorded, it will be very meaningful.” As we can see, Yang was standing in front of his own portrait in deep concentration. His smile can be considered the purest and the most radiant one of returning to nature! In 2002, Guang Ming Daily published this work and pointed out that a series of sculptures ranging from the portraits of Confucius to Yang Zhenning had demonstrated the process of progressing from ancient culture to modern civilization. Chinese University of Hong Kong 20 April 2004

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Extraordinary Character — Science Master Yang Zhenning (partial view), 2006. Bronze

This pair of eyes is destined to explore the world perpetually.

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Spring Breeze, 1994. Bronze

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Reading Wu Weishan’s Candour, Purity and Simplicity Yang Zhenning

The first time I saw the sculptures by Wu Weishan is in April 2000, at Nanjing

University and Nanjing Museum. I took an instant liking to many of his works then. From the scrawny face, long beard, to the creased folds of the long robe, his bronze sculpture of Qi Baishi captures the very essence of an individualistic spirit. Fei Xiaotong is a world-renowned professor in sociology. I have attended many of his classes and seminars. The portrait of Fei sculpted by Wu resembles the subject even more than the real person himself, with the cheerful look, sense of humour and optimistic spirit being vividly displayed. Another work which I greatly admire is the sculpture of the Queen of the Netherlands. Normally, Western artists have trouble rendering portraits of Chinese in paintings or sculptures, the converse is true also. However, this head statue of the Queen by Wu Weishan has crossed this gulf of difficulty.

Wu Weishan’s talent is best displayed through his numerous works of vague

images, which, I guess, reveal his adeptness in giving shape to an unforgettable image in a short span of a few minutes. Spring Breeze is a sculpture of his daughter; on this he said, “At that time when I was sick at home, my daughter had just returned from kindergarten. Her little dress was fluttering and her little feet were lifted up. It was simply so adorable….I feel that unless an artist has poetry in his heart, as well as simple and pure affections, it is impossible for him to create works of art that can touch people.”

Another work Untitled is a spherical sculpture that integrates the form of the

human head with the geometric sphere in a most beautiful way. It is a sublime embodiment of candour, purity and simplicity. I have always liked these three words, and I am delighted that Wu Weishan has been able to give them form in sculpture.

Kenzaburo O-e once said that novels and informal essays are the two wheels

on the cart of his literary life. I suppose portrait sculptures and impromptu works are probably the two wheels on the cart of Wu Weishan’s sculptural life.

After seeing Wu Weishan’s work, I have written a few words for him: The soul

of art, as well as the soul of science, is in innovation.

The innovative power that exudes from his heart finds expression in every

piece of his works.

Chinese University of Hong Kong April 2001

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Speech by Yang Zhenning at the Unveiling Ceremony of His Sculpture in Tsinghua University (May 2004)

I am ver y pleased to have Weishan

spending so much effort to sculpt this portrait of me. I hold him in great admiration for his artistic talents and accomplishments. I have been to his studio at Nanjing University and his special sculpture hall at Nanjing Museum. I would say his sculptures of human portraits are not only the best in China; I believe he will soon become a master sculptor in the international arena. There is no doubt about this. Each time my wife and I went to Nanjing to see Wu Weishan’s sculptures, including those of Qi Baishi and Fei Xiaotong, we both felt that he was able to capture the spirit. Here, I would first like to extend my gratitude to Nanjing University for giving this sculpture to Tsinghua University. Of course, we know that a sculpture also has another feature. When I am no longer around, after a few decades, people will all feel that this sculpture is exactly how Yang Zhenning looked like. Once again, I wish to express my thanks to Wu Weishan and Nanjing University!

Soulful Qi Baishi, 1998. Bronze

Speech by Yang Zhenning at the Unveiling Ceremony of His Sculpture in Nanjing University (October 2005)

Greetings to all! Initially, I had no idea that Nanjing University had erected a

statue of me here. All along, I have great admiration for Professor Wu Weishan’s works. He is undoubtedly a great talent, having the ability to produce a very good sculpture with just a few random kneadings of the clay. ….

I was born in old China and grew up there. Now I live in Tsinghua University.

From my 10 months of stay there, I have gained a deeper understanding of the new China. The change from an old China to a new China is an unprecedented and unimaginable one, and this change is still going on. I personally feel very fortunate to be involved in this important change in my old age. Of course this can also be attributed to many of my friends who have brought about this involvement. This sculpture placed here is also one of the contributing factors. I think I will have lots of opportunities to come back to see it.

Two “Yang Zhenning” (November 2001).

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Speech by Yang Zhenning at the Opening Ceremony of “Casting the Soul with the Literary Heart — Exhibition of Wu Weishan’s Sculptural Works”

Being a layman, I am here to speak to all of you in the capacity of Professor

Wu Weishan’s friend and an admirer of his works. Anyone who has seen Wu Weishan’s works will immediately regard him as a genius. The field that he chose is the human portrait, which is the most difficult field in the sculptural arena. If we look at the sculptors in 20th century Western developed countries, very few of them specialize in this field. Whether it is Henry Moore, Giacometti or Modigliani, they do not use human portraits as the main targets of their work. The human portrait is a three-dimensional thing which is very static. However, one can imagine it is very difficult for a sculptor to craft it into a unique spirit that transcends time and space. From the perspective of a layman, I feel that Wu Weishan is extremely successful in his works that pertain to these areas. I believe, in another few more decades, Weishan will be regarded as one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century. Thank you.

At the opening ceremony of “Casting the Soul with the Literary Heart — Exhibition of Wu Weishan’s Sculptural Works”, held at the National Art Museum of China. On the stage where the chairperson and guests were seated, Yang Zhenning is the sixth from left in the front row.

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2. Talking about Form and Spirit

with Pride and Exultance

On the Spirit of Art by Fei Xiaotong

On 19 March 1995, I received a letter from Zhou Zhaokan (周昭坎) of the Central Committee of China Democratic League, informing me that Fei Xiaotong, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, could see me on the evening prior to the commencement of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and National People’s Congress. It had been 10 years since I last met Fei in Beijing to listen to his teachings. In the past 10 years, I had visited him dozens of times. His intelligent way of speaking, cheerful and hearty laughter, as well as his scholarly and refined bearing always impressed me spiritually. In 1995, I made a head-sculpture of Fei, with his inscription, “Possessing more likeness in spirit than in form.” In 2001, in his article published in People’s Daily, Yang Zhenning wrote: The statue of Fei Xiaotong sculpted by Wu Weishan seems to bear more likeness to the subject than Fei Xiaotong himself in real life…. After its completion in 1995, this bronze sculpture was exhibited in the United States, Europe, Hong Kong and Macau. Now, it is displayed permanently at Wu Weishan Sculpture Hall of Cultural Notables in Nanjing Museum. In fact, my contacts with Fei started off from this sculpture. That was in the late 1980s. I had deep sentiments with regards to the social transition period, multi-orientations of values, adoration of the rich and showbiz celebrities by young people, whereas those thinkers, scientists, literary writers and artists who have made outstanding contributions to human progress and social development were neglected. Therefore, I tried to imbibe moral values in the younger generation by creating a series of sculptures of historical and cultural notables in China. At that time, I had made sculptures of Lu Xun, Tao Xingzhi (陶行知), Qi Baishi and Xu Beihong et al. Zhou Zhaokan, who once recommended me to make a sculpture of Wu Zuoren (吴作人), suggested that I made a sculpture of Fei Xiaotong, an outstanding contemporary sociologist. Of course, I was willing to do it gladly. When my father heard about it, he also called me several times over the phone, instructing me to make a careful study of Fei Xiaotong, as he was the representative of intellectuals in contemporary China. His academic achievements, contributions and experiences are all closely linked with the state of social development in China. His theories on urban and rural

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development have promoted the entire progress of social and economic reforms in China. Though my father is only an ordinary educator, his knowledge of and evaluation on Fei Xiaotong reflect people’s high regard for him. I remember in March 1995, I went to Beijing soon after I received the letter from Zhou Zhaokan. The month of March in Beijing was still very cold, but old Fei’s home was warm as spring. His modest, gentle smile and elderly kindness made me feel the bearing of a master: the spiritual outlook of a great modern intellectual who traversed East and West, ancient and modern times. Fei said, “Making a sculpture needs to capture the spirit. The so-called spirit refers to the spiritual outlook of a generation. Intellectuals have had different features respectively in the eras of Confucius, Su Dongpo, Lu Xun and the present time. This is the representation of the spirit of an era in a specific individual.” Fei’s understanding of “spirit” transcends personal characteristics and has elevated to the height of human history and philosophy. I suddenly felt enlightened at that time; I had been habitually confined to the stratum of exploring individual “expression”, “energy”, “emotion” and “essence” of the subject. In the Chinese history of painting theories, “Conveying the Spirit” has always been the primary focus for presenting figures. Its purpose is to portray the character of a specific figure and his or her essence in a particular circumstance. “The spiritual outlook of a generation” by Fei Xiaotong is even more macroscopic. It is the categorization, summary and conclusion of culture on a high plane. Fei went on to say, “In history, I am nothing. This is also my view when Liu Kaiqu (刘开渠) wanted to make a sculpture of me in the past.” Talking with him, I fully understood his neglect of his “form”. “No one can escape death. I cannot take care of so

Renowned sociologist Fei Xiaotong standing in front of his bronze statue sculpted by Wu Weishan (September 1995).

Standing in front of the statue, old Fei jokingly remarked, “See who resembles Fei Xiaotong more?” This humorous question induced a round of applause from those present.

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many things when I am gone. I will let the later generations evaluate my sculpture.” Gradually, I seemed to have got hold of something. Imbued with broadness and magnanimity, his smile was carefree and contented, entering into the acme of perfection. In the course of listening to his talk, an illusionary huge bronze sculpture appeared before my eyes. It was smiling with its head slightly lifted up, seemingly looking at the rapidly changing Chinese villages and towns while conducting social field study in the countryside, and also pondering over questions on saving the people from poverty and strengthening China. Fei was talking passionately, giving an affectionate account of his elder sister Fei Dasheng (费达生): She devoted all her life to people. In my article To Be a Person Like Her, I wrote that she dedicated all her life to the industry of breeding silkworms and growing mulberries in China. From his words, I could feel that his affections for his elder sister was not only confined to that of kinship, but also embodied the common affection of intellectuals of the older generation for the nation and her people. Before we parted, he held my hands, saying, “A person does one thing in his entire life. Doing it well is already not easy. I hope you will persevere.” Inscription by Fei Xiaotong. Before long, I completed the sculpture of Fei, with emphasis on depicting his “smile”, a rather intricate image of affection. That is a unique facial expression of Fei Xiaotong talking or pausing. From my observation, his facial expression tended to glitter with the brilliance of thoughts at the instant when he paused. This was followed by numerous witty remarks, which were truly amazing. When Fei saw his sculpture, he held my hands, saying, “It is difficult, it is tough!” Then, he presented me with his inscription, “Capturing the spirit while roaming in art.” To a young man, the recognition and encouragement of Fei are so important. I increasingly felt the importance of engaging in my work of creation. This is of much help to me later as I made statues of a series of

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outstanding figures such as Yang Zhenning, Wu Jianxiong (吴健雄), Chen Shengshen (陈省身), Qian Mu, Qian Weichang (钱伟长) and Kuang Yaming (匡亚明). I recall one of old Fei’s remarks made at my alma mater, Nanjing Normal University, “Weishan wants to make a sculpture of me. Actually, I am not important. What is important is to provide young people space for development. Now, everyone is seeking beauty. Many magazines use beauties as cover girls. In what way am I beautiful as an old man? I don’t know. Weishan makes a sculpture of me. I know that is because he likes the spirit of intellectuals.” His words were profound. With due respect for him, and admiration for Fei Dasheng, lauded by him in several talks and articles, I was prepared to make a sculpture of Fei Dasheng after completing the sculpture of Fei. Therefore, I went to Wujiang County to visit Fei Dasheng, a 100-year-old expert in breeding silkworms and growing mulberries. All day long, this old lady had been handling silk and weaving it. As an expert who, in her early years, painstakingly devoted herself to the education of silkworm-breeding and mulberry-growing in China, her life was linked with her career. Later, when the bronze statue Fei Xiaotong was completed, Fei Xiaotong and Fei Dasheng both came personally to attend the unveiling ceremony. This brother and sister who were outstanding Chinese intellectuals, together with their bronze statues in the university campus, appeared more evergreen as academic trees under the rays of the autumn sun. In my speech, I wrote:

“I am deeply impressed by the noble character, pure soul and selfless devotion of Fei Dasheng. As the role model in our lives, she is of exemplary significance. Past legends and literary processing have given Huang Daopo (黄道婆) a halo of human imagination, whereas the achievements of Fei Dasheng are visible and tangible. She is the Huang Daopo of our time! Therefore, I have this desire to portray the image of this highly esteemed elder using sculptural method. This happens to be in tandem with the desire of Fei Xiaotong. At the turn of the century, this desire has turned into art, cast in bronze, and together with the pedestal of pure Han white jade, it will perpetually tower at Soochow University, a lush land with a rich spirit of humanity.”

I have made three kinds of models for this sculpture. The first one was an indistinct clay-sculpture whose essence was more likened to Fei Dasheng. The second one was more Fei Xiaotong, 2006. Bronze

From conducting field study in villages to debating on policies in the Great Hall of the People, the path which Fei treads on is the road to “saving the people from poverty and strengthening the nation”.

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realistic, with characters engraved by Fei Xiaotong at the lower part of the clay-sculpture. The third one was the sculpture here. Due to ill-defined nose and eyes of the first model, I did not invite Fei Xiaotong to see it, imprinting it on my sculpture pictorial only. However, when Fei Xiaotong flipped through the pages of my sculpture pictorial, he suddenly seemed to have discovered something. Perhaps the spirit that exuded from this model had attracted him. Excitedly, he pointed at that page on my sculpture pictorial, exclaiming, “This is my elder sister!” He could relate better to this indistinct work. When Wu Guanzhong (吴冠中) saw this pictorial in the autumn of 2001, he also spoke highly of that sculpture. Taiwanese painter Liu Guosong (刘国松) believed that this is a representative work that conveys the spirit. They had never seen Fei Dasheng before. However, the vividness of that “spirit” can be considered the depiction of a spiritual phenomenon. Wang Anshi (王安石) wrote the following poem:

Life is like a spring silkworm, Spinning a cocoon around itself. Once metamorphosed, It breaks the cocoon with its bite. The leap from form to spirit is a process of “breaking with a bite”. When looking at the sculptures of family members, most people generally confined themselves to details. However, Fei Xiaotong’s perception on the indistinct sculpture of his elder sister demonstrated his sublime understanding of art. In 2000, I was invited by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology as a professor giving a series of Y. K. Pao cultural lectures. At that time, Fei happened to be lecturing at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. On knowing this, I drove from Clear Water Bay in Kowloon to his place of residence in Hong Kong Island. What is unforgettable is when Hong Kong was returned to mainland China in 1997, Fei came to Hong Kong as a member of the Chinese government delegation taking over the administration of Hong Kong. When I saw him this time, he looked more refreshed than ever. I updated him on the “Mother and Son” series of sculptures that I produced in Hong Kong, which were inspired by my attachment to maternal culture. Fei seemed to be lost in thoughts after hearing it. Yes, at such an advanced age of 90, he came again to Hong Kong, leaving his footprints on Tolo Harbour and on the mountain peak of New Asia College. It was exactly for the purpose of spreading the Chinese maternal culture, wasn’t it? Fei was broadminded towards culture. Because he studied anthropology and sociology, he was able to absorb all the strong points based on the coordinates

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which have history as the vertical axis and society as the horizontal axis. His perception of issues on artistry was also very incisive. The form and the spirit complemented each other. At the instant when Fei talked with pride and exultance, he had fully demonstrated the relationship between form and spirit. This is what he often remarked, “Strong points of different people complement one another. With all these strong points shared among all, the world becomes common to all.” That is the acme of perfection.

Fei Xiaotong (partial view), 2006. Bronze

What is spirit? Fei’s understanding is: The style of a generation of intellectuals. On the sculpture of Fei Xiaotong, Yang Zhenning remarked: Wu Weishan’s “Fei Xiaotong” seems to bear more likeness to the subject than the real person. The words of Yang illustrate the truth in art and life. Zong Pu (宗璞) wrote: The smile of Fei Xiaotong surprises me. The resemblance is uncanny, just like listening to his “hei hei” sounds of laughter and his Mandarin.

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3. A Name Remembered

throughout Generations

Impressions of 100-year-old Gu Yuxiu

The plane flew across the great ocean. Dr. Cheng Ci (成慈), standing vice-president Professor Shi Jianjun and I first arrived in New York and then left for the city of Oklahoma. Commissioned by Nanjing University, we were going to visit Gu Yuxiu (顾毓秀) who is a master of liberal arts and sciences as well as former president of National Central University (the predecessor of Nanjing University) in 1994, and to make a sculpture of him. The city of Oklahoma lies in the central part of the United States. On 19 April 1995, its government buildings were bombed by terrorists. We arrived there on 19 April 2002, which happened to be the “anniversary” of this tragic event. Consequently, and coupled with the lingering fear from the 911 Incident, the airport was heavily guarded by armed soldiers. Visitors, regardless of men, women, the old, the young, the black, the white or the yellow, were required to take off their shoes and belts for security checks. No one was exempted. After several transits, we arrived at the city of Oklahoma. It was already 10.30pm then. Shi Jianjun and Cheng Ci both met Gu two years ago in Philadelphia. They remembered vividly how Gu insisted on inviting them to dinner. However, I only had his photo as reference for making a draft sculpture of his half-portrait. Therefore, eagerly I hoped to find a corresponding relationship between him, the draft sculpture and the photo. The next morning, Gu called Shi Jianjun over the phone, offering to come and see us at Hilton Hotel, the place where we stayed! We were really touched by such reception from an old man aged 100. We waited at the lobby square early for his arrival. Though it was April, the weather was chilling cold. Before long, Gu arrived in a car driven by his daughter. Opening the door, he unfastened the seat belt, held on to his customized walking stick and got onto a wheelchair. Holding the hands of Shi Jianjun, he said, “We have met before! You have come all the way to this remote place.” Looking at his seemingly familiar image, I took photos of him from all angles. With a little smile, he remarked humorously, “Ah, you have started to work.” He told us that on learning that the vice-president and professors came all the way to see him, he was too excited to sleep last night. After

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Gu Yuxiu, 2002. Bronze

In 2002, standing vice-president of Nanjing University Professor Shi Jianjun and I made a special trip to the United States to make a sculpture of Gu Yuxiu, president of National Central University (the predecessor of Nanjing University) in 1949. At that time, he had just turned 100.

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entering the room, he sat on a sofa; with the light shining on his scrawny face, he looked even more collected. He had a long head structure, high and wrinkled forehead, tightly sealed lips, and a pair of composed and deep eyes behind the glasses. He held a piece of paper with our names written on it, matching the names one by one with our faces. He said to me, “Judging from your works, I thought you are 60 years old, but you are only 40. Where were you born?” I replied, “Dongtai County in Jiangsu province.” “Ah, Jiangsu province has produced so many talents!” After he had settled down, he saw, on the table, Congratulating Longevity, a painting I did for him. He seemed very emotional, saying, “A painting, a Chinese painting!” Probably, it was the special cultural appeal exuded from the ink that stirred his memories, “I have an affinity with art. Lin Fengmian (林风眠), Huang Binhong (黄宾虹), Zhao Wuji (赵无极) and Zhu Dequn (朱德群) can be regarded as successful artists.” “Qi Baishi once painted three portraits of me and carved two stamps for me,” he continued. I conveyed a message to him, “Xiong Bingming in France asked me to send his regards to you. He is an honorary professor of Nanjing University.” “Yes, Bingming is the son of my friend Xiong Qinglai (熊庆来). I once met him in Switzerland.” He raised his head, as if talking about his old friend reminded him of Tsinghua University, “According to my study, you have made two sculptures of Feng Youlan, which are now at Peking University a n d Ts i n g h u a U n i v e r s i t y respectively. For this sculpture of me, please replicate another one for Tsinghua University. I will pay for the expenses. I founded the Department of Electromechanics at Tsinghua University in 1932.” “A statue of me at Nanjing University is enough. People of Southeast University can see it at Nanjing University.” Shi told him again that the main purpose of our trip was to visit him and to make a sculpture of him, which had to be completed before the “May Wu Weishan making a sculpture of Gu Yuxiu.

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20” Anniversary of Nanjing University. I knew that he viewed this very seriously. He once wrote back to express his gratitude to Nanjing University and sent me a letter one month ago:

Dean Weishan,

I feel so honoured that you will be making a sculpture of me.

The celebration of the centennial of Nanjing University is a big event. The research of art can be passed down from generations to generations.

I would like to express my thanks in advance. Yours sincerely, Gu Yuxiu at the age of 99 20 March 2002

Having heard what Shi had said, he took out a piece of paper with words written by him personally:

Lauding the sculpture, 20 May 2002.

A scholar, a poet, a professor. Light breezes, bright moon, sturdy pines.

Gu Yuxiu

These words were written with extraordinary skills, characterized by steadiness, forcefulness and maturity, and possessed the Yan style of calligraphy in spirit and appeal. He suggested these characters to be engraved on the pedestal of the statue. We were touched by his candour. For more than 10 years, I had made nearly 200 sculptures of outstanding figures, but probably due to the traditional modesty of intellectuals, none of them had made conclusive self-evaluation. Words written by Gu Yuxiu to On the pedestal of his statue, Ji Xianlin commend the statue. inscribed, “Be the first to suffer and the last to enjoy”, expressing an attitude of mind. Yang Zhenning suggested that I wrote his name “Yang Zhenning” on the pedestal of his statue, expressing objectivity and the natural state of being, without any accessory to it. As for

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Fei Xiaotong, he wrote “Capturing the Spirit through the Sculpture”. This was the evaluation of the work. As the master in science and the humanities, Gu observed the changes throughout the last 100 years of history from his special position. He evaluated himself as a scholar, a poet and a professor, while light breezes, bright moon and sturdy pines were his affirmation on the intellectuals’ independent character and their pursuit of ideals. Gu was a poet. The nature of poetry is identical to the human character. Noted scholar Zhou Gucheng (周谷城) commented on his poems as “thoughts fluttering beyond the material world with poetry filling the picture”, while lauding his lyrics as “a flute resonating under the autumn moon and songs echoing amid breeze in the pines”. His daughter, accompanying him by his side, took out several photos prepared in advance, saying, “Some smiles on these photos can serve as reference for making his statue.” Gu was very sensitive when he heard that, immediately correcting her saying, “I don’t smile or cry. I want to cry, but tears just don’t come out!” Looking at Gu, who looked exactly like a sculpture, and his beloved daughter who had been “wronged”, feelings of sympathy naturally filled my heart. Yes, all children hope to see their parents wearing a smile on their faces forever. However, they fail to perceive that the only thing which can be perpetual in history is none other than the fossil, the concentration of all beings! Gu seemed to have some thoughts, asking Shi to write down his poems for the centennial of Nanjing University:

It has produced many talents since its inception. Nanjing University is now celebrating its centennial. As a guest of Yuejiang Tower, The name of Nanjing University will be remembered throughout the generations. Taking the poem recorded down by Shi, Gu even started to recite the poem with a poetic passion. His voice was loud and clear, low and rich, seemingly resounding in the central part of the United States, gradually crossing the ocean to enter the boisterous Yangtze River. Emperor Hongwu (洪武帝) of the Ming dynasty and Song Lian (宋濂) successively wrote On Yuejiang Tower. However, this tower was nowhere in sight for hundreds of years despite written records. Last autumn, on the bank of the Yangtze River in the north of Nanjing, Yuejiang Tower miraculously appeared again, towering with awe while looking majestically upon the ages of old. As a devoted son nurtured by the culture of the Yangtze River, Gu sighed with deep sentiments while looking back at old schools such as Nanjing

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University, which succeeded National Central University, developing so rapidly. On the spot, he wrote:

God bless China! Who can fully comprehend the vicissitudes of life? I have made great efforts to turn the tide at the far corner of the earth! The blue sea reflects the red evening glow. God bless China! My longing for motherland deepens with each new year. I heard so much news on the Olympic Games to be held in China. But I am separated from motherland by thousands of miles. Gazing at the moon on the night of the Lantern Festival, my homesickness is stirred again. With his quivering hand, he applied all his force in writing. Just as what Shi had said, writing each character seemed like a 100-metre sprint, which made him breathless. His deep affections evoked interaction between his vigour and the Chinese characters! “God bless China!” What a sublime affection from a devoted son! “Gazing at the moon on the night of the Lantern Festival, my homesickness is stirred again”. The bright moon of China always resides in the heart of Gu. Every moment of this was history being condensed. I took out clay prepared in advance and completed a 10-centimetre sculpture of Gu in about 15 minutes. Facing his statue, Gu remained silent for a long time. His expression remained the same as ever: neither weeping nor smiling. With tears, we accepted his poem God Bless China, circulating among us for perusal. In Oklahoma, a tranquil city, we better understood why this 100-year-old man “wanted to cry but tears just don’t come out”. The next day, we returned to China. At the airport, we were still required to take off our shoes and belts for security checks. Of course, my sculpture-knife was discovered. Though it was in the shape of a knife, with some remaining pieces of clay on it, it was after all made of bamboo. It was not until the security officer saw my sculpture that he understood what the knife was meant for. In the end, I managed to clear customs. A few days later, an 80-metre high bronze statue of Gu Yuxiu was erected at Nanjing University. It had the same material and colour as the tripod in commemoration of the centennial of Nanjing University. Nanjing University May 2005

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Gu Yuxiu, a Master of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 2006. Bronze

Note: Several years later, Wu Weishan made another sculpture of Gu Yuxiu in full portrait.

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Walking Man — Xiong Bingming as a Philosopher, 2006. Bronze

I accompanied Xiong to the suburbs to see stone sculptures of the Six Dynasties. While crossing the stream, he suddenly recited The Story of Peach Blossom Haven as he walked on. On Rodin, he wrote Walking Man. He traversed the East and the West, writing “man” with literariness and art.

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4. A Devoted Ox of Chinese Culture

In memory of Xiong Bingming

In 1992, Wu Weishan obtained a book On Rodin — Selected Essays of

Xiong Bingming’s Diary from one of his friends. From the writings of Xiong Bingming, he became more determined to continue his path of art creation. Later, through Yang Zhenning, Wu Weishan got acquainted with Xiong Bingming. The latter highly commended his artworks. Two of them held each other in admiration, becoming good friends despite their age difference. In 2001, at the celebration of the centennial of Nanjing University, Xiong Bingming presented his work Devoted Ox to Nanjing University, designating Wu Weishan to enlarge it. During the centennial celebration, Xiong, having returned to Nanjing University, interacted and exchanged pointers with Wu. The two of them even made sculptures of each other, which became a very inspiring story in the art circle. Unfortunately, Xiong passed away in 2002. Wu Weishan wrote an elegy in memory of him. The spirit of Xiong remains perpetually in the world.

A philosopher, poet and sculptor, Xiong Bingming passed away on 14 December 2002 in haste, leaving behind his much-cherished manuscripts and unfinished works…. His ashes were buried at Gretz–Armainvil–Liers, a public cemetery in the outskirts of Paris. He was a seed of Chinese culture in the West for over 50 years; he brought with him the earth of his maternal culture, growing into a tall tree after absorbing sunlight, rain and dew. He was gone, bringing with him the exploration, pursuit and rumination of a generation of people. He was gone, leaving us a lesson: the clash and integration of the East and West will undoubtedly produce great art. Lu Bing’an (陆丙安), a teacher and wife of Xiong Bingming, once told me, “The last letter in his life was for me. It was a letter on sculpture. He was very concerned about the reaction of young Chinese readers on On Rodin — Selected Essays of Xiong Bingming’s Diary.” Probably in 1992, I obtained a book On Rodin — Selected Essays of Xiong Bingming’s Diary from one of my friends. It was the diary of Xiong Bingming written from 1947 to 1951, which recorded a series of ruminations on sculpture and even the entire cultures of the East and West, with Rodin as the centre. The style of such diary is free, soulful and unrestrained, with each entry encapsulating an incisive perspective. Succinct and lucid, they can quickly bring readers into a state of rumination and analysis. Among

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In 2002, accompanied by Wu Weishan, Xiong Bingming visited the stone sculptures of the Six Dynasties.

them, the words of Sculpture-clay and Life, Chinese and Sculpture, Face and Silhouette and Tomb Animals of the Liang Dynasty impressed me deeply and also enabled me to have a better understanding of the essence and nature of sculpture. The entry of The Teacher reads: “A relatively big Tang dynasty Buddha head, with a plump body and strong literary spirit, produces a feeling of “connection” to a vast body of chaos. Facing such works, I feel proud because I can have access to the great wisdom of our ancestors. Meanwhile, I also feel ashamed in my heart. Before coming to the West, I was once a blind man, unable to behold the wonder here.” The perceptions of contemporary Chinese on sculpture are derived from the West. The standards of value and aesthetics are also based on the West. The definition and evaluation of “sculptural sense” are dependent on the degree of concavity, convexity, covertness and overtness, as well as the clarity of forms and structures. In his book, Xiong narrated an extremely round and unsophisticated Chinese face, believing that has a nice sculptural

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sense. Such a perception has always been influencing my pursuit of art. His book also reads, “Indeed, in front of the Egyptian and Greek sculptures, as well as before Rodin and Antoine Bourdelle, we cannot help being touched by them. However, when seeing stone oxen and stone horses of the Han Dynasty, Buddha statues of the Northern Wei dynasty and tomb lions of the Southern dynasty, I feel another wave of impact stirring my soul. My root is in China, my homeland.” The journal entries of Xiong view art from a philosophical standpoint and derive philosophical truths from art. They view the West from the East and look back upon the East from the West, thus producing many new ideas that illuminate the soul. As a result, the name Xiong Bingming has been engraved in my life of art. I know he is in France. In the mid-1990s, I travelled from the Netherlands to France for art exchange. When I arrived in Paris, I went to Hôtel Biron, the place where Rodin Museum resided. There, I naturally thought of Xiong Bingming. From the analysis of Rodin’s works and Xiong’s Diary, I found correspondence in them. However, I did not take the liberty to visit Xiong Bingming. What a pity! In 1997, I got acquainted with Yang Zhenning, and provided information on my works and my articles for his perusal, sincerely asking for his comments. He commended one of my articles On Poetry of Sculpture and inscribed “Sculpture by Wu Weishan is extremely innovative”. In 1999, when Yang saw more than a hundred of my sculptural works in Nanjing Museum, he could not help telling me, “You will surely get along well with Xiong Bingming!” He then suggested we took a photo together “to be sent to Bingming”. Yang Zhenning and Xiong Bingming were former classmates. Xiong’s father Xiong Qinglai (熊庆来) and Yang’s father Yang Wuzhi (杨武之) were all renowned mathematicians and professors of Tsinghua University. They were also very close friends. Yang Zhenning is not only a great scientist, but also an outstanding scholar of the humanities. He is well versed in Chinese and foreign sculptures of ancient and modern times. When former president Richard Nixon visited China, Yang once proposed that the US government returned two of the “Six Horses of Zhaoling Tomb” to China. He views the sculptures made by Xiong Bingming to have been produced through painstaking efforts. The head statue of “Mother” is modelled after his mother, which is also the head statue of all mothers. In November this year, I gave talks at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Cultural Seminar and held my exhibitions there. Yang and his wife Du Zhili (杜致礼) personally drove to visit my exhibition and invited me for dinner. At the dinner, I brought up the idea of inviting Xiong Bingming to be an honorary professor of Nanjing University. Yang

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agreed right away, saying, “I am all for it!” In November 2001, Xiong Bingming and his wife Lu Bing’an came to Nanjing University for the grand Conferment Ceremony. Yang came in person and specially wrote articles to evaluate several representative works of Xiong Bingming. He said, “The large head statue of Lu Xun, exhibited in the National Museum of Modern Chinese Literature in Beijing, is an outstanding work produced by Xiong Bingming. The profundity and unyielding spirit of Lu Xun have all been vividly depicted by him.” Listening to Yang’s speech, Xiong found himself completely in the environment of Tsinghua University during his early years. He was full of spirit and smiles, just like a perceptive elder. He told me that in Paris, he saw many of my works in Nouvelles D’Europe. Before coming to China this time, he went to several bookstores to look for the Chinese version of Marini Marino but to no avail, thus bringing only with him a book Bourdelle for me. Receiving the book in my hands, I was surprised and touched. What a thick painting-album! He brought it all the way from France for a young artist whom he had never met before! A few days later, he presented me with his theoretical work The Theoretical Framework of Chinese Calligraphy. I have read this book before. From the perspectives of traditional theories of Chinese calligraphy, modern Western philosophy and psychology, and with the integration of the structure of visual arts, it analyzes calligraphy and concludes its history. It is an epochal work which integrates aesthetics with theories of art, providing model examples for us to view and study traditions in many aspects. On its title page, he inscribed:

“Very often, artworks produced in a short time lack vivid depictions, while those produced with painstaking efforts lack coherence as a whole. Wu Weishan’s artworks are completed at an amazing speed and yet provide long term enjoyment for people.” During his stay at Nanjing University, Xiong Bingming saw almost all my works. Once, I covertly sought his guidance, “According to the viewpoint of your teacher Marcel Gimond on sculpture, works (including his works) should all be expressionless and dull. However, the world is not entirely so. As such, how do we express these works?” Xiong replied, “There are two different understanding. The first time I saw your works, I felt strange about the many rich expressions, wondering whether they were sculptural works. In fact, this is another understanding, which belongs to the true Chinese tradition.” Soon after he returned to Paris, he wrote to me, “I envy you as your joy permeates your life and art.” Mrs. Xiong also wrote to me: A sculpture Kneeling Ox, made by Xiong in the 1960s, will be presented to Nanjing University for the celebration of its centennial. China and Nanjing

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University are its best home, as Bingming was born there and his father Xiong Qinglai founded the Mathematics Department there. Xiong added: Kneeling Ox depicts an ox intending to rise spiritedly when it is under the most difficult circumstance. When Yang Zhenning saw it 40 years ago, he said, “It should be a ‘devoted ox’.” Nanjing University decided to make this “devoted ox” a monumental sculpture for its centennial by enlarging it and erecting it in the square! Xiong Bingming suggested, “Wu Weishan is the best person to enlarge it!” The hometown of Xiong’s father is Mi Le county in Yunnan province. There are sugarcane plantations, cotton fields and red earth. In China’s farming society, the oxen, land and Chinese are closely linked with the Chinese spirit. Living in Europe, Xiong expressed his longing for his motherland through the ox. However, it was obviously not the clayox modelled by Chinese craftsmen, as it did not feel perfectly round, soft and smooth. It was influenced by the inner structure of Western sculpture with Gimond as the representative, by Charles Pierre Baudelaire’s “Organizational Patterns of Spiritual Existence”, and of course more so by ancient Chinese sculptures which were condensed, dignified and full of vigour. Therefore, this ox possesses an imposing, inviolable and indestructible quality that ensures its perpetuity and sturdiness! I chose Chengguang factory to enlarge the devoted ox sculpture. It was a 100-yearold factory with its predecessor as Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau established by Li Hongzhang (李鸿章) . This factory once produced huge Buddha statues which are now placed at the Temple of Heaven in Hong Kong and on the peak of Ling Mountain in Wuxi. The enlargement was based on the original 50-centimetre long sculpture. Enlarged 11 times, it became a sculpture of 5.5 metres long, 1.7 metres wide and 2.8 metres high. Initially, this ox looked quite easy to enlarge, just like a huge rock without any complex structure. However, the larger it Xiong Bingming and Wu Weishan enlarging Devoted Ox, a monubecame, the richer I discovered its substance mental sculpture for the centennial was. It looked like a fossil, seemingly defiled of Nanjing University.

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and ambiguous, but its wonderful structure and the “sense” expressed by the structural relationship were deeply embedded in a form that was painstakingly made and yet so natural. Its undulant contours were marked by varying degrees of concavity, convexity and height. Placed there for a few days, it looked soulless despite its mammoth form. Then, slowly, efforts were made to find its height as well as directions of the ridge and range…. In March, Xiong travelled alone from Paris to Nanjing. He could never have imagined that such a big ox was enlarged in merely 20 odd days, because it took him 37 years to complete his sculpture Father and 16 years to complete another sculpture Mother. Facing this huge ox, Xiong wielded a wooden stick and a big shovel. Inserting wooden nails into the high points on the back and belly of the ox, he linked them up with threads to form a clear direction of range, bringing about a sense of slope, cliff and steepness, as well as flatness and broadness. One moment he stood on a high spot and another on a low spot. From far, one could only see a “puny old man”

Nanjing University Centennial Monumental Sculpture Devoted Ox. Created by Xiong Bingming. Enlarged by Wu Weishan.

Xiong is a man of wisdom, A man of benevolence, And even more so, a man of courage. He sculpted “Devoted Ox”, In the 100-year-old Nanjing University. This “ox” looks just like a self-portrait of Xiong.

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moving with agility, determination, resolution and wisdom before such a huge mass of body. Gradually, the ox became palatial, with its bones and dynamics coming in being. Xiong took control of the ox and the mountain. The ox turned into the mountain. The mountain was the ox. His image became taller and taller, integrating himself with the ox…. After “fighting with the ox” for one and half days, Xiong, who never gave up easily, became amazingly satisfied. He said that he thought of the studio of Professor Jonniot when he was studying in Paris. In his studio, making a three- to four-metre high sculpture was an easy and happy task. There was no feeling of being heavily burdened. 50 years ago, he studied in the studio of Professor Jonniot, with a firm determination of making large sculptures such as monuments when he returned to China. However, he stayed on in the West. It was not until 56 years later that he had such an opportunity. He quickly conveyed how he felt to Yang Zhenning in writing. Yang replied by fax:

Bingming and Weishan,

May the work of enlarging Bingming’s sculpture be smooth and successful!

He told his old friend Wu Guanzhong about the process of his creation. Wu inscribed Devoted Ox, with the style of the Chinese characters similar to the form of the ox. Xiong said heartily that it was the biggest sculpture made in his life, and also the sculpture which he completed in the shortest time. He told me that sculpting an ox made him 20 years younger, thus reducing his age to be about 60. I replied that sculpting an ox made me 20 years older, turning me to about 60 also. Looking at each other, we smiled. The ox cast in bronze shared the same material and colour with those of the tripod for the centennial of Nanjing University. Yang Zhenning wrote with emotions:

Bingming has sculpted the self-perception of several generations of Chinese intellectuals in the 20th century.

Xiong inscribed:

This is the ox of a Chinese nation!

With the enthusiasm and passion of making an ox-sculpture, I sculpted a head statue of Xiong. Then, he suggested that both of us sculpt a portrait of “Xiong Bingming” together. Xiong started from within to without, like earthquakes and volcanoes, while I proceeded from without to within,

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Looking at Mona Lisa with Admiration — Xiong Bingming as a Critic, 2006. Bronze

Xiong always looked like this when he admired the works of the past and present, in the East and in the West. This bearing is unique to Xiong Bingming only. He could still see even without wearing glasses. He admired the works more than picking on them. Therefore, his evaluations are always incisive and poetic.

like lightning and thunder in the rain. In a short while, a 60-metre high sculpture was formed. It is now displayed at Nanjing Museum. The more you look at it, the more it looks like a “devoted ox”. In Paris, Xiong wrote an article Sculpted with Four Hands to narrate this account of “self-sculpting” and “sculpting others”, which were full of significance of life’s philosophies. I also wrote an article Knowledge of Self is Wisdom. Yang Zhenning later wrote a letter, saying, “The experience of sculpting a statue of Bingming as described by both of you is excellent.” Later, there were constant phone calls and letter correspondences between Xiong and me. With regards to my problem of overlooking the expression of the back-neck on the sculpture, Xiong admonished me, “From now on, whenever you sculpt the back-neck, you should think of me, who would come after you if you overlook it.” He suggested that I made more attempts to directly use gypsum to make sculptures, which could be mixed with stones, wood, cloth and jute. They could be modelled and carved, reduced and added to. Many of his works were sculpted in this way. With his encouragement, I made many attempts and explorations. Later, my sculptures Qi Baishi and Peasant were produced in this way. We fixed an appointment to make sculptures together again in Nanjing the following spring, with the theme Camel, a symbol of heavy responsibility. We made another appointment to hold an international seminar on the theories of sculpture at Nanjing University in 2003. Walking Man—Xiong Bingming as ….

a Philosopher (partial view), 2006. Bronze

However, he suddenly passed away. He failed to have time to write his name at the end of a letter he intended to send me. The world lost an outstanding artist, philosopher and sage. Kneeling on the ground while perpetually raising its head, his devoted ox endures humiliation and indomitably advances towards the land to be tilled! Chinese University of Hong Kong January 2003

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Opening up the steps — With one on the East The other on the West Leaving behind perceptions and art. Calligraphy, sculpture, painting, theories.

“A Devoted Ox” — Xiong Bingming as an Artist, 2006. Bronze


The returning gaze while walking, Though limpid, It is immortalized.

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Wu Weishan at the home of Wu Guanzhong.

“Devoted Ox” inscribed by Wu Guanzhong.

I once attended Wu Guanzhong’s lectures 28 years ago. Van Gogh, Cézanne, Monet….These names were foreign to art students who had just came out of the Cultural Revolution. However, Wu talked about them with unfettered enthusiasm. From then on, I started my rumination on “form and content”, with the image of an ardent old artist imprinted on my mind. The two sentences of Wu that impressed me most are: “We are all handicraftsmen” and “The enclosed walls of Chinese painting will be broken one day”. Wu once autographed my humble work The Psychology of Visual Arts 18 years ago. Five years ago, while discussing “brush and ink are nothing” at his home, Wu said with profundity, “I am a man of controversy.” I have always admired Wu for his sincerity towards art. Balance, unyielding spirit and tenacity are the strong pillars of his art.

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Solidified History

Philosophical thoughts in Chinese culture are centred on “man”. The concept

of “heaven” is similar to the concept of “God” in the West, albeit they are not exactly the same. “Heaven” is a more abstract concept.

Plastic arts in Chinese culture consist of calligraphy and painting. Sculptures

primarily represent the deities in temples, which are worshipped by people. Their aesthetic aspects are only secondary or even overlooked altogether.

Pre-Qin Confucianism and Taoist were both philosophies, not religions. In the

Chronicle of Zuo, there are three “incorruptibles”, namely, established virtues, established achievements and established words. There is little emphasis on the spread of physical images. Confucius, Mencius and Zhuang Zi all left behind their virtues and words, but their countenances did not remain. Greek culture is known for its glorious accomplishments in sculpture. The sculptures of Homer, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle were left behind. In comparison, we Chinese do not know how our ancient philosophers looked like, and that is truly regrettable. The Analects describes the image of Confucius in this way, “He was gentle but strict, awe-inspiring but not overbearing, serious but composed”, “During his

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In 2003, Nanjing Museum set up a permanent Wu Weishan Sculpture Hall featuring cultural notables.

leisure time at home, Confucius was neatly dressed, composed and relaxed”, “When he quickened his pace, it was as if he was mounted on wings”. Perhaps, Chinese culture believes more in the power of words and places more emphasis on recording spiritual outlook. Chinese painting also has developed along this path. The first of the “Six Principles of Chinese Painting” established by Xie He (谢赫) is “Spirit Resonance” — the objective of a portrait is to “convey the spirit” and to capture the subject’s demeanour and bearing, not the pursuit of mechanical realism.

Only after nearly 100 years of cultural interaction between the East and the

West did sculpture gradually enter into the aesthetic horizon of the Chinese. Following the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, a number of monumental sculptures sprang up. In the 1980s, after reforms and opening-up, various schools of sculpture successively appeared in art museums, schools and other public spaces. Many of these works depicted historical figures and contemporary notables. Such works were absent in the past, so one could say that they had filled a “void”.

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The Philosopher — Feng Youlan (main view), 2001. Bronze

Zong Pu said: The most striking feature of this head statue, Is the capture of Feng’s spiritual characteristics. There is an inner peace and serenity, Which demonstrates the features of Eastern sages. This serenity is serenity after adversity, In it contains sorrow, And in the sorrow contains serenity.

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The Philosopher — Feng Youlan (side view), 2001. Bronze

Establishing the heart for heaven and earth Establishing the life for living souls Continuing lost knowledge for future sages Bringing peace for all generations

Wu Weishan has already created sculptures of more than 200 Chinese and

foreign notables, as well as celebrated figures in the cultural arena. Some of these works are realistic, while some are freehanded. He is especially skilled in making the latter. Those works are coherent as a whole. Yet, they were not made shoddily, hastily, or without a certain pursuit for likeness. With an amazing speed, he could accurately capture the inner world of his subjects. This freehand style is both Chinese tradition and modern. Among his works, I particularly admire the sculptures of Zhang Jian (张骞), Qi Baishi, Lin Sanzhi and Xiao Xian (萧娴). The one that touches me the most is the sculpture of Feng Youlan (冯友兰), my teacher. This sculpture is a great success. It is a sombre and awe-inspiring rock in its entirety. All the words and actions of Feng, as well as the joy and sorrow, happiness and grief, and success and adversity he experienced in his 95 years of life are sculpted into it. The eyes gaze at the far end, having a look of tireless rumination and judgment.

I congratulate Wu Weishan for the establishment of the Wu Weishan Sculpture

Hall of Cultural Notables. When one comes to admire the sculptural artworks, one could see the radiance of creative individuals in each field and think of their struggles and contributions.

Entering the hall, one is filled with curiosity and admiration;

Leaving the hall, one is filled with satisfaction and respect. Xiong Bingming University of Paris November 2002

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Sculpting with Four Hands Xiong Bingming

It is very common for painters to collaborate in painting. Once the painting

is done, an inscription would indicate the names of the painters who painted the bamboos, the plum trees and the rocks respectively. However, there has never been such similar collaboration in sculpture. During my one-week stay in Nanjing in March 2002, I had been refining the Devoted Ox for Nanjing University. When the refining work was completed, Wu Weishan offered to make a sculpture of me. His sculpting speed was amazingly fast, having possessed the unique Chinese spirit of art — freehand, vivid.

In the past, some painter-friends painted my portrait with me as the model.

Statue of Xiong Bingming sculpted together by Xiong Bingming and Wu Weishan, 2002. Bronze.

“Sculpting with four hands” has a deep significance of life’s philosophies. It is both evaluation and self-evaluation. It is completed in about 20 minutes’ time. Xiong wrote Sculpting with Four Hands and sent it to me from Paris; I wrote Knowledge of Self Is Wisdom and sent it to him from Nanjing. Having read both articles, Yang Zhenning sent a fax from the United States: Excellent!

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However, it was the first time for a sculptor to make a sculpture of me. While observing Weishan at work, I had been thinking: He faced a clay-sculpture on the stand just like facing a fortress to be attacked. I was only a military map which he looked at from time to time. The real battlefield was around the fortress. He observed from all angles, advancing according to the terrain, adding and taking away masses of clay, while constantly shortening the battle line and getting closer and closer to my silhouette.

Looking at him at work, I suddenly had a desire to respond to his action —

making the sculpture together with him in a completely different way from mine. I would not use outward appearance as reference. I had had enough impression of myself from looking at the mirror daily and my photos. I would make a sculpture of myself according to my subjective feelings — my forehead was like this, my nose should be like this and my eyes were like this. Just like what Shu Benhua (叔本华) said, “Our body is the objective form of our will of existence.” I would sculpt myself according to my will of existence. Weishan would sculpt from without to within while I would sculpt from within to without. He had his opinions and blind spots, while I had my own feelings and weaknesses. We did not influence and interfere with each other. At the same time, our fingerprints and knife marks corresponded with each other in intersection, just like a piano played by four hands. His work was likened to wind, rain, frost, snow, tide, hurricane, flood and scorching sun — sculpting the landscape from the outside. My work was likened to boiling magma beneath the earth, creating earthquakes from within, and forming mountain, sea, big canyon and cleft — changing the terrain from the inside.

What would be the result of this joint effort? I could not tell. And because

of its unpredictability, it was worth a try.

I told Weishan my idea and he gladly agreed at once. He then went to finish

his work that day. The next morning, he brought new clay prepared by his assistant for the sculpture.

Based on the same mass of clay, he sculpted me and I sculpted myself.

We cooperated so heartily, just like two jazz musicians putting up an impromptu performance. We were intoxicated with ebullient joy when one of us said, “Ok! We can stop working.” “Yes, we can stop working,” another replied. Then, his assistant wrapped the statue with a damp cloth.

The next day, we went to the studio again. Taking off the damp cloth and

having another look at the sculpture, we could not help adding and removing a few more masses of clay. Then, we hurriedly went for lunch. In the afternoon, I left for Shanghai. The next morning, I flew back to Paris.

For the time being, I cannot tell how this experiment would turn out. I have to

wait till next month, when I come to Nanjing again, to quietly examine it before I can make any conclusions. Now, all I can do is to look forward to it with curiosity and anxiety. 9 April 2002

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Knowledge of Self Is Wisdom Wu Weishan

Xiong Bingming believes himself to be “an experiment of life”. From philosophy, Xiong went into sculpture. This is metaphysical. His works are repeatedly tempered; forms that are firm, solid and full of meaning have merged with and yet become independent of time and space. In March, grass flourishes in southern Jiangsu province as it is the season for spring cultivation. 80-year-old Xiong came from Paris to Nanjing, as his Devoted Ox would be taken as the spiritual symbol of the centennial of Nanjing University. Giving, unyielding, tenacious and resolved. These form a huge peak of sincerity, simplicity, majesty and greatness! Xiong used an ox to form a mountain and a mountain to model an ox. Therefore, it looked indistinct and people could not tell whether it was an ox or a horse at first sight. It was a mammoth being that was jagged and imposing. He wielded his shovel in sculpting, with energy and bearing that were likened to the vigour of an ox! The sculpture was completed in three and half days. He went into a joyous mood that was characterized by poetic philosophy, with great wit displayed in his humour. I picked up red clay and started to make a sculpture of him. Facing me, he turned around to adjust my angle at one moment, and in another told me about the concavity and convexity of his head. We were used to terming the ridge linked by those points of height as the “dragon range”. Xiong knew himself. He was amazingly clear about the “landscape” on his head. He knew very well as it had taken him 80 years to sculpt himself. His father was Xiong Qinglai, a master mathematician. Therefore, Xiong was born with a logical head structure. With this logic, one could feel the strands of profundity and the wonderful reflection of the spirit of art. Xiong was scholarly, refined and literary; together with his expression and actions when engaging in sculptural creation, he was a unified being of conflict and complement. He gazed at the draft clay-sculpture for a long, long time. “Weishan, can we sculpt ‘Xiong Bingming’ together?” He asked. Immediately, I became aware that it would be an integration of “sculpting others” and “self-sculpting”, which possessed the significance of life’s philosophies. The next day, we began to assume our own roles respectively.

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I remember writing in my journal that day: Xiong sculpts himself with confidence and passion. His self-perception and self-cultivation of 80 years are solidified in an instant. As a young man aged 40 looking up to him at age 80, I cannot help but feel that I lag far behind him. As a complete sculpture, in his self-evaluation — self-sculpting — he would take my views into consideration. In the process of making a sculpture of him, I have to try to understand his own self-perception. Xiong was generous and broadminded. “Sculpting others” was harmoniously integrated with “self-sculpting”. Passion permeated seasoned horizontal strokes and frenzied movements. Xiong was composed, steady, accurate and forceful. With his fingers, he accurately and resolutely kneaded the sternomastoid muscle, a key position that linked the soul with the body, thus bringing about a sudden display of tension. Then, without hesitation, he made several forceful cuts on the face. I took up a wooden stick, trying to make some parts indistinct while making other parts clearer or more subtle. The speed was amazingly fast! I remember it seemed that Xiong unexpectedly declared, “It is finished!” This was obviously different from his usual style. I put down the wooden stick slowly and looked at this huge sculpture full of knife marks, fingerprints and marks left by the wooden stick. I heaved, “We seem to be making an ox!” A month later, different statues of “Xiong Bingming” were all cast in bronze and stood face to face under the lights in the Institute of Sculpture Art, Nanjing University. I wonder how would Xiong feel when he sees them?!

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Statue of Scholar Ji Xianlin, 2001.

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5. An Oriental Old Sage Ji Xianlin has an oriental spirit! This was my first impression when I saw Ji. I had read his prose and also knew his outstanding accomplishments in the fields of Buddhism and linguistics, and also in the history of Sino-Indian relationship. However, when I saw him coming out of his study to welcome me, I could not help being dumbfounded: This was a typical portrait of an oriental sage, wasn’t it? Ji was clad in an old, blue Chinese tunic suit, with a fountain pen in his pocket. With a scrawny face, slim figure and grey hair sparsely distributed on his well-defined head, his gentle and implicit expression contained unfathomable acuteness and supremacy. To be able to sculpt a portrait of him accurately, plainly and realistically would be excellent. I thought to myself and was delighted to have met such a subject for sculpting. Being invited to make a statue of Ji Xianlin for the Ji Xianlin Information Hall, I did not expect to have such mature conceptualization at my first meeting with this elder. Ji’s study was lined with thread-bound ancient books. Pieces of paper were sandwiched in Tripitaka1. A polished-shine old desk and wooden chair looked quaint, simple and stable. Sitting me on a sofa opposite him, he began to talk, “I read an introduction of your sculpture in Guangming Daily. That was very good.” His words instantly dispelled my reservation of seeing him for the first time. I told him about my initial plan on creating a series of sculptures of Chinese historical and cultural notables. Listening to me intently, he told me that in May 1995, he wrote an article The Feelings of an Old Intellectual on Harvest, portraying the life of intellectuals realistically. He said, “In ancient China, there was no such custom of making sculptures of human figures. It was only for deities, to make statues of immortals and Buddha. The statues of 500 Arhats all over China tend to look alike due to deviation from realistic imaginations of human figures….” Ji talked in a tireless fashion, just like a scholar described in a Chinese classical fiction, commenting on things past and present, with no visible change in his facial expression. This was exactly a kind of “expressionless expression” often overlooked by people, a state that could only be attained by “great sages” and “great philosophers”. From this, I thought of many photos which depicted him so “majestically” from an upward angle. That was so ostentatious, superficial and simplified!

1 The

Buddhist canon of scriptures.

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On the plane back to Nanjing, looking at drifting clouds in the sky and recalling Ji standing in the light of the setting sun while waving goodbye to me, I took out a sketch pen and sketched a portrait of him as the initial draft for this sculpture.

Promoting Chinese Culture, Creating a New Era of Sculpture Images of ancient Chinese sculptures were all based on immortals and Buddha, which usually looked alike as they were based on imaginations. Just like the 500 Arhat statues all over China, the sculptors did not attempt to sculpt different images, and even deviated from real life persons. These, together with their limited imaginations, reveal their predicament of limited capacities. Such sculptures cannot be considered as true art, albeit they contain an unsophisticated and solemn spirit. With the rise of figure sculptures in modern times, Chinese sculptural art gradually enters a new arena. Professor Wu Weishan opens a new path in his young age, sculpting epochs, cultures, and a series of cultural notables. He integrates the spirit of culture into the continuous river flow of historical development, promoting Chinese culture and creating a new era of sculpture. Ji Xianlin Scholar of Eastern Cultures Professor of Peking University

Wu Weishan at the home of Ji Xianlin.

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Inscription by Ji Xianlin for Wu Weishan.

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Statue of Lin Sanzhi (partial view). Stone sculpture, 1996, erected at Qiuyu mountain in Nanjing.

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6. Making a Sculpture of

Lin Sanzhi Six Times

I remember the exhibition hall of Lin Sanzhi’s (林散之) calligraphy and paintings was opened in 1992. At that time, I was invited to sculpt a 70-centimetre high half-portrait of Lin. This statue was regarded by artists as an image of a transcendent “eminent monk”. However, some people felt that the character depicted by this statue was too “stiff”. Actually, I was fully aware of it and had been trying to figure out how to depict him more accurately. In spring 1995, his statue was arranged to be erected at the main square of Jiangpu county. Initially, I thought that it was somewhat unnatural to erect the statue of a scholar who was “undefiled and refined” and “unbounded by social norms” in a bustling environment. Later, I thought better of it as the people of Jiangpu county regarded him as a notable in the cultural arena. For many years, I immersed in his superb calligraphy, trying to feel the change of times, as well as the spirit of empty valleys with plunging spring. He wrote in a poem, “Writing with the innermost soul, I cannot feel the existence of self and others.” This is exactly “aspiration expressed by words” and “painting of the heart”. I once witnessed how engaged he was in painting and could not forget his long eyebrows, moving lips and big earlobes, which instantly formed the image of an accomplished master of calligraphy and painting. I moulded a sculpture of him with a walking stick, walking alone and reciting as he immersed himself in a poetic ambience. Then, I continued to mould four variations of him in different states. In the process, I constantly recited his verse “Walking alone leisurely at the western end of the bridge”. I felt that in it permeated the spirit of mountains, forests and scholars, as well as harmony between man and nature. However, when I was arranging to find a place to put it, I discovered disharmony. Where would he head towards in such a fast-paced environment? It would be most appropriate to place it in a bamboo grove or Qiuyu mountain where the exhibition hall of his calligraphy and paintings stood. To place it at a public square would, however, lose its due transcendence and its “symbol” as the master of the cursive script. Perplexed, I thought of the verse “the number one peak of ethereal lotus-flower”, written by Lin Sanzhi for his master Huang Binhong. Wasn’t Lin Sanzhi a towering peak in the world of Chinese calligraphy?! I immediately drew a sketch, with the mountain as the body, rising sharply like a unique peak jagging through the clouds and basking in the sunshine.

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With unprecedented attainments, Lin Sanzhi overlooked from the top, making exchanges with pedestrians. The front view of the mountain was engraved with “Another peak of the master of cursive script”, with the back inscribed by Lin “The painter strives to innovate, using vermilion ink to paint a spring mountain”, depicting this master well versed in poetry, calligraphy and painting in three dimensions. Among the many drafts sent for vetting, this “peak” was positively affirmed. In January 1996, when this six-metre high clay-sculpture was produced as designed, people spoke highly of its vividness while feeling regretful about his head being lowered. It was inconceivable to associate such a “lowering” with “lowering one’s head while confessing one’s crimes”, which was peculiar to the Cultural Revolution. The feelings and mentality of common folks must be considered, albeit in the world there existed masterpieces of past and present which were featured by lowered heads. The leader of Jiangpu County suggested that such a position should be reconsidered.

Lin Sanzhi Reciting while Walking (a view of the head), 2004. Bronze.

Lin Sanzhi at leisure looks exactly like a mortal “Arhat”.

Lin Sanzhi Reciting while Walking (a view of the hand), 2004. Bronze.

Wielding a paintbrush in a meandering way, this hand, like an awl drawing on sand, writes “immortal” in the vicissitudes of culture.

It was no small matter to alter a big sculpture, as all its appearances and postures were supported by a steel frame inside. However, all efforts would be worthwhile for the sake of perfecting a permanent sculpture. Several days later, with his head “lifted up” to look straight, both viewers and Lin felt proud. This enabled me to comprehend one truth — the relationship between a big sculpture and a small one is not only that of enlargement based on proportions, but also of re-creation. This six-metre high granite statue was my sixth sculpture of Lin Sanzhi.

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Lin Sanzhi Reciting while Walking (a view of the back), 2004. Bronze

We are all his worshippers and followers.

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Lin Sanzhi Reciting while Walking (left) towering in front of the National Art Museum of China. The Number One Peak of Ethereal Lotus-Flower — Statue of Huang Binhong (right) by Wu Weishan.

(This won the 10th National Exhibition of Art Recognition Award, Third Exhibition of City Sculpture in China Highest Recognition Award, collected by the National Art Museum of China and Changchun World Sculpture Park.)

Here, I would like to emphasize the dual significance of “Ease and Worry”. The first significance is the leisure tour, which encapsulates the literary essence of an elder who has gone through the vicissitudes of life, and possessed a sojourner’s spirit unique to the East and in harmony with heaven. Another significance is associated with worries, difficulties and apprehension — a deep concern and empathy for life by the same elder who weathered through the storms of life. I feel that Lin Sanzhi in its entirety depicts the joy of leisure tour and the sorrow of worries, with the two elements merging together in an amazing way, demonstrating the essence of the spirit of humanity captured by the sculptor. Gao Quanxi (高全喜), noted critic Note: Now, Wu Weishan has already sculpted the portrait of Lin Sanzhi 16 times.

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In March 1987, Wu Weishan accompanied Lin Sanzhi to visit the exhibition of Gao Ershi’s calligraphy.

Calligraphic work of Lin Sanzhi collected by Wu Weishan.

Master mathematician Chen Shengshen gazing at his portrait sculpture made by Wu Weishan.

As they looked at each other silently, we could feel the rich historical sense of this master mathematician more deeply. The master of the “House of Geometry” in Nankai University in Tianjin came to Nanjing University just to meet up with Wu Weishan. Science and art, in the kneading and moulding of red clay, are immortalized.

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7. The Humour of a

Master Mathematician

Chang Jian* (菖见)

In the afternoon of 12 October 2004, world-renowned mathematician Mr.

Chen Shengshen (陈省身) flew from Tianjin to Nanjing University.

This time, Chen, at the invitation of celebrated sculptor Wu Weishan, came

to Nanjing to assist as a model in a sculpture of him that Professor Wu would be making. This was proposed by Yang Zhenning and physicist Paul Chu Chingwu, son-in-law of Chen Shengshen and president of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. In July this year, Wu Weishan made a special trip to Tianjin to visit Chen, so as to perceive the sparks of thoughts rooted in the innermost parts of this master. This time, Chen returned his courtesy call with a visit to Nanjing University, thus marking a day of humour, harmony and splendour.

While using a grain of clay to mould the big mole on the forehead of Chen

Shengshen, Professor Wu said, “It was also at this place that I made a sculpture of Qian Weichang. Due to poor conditions, Qian had to stand. He also had a mole on his face.”

Before Wu Weishan could finish his words, Chen interrupted, “We are friends. His

mole is smaller than mine. Chairman Mao also had a mole which was very big.”

“You are a chairman too, the chairman of the World Conference of

Mathematics.” Wu Weishan said to Chen Shengshen with a smile.

Chen replied modestly, “I was given that post because of my age. Since they

were all younger than me, I was made the Chairman.” His words triggered all of us to laugh heartily again.

Also quite an excitable person, Wu Weishan, influenced by this old man,

followed suit and remarked humorously as he pointed at the sculpture that was already formed, “Mr. Chen, I am the third party between you and your statue.”

Unexpectedly, this master mathematician responded more quickly, saying at

once, “As the third party, you are a geometrical structure of emotions.” At this moment, our laughter had already revealed our admiration for the wisdom of this master mathematician.

“Ah, this is the first time that I see myself without having to look into the

mirror!” On 13 October, 94-year-old master mathematician Chen Shengshen filled Wu Weishan’s studio of sculpture in Nanjing University with witty remarks.

* A

noted reporter.

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Chen Shengshen was another epochal master mathematician in the

history of mathematics, in the league of Euclid, René Descartes, Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss, Bernhard Riemann and Henri Cartan, the five great masters of geometry. The projective differential geometry established by him influenced the development of world mathematics since the second half of the 20th century, earning him the two highest honours in the mathematics arena — the Wolf Prize and Fields Medal. If there is a Nobel Prize for mathematics, the winner would be none other than this Chinese-American.

Ever since he returned to China in 1984 to found the Nankai Institute of

Mathematics, this patriotic old man has been contributing tirelessly to the development of mathematics in China. He said, “My mathematics is exported to the world. The Chinese are very intelligent, and have many things that can be exported.”

Chen, who was wheelchair-bound, expressed his great interest in Wu Weishan’s

sculptures. In the presence of Hong Yinxing, secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Committee of Nanjing University, he said, “Requesting Mr. Weishan to make a sculpture is more difficult than being an academician.”

Using a big mass of clay to mould the ears of Chen Shengshen, Wu Weishan

said, “Mr. Chen, your ears are bigger than normal and they are almost touching your shoulders.”

Chen Shengshen replied with a smile, “People all paid attention to my ears.

Big ears can be cooked as a dish, do you know that?” Heaps of laughter filled the studio.

While the statue was being moulded, Chen Shengshen suddenly asked,

“Could you bring me to Nanjing Museum for a visit?”

Wu Weishan immediately replied, “Of course!”

“Is the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Memorial Hall still in Nanjing? Could you

bring me there for a visit too?” This master mathematician made more and more requests, seeming to “reach for a yard after getting an inch” — insatiable.

We were all surprised that a 94-year-old master mathematician had such

interests in other fields. One student asked, “Do you also study history?”

“I have interest in many fields of knowledge. Natural science and social

science is a beautiful twin.”

“Mr. Chen, may I invite you to dinner? Professor Wu extended his invitation.

“Yes. However, I have several requests. Do not go to a big restaurant, do

not dine in a VIP room, I want to dine with common folks. Do not order shark’s fins as they are too expensive. I am a poor man and I am against extravagance. Order dishes which common folks in Nanjing eat; dishes that are special so that I can remember them. Finally, please do not stand to make a toast. We should sit down while having a meal. Standing up to propose a toast is like doing exercise, which is not proper.” The simple and sincere words of this master mathematician touched all of us. We all knew he had donated one million US dollars of the Shaw

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Prize, just awarded to him in July this year, to relevant institutions of scientific research as working funds, while he himself had such a simple lifestyle. The moral character of this master was truly pure and noble.

When the statue was going to be completed, Wu Weishan said, “Mr. Chen,

your humour brings you longevity!”

Looking at those around him, he seemed to say, “The one who can enjoy

longevity is the one who is focused on doing meaningful things.”

There is profound meaning of life in the humour of this master mathematician.

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8. Sculpting Confucius

Using Ancient Methods

For years, I have been engaged in creating sculptures of historical and cultural notables in modern and contemporary times. My subjects are mostly old scholars and artists. With plastic clay being moulded in my affectionate hands, I can often express the quiver of life in an impassioned and forceful way. Gradually, I faintly believe that the visual strong touch of hand and delicate undulations are probably my features in sculptures. While making the statue of Confucius, I was also used to applying such techniques initially. However, as I progressed, I felt that Confucius, the symbol of Chinese ancient culture, lost his due stature, richness and simplicity in the statue. In essence, the accumulation of rich culture was also weakened. I was a “Red Guard” during the “Denouncement of Confucius” Movement. Using my talents, I drew comics on denouncing Confucius every day. I drew dozens of “Confucius The Second” daily. In the process of drawing, all I knew was that he advocated the “Exercise of Self-Restraint and Restoration of Proprieties”. After more than 20 years, I moulded a statue of him with a different perspective — looking up to this giant of culture. Kuang Yaming (匡亚明) once said, “There are three great men in world history — Jesus Christ, Siddha¯ rtha Gautama and Confucius. The first two were engaged in religion while Confucius devoted all his life to mankind. I would say Confucius is greater.” Though there are descriptions of his image in ancient books, and also in painting albums by Wu Daozi (吴道子) of the Tang dynasty and Ma Yuan (马远) of the Song dynasty, in the minds of common folks, Confucius is a sage to be perceived but could not be described! There are numerous strange phenomena in the descriptions using words, like “his head has a bulge” etc. Ma Yuan’s painting is too exaggerated, as the forehead of Confucius protruded like an “Old Man of Longevity” often depicted by paintings in the Spring Festival. Confucius in the painting by Wu Daozi looks graceful and ethereal, but “lacks weight” if it is turned into a statue. With the use of Western realistic sculpting techniques, his features such as high forehead, long ears and long beard can be vividly portrayed, but it will lose the spirit of quaintness. I thought of the grotto-sculptures in ancient China. The steadiness and balance of the mass, as well as perpetuity of the spirit, were achieved by forsaking physiological structures and paying attention to the proportion of weights. It possessed the remoteness and serenity of history. This is the “ancient method”, the musical note of life in our culture, and the simple

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expression by ancient craftsmen of their perceptions of heaven, earth and man. Applying such an ancient method would achieve harmony between the cultural background and cultural symbol — common structure between content and form. It is akin to finding an ancient person and ancient thing in an ancient song. Having found the frame of the form, I was faced with the problem of how to sculpt Confucius in a concrete manner. For this, I specially got hold of photos of Confucius’ descendents. To my disappointment, those photos could not depict the Confucius in my heart. On the contrary, the image of Confucius could be seen in Feng Youlan and Kuang Yaming, especially from the scholarly bearing of Feng Youlan revealed from within to without, and the beard of Kuang Yaming. They were nurtured by the Confucian spirit! From this, we can also see how much impact the source and infiltration of culture have, even to the extent of influencing one’s countenance. I pondered carefully over all the prominent scholars I knew. Almost all of them resembled Confucius in a certain way, not necessarily in appearance, but in their words and actions. I sculpted Confucius into an elder who guides students patiently and systematically — kind-hearted and erudite. The outward form was made as simple as possible, forsaking all unnecessary concavity and convexity to achieve richness and poise, with a “centre” line split into two, appearing simpler and purer with a touch of quaintness. The completed statue of Confucius has a head slightly lowered, and is characterized by humility and magnanimity. Those who have seen Confucius it all say, “He was a native of State Lu (partial view), 2006. during the periods of Spring-Autumn The upholding of social norms and logic and Warring States.” of human relationship are expressed in “propriety”. The hand gesture is a symbol, a “second face”. First and foremost in Confucius’ propriety are his humility and gentleness — the benevolent loves mankind.

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9. An Instant of a Peasant-Scientist

It is a wonder for an ordinary peasant to have scaled the peak of world science! For a peasant to become a scientist was a long process of life with steep learning curves. It is difficult to depict this process of life through the instant solidification of sculptural expression. Chen Yongkang (陈永康), unknown to many young people, is a role model to Chinese peasants and a perfect example to workers of science. Before he became the vice-director of Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, he was a peasant in Songjiang County. Accumulated through long-term production, his experience in high-yield cultivation of single-season late rice led to increased production in whatever places it was spread to. He innovatively put up the theory of diagnosing rice-seedlings, known as “Rensanhei”. In 1964, he presented a research paper on this theory at an international seminar of science in Beijing, with participating scientists from 44 countries and regions in the world, marking a new standard in the science of cultivation achieved in China. In September 1995, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences contacted me to make a bronze statue of Chen Yongkang. Placed before me was a famous photo of a “model labourer” — the head-photo of Chen Yongkang published on the cover of China Pictorial in the early 1970s. Wearing a summer-hat and facing the vast land, he smiled so simply and sincerely. There was also another photo of Chen Yongkang giving a speech at an international science seminar. The rest of his photos were mostly of him transplanting rice seedlings or holding rice-ears. According to the design of ordinary monumental statues, he could be moulded into a half-portrait or a head-statue, with emphasis on depicting the spirit on his face. However, pardon my impudence, his appearance greatly differed from a scientist with strong intellectual characteristics, as he looked too “peasantly”. Only in some details could one see the preciseness and seriousness unique to scientists. At an outdoor space, due to the distance between the viewer and the sculpture, merely sculpting a half-portrait of him may lead to misperception that it was a “statue of a peasant”, thus weakening the uniqueness of the peasant-scientist. His uniqueness lies in his life experiences — from a peasant to a scientist. Moreover, be it outward or inward, he had always kept the simplicity and sincerity of a labourer. Even at the age of over 70, he still insisted on carrying out scientific experiments and working in the fields until the last breath of his life. Specialists, drivers and old workers at Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural

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(Insert picture 137) Statue of PeasantScientist Chen Yongkang, 1996. Bronze.

Sculpture of Peasant-Scientist Chen Yongkang (the head), 1996. Bronze

An honest man with thick lips that looks like the soil. It can go through the storms of seasons and give off a stench of perspiration. When the harvest is ripe, the next season of sowing begins. I feel that Chen Yongkang should be like this. He is the epitome of the wisdom of all peasants, and has truly existed.

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Sciences recalled that Chen Yongkang often walked barefooted. He was an ordinary old man, but a giant of science. It was not difficult to make a statue of Chen Yongkang that resembled the subject, particularly the Chen Yongkang in real life. In order to make people recognize him at first sight as a scientist, an expert in growing rice and a peasant-scientist, it was necessary to find a point of insertion. I made four different plans. One of them depicted him standing barefooted in the rice fields, making hand gestures while talking seriously with people, studying the planting and growing of rice, or introducing “one rice-ear experience”. The basic idea of this plan was: A pleasant-scientist, rooted in earth, had his research, theories and accomplishments in science based on labour, practice and the spirit of devotion to science. His statue towers on the lawn of Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences so that people can hear his voice and converse with him every day. There are no such tools like hoes and rice-ears, thus making the statue purer and more succinct. From barefooted muddy legs to hand gestures — this is a metaphor of moving from practice to theory, and also a depiction of the process of life “from a peasant to a scientist”.

Statue of Peasant-Scientist Chen Yongkang, 1996. Bronze

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10. The Form of Old Man Shanyuan As the founder of the Art Foundation of the Netherlands, Bert Hermens is an artist with a great sense of humour. With the purpose of cultural exchange, he came to visit my studio of sculpture. Among the many figure sculptures, he was particularly interested in the statue of Hu Shanyuan (胡山源). He drew four circles with his finger — the body as a big circle, the head as a small circle and the eyes as two smaller circles — calling it “an interesting antique”. He said this sculpture reminded him of the humour in Honore Daumier’s works. My eyes brightened as I unexpectedly found a person who truly understood me. He was engaged in abstract painting and the colours of strong tempo and strokes in his works depicted that modern society. Hu Shanyuan was an old man of the East. He was an old writer who was active in the literary circle in China in the 1920s and 30s. I completed this statue in a light sense of history. However, this Western artist saw through all these, analyzed the form, and even said that he liked this work very much. Excited, I was somewhat surprised: The form of art is truly the common language of mankind! I remember when the first statue of Hu Shanyuan was completed, I was not satisfied with it, always feeling that there was something missing. Looking at his photo, this statue resembled Hu Shanyuan. However, it did not resemble him when I looked at his photo again. Though I had never seen old Shanyuan before, I read Research on Hu Shanyuan, a book compiled by Yang Yu (杨郁), several times. In the foreword written by Professor Tan Fengliang (谈凤梁), there was a part on Shanyuan writing a letter to correct the analysis by Mao Dun (茅盾) on the Chinese character “Qing” (青). The account perfectly depicted the candour and “childlikeness” of this old man. Many intellectuals of that generation had such a character. For example, my great-grand uncle once engaged in a war of words with Guo Moruo (郭沫若). Therefore, I was able to accept old man Shanyuan without hesitation. Making a tour in spirit in the simple, unadorned and smooth Melody of Welcoming Deities at Sanhua Temple, written by Hu Shanyuan, I could not help feeling emotional when I thought of him suffering injustice and humiliation while reflecting truthfulness, kindness and beauty. The spirit of his character seemed to be congruous to reefs at the seaside. Despite raging wind and waves, they were always full, rich and strong. He did not follow the tide, but stuck to his own conviction of life while adapting to different circumstances. A pair of round glasses and a round head, with the silhouette of a body

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characteristic of a scholar in the 1930s, constituted a geometric form in pleasing contrast. I made a statue of Hu Shanyuan once again. Hermens from the West had an eye for appreciation! He did not know Hu Shanyuan, but he knew Chinese culture and something about Chinese intellectuals. He was able to read Hu Shanyuan!

Statue of Hu Shanyuan, 1994. Bronze

The intellectual’s “stodgy”, “sour” way of expression is “obstinacy”! Unyielding with reason on his side, speaking the truth, “denouncing” and “deriding” occasionally, so as to display his noble character. The old man Shanyuan I sculpted is exactly like this.

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Statue of Xiao Xian, 1993. Bronze.

The old lady established herself with “Three Stones” — Ode to the Stone Door, Motto of the Stone Door and Cleft in the Stone Door. Her calligraphy was also filled with “stone flavour” — seemingly jagged and complex, it was actually structured and organized, full of energy, and possessed lasting appeal. “Man and art both aged”, the old lady of art displayed steadfastness in vicissitudes, tranquillity in majesty. I was most impressed with the couplet in old Xiao’s hall: When will the home in my dreams come? How many returned in spring from the river?

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11. Sculpting the Confident

and Deep Xiao Xian

One day in early spring in 1993, calligrapher Sang Zuokai (桑作楷) and I drove to visit Xiao Xian (萧娴), a century-old lady, at her residence by Xuanwu Lake. It was 9.30 in the morning when we reached her place. On seeing us, she smiled and asked us quite a few things. Entering her study, I saw a black-white photo on the wall, showing a scholarly person wearing a pair of round gold-rimmed glasses. Mr. Sang said that was her father Xiao Tieshan (萧铁珊), once a member of the Nanshe Society of the late Qing dynasty and early Republic of China. I once saw Xiao Tieshan’s calligraphy. It was characterized by primitive simplicity and delicateness. Listening to our comments, old Xiao seemed to be in high spirits. She then asked her family member to bring some paper. In a short while, Sang folded and laid out the paper. With one go, old Xiao wrote “A painting with clouds, mist and man”, and continued with “A large ship moves in a snowy night while an armoured war horse gallops in the autumn wind”. When giving a finishing touch to the character “Wind”, she really seemed to be summoning wind and rain. I closely observed her tightly sealed lips and her body leaning forward with her swaying hand holding the writingbrush. Looking at such movement, I could hardly believe that it was a 93-year-old lady writing calligraphy. The floor, the table and the chairs were all laid with Chinese characters with aroma of ink. Through the narrow path formed by the clutter of calligraphic works, the old lady walked leisurely to her small courtyard. This formed a sharp contrast with the energy of “mountain and sea” a while ago. March in southern Jiangsu province was still a very cold month. However, the old lady seemed to be completely unaware of it. Strolling slowly to the foot of the courtyard wall, she stretched her hand to touch a withered yellow branch. It turned out that there were young tender shoots on it. Then, she looked up at the sky with a smile. Following her gaze, I realized that there was a bird flying. What a childlike old lady! This was the perpetual pure affection of an artist for nature and life! I took a photo of her. In mid-June that year, a 45-centimetre tall draft clay head statue of Xiao Xian was completed at my home. For many days and nights, I had been kneading, moulding and pondering. An image full of “energy” and “interest” in my dream was solidified. Old writer Yu Lu (俞律), calligrapher

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Sang Zuokai and old Xiao’s daughter Fengzi (凤子) accompanied her to my house to see the sculpture. I lived on the first floor. When climbing the stairs, the old lady politely declined my wife’s offer of help. Step by step, she climbed the 36 steps of stairs briskly. Looking at her statue, the old lady laughed heartily! She said, “When I learned painting from Gao Jianfu (高剑父) in Guangzhou in my early years, I had moulded sculptures also. Could you give me some children’s modelling clay so that I can learn sculpture from you?” Her words made all of us laughed. On a table in my house, she wielded a big writing-brush on the spot and wrote, “I am self-confident and deep like the autumn.” She also inscribed, “My statue sculpted by young brother Weishan possesses likeness both in form and spirit. This inscription expresses my feeling towards art.” Not long after, I did send her a carefully crafted clay-sculpture. Till now, I still feel funny about my childlikeness.

Wu Weishan sculpting a portrait of Xiao Xian in 1993.

Face-to-face sculpting is often limited by details of parts and leads to the neglect of overall spirit, energy and bearing. Of course, face-to-face sculpting also facilitates the observation and demonstration of intricate expressions. Old Xiao’s vigour, simplicity, elegance and poise are all integrated with the forceful strokes and deep, moist ink. Old Xiao loves to write “Returning from Mount Huang”; Old Xiao often recites “I love green, green bamboos”.

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12. The Soul of Similarity

and Dissimilarity

People generally would think the making of portrait sculptures invariably requires feedback from the subjects’ kinsfolk in order to be settled. Moreover, when they evaluate whether a statue bears resemblance to the subject or not, they would tend to take “his son has seen it” or “his wife has seen it” as a standard for approval. In my opinion, such a standard can be applicable to the assessment of the portrait of an ordinary person, but it is not that simple when it comes to the evaluation of a statue of a historical figure. A historical figure is closely linked with the spirit of the era in which he lives. Usually, we can get a glimpse of that era from objects, works, calligraphy, paintings and poetry left behind. Meanwhile, we can also outline these historical figures in the process. No one has seen Qu Yuan (屈原), Li Bai and Sima Qian (司马迁), but everyone has vivid images in his mind. We have all seen the photos of Lu Xun. However, if one fails to capture the unyielding spirit of Lu Xun when moulding him, the sculpture would only achieve likeness in form but not in spirit, no matter how meticulously one has tried to depict him. When I was young, I particularly enjoyed reading the book How Iron and Steel are Produced, copying some aphorism in it as mottos. Last year, when I saw a statue of Nikolai Ostrovsky sculpted by Russian sculptor Kubasov, I even exclaimed in excitement, “Ostrovsky!” I was completed attracted to the spirit of that statue. Actually, it was impossible for me to see “Ostrovsky” in person; it was just that this image corresponded to How Iron and Steel Are Produced in my mind. It shows that a truly good sculpture mainly serves to let “strangers” have a deeper understanding after seeing it — the existence of a spirit. As a famous quote of Qi Baishi goes, “Too much similarity leads to flattery while dissimilarity deceives the world.” It dialectically expounds the difference between similarity and dissimilarity. Most of his paintings of grass and insects were based on those of Yun Nantian (恽南田). However, his paintings were absolutely free from constraints and possessed their own uniqueness. His stamps, with their own characteristics, were derived from seals of the Han dynasty, but the energy in them far exceeded that of the Han dynasty seals. In moulding a statue of Qi Baishi, my initial inspiration originated from one of his paintings — a little bird perched on a big rock — painted by ink with each stroke perfectly displayed. This rock resembled Baishi clad in a long robe. The relationship formed between the bird and the rock seemed to resemble the slightly lowered head of the old man. I

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again thought of the composition of palm plantations, grass and insects in Baishi’s paintings. Such a contrast between the big and the small, the unpolished and the refined, exactly demonstrates the aesthetic spirit of Baishi’s art. With this feeling, I sculpted Qi Baishi – 1. Not long after, I sculpted Qi Baishi – 2 in a style more freehanded. If compared to his photo, not a single aspect of the statue can be considered “accurate”. However, on the whole, Baishi seems to look like this. Some people commented: Qi Baishi “has been immortalized”. After seeing this statue, more Chinese painters said “This is Qi Baishi”. In fact, most of them have never seen Qi Baishi before. Perhaps, this is because the spirit has control over the form!

Qi Baishi Standing Alone in the Vast Universe, 2002. Bronze

By removing the dross and retaining the essence, omitting the unnecessary and keeping the simple, one can obtain the original state of being. The traces of ink left by the brushstrokes of Baishi are likened to the spirit transcending time and space and standing there alone!

13. A Minute Detail

I heard about Gu Jingzhou (顾景舟) when I was very young. It is a name associated with boccaro pots. This master has become legendary due to numerous myths. There are so many makers of boccaro pots, but why are only those made by him considered precious gems? It is indeed a mystery. In autumn 1994, I had a chance to meet him in a quiet and secluded small building in Xiashu town, and sculpted a portrait of him thereafter. This seemed to enable me to solve a mystery that lasted many years. He was already 80 years old then, reclusive in his own home and rarely went out, having a very low activity level. He addressed himself as “a man of hard life”. Indeed, his upper and lower lips were protruding and his eyes looked sharp, leaving traces of a “craftsman” who went through the storms of life. At that time, I had successively completed sculptures of more than 10 historical and cultural figures. Therefore, I brought him a pictorial of those works. The more he looked at them, the happier he became, as he was acquainted with quite a number of those figures, such as Qi Baishi and Xu Beihong. He talked about art and life from past to present, as well as famous painters of the present day. He said, “Quite a number of noted present-day artists are very passionate in their early years, taking a very serious attitude towards their painting. But once they become famous, they turn slipshod. Engaging in many social activities, they could no longer produce good works. As artists, we must not slacken. What makes an expert? An expert knows the bitter and sweet experiences in creation. The process of creation is arduous. Sometimes, not satisfied with a finished artwork, we would put it aside and do it again. In fact, we should not only put it aside for just a while, we should put it aside for a long while. The difference between art and nonart, height and depth, lie in minute details. As plastic artists, sometimes we should not let go of the slightest error.” Gu was very serious in his talk, unlike most scholars and theorists who talked fluently. In contrast, he conscientiously squeezed out one word after another. These were his experiences of a few decades. In his life of art spanning a few decades, his research on the art of calligraphy was unknown to all. What were displayed at his home were not pots, but paintings by former master artists such as Qi Baishi. Gu’s excellence lies in him not producing pots based on pots, and in shaping the soul based on the spirit of Chinese calligraphic art. Finally, the day came when I finally had the right feeling. Gu was also in good spirits. Facing him, I began my sculpting. At that time, some of

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Gu’s students and kinsfolk were present. Both he and I were engrossed in the process. More than two hours later, a boccaro statue of a boccaro art master was formed. Amidst the exclamations of “so vivid”, he was exhausted, so was I. Recalling it now, I feel that I was actually showing off my meagre skills in front of a master then. Later, one of the ears of this statue went missing when it was replicated by the workers. Fearing that I would reprimand them, the workers quietly filled it on their own, thinking that it would be fine if the whole mass was kept intact. In fact, I had discovered it at first sight. They had no idea that the change in each detail of the ears reflected life and conveyed the spirit. This was exactly what Gu meant by “minute detail”!

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14. Sculpting Wu Zuoren On 1 December 1994, I received an invitation from Wu Zuoren (吴作人) International Fine Arts Foundation to make a sculpture of Wu Zuoren. This came as a surprise to me, giving me a big shock as well as great stress. I went to Beijing in a state of hesitation. It turned out that the Foundation “discovered” me from a Taiwanese magazine ArtTrend. Secretary General Zhaokan encouraged me to take up the challenge, and arranged for me to meet Wu. The creation of Chinese traditional portraits requires “tacit understanding” — making silent observations through frequent contacts with the subject in a covert Wu Zuoren, 1995. Bronze manner. This always facilitates the understanding of the subject’s inner heart through his expression revealed unconsciously. Of course, I had such an idea when I met Mr. Wu. However, on seeing him, he was no longer the image of my imagination — a sojourner travelling on a long journey in the desert, accompanied by camel-bells. He lay in bed and talked laboriously. While talking, his hand gestures often dropped the moment they were lifted up. He recalled his works A Girl Carrying Water, set in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, and Goshawk, set in the clouds and mountains that stretch for thousands of miles. His eyes vaguely revealed a light sense of reminiscence. Zhaokan showed him a photo of Qi Baishi’s statue sculpted by me. He held it for a long while. Looking at it, tears streamed down his weather-beaten face. I knew that in his manuscripts, he recalled the instructions of Qi Baishi many times. I said, “ Your oil-paintings produced in the 1950s exerted a great influence on us.” He sighed with deep sentiments, “All is gone….” During that encounter, I failed to find, from his expressions, that fixed image for sculpting. Instead, I sensed the sincerity of an artist. Of course, his protruding forehead and the fullness of his bone structure left an extremely deep impression on me.

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Wu Zuoren and his statue.

Facing the bronze “Wu Zuoren”, 88-year-old Wu Zuoren smiles.

I tried to find the right sense from the 28 photos of him provided by his wife Professor Xiao Shufang (萧淑芳) and through reading selected articles of his which amounted to hundred thousand words. More than three months passed, I kneaded over 10 small statues, none to my satisfaction. By chance, I saw a very small photo of his while reading Encyclopaedia of China, the section of Art. That photo fully depicted his spirit. Unlike the elegance of Xiao Xian and the bearing of Fei Xiaotong that had characteristics of a scholar and a politician, his smile was one of an artist immersing in a boundless poetic environment — indulgent and oblivious to self. Such an elusive sense had a kind of uncertainty in form and structure, with indistinct concavity and convexity, reflecting bewilderment under the external light. His hair, endowed by nature, flapped in the wind. I sprang into action, with self-confidence unconsciously hung on my lip corners, just like that shown on his statue. I did not care, as I did in the beginning, about things after completion, such as vetting and evaluation by some “authorities”. I only felt that I was having a dialogue with Wu. 1 December 1995 happened to be Wu’s birthday. This 88-year-old master of fine arts seemed to possess some magical powers to be able to recover suddenly. Sitting in a wheelchair and facing his bronze statue, he directed all of us to sing a song….

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15. Sculptures of Cultural Notables

The Soul of Ink — Huang Binhong (黄宾虹) (partial view), 2006. Bronze

The rivers and mountains, formed by ink, possess literary veins in the state of vastness. Emulating Ni Yunlin (倪云林) and Huang Gongwang (黄公望) with unfettered enthusiasm.

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The Soul of Ink — Huang Binhong, 2006. Bronze.

“My teacher is none other than old Huangshan Mountain — the number one peak of ethereal lotus-flower”. Lin Sanzhi, disciple of Huang Binhong, once saw Huang Binhong writing this verse with deep emotions after completing a painting. In my field of vision, this soul of art, who immerses in great mountains and waters, is a lush peak beneath the rainbow after the rain.

Strengthening the Bones — Master Chinese Painter Pan Tianshou (潘天寿), 2006. Bronze

Wild goose flying amid flowers in the mountain — The vulture proudly stood — Veins, bones, iron, threads — A huge weight on liver moss — Great pattern brews before painting. If Zhu Da (朱耷) is still alive, he will highly commend: his structure is better than mine.

Wu Changshuo (吴昌硕), 2006. Bronze.

When I was young, I often copied stone-drum inscriptions by Wu Changshuo, gaining certain understanding of the beauty of words engraved on bronze and stones. The strength of character.... In stone drum inscriptions gains strength — there is a force of conserved vigour. In stone drum inscriptions gains beauty — there is a form of fullness and richness. Man creates art; art purifies man. The form and spirit after severe testing possess strength that exceeds firmness.

Feng Zikai (丰子恺) (partial view), 2006. Bronze

The disciple of Hongyi, Excelling in calligraphy and painting, Buddhism on earth. Literary men and women of the 1930s possessed a spirit of humanity that transcends material gains, poeticizing from the curling smoke of traditional festivities.

Hu Xiaoshi (胡小石), 2002. Bronze

Painter Ya Ming (亚明) once said, “There are three calligraphers in Jiangsu, namely, Shagong (沙公) , Ershi (二适) and Sanzhi (散之).” Shagong refers to Chinese studies master, philologist and calligrapher Hu Xiaoshi. Hu’s calligraphy style is rich, profound, broad and forceful, displaying denseness in luxuriant ambiguity. Deeply influenced by his teacher Li Ruiqing (李瑞清), he has a strong sense of “tabletness” and a noble spirit.

Yu Pingbo (俞平伯), 2005. Bronze

He wrote Qinhuai River with the Sound of Oars and Lights and Shadows with Zhu Ziqing (朱自清) . Inspiration comes from the flowing rhythm throughout all ages; with gentle breezes swinging the sleeves…. this is what is called “admirable literary talent”.

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Zhu Ziqing (朱自清), 2005. Bronze

Under the moonlight stands a brilliant scholar. The untainted spirit towers amid the fragrance of the lotus pond. He would rather die of starvation than to accept rations from the United States. What unyielding integrity!

Venerable Ming Shan (茗山), 2003. Bronze.

With a perceptive heart and deaf ears, he sits there silently, observing life. I often pay homage to eminent monk Reverend Ming Shan at Jiao Mountain, amid boisterous river and exuberant pines. There lies a Hidden Crane Inscription. The strength of a mountain lies not in its height. Sitting alone in the middle of the river, separated from the mundane world, it can only be reached by a boat, just like Sumeru.1 1 The

central world-mountain in Buddhist cosmology.

Chinese Crosstalk Master Ma Sanli (马三立), 2006. Bronze

He had been active in the arts circle since the 1940s. Kind, natural. Three establishments — virtues, works and words. I have wanted to sculpt Ma Sanli more than a decade ago. He is a natural sculpture! Glancing around and with a few body movements, he displays profound artistic appeal, bringing great amusement in a careless manner. Ma Sanli said, “The audience calls me an artist. I think artists should devote all the essence of life to art.”

The Realization of Life — Liang Suming (梁漱溟), 2006. Bronze.

A true thinker! The value of intellectuals lies in thinking, thinking for the nation and for mankind. The finest quality of intellectuals lies in sincerity and straightforwardness, standing firm and unyielding for learning and truth.

Zhang Lan (张澜), 2006. Bronze

A fighter of democracy. From backward feudalistic autocracy to the civilization of science and democracy, Zhang Lan has devoted his whole life to the cause.


Confucius, 2006.

The evaluation of one’s value often requires the retreat to a certain time and space. As we look back at history from a distance, we would naturally ask: What did he light up in the world? For Confucius, we can say: He has a far-reaching influence on the deep-seated beliefs and morals of a great nation.

The thought Originates from the heart Finds expression in form Pursuing the infinite with finite means The finite becomes infinite

Wu Weishan

O n C r e a t i n g Fr e e h a n d Sc u l p t u r e


Wu Weishan, in his recent letter to me, said he created a new term called “Freehand Sculpting”. I told him that was a good term. This is the true spirit of Chinese art and he is already putting it into practice. He has made sculptures of many cultural notables. Among them, the most successful ones are those made with his freehand style, such as statues of Qi Baishi, Lin Sanzhi and Feng Youlan. Excerpt from a letter by Xiong Bingming

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The development of sculptural art in modern and contemporary China actually

originates from two sources: the teaching of realistic depiction by older generation sculptors who returned from their studies in Europe and the United States in their early years, and the revolutionary realism style established in the course of all-rounded learning from the former Soviet Union. These two sources have continued their influence even till now. Against this background, Wu Weishan put up the concept of “Freehand Sculpting” at the Eighth Chinese Sculpture Forum held in Xiamen in 2002, and made a report My Views on the Characteristics and Styles of Chinese Sculptural Art — Expounding the Eight Major Types of Ancient Chinese Sculpture at the First Jincai Forum of Chinese Fine Arts in Chang’an. While analyzing the tradition of Chinese sculpture, he has further proved the essential role of freehand sculpture in the development of contemporary art. The “Freehand Sculpting” put up and practised by him is not merely an act of art creation, but also a cultural pattern that integrates the concept of traditional Chinese philosophy with aesthetics. It is also an act of carrying forward the spirit of Chinese culture through innovative forms of art.

Man and Nature Becoming an Integral Whole — Lao Zi, 2005. Bronze 18m high. At Bochi Mountain in Huai’an, Jiangsu Province.

“Nothingness” is the image of the universe, the great realm. It discards the old and takes in the new, and is all-embracing. The wise attaining the state of nothingness can thus connect spiritually to the infinite…. Following the flow of clay, the hands are not aware of the movement. The heart is seeking “evolution with other beings and attaining broadmindedness”.

On Creating Freehand Sculpture

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The Supreme Good Resembles Water — Lao Zi, 2006. Bronze

A murmuring stream flows gently through the mountain, spirited as the surging spring, neverending. Unlike Confucius, Lao Zi is oblivious to both matter and image….

Lao Zi Coming Out from Retreat, 2006. Bronze

Remotely, The purple aura drifts from the east, The old immortal wafts, Hoof marks of green ox Vanish in a moment. In a trance, I sculpt the form as a record. ….

Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇), 2006. Bronze

Qin Shi Huang left behind the Great Wall, The terracotta army, And also the thought of “unification”. Sculpting Emperor Qin based on the majestic and elaborate design of his mausoleum is the solidification of history! Strong winds scatter fleeting clouds, Taking great strides, advancing forward. Lofty and towering — the soul of mountain.

1. The Theory of Freehand

Sculpting (Excerpt)

What is sculpture? In The Poetry of Sculpture, I expound as follows: Carving is the process of making complicated things simple. It is subtraction, leaving behind muscles, bones and the soul only. Moulding is the process of addition, adding the part which originally belongs to the sculpture. Sculpting is a process of deliberation. No matter how long the process takes, it is still smooth and flowing, or presents itself in a natural and unadorned manner. Since ancient China, Chinese sculpture has existed in two most notable forms: indoor Buddha sculptures, and outdoor stone sculptures of human figures and animals in front of mausoleum paths. The former mostly conforms to standards as it is strictly restricted by methods of sculpting and religious fervour, unlike the latter which is transcendent, bold and freespirited. Perhaps, due to them being placed outdoors, many ancient tomb sculptures would lose the power of competing with nature for space if they were depicted too realistically. Therefore, lots of these tomb sculptures were always kept in a certain natural state. With a little touch-up, they would appear vivid and imposing. Such a style reached its prime in the Han dynasty, and unfortunately, started to go downhill since then too. In modern and contemporary times, with the introduction of Western sculptural tradition, Chinese sculpture inclines to Western realism in style and practice. There is an increasing tendency to take modern and contemporary Western art as reference. Therefore, the freehand spirit originally in our traditional culture has not been properly inherited and carried forward. “Freehand” — possessing the free spirit first, followed by expressing it. As a scope of concept, the “spirit” has different meanings in fields such as philosophy, literature and art. The “spirit” in sculpture and even in the entire plastic arts are clearly different from those in other forms of art. The most important thing is that the “spirit” in the plastic arts is associated with “image”, or more specifically, “imagery”. The element of the “spirit” makes sculpture closer to the ideal; the component of “image” connects sculpture with reality. The expression of such “imagery” is characterized by “form” or “type”. It is produced instantly after the creator combines various elements. Full of emotions, it transcends reality. It is the creator’s affirmation for the “imagery” emerging from the inner heart.


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“Freehand” lies between realistic depiction and abstractness. It will neither generate the simplicity of an all-encompassing glance nor will it give one an awesome profundity. With a seemingly familiar psychological effect, it guides people to experience and feel the “significance” embodied in its entirety, and in each part and detail of the artwork. Wisdom gives rise to form; a freehand style solidifies instant perception and the passion of life. The rapid speed of freehand sculpting determines that it is not artificial, nor is it “carefully considered”, thus making it closer to the essence. When the essence of things corresponds to the height of the artist’s spirit, the artist would naturally abandon details of idea presentation in the course of creation. He will capture and highlight those features that make objects in agreement with him as the perceiver to express emotions and interests. This makes the work more symbolic while merging itself with feelings and concepts, thus reinforcing its perpetuation in space and time. Therefore, the characteristic of freehand sculpting lies in enabling the spirit between man and matter transcends solidification and materialization to possess an enormous appeal. Freehand sculpting has three features. The first is an exaggerated imagery of the form. The second is a textural imagery of the body’s indistinct undulation. The third is an imagery of the figure’s instant expression. Western freehand style focuses on the outward form of the model. Western sculptors mould a spiritual entity through repeated tempering of rationality, just like Westerners who build churches use their will and belief to construct buildings that lead to the heavenly kingdom. Therefore, to a large extent, Western freehand style moulds the body based on “metaphysics”. It detaches itself from or deconstructs the subject, and reorganizes a subjective work of imagery. It is close to abstractness both in form and concept. The works of Picasso and Brancusi attest to it. It is not the case with Chinese freehand sculpting, which emphasizes the original form of life. The theory of Chinese freehand sculpting is marked by “subjective expression of objective matters”. Attention is paid to the sculptor’s perception of the subject in life and transmits it in sculpture. A sculpture tends to be produced at a fast speed, with its outward appearance looking dispersed — a phenomenon different from being “geometricized”. On the other hand, more importance is attached to conveying the “spirit” freely, demonstrated in the instant grasp of facial expressions and idealizing, exaggerating and poeticizing them. This is particularly evident in folk claysculpture and Han dynasty figurines. Though Chinese freehand sculpting is not the sculptor’s direct depiction in front of the subject, it demonstrates the sculptor’s observation and passion for life. Therefore, techniques of moulding the outward form reveal the sculptor’s profound thoughts and feelings, natural skin texture and distortion in sub-consciousness, albeit traces

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Gu Kaizhi, 2006. Bronze

The statue of Gu Kaizhi of the Six Dynasties, reputed as peerless in painting, calligraphy and obsession — gloomy, unrestrained bearing with rich, abundant spiritual state! The undulating sleeves, likened to the sculptural language that has the texture of ink, contain the beauty of natural landscape. Just like what Gu Kaizhi said, “The splendour of a thousand crags, the flow of a myriad of torrents. Indistinctively, trees and grass seem to grow above them like colourful and resplendent clouds. In the sculpture, the sleeves face downwards, Parts of the body form an abstract being. Just like: The majesty of crags, The mightiness of Jin dynasty style.

of the subject being deconstructed subjectively in the outward form cannot be detected. Qi Baishi gave a clearer definition, “Too much similarity leads to ostentation while dissimilarity deceives the world.” This also demonstrates the “doctrine of the mean”. There is a tendency in the current circle of Chinese sculptural art — taking Western trend as reference. Works that gain international recognition tend to be those of political pop art. Their forms have become widespread “internationalization”. Failing to reflect the situation in China, they have not gained recognition in China either. These are only works by Westerners who, from their perspectives and views, choose those typical examples that cater to them culturally. Such a tendency is as abhorrent as the use of political topics during the Cultural Revolution to demonstrate themes, with no emphasis on the inner patterns of art. Many artists lost their directions in such a trend, failing to have a clear idea of tradition and modernization, eventually becoming “advocates of trend”. These advocates were active and full of new ideas, but would invariably come to nought after a period of time. We appeal to see new shoots budding from the root. From now to the future, the room for the development of sculpture is getting bigger and bigger. It is advancing into the world. People have to accept this. It reflects the times and calls for the times. The freehand style represents an art concept of the Chinese nation. It is a technique of Chinese art, an aesthetics system entirely different from that of the West. The freehand style does not serve to present itself in a narrow sense, nor does it pursue superficial quiver, poetic mood and distortion. It seeks to integrate, be imbued with, and promote a spirit. Only with a spirit can a work possess structure, soul and inner “energy”, as well as a form of art that is clear and profound.

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Wang Xianzhi, 2006. Bronze

Ink traces, meaningful and graceful, Inspire The aesthetics of an era. The “Two Wangs”1 in my dreams Are glittering in the lights In Qinhuai River. Tall and refined Exceeding simplicity. 1 The

two master calligraphers in ancient China are Wang Xizhi and his son, Wang Xianzhi.


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2. My Views on the Characteristics and

Styles of Chinese Sculptural Art

Expounding the Eight Major Types of Ancient Chinese Sculpture

The reason why I wish to talk about the artistic characteristics and styles of traditional Chinese sculpture is that the introduction of Western sculpture in modern and contemporary times has led to a deviation and confusion of the values and standards of sculpture. Traditional Chinese sculpture that is originally outstanding has been rejected by mainstream standards in the local arena. These mainstream standards comprise large-scale official exhibitions, important academic exhibitions, major teaching at art institutes and the evaluation system of art. Painting, also influenced by the West, has a fate different from that of sculpture, as it is strictly classified into Western painting and Chinese painting. Furthermore, there are separate standards of evaluation on painting, enabling Western painting and Chinese painting to develop independently. In fact, the relationship between Chinese sculpture and Western sculpture is akin to that between Chinese painting and Western painting. Chinese sculpture should also develop its own patterns. However, in the last 100 years, with the gradual decline of sculpting “Bodhisattvas” and the rise of sculpting “human figures”, there is increasing emphasis on the function of realistic depiction, and the value of Western techniques is raised. Moreover, due to prevailing dominance of revolutionary realism of the former Soviet Union in the late 1950s, the creation of new fetishes during the Cultural Revolution, the craze of Western modernism in the 1980s and post-modernism since the 1990s, traditional Chinese sculpture has been in a marginal, folk-based and non-orthodox state, and has even been censured as feudal and backward remains. Surveying the development of Chinese sculpture, one can see that spiritually, it is influenced by politics, religion and philosophy; in design, it is influenced by painting. Chinese sculpture also reveals its ways, wisdom and beauty in the fields of imagery, abstractness, freehandedness and realistic depiction, possessing an independent system and unique value entirely different from Western tradition. We cannot be contented with sculptures that only exist in museums, grottoes and along tomb paths, but rather, we should bring about the extraordinary foundation, outstanding will and transcendent realm that impact the present and the future. This not only

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serves to carry forward national tradition and preserve the unique Chinese spirit, but also promotes multi-development of the cultural ecology of mankind. For several years, I have integrated my intuitive feeling and rational analysis of Chinese sculpture with personal practice in art creation, and have summarized eight major characteristics and styles of Chinese sculpture. I have applied exposition of the styles to reflection on the ways of thinking and ways of expression in Chinese sculpture. Traditional Chinese sculpture is roughly divided into eight major styles: the style of primitive, simple and unpolished imagery, the style of strange abstractness of the Shang dynasty, the style of decorative and realistic depiction in Qin figurines, the style of firm and vigorous freehandedness of the Han dynasty, the style of ideal modelling in Buddhism, the style of realistic depiction of customs of the Song dynasty, the style of form exaggeration in imperial mausoleums, and the style of expression of simplicity among the people. Here, I would like to expound these styles one by one.

I. Primitive, simple and unpolished imagery The style of primitive imagery is the divergent expression of a natural state of the life of primitive people. It is the expression of intuitive feelings. Through distinctive, exaggerated expression, as well as the creation of external features, it directly conveys the spirit. The emergence of primitive imagery style is based on a confused psychological state of primitive Stone Head Sculpture, Neolithic era people who did not make a clear distinction (Cishan Culture). Handan Museum. between the subject and the object. The external features of a sculpture are classified according to basic forms. The sculpting of eyes can be presented as two protruding balls, or concavely carved lines, or dented holes. Here, pantheism and spatial fear evolve into childish, unpolished, simple and wild techniques of sculpting. This imagery reflects the ambiguous intuition of primitive people towards things. In terms of sculpting, it is featured by condensing the subject into a simple and irregular geometric form, which forms the basis for freehandedness


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and abstractness popular in later generations. Xie Zhenyun (谢榛云) said, “Unpolished work is an integral whole which does not require skilled crafting.” (Siming Poetry Talks《四溟诗话》) From this, Chinese sculpture enters the path of unpolished work with skilled craftsmanship, choosing unpolished work over skilled craftsmanship, revealing skilled craftsmanship in unpolished work and eventually moves from skilled craftsmanship to unpolished work.

II. Strange abstractness of the Shang dynasty “Though without unique forms, it possesses a majestic bearing that is unrivalled, making it a matchless work.” (Xie He, The Record of the Classification of Old Painters《古画品录》) Corresponding to the style of primitive imagery is the style of abstractness that first gained prevalence during the Shang dynasty. Oriental abstractness contains touches of mysticism; it is the combination of all living beings and abstract instinct. Its mysticism is full of totemic significance. Its abstractness is based on the concept of perceiving complicated Bronze Human Mask of Sanxingdui, late Shang dynasty. things as simple ones. The features 60 cm high x 40.5 cm wide. Sichuan Provincial Research Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology. of bronze sculptures discovered at Sanxingdui2 epitomize the style of strange abstractness. It is different from the composition of modernism abstractness that simplifies combination based on the principles of beauty and expresses aesthetics ideals implicitly. Akin to the formation of Chinese characters, it has pictographs, associative compounds, pictophonetic characters, astronomical phenomena, veins of the earth and unknown nihility. Therefore, lines, surfaces and bodies such as arc, curve, straight line, circle and square generalize perceptions of wind, rain, thunder, lightning,

2 An

ancient Chinese city where archaeologists discovered remarkable artefacts dated circa 12th –11th centuries BCE.

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yin and yang, the front and back, and include many obscure secret codes. However, from cloud patterns, bird-head patterns and upside down Taotie (a mythical ferocious animal), one can easily see the original form of the formation of abstract style. Just as Sikong Tu (司空图) said, “In harmony with the great Tao in all aspects; subtle, but essentially of the same nature. Obtaining likeness by departing from the form, so as to achieve resemblance with the person.” (24 Characteristics of Poetry《二十四诗品》)

III. Decorative and realistic depiction in Qin figurines “The style of grandeur and the style of simplicity are likened to fine food and coarse food. Upon seeing, the latter is preferred over the former. This is exactly one’s sentiments.” (Zhou Mi (周密), Graceful Talks at the Hall of Nobility 《浩然斋雅谈》) The style of realistic depiction in Qin figurines is of decorative taste. Compared to Shang abstractness, it is closer to the emotions of life and

Horseback.

Head sculpture of General Qin terracotta warriors in Qin Shi Huang’s mausoleum.


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features of natural forms. Its way of sculpting is based on arranging, deliberating and generalizing the structure of objective forms, and then proceeds to organic geometric forms and finally to the completion of overall sculpting through the composition of line, surface and body. Sculpting many human figures through the unification of decorative techniques makes the entire whole even more spectacular. In Qin figurines, the crafting of some parts and portrayal of their backs were done with extreme care, demonstrating multi-dimensional space. Even the soles of kneeling arrow-shooters were depicted in great detail. Qin figurines have a strong monumental nature; the structure of geometric body and the generalization of the whole enhance its spatial sense, except that such a powerful “military formation” was buried underground. Decorative and realistic depiction in Qin figurines has provided us with the possibility of looking for the form in the structure of realistic material body. It is a Chinese-styled realistic depiction, which is different from Western realism. Such “realistic depiction” shows the inclination of Asians who are adept in making the form planar.

IV. Firm and vigorous freehandedness of the Han dynasty

Stone-carved Leaping Horse. Huo Qubing’s tomb of Western Han dynasty.

150 cm high x 240 cm long. Now at Huo Qubing’s tomb in Xingping City, Shaanxi Province.

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“Great force projects outward while true spirit fills the interior. To return to nothingness is going back to simplicity. To accumulate strength is building up v i g o u r. E m b r a c i n g a l l beings, it stretches across the boundless universe, like a cloud drifting aimlessly or a wind blowing from afar. It transcends images and appearances to obtain the essence. Holding fast to it without constraint, it flows endlessly.” (Sikong Tu, 24 Characteristics of Poetry — Firmness and Vigour) I believe that the style of imagery of the Han dynasty

is the most intense and the most distinctive art language of Chinese sculpture. It is another value system that can stand at variance to the Western system of realistic depiction. In terms of form and function, freehand sculptures of the Han dynasty can be divided into two categories. The first is the monumental type with stone carvings in front of Huo Qubing’s (霍去病) tomb as the representative. The second is funerary figurines. The stone carvings of Huo’s tomb were not only a masterpiece of Chu and Han dynasty romanticism, but also the representative of Chinese outdoor monuments. Its value lies in two aspects. Firstly, it makes use of Leaping Horse and Han Horsemen Conquering the Huns to eulogize the outstanding military exploits of heroes. Compared to Western sculpture which directly features the master riding the horse or just the full portrait of the master, these contain more poetic imagination. It is the “metonymy” in Chinese monuments. Secondly, using original rock and original form as the body, it initiates a creation method of generating a concept by looking at the rock and carving based on the material available. The philosophic foundation of such a method is the thought of “man and nature becoming an integral whole”. On one hand, it respects the “nurturing” of the rock by nature and time. On the other hand, it integrates human creation. Compared to Western sculpture represented by Greek sculpture, emphasis on the “spirit” by Chinese people in ways of art expression is more apparent. Westerners carve stones based on physical reality, making them realistic. They also express the quantity and force of the form through depiction of physiology. Chinese sculpture makes direct use of the original rock, utilizing the force of nature consciously and unconsciously. For outdoor monumental sculptures, this is undoubtedly the most suitable art expression. Let us take a look at the stone carvings in front of Huo Qubing’s tomb built in the Han Dynasty: 1) “Observing the original rock” — examining the shape and size of the rock first to determine what it looks like; 2) “Integrating the rock with self ” — integration of the subject and the sculptor; 3) “Oneness in form and spirit”— stripping body, surface and line from the roughly-carved rock, so as to merge the material, the image and the sculptor into an integral whole. I once wrote in my Theory of Freehand Sculpting : Since ancient China, Chinese sculpture has existed in two most notable forms: indoor Buddhist sculptures; outdoor stone human figures and animals in front of mausoleum paths. The former mostly conforms to standards as it is strictly restricted by methods of sculpting and religious fervour, unlike the latter which is transcendent, bold and free-spirited. Perhaps, due to them being placed outdoors, many ancient tomb sculptures would lose the power of competing with nature for space if they were depicted too realistically. Therefore, lots of these tomb sculptures were always kept in a certain natural state. With a little touch-up, they would appear vivid and imposing. Such a style reached


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its prime in the Han dynasty, and unfortunately, started to go downhill since then too. In contemporary and modern times, with the introduction of Western sculptural tradition, Chinese sculpture inclines to Western realism in style and practice. There is an increasing tendency to take contemporary and modern Western art as reference. Therefore, the freehand spirit originally in our traditional culture has not been properly inherited and carried forward. Corresponding to stone sculptures in front of mausoleums are funerary figurines. Made of ceramics and clay, these figurines must first be conceived in the mind of the sculptor. Warm affections and hardships in real life, farming, fishing, livestock husbandry, labour and rest, were all buried underground together with the deceased master. Handicrafts and works produced by moulds have determined that the sculptor must convey the spirit using the simplest method. Flatness of form, exaggeration of postures, and succinctness and ambiguity of the face constitute independent aesthetic values of these figurines. Such individual modelling should also be subject to the plot and narration of the whole, as those accompanying the deceased master were a “social group” made up of funerary figurines. Therefore, an important characteristic of Han funerary figurines is that each figurine has an expression or dynamic movement that aims to communicate with the outside world, a “field” that interacts with other people. Very often, when seeing unearthed figurines, we would feel that we are coming out from the background of a certain group. Han figurines, though made for funerary purposes, reflect the craftsmen’s perception of paradise. It is undeniable that sculpture is the projection of reality, but its great power of impact lies exactly in the wild imagination of the Chinese nation. The instant in a spirit, the grasp of details and the reality of life are all imbued with strong, bold and vigorous appeal.

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V. Ideal modelling in Buddhism “The merits of Buddhism are difficult to express in words. They are not easily understood without the use of analogies. The Buddhist realm is grand and resplendent, just like lights shining at one another, manifesting its solemnity.” (Fa Zang (法藏), Section One of Avatamsaka Sutra — Exploring Mysticism《华严经探玄记》第一) The style of ideal modelling in Buddhism possesses stark difference with Han freehand style. Solemnity and benevolence are the spiritual basis of this modelling that transcends reality. Its outward appearance turns into a form which combines strict laws and an ideal state, imbued with benevolent lights of mass deliverance. Looking from the form, if sculptures of the Han dynasty emphasize the “body”, then Buddhist art has developed elements in the central line of Chinese sculptural art. This is mainly due to the involvement of painters in creating and producing model Buddha statues. During the Eastern Jin dynasty, the Western Jin dynasty as well as the Southern and Northern dynasties, there was an assembly of Buddhist grotto-painters, resulting in a nice integration between standards of model Buddha portrait paintings in Xinjiang and parts of Central Asia with aesthetics of the Han people. Painters such as Wei Xie (卫协) , Gu Kaizhi and Zhang Sengyao (张僧繇) were involved in painting the Buddha. In Theories on Painting, Gu Kaizhi of Eastern Jin dynasty commented that “Seven Buddhas” painted by Wei Xie appeared majestic and vivid. The paintings by Zhang Mo (张墨), student of Wei Xie, were characterized by “vivid spirit and bearing”. Lu Tanwei (陆探微) created the style of “Refined and Graceful Portraits” and his subjects “impress people with a sense of awe as if they are before deities”. Zhang Sengyao created a form of “short but beautiful countenance”. Cao Zhongda (曹仲达) established the technique of “tightly bound clothes”. Lu Sui (陆绥), son of Lu Tanwei, has a style Buddha statue of Northern Wei dynasty in West Shrine, characterized by “rhythmic movement and novelty First Grotto Centre, Gong at each point and stroke”. County Grottoes.


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Cao Zhongda’s Buddha portraits, featured by tightly bound clothes, were derived from Gupta sculptures of Buddha in India, and were regarded as models and standards for moulding Buddha sculptures in the later generations. Zhang Sengyao’s style of “dispersed form”, characterized by unrestrained brushstrokes and emphasis on the meaning, became prevalent after the prime of the Tang dynasty. Yang Zihua (杨子华)’s style, marked by slender and beautiful figures with sleeves slightly flicking and implicit expression, had its influence in the period from the Sui dynasty to the early Tang dynasty. Painters who had accomplishments in using “line” in their paintings, such as Wu Daozi (吴道子) and Zhou Fang (周ዉ), also exerted an influence on Buddha statues. Spread eastward from India, Buddhism presented itself in the form of a trinity comprising Buddha statues, Buddhist laws and Buddhist monks. “Making Buddha statues to preach Buddhism” was the most fundamental means of spreading Buddhism. Dai Kui (戴逵) and his son Dai Yong (戴傻), both sculptors and painters of Eastern Jin dynasty, had their “Dai’s System of Making Statues” made public and passed down to future generations. Apparently, with regards to their application of and enhancement to the central line of sculpture, as well as the relationship between and handling of the line, carving, moulding and the body, the contributions of painters are self-evident. Generally, the line has three kinds of functions: firstly, to express the outline; secondly, to express the volume; thirdly, to express the spirit. The “line” in Buddha sculptures serves to produce spiritual appeal. Elegant, carefree, smooth, round, moistened and tranquil, the line flows and extends along with the round and thick body. As Buddhist art was influenced by Greece, the history of such a line can be traced back to Greece. However, the difference is that the form and design of Buddha sculptures, as compared to Greek sculptures, has a greater sense of form that is distant from the physiology structure. The ideal mode of making Buddha sculptures also involves the correct depiction of the face, merciful look, palmistry as well as overall “great unrestrainedness” conveyed thereof. Due to space constraint, I can only briefly expound on the “line”. The “line” in Buddhism and the entire Chinese aesthetics lies in smoothness: “Tremendous energy produces vastness while a harmonious spirit brings about smoothness”, “Neither rich nor plump, neither incisive nor meaningful.” (24 Characteristics of Poetry)

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VI. Realistic depiction of the customs of the Song dynasty “The natural state of being is the highest form of genuineness, without which man will not be moved.” “The true character is endowed by nature. Nature can never be changed, so sages model themselves after the precious genuineness of nature and are not bound by social norms.” (Zhuangzi) During the Song dynasty, Buddha sculptures were distinctively changed into secular themes with a style of realistic depiction. At Dazu Grottoes, carved during the reign of Shaoxing in the Southern Song dynasty, there Tending Cows, carving of Southern Song are eight Bodhisattvas statues in dynasty, 125 cm high. The 30th cliff at Sichuan the 136th grotto cave and several Dazu Grotto Hill. statues of the Goddess of Mercy in the 129th grotto cave. As for the statue eulogizing the kindness and grace of parents erected on Baoding mountain, the statue of a maid in the Goddess Hall of Jin temple in Shanxi province, and statues of arhats in Zijin nunnery in Wuxian county of Jiangsu province, apart from secular realistic depiction of their appearance, features of their corresponding mental activities, such as body postures, hand gestures, grasp and portrayal of instant facial expression, are closer to real persons in real life. Some of the arhats were sculpted into wise and exceptionally talented intellectuals. Very often, portrayal of details such as instruments and garment designs bears striking resemblance, and the vividness of texture is amazing. In sum, the characteristics of this style of realistic depiction of the Song dynasty can be generalized as follows: secular themes, life-like images, human affections, vivid techniques, opposition of content and form to religious doctrines, thus forming a painting that depicts life. Wang Heng (王衡) revealed its aim, “Without pompous and ostentatious words, retaining simplicity and sincerity; carrying the force of a flying arrow, returning to the primeval forms.”


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VII. Form exaggeration in imperial mausoleums Large stone sculptures at imperial mausoleums first appeared in the Han dynasty. Works of the Southern dynasties represent the highest achievement of imperial mausoleum stone sculptures. Their style of form exaggeration lies between figurines and Han freehand stone sculptures. Bixie 3 in the Southern dynasties has a strange sense of abstractness. Together with primitive totem and Chu and Han dynasties romanticism, they belong to the same system of modelling. Through comparative elements, Kirin sculpture at the mausoleum of Emperor Qijing they produce visual enormity, of Southern dynasties, 290 cm long x 242 cm dignity, thickness, solidness of high. Now at Huqiao village of Danyang county, mass, as well as the tension of Jiangsu province. constantly conserved impact. In the history of Chinese sculpture, Bixie has made great contributions to modelling. Its difference from the tombstone sculptures of the Han dynasty is that the entire sculpture went through organic integration of moulding, carving, line, body, arc surface, round surface, curved surface and plane surface, displaying great craftsmanship. Though the sense of craftsmanship is strong, it possesses spectacular appeal of vividness. In order to protect the imperial mausoleum, deified human figures and beasts tower imposingly. Their mass and spirit are supposed to subdue a vast space and a long span of time. “Exaggeration” is an inevitable choice, while the form also coexists with “faithfully fulfilling one’s duty”. An analysis of existing stone sculptures at all imperial mausoleums and tombs of meritorious generals and royal relatives in Southern dynasties, Song dynasty, Qi dynasty, Liang dynasty, Chen dynasty, Tang dynasty, Northern Song dynasty, Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty indicates that the content of stone sculptures had been set since the Qian mausoleum of the Tang dynasty to the Northern Song dynasty. Human figures were modelled after pillars, each with a square body, a round surface and bold lines. Their facial expressions resemble the

3 An

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object (usually in the form of beasts) used in ancient China to ward off evil spirits.


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Four Heavenly Kings of Buddhism, awe-inspiring and terrifying. In front of the mausoleum, the style of form exaggeration transcends the image of matter, and is the huge model that connects heaven and earth. It is the extension and symbol of the influence of the Han dynasty and Tang dynasty. On painters, Wang Fuzhi (王夫之) commented, “A close distance possesses the bearing of a great distance.” I believe the style of form exaggeration in imperial mausoleums can also be described in this way. Just like what Du Fu said in his poem, On the Landscape Paintings by Wang Zai（《戏题王宰画山水图歌》）, “Possessing unparalleled skills in the composition of immeasurable distances, producing an aesthetic appeal that conveys great distances through limited space.”

VIII. Expression of simplicity among the people “Man possesses seven kinds of emotions — happiness, anger, sorrow, fear, love, hatred and desire. These emotions are stirred by external things. Once stirred, they can be expressed through singing, which is not done in an unnatural way.” Wen Xin Diao Long, Liu Xie (刘勰). This is a kind of joyful and aesthetic delight while labouring. Greater freedom only serves to express the soul. Collective non-consciousness of our nation and the brilliance of wisdom mindlessly emitted are found here — intuitive, candid, ideographic, lyric, imaginary, realistic and unusual. Just like the folk songs of ancient times, it is expressed through singing. The spiritedness, unadorned style and simplicity of form in the course of modelling sugar figurines, dough figurines, clay figurines and wooden sculptures across the country can trigger off aesthetic inspiration in the innermost part of the soul. This is the true and basic perception of beauty by our own nation. Art creation can be imbued with life only by seeking and discovering the creative power and vigour of a nation in the primitive self-driven power. Expressiveness of folk art is an eulogy for positive significance of life, and a creation is a viewpoint of

Fisherman, bamboo sculpture. 21 cm high. Hunan Provincial Museum.


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beautiful longing, self-recreation and self-enjoyment. This is entirely different from “venting” that is characteristic of Western modern expressionism. Therefore, simple folk expression is the ecological development and nonutilitarian labour of art. Its present-day significance lies in techniques and forms, and more so in the viewpoint of art creation. Art created with such a viewpoint is characterized by rich themes, pure emotions, unrestrained techniques and vivid modelling. Through a brief analysis of the characteristics and styles of eight major types of Chinese sculpture, we can conclude that the spiritual feature of Chinese sculpture is the unification of the spirit, charm and energy. The spirit, as it is termed, should include three aspects: firstly, the essence of the subject’s inner spirit; secondly, the spirit of the sculptor, his mental activities and concentration in the course of creation; thirdly, the realm attained by the sculpture. The so-called inner spirit of the subject generally refers to the spirit conveyed through the eyes. In sculpture, more emphasis is placed on the instant expression, posture and movement. While trying to capture the spirit at the instant moment, the sculptor must be absorbed in getting into the state where subjectivity and objectivity are in union. Chinese ballad-singing figurines of the Han dynasty reflect the sculptor’s ability of thinking and capturing at the instant. Only in this way can spirited works be created. Charm is expressed through lines. Chinese lines are not the physical nature of the subject. They are endowed with poetic flavour, immortality and great transcendence. They possess the elemental symbols of Taoism — characteristics of water, which include moving along with matter, feeling comfortable, appearing covert and overt as well as free-spirited; they also possess the elemental symbols of Buddhist wisdom — characteristics of wind, which include the state that is unbounded by space and time, curling and uncurling freely, as well as comprehending by analogies; moreover, they are imbued with the spirit of Confucian neutrality, virility and uprightness — the materialization of spirit and charm produces “energy”. With presence felt everywhere, “energy” is the culture and phenomena of the universe. It is free, natural, broad, serene and ethereal. The existence of such a field of energy, which includes energy of antiquity, scholarly qualities, enormity, mountains and forests, and boundless universe, has endowed Chinese sculpture with an artistic appeal — radiating emotions, overwhelming display of strength, heart-stirring qualities, invisible volume, materials and techniques, illusionary, elusive and irresistible. It gathers, scatters, enshrouds, rises, falls, retracts and extends, filling the vast universe. This energy is a spiritual realm which transcends form and matter. The visual characteristic of Chinese sculpture is the integration of line and body. The “body” of Chinese sculpture is different from the Western body, which is a spatial body based on physiology and physics. The Western body possesses quantity, quality

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and form, and stresses the force produced thereof. The body of Chinese sculpture metaphysically emphasizes psychology, rationality and emotions. It is the body of spirit, truth and soul. Its emergence serves to prove the natural state of self-existence. It resembles Confucian unit of elemental symbol — the earth, which is profound, unsophisticated, dense, serene, neutral, broad and pure. In the modern history of Chinese sculpture, Xiong Bingming is a master well versed in Chinese sculptural art. He started to engage in sculpture with a metaphysical view. In the comparison between Western philosophy and Eastern philosophy, as well as between Western modelling and Eastern modelling, he found the form, based on Chinese land and mountain, which symbolizes the spirit of the Chinese people. He also found the line, imbued with the spirit of Chinese culture, with calligraphy as its core. The essence of nature, the energy of heaven and man, the appeal of painting, the soul of calligraphy and poetry, integrate to bring about the spirit, will, character and style of traditional Chinese sculpture. Mankind is developing. Chinese sculptural art will experience constant changes in its style in the future. However, its progression will never detach from its roots.


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Old Peasant of Wannan, 2000. Bronze

In the deep autumn of Wannan, The fields presented lushes of golden yellow, An old peasant carrying firewood approached in a staggering manner, With a head likened to a rocky cliff, And a joyful expression. I sculpted him directly with gypsum, After completion the old peasant was even more joyful. The first time in a lifetime! Modelling directly with gypsum enables me to mould, carve, add and remove, savour the cuttings of stone sculpture, and also to experience the operation of clay sculpture. This is a method highly recommended by Xiong Bingming. The change in method causes me to ruminate on the language of creation.

3. Sculpting the Spirit of the Times

The Six Dynasties, with Qin dynasty and Han dynasty as its predecessors, and Sui dynasty and Tang dynasty as its successors, is an era of self-liberation. People at that time advocated naturalness and inaction, such as Bao Jingyan (鲍敬言)’s “Non-monarchy” and Fan Zhen’s (范缜) “Elimination of Deities”. The “Mien of the Wei dynasty and Jin dynasty” exactly reflected the freespirited image of literati, as well as their spiritual state which was marked by spirited discussion on abstruse theories, transcendence and selfcontentment. The Six Dynasties is a great romantic era. Wang Bi (王弼)’s “Forgetting the words after grasping the meaning” and “Forgetting the image after grasping the meaning”, Gu Kaizhi’s theory of conveying the spirit, and Xie He’s “Six Principles of Chinese Painting” all emphasized the “spirit”. As a result, painting, calligraphy, arts and crafts, as well as sculpture, achieved great attainments during the Six Dynasties. Majestic stone sculptures towering in Nanjing are exactly the symbolic spirit of this era. In present-day China which is developing rapidly, they have been given a new meaning. First, the spirit of the times, characterized by academic freedom and technological advancement, embodied in these majestic, natural, free-spirited and unconventional sculptures, moves all people of modern times. Second, oriental charm which permeates plastic arts gives people a visual impact. It is a great deterrence against commercial sculptures which are superficial and realistic. Those stone beasts making proud strides are so majestic. S-shaped structure and full, forceful arc lines seen everywhere demonstrate oriental “firmness” and “sensitivity”. Meanwhile, in the course of moulding, craftsmen exaggerated the reproductive organs of stone beasts to extol the great power of primitive life. This is an extremely valuable lesson for plastic arts in the areas of concepts and methods of art creation. Third, for “urban culture”, it is a resource endowed by history. Urban culture is made up of “past” and “present”. Its existence and development predict the future. Outstanding ancient culture, particularly materialized culture with hard materials as its carriers, is the place where the ancient charm and spirit of a city lies. It will continue…. Lastly, it will be an endless source of wealth to tourism and economy if it can be properly developed, utilized and conserved. Nowadays, many cities produce fake cultures and fake scenic spots. Artificial, coarse and simple, some of them land people in a state of not knowing whether to laugh or to cry, such as “The City of Three Kingdoms”,


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“Tang City”, “Illusionary Sceneries of Journey to the West” and “The City of Europe”. All these wasted money and labour. Built only on the spur of the moment for brief novelty, they did not have the prospects of sustained development. In contrast, some excellent cultural heritages have been neglected, cold-shouldered, or trampled upon and sold at a cheap price. In 2000, when Yang Zhenning visited Nanjing University, I suggested that he visit stone sculptures at Shiyue village at Ganjiaxiang, Nanjing. There, we saw some peasants repairing farm tools by using the pedestal of stone beasts. Without any protection, the external part of those stone beasts had been subject to weathering. Before long, in one of his speeches made at Nanjing Museum, Yang narrated in a regretful and poetic tone: A yellow sea of rape flowers undulated in the wind. Amidst this sea of flowers, a huge beast came up to me majestically. If possible, I suggest that these stone sculptures be gathered for protection. A big and transparent building, just like the one for the terracotta warriors in Xi’an, can be built to house them. With the lapse of time, these lost souls stand lonely and desolate on earth. Their previous majestic bearing is completely gone, with only perpetual artistic glamour left behind. They are scattered around Nanjing Oil Refinery, Qilin Gate, Xianhe Gate, Houchun Village in Jiangning, Ganjiaxiang, Danyang City and Jurong City. In a few years’ time, with weathering, they will be reduced to ruins. These kirins, bixies and deities moan in the vast wilderness: Save me!

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Mother and Son, 2005. Bronze

At the riverside Beside the small rock, Is where my mother bathes me.

Wife, 2000. Gypsum

This smile reminds me of Xu Zhimo’s (徐志摩) poem: That head lowered in tenderness is most mesmerizing. It resembles a coy water lotus-flower that is vulnerable to cold winds. Of course, this smile springs from the gentleness of wife.

Long Plaits, 2000. Bronze

Two long plaits bring out A flower-like smile.

Spanish Youth, 2005. Bronze

I once created French Youth of about 60 cm high. It was inspired by a chance encounter with a French student on campus. Viewers all said: This is Charles de Gaulle. This Spanish Youth is long and slender, in leisure possessing an air of conceit and grace. It is an overseas student who loves art.

Little Girl, 2000. Han white jade

Here I see A different plait. Tied at two ends, Having a round head, When she grows up, She will be a pretty young lady.

Head Statue That Changes Faces (side view). Wooden sculpture, Han dynasty.

Surveying the primitive and ancient arts, there are generally three ways of expressing the eyes. The first is to dig two holes, which is a bottomless wonder. The second is to make two cuts, which is a casual narration. The third is to protrude two rings, simply baring the hidden soul.

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4. The Soul of Western Han Dynasty

Imageries in Wooden Sculptures

In March this year, Anthony Stones, president of the Society of Portrait Sculptors, UK, visited Nanjing University and Nanjing Museum. While receiving him, Xu Huping (徐湖平) , the director of Nanjing Museum, proudly introduced him to wooden sculptures recently unearthed from a Han dynasty tomb at Daqingdun in Sihong County. These wooden sculptures were then undergoing the process of dehydration. On hearing that there were many wooden horses among these unearthed sculptures, Anthony’s eyes brightened. This outstanding sculptor of Western classicism is not only an authority in portrait sculpture, but is also renowned for moulding horses. There are spirited sculptures of horses created by him in some important cities in Britain and New Zealand. In order to let this cultural envoy from afar enjoy the pleasure of viewing the works first, Nanjing Museum made an exception and invited him to the storehouse to view the works. The huge storehouse was full of wooden human figurines and wooden horses, floating and flapping gently on wooden buckets of water. Warm sunlight penetrating through windows shone on these wooden sculptures with a history of over 2000 years, creating an extremely mysterious impression. Just like inspecting an ancient troop, we began to slowly admire them with the guidance of researchers from Nanjing Museum. A head of a human figurine, which was portrayed as laughing so vigorously as to twist its mouth, was taken out of the water. It looked unique, full of wrinkles. The intensity of the laughter was rarely seen even among many works of fine arts in the past. Nicknamed “duck beak”, this work looked like a bitter, scornful and mysterious laughter. Generally, ancient human figurines mostly smile and seldom laugh. This is a consolation for the souls of those buried together with the deceased master. Such a smile, often seen among Buddha sculptures since the Eastern Han dynasty, originates from the poetic brilliance of Greek humanism. The smile of great Buddhist compassion corresponds to the facial expression of human figurines, playing a major role in the sculptural styles of the Han dynasty and Tang dynasty. A cavalier figurine has a pair of slender legs, which is required in modelling the posture of “horse-riding”. However, visually, it produces a special, exaggerated effect and association, expressing the free and romantic joy of the sculptor. For reasons unknown, there have been sculptors making elongated models in the history of fine arts. The elongation of African wooden sculptures is just like a shadow of joy, reflecting the remote antiquity


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of a joyful nation. In the Middle Ages, elongation served to extricate one from the mortal body to become spiritual. Elongation in Brancusi’s works was transcendent and heavenly! Elongation of wooden sculptures unearthed from the “Imperial Mausoleum of Sishui” was full of leisure and laxity, narrating the nobility of that kingdom. A Colourful Dancing Wooden Figurine, with unrestrained movements, seems to derive from the dance in life. Ancient models are generally divided into two types. The first type has a posture that is bolder and more rigid. It looks like a symbol, generally containing totemic significance and is deistic. The second type has a movement that is natural and lively. It is the artists’ narration or expression of life. Full of interest and appeal, the model is graceful, simple and poetic. A horse, full of vigour, has its reproductive organ vividly depicted. It is the atavism in primitive reproduction worship. The image of the dog was found among animal sculptures as early as in the pre-historic period. As a display, the penis of the dog was bigger than the thigh. Stone sculptures of huge bixie in the Liang dynasty were also exaggerated, probably to demonstrate masculine power or perpetual solidification and vigour. However, among horse-related works after the 1950s in China, it was a “neglected” model. In a period when human nature was suppressed, the sex of animals was also “castrated”. In the weak Sishui Kingdom, Wooden Horse, Wooden Tiger and Wooden Dog all possessed distinctive individual features and temperaments. The wooden tiger looked up with an open mouth and a raised tail, depicting the same meaning as the Chinese idiom “Doughty as a dragon and lively as a tiger” — bursting with energy! The most obvious feature of Chinese sculpture is capturing the spirit, followed by expressing it through imagery, then proceeding from writing, carving and chiselling to attain perfection rather than attending to each and every aspect of the work. This Wooden Tiger is different from the Crouching Tiger in front of Huo Qubing’s tomb. The Crouching Tiger has great mass and serves to protect the tomb and ward off evil. It embodies the personal qualities of General Huo. Therefore, it looks dignified and strong, and is an integral whole. The Wooden Tiger appears spirited, brisk yet ferocious, always in a position of attack as a means of defence to wait on the master! Another difference between this batch of wooden sculptures and other ordinary figurines lies in “meticulousness”. We might investigate most unearthed pottery horses. Generally, horse hoofs were processed in a simple way. But here, even the sole of horse hoofs were fully depicted. Besides this, the connection between the horse body and legs were also done in an artistic way, demonstrating the great wisdom of modelling. ….

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Cavalier, wooden sculpture, Han Dynasty.

In primitive tribes, the concept of “soul” often gets confused with “shadow”, resulting in both being viewed as one. Therefore, many rock paintings appeared in the form of a sketch. This is a common phenomenon which also influences ancient art. The effect of sketching “form” is emphasized in modelling so as to express the existence of the soul.

70-year-old Anthony is not only a sculptor, but also an archaeologist and art historian. An academician of Oxford University, he made reports on the discovery of and research on Michelangelo’s works at British Museum as well as the Victoria and Albert Museum. These reports once exerted important influence in the West. In the ice-cold storehouse of Nanjing Museum, standing in front of over 2000-year-old ancient Chinese wooden sculptures, the whole of Anthony’s face was red, though he only wore a shirt and a Western suit. He was astounded by the tension expressed by the wooden sculptures of the Western Han dynasty. Two months later, I went to Britain and saw several big bronze horses sculpted by Anthony. In a bronze-casting factory, I saw clay horse-foetus sculpted by him. He demonstrated perfection in the detailed moulding of structure. At the Greek Sculpture Hall in British Museum, each muscle, bone and tendon of the horse body, human face, crouching horse, standing horse and galloping horse was fully depicted. However, Anthony sighed with great sentiments, “Eastern simplicity cannot be replaced. Its perfection is embodied in the purity of the model.” Again, he talked about the wooden sculptures of Sishui Kingdom…. In fact, Sishui Kingdom was not rich due to its weak national power. According to the Book of Han Dynasty, Records of Geography, Sishui Kingdom had over 25,000 households with a population of more than 11,9000 people in three counties. This shows that it was a small vassal state. However, its art and craftsmanship reached a peak. Even people in modern times are amazed by the precise craftsmanship, excellent workmanship and creative patterns and designs in the trigger mechanism of an unearthed crossbow made during that time. The design, painting and modelling of “killing two birds with one arrow” on the trigger mechanism of this crossbow are unique and wonderful. These are superb techniques that can be accepted by ordinary viewers. Compared to the crossbow, wooden sculptures are more folk-based, but the wisdom and aesthetic appeal revealed through them can be perfectly put on par with this aristocratic artwork. These wooden sculptures contain the rational spirit hidden in the depth of the nation’s heart and the original form of imagery resulting from simple romanticism. This original form is not the geometric form in the instinct of primitive abstractness, nor is it the spatial fear in the barbaric age. It carries the style of realistic depiction left by the pre-Qin era as well as the sensitivity and sharpness of artists in life, attaining freedom and ease in the spirit of the subject. In terms of expression, it links up the ways of thinking and practice inherent in the Chinese in dominating the object by operating from a strategically advantageous position. To be specific, it is the techniques of vagueness and ambiguity. Their basic feature is that it only requires the form related to the essence of things, or the cultivation of the form to express the essence. Therefore, the outward feature expressed on the wooden sculpture is smooth, thick and integrated. Wooden Sitting

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Figurine is a model example. Of course, the artists of Sishui Kingdom were quick and decisive in outlining those parts that demonstrate the soul. This was the contest between the knife and the wood, as well as man’s perception of his own value. The knife produces the spiritual form, spiritual appeal and spiritual energy. This is always the perfect finishing touch to the entire wooden sculpture. The contradictory unification formed between sharp engravings as well as smooth, thick and plump body generates the quiver of life. It is the self-consciousness of human nature in a macrocosmic sense. The eyebrows and eyes of Colourful Wooden Sitting Figurine are leisurely and smooth with regards to the techniques of expression. Tools and materials, as well as force and beauty, are unified and sublimed by accurate and resolute cutting techniques. While sculpting human figures and animals, the artists of Sishui Kingdom also ingeniously used wood patterns to achieve richer expression. There were round patterns, or cloud patterns, or water patterns, bringing nature, man or animal into a vibrant world of decorative appeal. Unlike clay sculpture, wooden sculpture is formed by removal, to the extent of leaving the soul behind only. There will be no supplement once a part is removed. Therefore, it poses a great challenge to the skills of the sculptor. Techniques must be complemented with skills to produce art. Artists of wooden sculptures in Sishui Kingdom applied wisdom to produce techniques, skills and art. They were entirely different from wooden sculptures of Ming and Qing dynasties that emphasized details, density and meticulousness. Particularly in the Qing dynasty, constrained by employers’ concepts of plaything, craftsmen tried to be as meticulous and detailed as possible in carving flowers and dragons, which actually sapped their will and obliterated inspiration. It was a decline of life awareness, resulting in a great country being trampled upon by others. In contemporary times, once sculpture is mentioned, Greece and Rome would be brought up. However, the Chinese tradition from the primitive society to the Han dynasty is rarely mentioned, what more about letting this tradition enter fine arts institutes and making it into the formal textbook. Once wooden sculpture is mentioned, one seems to think of African wooden sculpture only. Indeed, it has given great inspiration to modern Western art. Picasso, Matisse and Brancusi were all influenced by it. Such art resulting from living fossils of primitive tribes truly narrates the noumenon of life, and is absolutely free from the practices and veils of hypocritical civilization. At the same time, dance and song features of African nations, as well as human figures moulded by features of sunshine, possess a sense of volume comparison of sculpture with regard to the form. However, we should not neglect flatness, smoothness, succinctness and totality unique to the plastic arts of our ancestors, as well as human nature and emotions reflected in Eastern mysticism. In fact, we should not neglect the fact that


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modern Western artists have absorbed the essence of Eastern art and have thus nurtured and supplemented their own art. The wildness, simplicity, profundity and smoothness of Italian sculptor Marini Marino, and the natural imagery and perforation of Henry Moore, are all associated with Eastern aesthetics and Chinese mountains and rocks. Among them, many head statues with the significance of original form are symbols of ordinary human images. Why do we have to forgo what is close at hand and seek what is far away? Foundation training at fine arts institutes in China all use Western gypsum statues as models, regarding their structure and proportion as standards, thus being confined by natural and realistic depiction. Some people even sigh regretfully: Why don’t the Chinese have the contours of Westerners in terms of looks? They mistake it for the sense of sculpture, and this truly makes one dumbfounded. Modern abstract sculpture does not depict man, nor does it portray deities. What it aims to express is nothing more than this common appearance that exists predominantly in the will. Traces of life can be found in wooden sculptures of Sishui Kingdom, as it endows all things belonging to man with eternal significance. The warmth of the mortal world and transcendent ideal are both embodied in the nonstandard geometric body. They are “organic” and “inorganic”, concrete and abstract, or freehand-styled, offering a rich basis for us to study the tradition of ancient plastic arts and the “form”. Cultural relics unearthed in the past were mostly cited as archaeological achievements before they were quoted and evaluated by art magazines. Zhuang Tianming (庄天明) , dean of the Institute of Ancient Fine Arts, Nanjing Museum, spent a lot of time sorting out, selecting and compiling the wooden sculptures. Meanwhile, his son Zhuang Wu (庄午), a young painter, took photos of them, faithfully and artistically reflecting the spiritual appeal of these wooden sculptures. Their work of labour was published by Tianjin People’s Fine Arts Publishing House. I informed Anthony of this publication. Calling me from Britain, he exclaimed: Wonderful! He asked me to buy a few copies for him. This is very necessary for deepening Westerners’ understanding of Chinese plastic arts apart from Buddhist art, particularly their understanding of wooden sculptures. This book is also a most valuable work in the circle of Chinese sculpture.

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Impression of Sishui Kingdom, 2003. Bronze

After admiring the unearthed Western Han wooden sculptures, Anthony and I returned to the studio, quietly sculpting on our own. He made Shakespeare while I sculpted “duck beak”, naming them Impression of Sishui Kingdom. Anthony said: This time, we found our own existence and happiness.

5. Free Discussion on Sculpture

Part 1: Rumination on Comparison

Sculpture, on one hand, is far from us as it is often placed on a high plane, becoming a divine object for public worship. On the other hand, it is close to us as we can admire it and even play with it from different positions, making it an integral part of our life. As a result, its significance is elevated. In terms of functions and techniques of art, Chinese sculpture is not the same as, or quite different from, Western sculpture. Generally, Chinese sculpture is represented by Qin style of realistic depiction and Han freehand style. Qin style of realistic depiction, different from Western sculptural style of realistic depiction that emphasizes proportion and structure, focuses on the expression of decorative appeal. It is adept at finding the state and form of beauty in the movement, facial expression and garment patterns that are ever-changing and unfathomable, and summarizes all of them. “Movement”, as it seems to express, contains a perpetual “stillness”. Such “stillness” is exactly the perpetuity that the sculpture pursues. Realistic terracotta warriors in the mausoleum of Qin Shihuang saved countless people from being buried together as sacrificial items. Han freehand style, full of grandeur and majesty, was first demonstrated in its people’s mentality of resisting foreign invasion. Conquering rocks served to consolidate great power and highlighted man’s choices in and re-construction of nature. In addition, rocks and man, in instant clashing and tempering, exhibited the great power of a nation. Secondly, the style was demonstrated in the kneading and moulding of figurines. Characteristics such as flatness and fullness, joyfulness and gloominess, as well as exaggeration and restrain interweave together, causing the spirit and form to coexist. Unfortunately, they were destined to perpetually guard the tomb or lie underground forever with their “master”. For Western sculptures, especially monumental sculptures, the value of their independent existence and the extent of eulogy by future generations for their art tend to surpass their initial functions and the value of the subject for which the monument was made. Some of them complement each other: statues of Rodin and Balzac spanning over one century. The boundary in the difference of their age, career and contributions is gradually blurred. The statue of Balzac, marked by perfect integration and ambiguous mien, seems to exist for Rodin. That body of bronze seems to be the whole of Balzac’s life of comedy. This shows that sculptures are “fortunate” in the West. Those knights towering in city squares and those thinkers, writers, artists and scientists scattered in parks and other public places have become

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symbols of urban history and culture. As time goes by, people seem unable to construct ideas about these cities without these statues, such as The Little Mermaid statue and Copenhagen, Manneken Pis (statue of a peeing boy) and Brussels, and The Statue of Liberty and New York. In the West, sculpture is not made for a certain function only. It also has an independent aesthetic function. Therefore, modern abstract sculpture developed later, constructivism and structuralism in abstract art all possess aesthetical characteristics. The beauty in the process of moulding and beautiful elements from nature are extracted and polarized, thus forming the beauty of the sculptural body, state, form, material and spirit. Chinese modern sculpture started to develop around 1918 when a group of Chinese sculptors went to study in France, mainly to learn Western realism. Upon their return to China, using art methods that they had mastered, they constructed monuments in memory of Dr. Sun Yat-sen and the anti-Japanese war. In the mid-1980s, China began to accept Western sculpture of abstract expressionism. However, they were quite superficial on the whole. This was particularly apparent among urban sculptures. Cities and rural towns are filled with geometric models cast in stainless steel. However, from another perspective, they also reflect China’s need for the existence of sculpture in public spaces and aesthetic needs for non-content sculptural art. In the development of sculpture, we cannot ignore the theme of religion. There are two major elements that have played a great role in China and the West, and have exerted a great influence on the development of art. One is power politics and the other is religion. Such an influence is both positive and negative. The former comes with tremendous force, but from a historical view, it is often quite short-lived. The latter goes deep into the human soul, lasting for a long time. Xiong Bingming said that the core art of Chinese culture are calligraphy and painting, while sculpture mainly represents deities in temples. They are worshipped by people and their aesthetic values are secondary and even neglected. Western sculpture corresponds to Chinese calligraphy, with religious statues being engraved on doors and walls of churches. The difference here is that Chinese temples are generally built in places with excellent feng shui, as well as the suburbs, mountains and forests. These temples, while providing serenity for monks in their religious pursuits, are also far away from common folks. Of course, devotees would continue their pilgrimage despite fatigue on the way. On the contrary, Western churches are generally situated in the town areas, becoming the centre where the soul and spirit rest. Those carvings and sacred statues, while radiating divine-like solemnity and brilliance, are also known to all. Sculpture is the art engraved on the hearts of man. Strangely, these sacred statues among common folks are so transcendent. Beneath the high church vaults and amidst melodious organ music, all the more they exhibit their divine splendour. Buddha statues in the halls of temples


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far away from cities are featured by benevolence. Countless devotees find solace in the pardoning grace and compassion embodied in the subtle smiles. Churches are so high as to thrust into the sky, while temples are so broad as to reach every corner of the world. Therefore, statues of the Middle Ages were elongated. “non-organism”, after extricating oneself from the mortal body, is a result of asceticism. On the other hand, almost all Buddha statues look dignified and solemn. Even those of slender modelling in the Wei and Ming dynasties appear to have plump faces…. Secularism in Chinese Buddhism and folk-based Chinese art are apparent in sculptural art. Probably due to his dissatisfaction with the prolonged moulding of Buddha statues, Lu Xun, the banner-bearer of modern new culture, sighed with sentiments in 1933: The era of moulding deities is gone; man has become the new subject of moulding. In fact, Zhang, a clay sculptor in Tianjin, had already started to mould human figures. With simple techniques of realistic depiction, he moulded scenes of everyday life and vivid human figures. Ancient craftsmen integrated what they saw and felt in their everyday life, as well as their emotions accumulated in life, into the moulding of Buddha statues. This already touched the people. The figures of boys and girls at Maiji Mountain, the girls playing flute and rearing chickens in Dazu, and the provider reputed by the related dynasty as “Venus of the East” in Bei Mountain could not be moulded without the rich life experiences of those artists. Zhang began to mould human beings directly! Therefore, after studying Western fine arts, Xu Beihong, a master of realism, met Zhang, a master clay sculptor of Chinese-styled realistic depiction, and highly commended him, “In terms of the precision of proportion, firmness of bones and vividness of spirit conveyed, only the portrait-painting of the first emperor of the Song dynasty, among works of fine arts I have seen in Northern China, can be put on par with Zhang’s works. In terms of carving, his skills can rival that of Yang Huizhi (杨惠之). Actually, Western sculpture also emphasizes secularism. Rodin’s works are its representative. However, secularism focuses more on common human nature, such as Eternal Spring. Secularism in Chinese sculpture places more emphasis on plots and appeal rather than on more spiritual capacity.

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Part 2: Vividness in Ambiguity

Being muddleheaded occasionally seems to be a state that the Chinese can reach only after conducting themselves to a certain extent. This muddleheadedness, emphasizing more on the essence, is just like “Drunken Fist”. With techniques of perfect integration and vastness, the Mi’s school of landscape painting in the Song dynasty demonstrates misty landscapes. It weakens and blurs the logical relationship between several elements such as loftiness, breadth and depth, but permeates with the composed expression of literati on the “spiritual connection to remote history” of nature. Zhuang Zi talked about “forgetting the words after grasping the meaning” and “forgetting the image after grasping the meaning”. Forgetting the words and image represent great wisdom in seemingly slow-witted look. Such a state of forgetting is expressed by abandonment in art. When it comes to modelling, “forgetting the form” must take place, with ambiguity and brief summary as specific techniques of expression. This ambiguity is the initial state resulting from ideas, imagery and mood, possessing several uncertain components and numerous possibilities. It is the true revelation of sub-consciousness and the state that best corresponds to the innermost part of the soul. Another kind of ambiguity is found in sculptures that went through long periods of time and weathering. Primitive stone and wooden sculptures, after a very long time, have lost something that should be lost, but their essence, energy and spirit are still perfectly retained. Its appeal leaves a lingering aftertaste. Its wonder also lies in the vague imagination that vicissitudes give to man. The first kind of ambiguity as mentioned earlier is mostly expressed in manuscripts and those spontaneous and swiftly completed small manuscripts and draft manuscripts of large-scale creation. Generally, we are used to viewing finished works and those complete works that seem perfect on the surface. Indeed, they have great content capacity, but they are often being suspected to be the accumulation of many ideas and contain traces of being meticulously processed, thus losing the impact of primitive impulse. Occasionally, the kind of spirit being imbued instantly is gone. With this phenomenon, making a movement or a facial expression can be very vivid when it reaches “60%” or “70%”. However, it becomes dull and rigid if it continues. As a result, movement will become static and facial expression will become stiff or awkward. This is associated with foundation skills. However, it is due more to the failure to grasp the desirable “degree”. In essence, “60%” often represents “100%”. That is enough! Taiwanese


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Clay model by Michelangelo (front view). Taken at the British Museum, 2003.

sculptor Zhu Ming (朱铭) once learnt sculpture from Yang Yingfeng (杨英风). Halfway through his sculpture, his teacher suggested that he stopped, because what was required was already formed. This became an imperative guide to Zhu Ming in his later style of wooden sculpting characterized by boldness and decisiveness. Works of Italian sculptors Giacomo Manzù and Medardo Rosso add poetic ambiguity to human sculptures. From the lady’s blurred face and look, we can admire the parts of human nature which deserve the most attention. At the British Museum, there is a small five-centimetre clay sculpture model by Michelangelo. Through proficient techniques applied in the movement of each finger-pressing, finger-pushing and finger-kneading, the force of tragedy, though small, revealed by accuracy and firmness of its muscles, bones, wrist-joints and knee-joints, is clearly demonstrated in ambiguous volume, structure and rhythm. The back, legs and twisted upper body of this clay sculpture model cause people to automatically associate it with the brilliant statues The Dying Slave and The Rebellious Slave. I believe, whoever sees this clay sculpture model would discover the greatness of endless vigour of life in the depths of Michelangelo’s gloom and profundity, the struggle of human nature under divine dominion, as well as the innate suffering arising from the core of life.

“ …. My mortal body has been elongated in front, But shortened on the back, Just like a Syrian bow. …. “The sun shines over the world while I suffer alone in the dark. Everyone is happy while I fall to the ground, wallowing in misery, groaning and wailing.” Compared to completed large-scale works by Michelangelo, the soul can be more clearly found in such ambiguity! It also seems that Michelangelo, the god of art, has come to the mortal world. We can feel the breath while labouring…. In his Treatise on Painting, Leonardo da Vinci once commented on painters making numerous discoveries after being stimulated by ambiguous things. He imagined observing a wall full of stains or a colourful pebble to find mountains, rivers, rocks and vast plains in them…. These concepts and views of art that happen to coincide without prior agreement reflect mankind’s common feelings and patterns of art. Therefore, the glimmer and clarity in ambiguity is likened to the navigation mark in


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the night that beams with light amid great waves. Ambiguity not only gives artists inspiration, it also provides viewers with food for thought. In fact, in art creation, leaving space for viewers’ imagination also enables the work to gain a higher value of existence.

Clay model by Michelangelo (back view). Taken at the British Museum, 2003.

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Part 3: Viewing Sculpture beyond Ambiguity

From previous discussions, we can see that many sculptural works contain ambiguity. Does it mean that only ambiguity produces poetic mood? Is ambiguity alone the highest plane of attainment in artworks? Such a view is not balanced. Many works are very smooth and succinct on the surface, just like some poems and articles — pure and untainted. It is the case with works of Brancusi — simple, absolutely noble and transcendent. He allowed each element of the material to exhibit their inner qualities. He once moulded a very abstract head of a sleeping person, without anything on the face. This is only a geometric body in deep sleep. However, this geometric body, free from countless details, comprised several planes and possessed enormous “nuclear power”. In the late 19th century and early 20th century in the West, a trend of new primitiveness emerged. Many artists went into such “primitiveness” and brought back the primitive spirit for display. This was new primitiveness, as well as the imagination of modern people about the life of primitive people. People at that time wanted to discard hypocritical things and return to the noumenon of nature. Primitive spirit first exalted the reproduction worship. It corresponded to the labour needs of primitive people in conquering nature. Next was spatial fear. Primitive people had no idea about the future world, and vastness became the cause for their fear and panic. They used the purest and simplest things to resist nature, demonstrating the instinct of abstractness. Moreover, all creatures in the world are spirited — all things in the world possess a soul of its own. Bird in Space by Brancusi reflects the spirit and soul of the bird. It belongs to the mortal world as well as the afterlife. Smooth and untouchable surface of this work is a mark of expression. Brancusi once moulded a sculpture depicting a couple embracing and kissing each other. This sculpture was reminiscent of works in the Eastern Han dynasty that had the same theme — portraying love between man and woman, living and working in peace and contentment, as well as family bliss. Unlike Brancusi’s techniques of expression, they are of considerable ambiguity, indistinctively revealing essence that requires us to further ponder over. In the past, I loved Rodin’s works very much. However, now I feel that his works are too worldly. They are only in the stage of beauty, embellished with a style of spring rain, causing people to leave shortly with his tenderness. Just now I mentioned three stages of beauty, philosophy and deity. Rodin’s


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works fall short in the last two stages of philosophy and deity. Of course, his art is easily accepted by the world, as he expressed the tender affections of life. Brancusi used geometric round wooden pillars to portray the figure of young girls in an abstract and pure manner, thus vividly demonstrating sculptural instinct and purity. In contrast, Rodin’s works of the human body are portrayed very realistically, expressing the sense of movement, as well as light and shadow of human life. Another of Brancusi’s sculpture simply turned everything into a rod, reducing all things to the simplest form, just like using one or two verses in poems to express the entire meaning.

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8. From Clay to Bronze Bronze was originally the alloy of pure copper and other metallic elements. However, in the long history of human civilization, it has been endowed with a specific cultural significance together with ancient solemn tripods and dignified sculptures, making us recall the resplendent bronze era naturally…. At Zawi Chemi Shanidar of northern Iraq in western Asia, ornaments made of natural copper dating back to around 10,000 B.C. were discovered. In 4000 B.C., Egypt entered the period where copper and stones were used together. About 2000 B.C., China entered the early period of bronze. Nine amazing tripods cast during the Xia dynasty are said to commence in this period. Superb craftsmanship of ancient Greek human body sculpture is displayed through Bronzi di Riace, known as the greatest discovery in 500 years. …. Material bronze has been turned into spiritual bronze. In the process of melting metals, humanism, history and art were integrated, solidified and passed down, reflecting the emotions and will of people at that time. A great leap from clay, pottery, stones, wood, and bronze to craftsmanship has also promoted the innovation of plastic arts. Meanwhile, the craft of bronze-casting itself is also experiencing technological advancement. Guo Moruo (郭沫若) divided bronze wares of the Yin and Zhou dynasties into four periods — the first is the early stage, the period of initial growth of bronze; the second is the maturity period of bronze art, with the core representative being the unique Chinese tripod, which is characterized by solidness, ferocity, mysteriousness, deeply engraved and protruding lines; the third is the period of opening up, characterized by bronze wares of simple forms and gradually protruding engravings that are more unpolished; the fourth is the period of new form, characterized by bronze wares in forms of deterioration and progression, with the former being increasingly simple and crude in form while the latter being flexible, novel and exquisite. From this, we can see that the development of bronze art also records the change of aesthetics of different times. Later, with the spread of Buddhism and the emergence of golden and bronze Buddha statues, the firmness and sturdiness in bronze art were replaced by roundness, smoothness and perfect integration. Broadness and grandeur were replaced by grace and elegance and the bearing moved


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towards serenity and solemnity. Material beauty of bronze was solely for resplendence. In the West, ancient Greek and Roman arts are the most direct sources of sculptural art. The basic spirit of Greek sculpture lies in eulogizing man as the most brilliant image in the universe. In spatial design, it emphasized proportion, balance, coordination and rhythm. Ideal and realistic depiction were integrated — “beauty represents harmony”. Such an aesthetic concept crossed the Middle Ages and was reviewed and elevated during the Renaissance. Later, Baroque sculptures in the 17th century and Rococo sculptures in the 18th century merely represented process. It was Rodin who stood at the junction between classical sculpture and modern sculpture, upholding classical brilliance with one hand and ushering in the great modern times with the other! The tension of life in Rodin’s sculptures is expressed in the contradiction between secular emotions and lofty ideals. Poetic lights and shadows produced from its indistinctive undulation have inspired people to ruminate on nature from clay to bronze. Flowing and plastic clay is the most suitable material for the artist to express the instant and spirit. It can be freely manipulated by people to produce instant effects. What is uncontrollable is that clay is easily weathered, cracked and broken, which runs against the perpetuation of art. In contrast, the solidification and solidness of bronze solved this problem. Bronze and tin or aluminium, after being molten, were poured into the mould and turned into forms within seconds and then restored to the original model of clay sculpture to be permanently kept for future generations. However, it is not a matter of material replacement. After all, clay is different from bronze in texture. After restoration, bronze sculpture, chemically coloured and polished, looks more radiant over its protruding part. In the process of casting, lined traces of matrixes appropriately retained can also exert a stronger visual impact on the material. In this respect, the process from clay-sculpting to bronzecasting is a re-creation. Other western sculptors after Rodin were also great masters as all of them grasped the feature of the change from clay to bronze and made full use of such a feature to express the noble spirit. Henry Moore (1898–1986) turned the primitiveness and naturalness of stones and bones into bronze, characterized by smoothness, thickness, sharpness and occasional indistinct graven patterns. Giacometti’s (1901–1966) works embody “absolute freedom” and “existential fear”, with loneliness intended to be expressed in solidified undulation, different from the “flow” of Rodin. Brancusi’s (1876–1857) works are simple, succinct and pure. Through meticulous sculpting, each element of the material was fully expressed, enabling people to feel the ice-cold bronze. In his works, the spirit of afterlife stands at variance to and in harmony with intimate materials.

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With Rodin’s sculptures being exhibited in China in 1992 and those of Henry Moore in 2001, Chinese sculptors, while astonished at their art, also sighed with sentiments at the meticulous casting and colouring of those works. In recent years, the development of sculpture sees the casting of the world-famous great Buddha at the Temple of Heaven in Hong Kong and the 88-metre high great Buddha at Lingshan Mountain. These are the crystallization of modern industrial technology. However, there are defects on the bronze-casting and colouring of small and medium sculptures, which is unfortunately a regrettable thing in terms of completely and perfectly expressing the concepts and emotions of the creativity of artists. In fact, as mentioned earlier, the craft of bronze-casting in China used to be world-famous achievements. Due to their precise craftsmanship, the famous Maogong Tripod and Sanshi Plate fully demonstrated the exquisite beauty of bronze-inscription art. Scientific theories and experiences in casting are also seen in some literature. Some prescriptions focused on hardness while some on tenacity and lustre. The higher the concentration of tin, the harder the bronze is. At the same time, it makes bronze brittle and white. Bronze was a precious object in the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties. In the records, it is also known as “gold”. There is a term “red gold”, which is red copper. The copper at that time was not pure, but mostly mixed with tin. Therefore, people in ancient times termed such gold as “together” (tong, 同), referring to the alloy of several kinds of metals. Later, the character “gold” ( jin, 金) was added to its side, signifying the preciousness of the metal. Due to the prolonged influence of feudal culture in China, ways and methods of education are basically characterized by apprenticeship and verbal instructions. Therefore, excellent craftsmanship fails to be summarized, enhanced and passed down in a systematic way.


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She Walks from the Remote Ages of Old, 1996. Bronze.

One of my demonstration works in classroom teaching, this is completed in 1994. Though it is only 20 cm, it demonstrates a surging energy of the remote ages. Having the form of a mountain, it advances with tremendous force. Normally, when choosing models, we would want them to be very beautiful – curvy, smooth and supple figure, proportioned and dignified carriage….This is clearly the aesthetic standard of classicism. However, this model looks special. Sitting there, her stocky built and dark, greasy complexion give off a rural fragrance of soil, just like a clay block, stupefied yet inquisitive. But no teacher has invited her to class. I spotted her immediately, feeling every part of her is full of expression. It is a lively and dense sculpture that possesses an irresistible vitality. It is the mountain range and huge rock in the wilderness, the mother’s body that breeds the spring scenery of the earth. She causes me to enter the primitive realm singing a folk song.

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9. The Primitive Spirit in

Modern Sculpture

The emergence of new Western primitivism in the early 20th century is a response of mankind to self-deviation. It is also an atavism in response to the loss of spiritual homeland due to industrialization. From the “human wood” expressed in primitivism, one can see the primitive energy it demonstrates, which is imbued with primitive spirit. The source of this spirit emerges from primitive thinking.

Now, let me talk about the characteristics of primitive thinking.

Turmoil: The amorphous state where there is no distinction between the perceiver and the subject. All beings possess their own soul: They could not explain life and death while seeing death again in their dreams. Therefore, they reckoned that the soul was immortal. Reproduction worship: They were totally ignorant about birth-giving, and could not comprehend the true reason behind pregnancy and birth, thus forming the concept of reproduction worship. Ancestral worship: Ancestors were generally deified. Spatial fear: They could not explain natural phenomena such as wind, rain, thunder and lightning. When confronted with the vast and unfathomable nature, they became fearful. Abstract instinct: They regarded complex things as simple concepts and further generalized them.


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Eastern Han Wooden Sculpture. Collected by Wu Weishan.

With a few cuts, a form is carved out. With a few segments, the volume becomes distinct Brisk and neat succinctness. It is so succinct that abstract images are embodied in concrete images, full of appeal. In fact, between wooden and pottery figurines, I prefer the former.

Standing Upside Down. Han figurine, collected by Wu Weishan.

This pottery figurine captures the attention of viewers with its interesting posture of standing upside down. I bought it from a collector at a high price. Such happy and instant movement is not common in figurines. It is full of spirit, and requires the maker to be sharp and swift. Therefore, at a glance there is no form. It is a product of inspiration. It seems that the maker attempted to bring the beauty of the world and joy of life to the tomb owner.

The human soul is indestructible. Spirits always take the forms of animals. It was not until later that they took the form of human beings. All things on earth are full of energy. The energy of fire is rapid and explosive. The energy of rocks is slow, long-lasting and illusionary. Though imaginary, those legendary animals conceived out of human imagination seem to have a tangible existence. Ways and features of expressing reproduction worship: Nudity Exaggerating physical parts such as the reproductive organs, breasts and belly, which are related to reproduction. There are even pictures directly depicting intercourse. Ways and features of expressing primitive abstractness: Reducing it to the simplest and the most direct form. Patterns on plain ceramics ware of Yangshao culture used dots to represent the five senses. These dots were abstracts from images, and gradually became a design pattern. Abstractness is an instinct. The early thought of mankind, which is the thought during the “childhood” of mankind, is similar to the thought during each individual’s childhood. While in kindergarten, my child drew on writing paper with squares: A dot represented a teacher. The rest of the squares were all drawn with dots, constituting a formation of a scene depicting the whole class doing exercise. This is an abstract expression. The child instinctively adopted an overlooking angle to depict the big scene. This is an innate ability that condenses the specific things in sight into something abstract. There is a similarity in cognition between this and the “dot” in Yangshao culture. A publishing house once published a book Paintings by Maestroes. The content was all works of children. Many of these paintings resemble the expression in works of Picasso, Paul Klee and Joan Miro. However, on detailed analysis, their psychological basis is different. The former is an instinct reflection while the latter is a return to original purity and simplicity, which is a revolution of art. We can use the above-mentioned primitive thinking to analyse the contradictory unification of the two extremes — primitive spirit and modernity — in modern sculptural works. Brancusi’s works have a greater sense of the afterlife. He used abstract and succinct pieces to express perpetuity, focusing on the characteristics of materials such as stones and rocks: smooth and shiny on the surface with succinct lines. His Bird in Space shares a similar image with those in ancient

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Bird in Space, Brancusi.


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murals. It is a display of the thoughts of all spirited beings. Another of his works Head has the form of an egg which is extremely concise. Holes can be found in the heads of sculptures by Marino Marini. The heads of sculptures by Henry Moore have traces of eyes and nose. Only works by Brancusi are completely abstract. The energy of primitive life in Moore’s works was formed in the space found in the bones of man and animals. From this, he confirmed the traces of the evolution of the entire natural society. His works are quite flat, similar to Han figurines, but has a bolder form. Though different from African carvings in terms of techniques, his works are still filled with primitive illusions. They attempt to place ideals in materials and forms that are exaggerated and deformed, expressing the belief that all beings possess souls. The primitive thought that corresponds to this belief is spatial fear. In my article Tradition and Innovation, I mentioned Giacometti once commented that the greatest distance in the world is the distance between two nostrils. This distance is not spatial and geographical. It depicts the fear of modern people towards psychological space. His works are distanced from the warm and tender affections of mankind, with everything becoming condensed and solidified. Spirited, filling the space and irretrievable, they come up leisurely like mysterious shadows drifting elusively. Due to the slender forms, space looks even more boundless…. Italian modern sculptor Marino Marini used rich geometric structure to contain a thick, heavy and stocky body. With colour-painting, it expresses a strong sense of antiquity and simplicity. The techniques used were quite similar to those of Yangshao culture. They belonged to two different eras but their forms were similar. This reflects the atavism in man’s creation. The development of human civilization is likened to a circle where the starting point and ending point eventually converge. It then begins another cycle with new starting point and new convergence. It is a continuous cycle with no end. The horse sculpted by Marino Marini demonstrates the movement of solidification. However, Horse Stepping on Flying Swallow in China is different: the slender, powerful legs of the horse rests for an instant on the flying swallow while galloping, displaying a sense of movement of great distance. The East emphasizes the movement of lines, while the West prefers pieces of body, as well as the logical relationship formed by the face and body. I attempt to summarize the features of relevant sculptures: Analyzing representative sculptures of human figures:

Primitive art: Life, existence and reproduction (mostly depicting pregnant women) with primitive amorphous beauty.

Western classics: Standard ideal beauty and serenity.

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Rodin: Movement, instant and distortion (influenced by Baroque style and the School of Expression)

Degas: The sculpturalization of the spirit of Impressionism.

Marino Marini: Primitive roundness turns classical serenity into perpetuity of the force and movement of solidification.

Matisse: Swaying freely. Lines, movement.

Brancusi: Geometric precision.

Henry Moore: Flat, angled and sometimes with empty holes as well as original bones of supernatural force.

Appendix: Mailllol: Adhering to classics and purifying classics. Based on the observation of nature, it reflects healthy human body beauty rather than classical ideal beauty, with the volume as the core of visual beauty. Analyzing representative head sculptures:

Ancient art: Concepts in intuition (non-standard geometrics).

African primitivism: Sealed mystery, symbols, exaggeration of some parts and eternal smile in common nature.

Marino Marini: Primitiveness and new primitive plumpness.

Rodin: Subtle personality as well as undulating and uncertain lights and shadows.

Giacometti: A sense of loneliness and extremely undulating distance (indifference).

Brancusi: Absoluteness as well as smoothness and brightness of afterlife (transcendence). Breaking away from warm affections and details of life while seeking absolute eternity.

The primitive spirit in modern sculpture gives us much food for philosophical rumination. Another important characteristic of sculpting modernity is the world view and profound meaning which sculptors take the initiative to imbue.


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Primitive colour pottery

The patterns formed by spatial imagination are the embodiment of simple historical materialism. Primitive people’s concept of numbers is long branded on objects, carved into the expression of art.

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Work of Marino Marini

The atavism of the primitive spirit is first reflected in the rumination on the reciprocal relationship between man and nature. When modernism expresses and echoes primitive thoughts, the work has been imbued with a sense of history.


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Statue of Li Bai, 2007. Bronze

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10. The Poetry of Sculpture Speech at the UNESCO Centre of Macau and University of Macau

“Ambiguity”, “leap” and “conciseness” of sculpture is directly linked with poetry. Different shadows resulting from convexity, concavity and smoothness of form make sculpture a moving poem that expresses the realness of life. Each sculpture is a poem which contains the brilliance of the subject’s thoughts and reflects the beauty of personality. In sculptural works, all these are attributed to the grasp of the “instant spirit” — the soul of the “poem”. Keywords: Ambiguity, leap, conciseness and poetry. This spacious room and all of you present today make me feel that this venue is very much like a poem — a modern poem of few words, written on a large piece of paper. I am looking at the title page of a poetry collection. Though the verses are short and few, they embody great meaning. This is what I feel when I see such a space. As known to all, the exhibition of sculptural works requires a very large space. It is particularly so for sculptures erected on squares. Its due visual effects will be gone if the space is fully occupied. In this respect, I believe that in such a space today, each and every one of you can also be considered an artwork of sculpture. Macau is a poetic and picturesque place. At night in particular, looking down from the airplane, Macau, amidst the vast expanse of darkness and illuminated by lights, is like a lustrous pearl hidden at the bottom of the sea. The entire Macau can be described as a wonderful integration of dots, lines and planes. Dots refer to many of its islands; lines refer to bridges spanning these islands; planes refers to the boundless sea. Therefore, the geographic environment of Macau itself is of strong poetic flavour. With poetic fervour, I would like to talk about the poetry of sculpture today. Among the great poets of the Tang dynasty, Li Bai was a genius, Bai Juyi (白居易) was a talent and Li He (李贺) was one with special abilities. The gift of genius surges out like waters of the Yellow River. As for talent, we can discover its traces from works, as we can always detect lucid trains of thoughts in them. Works of people with special abilities often surprise people and achieve success by a narrow margin. Of course, there are also genius sculptors and sculptors with special abilities. Ancient poets not only left us with lots of beautiful poems, but also left their ruminations on poems and poetic mode of thinking with us. Among them, ambiguity, leap and conciseness are important features.


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With just a few strokes, the Painting of Li Bai Reciting Poems while Walking by Song dynasty painter Liang Kai (梁楷) depicted the bearing and spirit of Li Bai as the “Poet Immortal” — unrestrained, graceful and brimming with great talents. The technique employed was very concise. Liang Kai was also known as “Lunatic Liang” in his time. He created the “dispersed style” of vivid strokes. Though it took Rodin seven years to complete Balzac, exceeding the set deadline, the form of this final work was perfectly amorphous and concise. In the beginning, there were arms on the work. However, Rodin cut them off when his student Bourdelle commented that they were tastefully done, because the secondary superseding the primary could only undermine the spirit of the main body. As a result, Balzac later took the form of one clad in a sleeping robe. This image, compared to the Li Bai in Liang Kai’s painting, can be said to have achieved equally satisfactory results despite different approaches. As representatives of the Mi School of Landscape Painting, Mi Fei and Mi Youren created a technique of extremely moist washes and horizontal texture strokes known as “Mi Dots”. Its quivering brushstrokes are very similar to “colour-dotting” of Impressionism. In particular, moist ink landscapes depicted by the Mis rendered a mood featured by dimly visible mountain ridges, indistinct trees, as well as endless hills and streams bathed in wet, cloaking mist. Qing dynasty painter Gao Qipei (高其佩) also preferred employing the technique of dotting. Similar to sculpting, he painted with his fingers, which gave a sense of touch. At the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands, I once saw four of his works which were so inspiring and moving. These four works are featured by random dotting and splashing as well as serenity along with boldness. At several places of the painting, lines drawn by ink-stained fingernails give a sense of flow, expressing a poetic mood of “being so near and yet so far”. His inscriptions, such as “Life on fingertips”, “One sharp point” and “Iron mountain ridge”, often seen on the paintings, express the special characteristics of his aesthetic standards. These ambiguous imageries and dimly visible outer parts of sculpture impress people with a sense of uncertainty, illusion and wonder. For a long time, display layouts in museums in China are enclosed. With dim lights, museums only rely on natural lights or projection lamps to display exhibits. However, a newly built art exhibition hall at Nanjing Museum has drawn on many modern ways of display. At Nanjing Museum, there is an exhibition hall showcasing my works. The roof was formed by transparent glass panels. However, one imperfection was that all exhibits would be exposed at a glance. Therefore, at the time of construction, I suggested that the upper part of this exhibition hall be hung with layers of white curtains so that lights shining through the spaces between the layers of curtains could produce rich and varied effects of lights and shadows. Along with the shift

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of sunlight, the intensity and angle of lights and shadows could also produce changes of varying degrees, thus giving a sense of mystery. This, compared to other exhibition halls that used projection lamps and dim lights for display, could impress people with a sense of being suddenly enlightened. As it did not give a complete view, people can feel some illumination while experiencing the quivering of lights. Two representative works of Monet, Rouen Cathedral, displayed at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, express the quivering of colours through the sense of light painted in different periods. It demonstrates an ambiguous mood of light and colour integration and narrates the poetic affections of Monet. In 24 Characteristics of Poetry, Sikong Tu made a few remarks on art, “It is just like seeking water-reflection and portraying spring in March, with wind and clouds undergoing changes as well as flowers and grass appearing spirited, in the midst of surging waves and craggy mountains.” These remarks enable us to gain a deeper understanding on the techniques of art expression. Riding a Donkey Backwards, a painting by Xu Wenchang (徐文长) of the Ming dynasty, adopted the technique of shadow-painting. Exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the United States, Bamboo by Zheng Banqiao also employed shadows to depict the subject. Such a painting technique can produce a swaying visual effect in the picture, because it is distanced from the real things we see, thus producing a sense of abstractness. This enables viewers to cross the “leap” in their imagination, forming a patch of imageries and entering a great aesthetic mood. In sculptures, there are also classic works that pursue likeness amidst unlikeness and acquiring likeness by departing from the form. Unfortunately, these works are only cursory. Aesthetician Zong Baihua (宗白华) believed that discarding the form to accommodate the shadow can convey the spirit though the shadow is illusionary. This can express the delicate and unfathomable realness in life. This realness is the essence, energy, spirit and appeal. Western impressionism also breaks away from the restriction of form and pursues light and shadow in order to depict such a mood. Rodin’s works express light and shadow through undulating forms. Many of his works possess ambiguous convexity and concavity of varying heights, and produce different quivers after they are shone by lights. In 1992, Rodin’s works were exhibited in Beijing and Shanghai. The foreword of the exhibition read: Undulating forms in his works seem to drift amidst light and shadow, even coming up to us. I feel that viewing Rodin’s works is just like viewing fish shuttling back and forth in the sea, swimming up and down as well as fluttering forward. Rodin also believed that the force of the shadow was an inexhaustible mystery. Standing in front of the vault of Notre Dame, he said he once saw the soul of some fleeting shadows. Rodin’s creation lies in his grasp of the poetry of sculptural forms to express the regular movements of life.


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Lin Sanzhi is an influential master of calligraphy in the 20th century. He was well versed in poetry, calligraphy and painting. In his early years, he was a student of Huang Binhong and often enjoyed writing couplets:

Mountain flowers form a world of spring, With little immortals hiding themselves amidst clouds and waters. From this, we can feel the mood that Lin Sanzhi cherished in his heart. I once sculpted a portrait of him ten times, believing that the statue Poetry Intoxication — Lin Sanzhi Reciting Poems while Walking has portrayed his character. In one of his poems Walking Alone, he wrote:

With limpid water rising by peach blossoms, I walk alone leisurely at the western end of the bridge. With long longevity eyebrows and slightly raised lip corners, a scholarly old man with a walking stick strolls alone in the natural surroundings of mountain and bamboo grove and on the small bridge with flowing water underneath, cultivating vitality and reciting poems. What leisure! However, such leisure is not an individualized one. His poem also read:

Living leisurely outside the mortal world, I cherish a broad mind for the universe. Such a greater broadmindedness is a kind of great leisure integrated with nature! Lin Sanzhi’s calligraphy benefited more from painting. Though his painting did not reach the attainment level of landscape painting by his master Huang Binhong, he infused the spirit of Huang’s landscape painting into his calligraphy. The Chinese landscape spirit is the integration of man with nature, and identification with the universe. It is a kind of elusive but vigorous spirit. His brushstrokes in calligraphy was integrated with charred ink, old ink, thick ink, light ink and ink of mixed tints, presenting a scene of “dry autumn wind carrying spring rain”. This could be seen from his calligraphic works of Wang Anshi (王安石)’s poems:

Green dike vaguely seen in distant Wutang Has pedestrians carrying their own things. Where could one enjoy nice spring breezes? Snowy flower buds of lily magnolia are all over Gangxi. Spring has arrived. “The good rain falls in spring as it knows the right season.” After a night of spring rain, willow trees on the dike have

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Landscape painting of Huang Binhong (partial view). Collected by Wu Weishan.

all turned green, with dewdrops on the leaves of the branches. A few pedestrians stroll on the dike. White flowers blossom along the path. This certainly constitutes beautiful scenery. Lin Sanzhi entered the realm of poetry. His nourished affections can be felt from his works of calligraphy. While sculpting a portrait of him, I tried to grasp his facial expression. A person’s countenance is linked with his state of mind. Before 40 years old, a person who does not look good may blame his parents for that. However, after 40, if he is still lacking in bearing and qualities, he should blame himself for inadequate self-cultivation. Once, Lin Sanzhi went to a temple in Jiuhua Mountain. The abbot, waiting for him at the gate, asked him, “Are you Mr. Lin Sanzhi?” After receiving a positive reply, he said, “I am the abbot of this temple. I know you are coming today.” Lin Sanzhi was very surprised and asked him how he knew. The abbot said, “You were the former abbot of our temple in your previous life.” Though this sounds a bit mystical, it is a true story. Because of his cultivation, Lin Sanzhi has the countenance of an arhat. I watched him practicing calligraphy numerous times. His calligraphy is identical to the smoothness and forbearance in his Buddhist attainment, both possessing energy of mountains and forests, perfectly demonstrated. If his statue was sculpted according to the aesthetic standards of the Cultural Revolution — raising the head and throwing out the chest in a lofty, great and complete manner — that would not be Lin Sanzhi anymore.


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In ancient Buddhist grottoes, some statues of arhats bear striking resemblance to Lin Sanzhi. Of course, I did not sculpt Lin Sanzhi because I saw those arhat statues, and Lin Sanzhi did not grow into such likeness because he had seen those arhat statues. This was completely a spiritual encounter. When I was a university student, there was a professor of fine arts history Qin Xuanfu (秦宣夫), who once studied in France and Belgium and had lived in Europe for over 30 years. An American friend of mine came to Nanjing and saw old Qin. He said that Qin looked very much like his neighbour, a German sculptor of over 90 years old. In 1997, I went to the United States and visited this sculptor, discovering that he really looked like Qin Xuanfu. However, another professor in Chinese painting, being a colleague of Qin for more than 30 years, looked entirely different from old Qin, because he had never gone overseas to receive the influence of Western culture. Therefore, he looked very much like a “country bumpkin”. There were many instances where ignorant people mistook him for a vegetable farmer. Therefore, people of different races, because of the same cultural background, may look very much alike. On the other hand, people of the same race, because of different cultural nourishment, may look very different from one another. Contemporary female calligrapher Xiao Xian was a student of Kang Youwei (康有为). Her calligraphy is full of vigour. In her memorial hall, there is a photo of her practising calligraphy at the age of 92. Holding a big writing-brush, with the force of wind and thunder, she forcefully wrote the last vertical stroke of the Chinese character “spirit” (神). In 1994, I sculpted a portrait of her, depicting her countenance in a face-to-face manner. After her death, the government built a memorial hall in honour of her. I was once again invited to make a statue of her. As her image was already imprinted in my mind, I did not refer to any pictures or data. Based on my memory alone, it took me only more than one hour to complete a 90-centimetre portrait of her. This is an imagery statue more ambiguous than the previous one. It provides more space for imagination. Its body is bigger, aptly expressing the energy and spirit of her calligraphy. As a calligrapher, poet and scholar, Gao Ershi was on very good terms with Lin Sanzhi, but they had entirely different calligraphic styles. The calligraphy of Gao is highly spirited and expresses unique beauty and vigour, breaking through self-imposed restrictions. Being upright, straightforward and truthful in character, his calligraphy is likened to spring water from the high mountain flowing into mountain streams, producing waves that sweep against rocks. Though the water swerves swiftly and sharply at that moment, the entirety is still smooth and rhythmic. That is exactly the mood of his calligraphy. As for Lin Sanzhi, he was sincere and humble. His calligraphy is graceful, exquisite

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Calligraphy of Gao Ershi. Collected by Wu Weishan.


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and ethereal, just like water entering the plains in continuous flow. In 1965, Gao Ershi engaged in a war of words with Guo Moruo, who asserted that Lanting Xu (“Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchard Pavilion”) was backed by monk Zhiyong (智永), great-great-grandson of Wang Xizhi, of the Sui dynasty. Only Gao Ershi took the lead in publishing “A Refute on the Authenticity of Lanting Xu”, thus igniting a war of words which shocked the cultural circle at home and abroad. Historian Su Yuanlei (苏渊雷) exclaimed with overwhelming admiration:

It is not late to debate on the authenticity of Lanting Xu; the excellent essay by Gao Ershi makes the controversy known to all. Zhang Shizhao (章士钊) also commented, “If anyone asks who is the zenith in the field of calligraphy, it would undoubtedly be Gao.” Of course, the highly spirited statue of Gao Ershi is entirely different from those pretending to be aloof. Gao Ershi was not a person of shallow aloofness, but was a pre-eminent figure of a noble spirit. In 1987, 10 years after the death of Gao Ershi, 89-year-old Lin Sanzhi visited the exhibition of works by Gao Ershi, his former friend. With deep emotions, he inscribed:

Living up to history, Gao walks alone in a refined and tasteful manner. This coincides with his eulogy, written in 1962, for Gao’s poem: Eloquent Gao Ershi is extraordinary in southern Jiangsu Province. This was used to laud the character of Gao Ershi. Gao is my granduncle who returned to his hometown in northern Jiangsu Province from Nanjing in 1973. In a greyish white Chinese tunic suit, trim, towering and holding a walking stick, he looked extraordinary, scholarly and refined. I was 12 years old then. I did not expect that after more than 20 years, I sculpted this heart-stirring image which often appeared in my mind, and finally had it cast in bronze. Well-known calligrapher Shen Yinmo (沈尹默) had a very strong foundation in calligraphy. For a long time, he was always regarded as a “copybook”. However, Chen Duxiu (陈独秀) commented on his calligraphy, “Its popularity lies in the bone (character).” It lacks inner character. I think there are four levels of calligraphy: firstly, having the bone without the flesh, or having the flesh without the bone; secondly, having both flesh and bone, but without blood; thirdly, having the bone, flesh and blood. However, this is not enough. The soul and character must be present. Only with character can it be extraordinary. Gao Ershi, Xiao Xian and Lin Sanzhi were very good friends in the same profession. However, due to their different characters and inner poetic appeal, different techniques have to be employed in

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moulding their statues. For a very long time, the thoughts of Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi have influenced the development of Chinese art. In particular, for freehand painting and calligraphy, emphasis is placed on metaphysical Tao. Sculpture has to reply on clay, materials and forms to express the spirit, unlike philosophy which directly verbalizes Tao. The essence of Tao is marked by nihility, extreme serenity, mysteriousness, elusiveness, and is the root of the universe and life, evolving into the spiritual realm and supernatural self. It develops into traditional Chinese aesthetic features — image (referring to objective existence which can be directly sensed by feelings); words (the form of linguistic expression); meaning (a supernatural state that corresponds to the soul, transcending image and words). Robin, an American artist who worked with me in Europe, once asked his assistant to make a mould of his face. Looking at it, I thought it was a new work, without any idea that it was Robin’s face. This shows that directly making a mould based on one’s face may not resemble the subject, because while moulding, the person would close his eyes and become expressionless and emotionless. As the eyes are the windows of the soul, how can people gain insights when the windows are closed? Therefore, in order to attain “meaning” (Yi, 意), there must be a corresponding form. The same is true of poetry, where linguistic forms must be constantly refined. Poetry must be concise and comprehensive. Zhuang Zi’s words of “forgetting the form after grasping the meaning, forgetting the image after grasping the meaning” further illustrate this. In Renjian Cihua (Poetic Remarks in the Mortal World), Wang Guowei (王国维) said, “No Ci writers of the past and present can match Qi Baishi in style. It is a pity that they do not work on the mood, resulting in the absence of overtones. Therefore, they can never become first-rate writers.” The meaning must come first before engaging in creation. Only in this way can the style of works be elevated. Quite a number of people, upon seeing the statue of Qi Baishi sculpted by me, said that it bore a striking resemblance to Balzac. I do not deny this fact. This is because I completed this work in 1992, a period in which I had a strong passion for Rodin’s works. After 1996, I began to distance myself from Rodin, wishing to break free from him. My inspiration was then derived from a painting by Qi Baishi. This painting depicts a little bird perched on a huge rock, brought about by polished, horizontal strokes of abundant ink splashes. From this, I was reminded of the fact that sculpting a portrait of him must be founded on his spirit, and expressed through a natural employment of forms and elements found in his works. This would be achieving the same goal through different means. The tremendous energy in sculpture has much in common with the spirit in Qi Baishi’s art of painting. My inspiration of another statue of Qi Baishi came from one of his paintings Lotus Flowers — a lotus-stem rising alone


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An Eccentric Master of Culture — Gu Hongming, 2006. Bronze

The eccentric master is not bound by norms. Well-versed in western languages, he actively promotes Chinese studies. He uses six words to summarize the “Chinese spirit”: gentle, kind, intelligent, sharp, resilient and determined.

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above the silt, carrying a light fragrance. This is a kind of feeling which can only be perceived and cannot be expressed. Gu Hongming emphasized traditional Chinese culture. At the invitation of Cai Yuanpei (蔡元培), he taught English and Latin at Peking University. In the fourth year of the Republic of China, he was still wearing his long plait, going in and out of the Red Building in Peking University. After studying in the West, he returned to China, actively promoting Chinese studies. There was once when a student posed him a slightly offensive question. He thumped the table and said, “I’m not even afraid of Yuan Shikai (袁世凯). Would I be afraid of you?” The widely-opened eyes and strange expression is a portrait of him. I sculpted the portrait of Sigmund Freud numerous times. Most of them were meticulously depicted based on relevant information. While each part was lifelike, the entirety was not. However, there was one made with a freehand style, which was immediately recognized as Sigmund by Dr. Antonio Rodrigues, president of Macao Foundation, at the exhibition held in UNESCO Centre of Macau last year. Dr. Rodrigues is a Portuguese and has a doctorate in psychology. With the sensitivity of a Westerner, he has even reached the state of implicit understanding of the “spirit” in Chinese freehand sculpture. It should be said that the special facial outline of Sigmund had become a unique symbol. Just like writing poems, one succeeds in capturing the poetic soul once the poetic eyes are captured.

Sigmund Freud, 1998. Red clay.

I have made several amendments to the draft sculpture of Sigmund Freud. I still feel that it is an iceberg under the water — the depth of psychology is bottomless. A pair of eyes that penetrates the thoughts of mankind, with a look that is distracted, incisive and clear, containing forbearance in sharpness, magnanimity in harshness.


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Psychologist Gao Juefu (高觉敷) was the first person who translated Sigmund’s The Interpretation of Dreams to China. His eyes, incisive and discerning, as well as his lips, hair and clothes, demonstrated the bearing of a great scholar of his time. The following words can express his spiritual attainment and character: “He is as pure as fine gold and as gentle and smooth as superior jade. Lenient and restrained, he is amicable but not without principles. Observing his expression, the way he handles things is warm like the sun in spring time. Listening to his words, he sounds cordial like timely rain, big-hearted and broadminded. Assessing his accomplishments, they are great and boundless. As for his virtues, they are beyond description.” Fei Dasheng, elder sister of sociologist Fei Xiaotong, is an expert in breeding silkworm and growing mulberry. Studying in Japan in her early years, she brought back the Japanese techniques of silkworm breeding and mulberry growing to China. She is now 97 years old. Suzhou University invited me to sculpt a portrait of her. In the process of sculpting, an ambiguous form appeared. I kept that form. On first sight, one could not distinguish the facial features and could only see a mass of red clay. However, it narrates the sincerest and simplest rural affections. Fei Xiaotong, with deep affections for his elder sister, liked this blurred form very much.

An Expert of Silkworm Breeding and Mulberry Growing, 1995. Bronze

Using each thread of silk from life to form a cocoon, its image is ambiguous, its appeal is harmonious, its quality is unsophisticated, and its realm is pure.

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Memories of the West, 2000. Bronze

On the highland, Scorched purple-red by the sun. The girl of Zang tribe has a bronze complexion, Leaving me with this impression.

In modern life, due to the deviation of industrial and technological civilization, we often think of ancient times and relish in their poetic way of life. We often look for the existential value between mankind and nature, between history and reality, and between two extremes. On my way to Jiuzhaigou, I saw a girl of the Zang tribe who looked like a Han earthen jar as her face was very round. Not long ago in Hong Kong, I exhibited a statue inspired by this encounter. A German artist seemed to have gleaned something from it, saying, “I know your inspiration comes from Chinese Han jars.” The sunshine on the highland made the face of this girl looked as dark red as a purple turnip. I have preferred pottery of remote antiquity to those exquisite ceramics since the Ming and Qing dynasties, as the strong craftsmanship of the latter has resulted in the loss of the personality impetuosity of art. Ancient pottery is simple, pure and natural, and is the twin sister of ancient folk songs.


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Venerable Hongyi (partial view), 2006.

Final writings of Venerable Hongyi.

Thinking of Hongyi for the past 20 years, I finally made this statue.

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Before his death, Venerable Hongyi wrote “A Mix of Sorrow and Joy”. From the strokes of these Chinese characters, they revealed his inner world. The character “Sorrow” (悲) greatly resembled his facial expression. Venerable Hongyi had great accomplishments in painting, calligraphy and drama. He was the first person in China to paint human models. His Farewell Song is also widely sung:

Outside the long pavilion, Beside the old path, Green grass stretches endlessly. Venerable Hongyi occupied a very important position in the cultural history of China. When he was young, he led an extremely dissipated life. After becoming a monk, he returned to a simple life. In his early years, he wrote a poem for Xie Qiuyun (谢秋云), a famous prostitute in Shanghai:

Recalling my frivolous past, I regret indulging myself in sensual pleasure…. There is another couplet that reflects his state of mind after becoming a monk:

Truth and error in history are only a fleeting dream, A word of scripture redeems the soul. How pathetic he was, alone in the human world! He believed there were three states in human life — material life, intellectual life and spiritual life. Intellectual life is the life of us ordinary intellectuals. Spiritual life refers to the religious realm. As I myself have not attained this realm, I cannot explain its true meaning. Last year, I went to Huangshan Mountains again and wrote the three natures of Huangshan Mountains — beauty, profundity and deity. The beauty of Huangshan Mountains is well-known, as described, “All over China, this mountain is the best scenery in history.” Its mountains, clouds, and energy of the universe are blended with the energy of the mountain and forest, leaving people with food for philosophical rumination. Its heights and depths, movement and serenity, contradicts and complements each other at the same time. Neighbouring Jiuhua Mountain, the sacred place of the King of Hades, once saw many eminent monks practising Buddhism there. Their mortal bodies remained intact even after their death, thus creating a sense of mysticism. I believe there is an interactive influence between these two mountains, and that is why Huangshan Mountains has been imbued with divinity.


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Statue of Venerable Hongyi, 2006.

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Material, intellectual, spiritual; beauty, profundity, deity. These are largely associated with abstinence, composure and wisdom in Buddhism. Abstinence refers to the abandonment of many things in material life. Composure stands for deep meditation, tranquil and remote, finally attaining wisdom. The image of Venerable Hongyi being sorrowful and joyful often lands me in the same state. I have been thinking of sculpting a portrait of him. However, I have delayed in doing so, as it is like pursuing the infinite with finite means and gazing at the place which cannot be reached. I also enjoy one of Venerable Jian Jiang (渐江)’s poems:

A broad view is not blocked by dust, The landscape in sight looks airy as if it has never existed. This is the realm of Buddhism. Only a painter, poet and monk like Jian Jiang could attain such a state. Like his painting, this poem is too cold and airy. Another of his Buddhist poems reads:

A punt-pole thrusts into the empty sky, Making spring breeze smile with a nod. This poem contains some warmth, having a sense of “spring breeze is so graceful as to embrace all things”. However, it is not secular, but natural and ethereal. All these poems express different realms of Buddhism. Of course, many different expressions and postures in Chinese Buddha statues also convey similar meaning. In the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, there is a Buddha statue of the Sui Dynasty. I went to view it several times and cried on a few occasions. Its sculptor cannot be traced. Imagine they left their homes and were then organized into groups to labour day and night in the grottoes. Completely cut off from the outside world, they could only infuse their affections for the world and for Buddha into the works. As a Chinese artist, I believe the souls of all exhibits in the Metropolitan Museum of Art have been integrated into this statue. This oriental smile of compassion blends into the music of piano, poetic and immortal, causing the countenance and sound to become indistinct. From this, I feel that the purity of art comes from the true affections in the inner world of the artists. Boys and girls at Maiji Mountain and the girl who played the flute in Dazu are statues of approachable providers and musical performers. As fetishes that people longed for, they expressed themselves through the smile. The greatest appeal of the externalization of Chinese Buddha statues lies in the smile, which is not only compassionate and beautiful, but also poetic.


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The Sound of Flute from the Remote Ages, 1998. Bronze

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Zong Baihua (宗白华) has a poem Drifting Clouds — Extrication, which read:

The flute sounds from afar. The moon is cold and remote, so is the heart, Together, they lead to the coldness and remoteness of the universe. I particularly like the profundity, remoteness, emptiness, serenity and tranquillity in the poetic mood, often using “sound of flute” as themes for my works. However, due to different understanding in different periods, moulding techniques and materials are quite different. This melody of flute-sound stirred my heart and brought about similar works. In 1994, I was sick at home. My daughter, coming home from kindergarten, had her small skirt flapping and her small feet rising up in an extremely adorable manner. I kneaded a small sculpture Spring Breeze in three to four minutes. She loved looking at the sky when she was young. I would say she liked to dream. I quote a poem by Zong Baihua to describe her:

She is a fluttering butterfly, Touring the garden of poetry in the world of her dream. I believe, if a person’s heart is not filled with poetry and sincere, simple affections, his works would definitely not move people. Though that work in the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a Buddha sculpture, it contains warm human affections that are extremely touching. By “genuineness”, “charity” and “beauty”, they mean the genuineness of affections, kindness of heart and unadorned beauty of art forms. I wish to quote Tagore’s poem Tying a Heart-string to express my work of a Han jade head statue of a child:

Your eyes sparkle with The lamp of my hope, The shadow of my soul is indistinctively cast On your face. I believe the stone sculptures in Dazu of Sichuan province are the model of Chinese Buddha sculptures. Influenced by the art of Gandhara, the art of Chinese Buddha sculptures, originating from the Western regions of China, slowly spread to central China. From then, Dazu stone sculptures became localized. The inclusiveness of Chinese culture received the foreign and localized it. Wang Chaowen (王朝闻) once commented that the statue of the female provider among stone sculptures on Baoding Mountain in Dazu was the oriental “Venus”. It projects the highest aesthetic form of the East


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into the form of sculpture — graceful and spirited, untainted, buxom and fair, lissom, antiqued and unusual. Han figurines are flat while sculptures of the Tang dynasty are round and secular. Only statues of the Northern Wei dynasty are refreshing, graceful, unrestrained and smooth. Just like climbing a mountain, you have no idea where the mountain path is amidst the thick fog. However, if you can fix the direction and climb the mountain with your beliefs, once the sun shines and the fog vanishes, you will see a clear path before you. In ancient Japan, there was a warrior with superb fighting skills. Once, in tattered clothes, he went to eat at a small inn and was mocked by passer-bys. However, he was not bothered by it at all. Occasionally, seeing a fly hovering around the table, he would catch it with his chopsticks and nonchalantly threw it away, to the wide-eyed amazement of all those present. This story reminds me of an allusion of swordplay by Madam Gongsun in ancient China that initiated the techniques of calligraphy. From this, we can see the effects of “meaning” in techniques, art and Tao. I once told a joke about how a student majoring in oil-painting enjoyed painting the lips of all models red. The teacher said to him that the lips of those models in real life were not so red, and asked him why he painted in this way. He replied that the lips of human figures painted by Auguste Renoir were all so red. The teacher said that Renoir tended to paint women of rouges. Only then did this student come to the realization. Therefore, one should not learn art by rote. The “sculptural sense” is very popular in art institutes in mainland China. They believe that the sculptural sense means high nose and deep eyes in a strong spatial contrast. This is actually wrong. Ancient Chinese sculptures were outstanding, but their faces were very flat. In the past, we learnt art from the Soviet Union. Because the face of Russians has distinct, sharp features, sculptors are able to create those sculptures accordingly. Learning Russian sculpture does not mean that we need to turn ourselves into Russians. Fullness within flatness on the face of Easterners is also a form of the sculptural sense. The learning of art should not be confined to the surface, so as to prevent “inhibition by likeness”. No matter what kind of sculptures, we should always make some refining in the field of form-creation and language of form. The same is true of poetry. All poets endeavour to weigh the verses and deliberate on the most appropriate words. Only succinctness can reveal the profundity of the hidden meaning. Sunshine in a drop of water, a world in a grain of sand, eternity in an instant. The volume, blocks, masses, lines, words and poetic eyes…. At the beginning of my lecture, there were not many people. This space is likened to a poem, producing the poetry of sculpture. Now, the room is full, making it look like a prose instead. With this, I end my talk on poetry.

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A Child, 1998. Han white jade


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The Soul of Similarity and Dissimilarity — Statue of Qi Baishi, 2004. Bronze

I cannot remember how many times I have sculpted the statue of Qi Baishi, nor the reason why I sculpted in this way. In sum, I was attracted by the charm that was inexpressible, and was called by the spirit of art that was vividly portrayed.

11. Tradition and Innovation Speech at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

As the source, tradition constantly develops its original system in the course of succession and changes. It is not the pronoun for “past” or “history”; it is the pulse of incessantly rolling nature, history and society. The progress of human society cannot be separated from tradition, which is revised, transformed and innovated through gradual accumulation and gradual denial, thus creating a new sense of “tradition” in later generations. Fine arts are the products of the human spirit and their path of development reflects the confrontation of new and old, emotions and reason, beauty and ugliness, and conservative and progressive. Keywords: Tradition, innovation, source. Recently, not knowing if you have noticed, there is an old man with a walking stick, gazing at pedestrians with his incisive eyes, against the vast and remote background. His long beard and long robe look like the waterfall plunging down from the high mountain. He is “Qi Baishi”, a statue made of red clay, printed on the advertisement of the programme sheet featuring artists-in-residence at the art centre. On the upper left part of “old man Baishi”, there are two prominent Chinese characters “spirit and charm” (shenyun, 神韵). This “outdated” elder has arrived in Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), undoubtedly causing us to ponder over issues such as science, art, tradition and innovation. If I count from the time I formally entered a fine arts institute, I have been roaming in the thoughts of art forms for over 20 years. Today, having seen the people-centred hallmark of HKUST and such interspersed, orderly and streamlined white buildings, I seem to have sensed the inspiration of reason. This is probably because I am used to being free and lax, so wishing to enjoy a bit of orderly beauty. I used to study, teach and travel for learning at several universities or organizations in China, Europe and the United States. Nanjing Normal University, Peking University and Nanjing University in China are all old schools with a long history. Their main architectural styles are marked by big roofs, which is a classic architectural layout in Chinese tradition: Nanjing Normal University: Flowing water, elegant, spirited, graceful.


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Peking University: flying eaves, painted columns, glittering resplendence and imperial bearing. Nanjing University: green shades of trees, quaintness in modernity, scholarly aura. The European Ceramic Work Centre has a Rocco style with modern sculptures at the entrance. Washington University is exactly of a European style that is Americanized. Elements of traditional Eastern and Western architecture found in modern buildings of HKUST, such as the vaults of Western churches, Gothic pinnacles, as well as arc lines of ancient Chinese city gates and window structures in common residences appear close and familiar. As early as in 1967, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology set up the Centre for Advanced Visual Studies, constantly promoting dialogues between artists-in-residence and scientists at the university. Historically, there is a close relationship between art and technology — the concept of perspective and anatomy have laid a foundation for Western “realistic depiction”; optics has inspired Impressionism; mathematics has brought about the inspiration of abstract expressionism; the invention of photography has enabled artists to seek plane expression; the composition of modern art has also brought new concepts to the design of technology. Da Vinci himself, a maestro of the Renaissance, was an integration of art with science, besides many others. From the mid 1960s to mid 1970s, science and technology were the main themes of modern art. Futurism, Dadaism and structuralism were all associated with science and technology. In 1966, Swedish engineer Billy and artist Robert jointly conducted experiments integrating art and technology, producing environmental works through combining the multimedia of sounds, lights and dynamic elements. Art and science are two green leaves on the trees of human civilization, developing through the photosynthesis of society and nature while beautifying society and nature with their greenery and flowers. Against the background of green mountains, HKUST, built on a huge rock, faces the vast sea and enjoys plenty of sunshine and fresh air. Therefore, as an artist-in-residence at this university, my first lecture Tradition and Innovation has pointed out the responsibility we have to shoulder for being placed between the past and the future and between the mountain and the sea. There has always been the issue of tradition and innovation in the progress of human society. In this topic, I want to analyze the nature of tradition and innovation, as

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well as their relationship, separately. According to the concept of this topic, it involves politics, religion, the science of history and anthropology. Now, I will analyze the phenomena related to Eastern and Western fine arts, especially some understanding of the evolution of art schools, the interpretation of model works of artists and the change in styles. We will seek to comprehend tradition and innovation from the confrontation of new and old, emotion and reason, beauty and ugliness, as well as conservative and progressive through the development of fine arts as the spiritual products of mankind.

Head Statue of Qi Baishi, 2004. Bronze.

In profundity, this statue embodies curiosity and freshness, rumination and judgment, as well as the conclusion of form and spirit.


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A. Tradition Tradition is the integration of a nation’s way of living, mode of behaviour and mode of thinking. Due to differences in geography and races, multiple dimensions of tradition emerge. Not only do different countries have different traditions, different regions also have different traditions. Even the family has its own “family heritage”. Because of its rationality of time and space, it is often idolized, deified, dogmatized and used by feudal morality, becoming a stumbling block to the development of new things. It is not related to “tradition” itself, but is the result of lopsided and narrow perception. As its name implies, when it comes into being, tradition is always in accordance to the correct perception of people. Its inner logic reflects reason, and is therefore the crystallization of wisdom and emotions in social practice. Respect for tradition demonstrates our affirmation for the creation value of mankind. Calligrapher Lin Sanzhi commented, “Only being deeply involved can things become more prominent.” Great scholar Gao Ershi said, “One must draw on hundred schools before one can establish one’s own style.” The attitude of painter Li Keran (李可染) towards tradition was “using the greatest effort to enter it”. Of course, its aim is to “dash out of it with the greatest courage”. “Being deeply involved”, “drawing on hundred schools” and “entering it” all show that tradition can be learnt. The excellent tradition is the summary of an era and the prophecy of another era. It is of dual nature — succession and rebellion coexisting. Succession is demonstrated in meeting the needs of the mentality of people in contemporary times. It is accepted by the majority as the representative of culture, and is orthodox or mainstreamed. Rebellion exists in the structure already accepted, and is also a new force of development that breaks free from the structure. Landscape paintings by “Four Wangs” of the Qing dynasty are gentle and refined, adhering to strict rules. They modelled after Dong Qichang of the Ming dynasty. Another side of Wang Yuanqi (王原祈), one of the “Four Wangs”, remains unknown to many people. He was often opposed to those who commented that his paintings were rooted in nature. He believed what he was truly dedicated to was “abstractness”, rather than realistic depiction and portrayal of forms. He was concerned about how to establish new structures in a new space and using his inner heart to restructure the outside world. The “Four Wangs” have always been regarded as “orthodox”, but have also been deemed as “conservatives”. However, in our analysis of Wang Yuanqi, we found a dual nature. His “restructuring of the outside world” and “spatial structure” are important thoughts of modern art. Although he censured the acts of innovators like Shi Tao and Gong Xian (龚贤), who were becoming gradually popular in his time, as “bad habits”, his innovation in art influenced

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painters of his time and those in later generations. This was the vanguard in the development from the conscious breakthrough of originally scattered framework in Chinese paintings to the “composition”, as well as a prelude to modern art. At the turn of the new and old, or rather, in the evolution of the tradition, there are always some gifted people who oppose fashion. Their creation possesses structural and spiritual shock, unique and controversial.

Standing in an Aloof Manner — Master Xu Beihong, 2006. Red clay

In the deep hours of the night, “Master Beihong” came to my studio. This is the realm I attained after sculpting Xu Beihong six times. While sculpting, I felt that I was conversing with the master. The “character of Jin people” in calligraphy and the patriotism in “galloping horses” are the bearing of the great master. Having “sweeping, excelling energy that stirs wind and thunder”, and the resolve of “reviving Chinese fine arts”, master Beihong has gone a long way….


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Once these disputes are over, their ideas will be acknowledged, accepted and kept, becoming the hallmark of a new era. I have just talked about Shi Tao who absorbed the acute intuition from creation. He extracted a limited but orderly system of form from constant changes in the visual world. His brushstrokes were outstanding but unorthodox, and have become the tradition highly esteemed by painters in later generations. We might as well make an analysis of “tradition”. “chuan” (传, the first Chinese character in “tradition”) refers to passing down, dissemination and conveyance. Flowing and developing, it narrates the process of time. “tong ” (统, the other Chinese character in “tradition”) stands for “subordination”, “system” and “blood lineage”. It narrates the limits of a system space. From the meaning of “blood lineage”, the smaller the limits, the more nepotism is produced and the lesser the probability of producing better offsprings. It may even result in producing “morons”. Therefore, efforts must be made to expand the limits of the system and infuse fresh elements, so as to generate new vitality. Tradition should be the surging source. With the source springs the flow, it flows down the high mountain, going through different spaces, receiving different nutrients and gaining expansion and development. However, tradition is often misunderstood. “Tradition” is often regarded as “convention”, becoming the “shield” for stagnancy. In art, people tend to long for and linger over the beauty and mood created by ancient artists. As a result, they regard techniques derived from their forms to be equal with classics and model examples, thus losing the courage to surpass them, choosing to indulge in talking delightfully about the world depicted by a certain master and becoming a reveller in culture. National Central University in Taiwan once held an exhibition for Xi Dejin (席德进) and Liu Guosong (刘国松), two Chinese painters in modern times. During the exhibition, an “old” man commented on their paintings based on the forms in the Painting Book, saying they were “without tradition” and “without ‘techniques’”. 20 years ago, Wu Guanzhong said that his Chinese paintings were regarded by the Chinese painting circle as having no tradition and were not Chinese paintings at all. However, he firmly believed that this enclosed wall inhibiting Chinese paintings would ultimately be broken down in a few years’ time. Because of a misinterpretation of “tradition”, nearly 95% of painters repeatedly paint plum trees, orchids, bamboo and chrysanthemums every day, intoxicated with the “rules” of ancient painters until the end of their lives. They even repeatedly stress their respect for tradition and that they are engaged in “tradition”. Consequently, they pass on along with the old mode, and are discarded by tradition! Their works lack personality, and you would not know who the painters are if you do not look at the inscriptions. Though skilled and seasoned, their aesthetic appeal is stereotyped. The Chinese public commonly upholds the “old” sign.

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The older it is, the more mysterious and valuable it will be. In a sense, this is indisputable. As a common saying goes, “old age goes together with art.” This expounds the relationship between the accumulation of time and art. In the history of painting in contemporary and modern China, there were painters of great accomplishments such as Wu Changzhuo (吴昌硕), Qi Baishi and Huang Binhong. In the West, Picasso and Matisse were also advanced in age. They were all characterized by seeking development through constant “reforms in techniques”. Old as they were, they made constant progress. At the same time, we should also note that Raphael and Van Gogh of the West both became masters at the age of 36. Georges-Pierre Seurat, founder of Neoimpressionism, was even younger. He only lived to the age of 31. In China, we also have instances where “young men become heroes since ancient times”. Wang Bo (王勃) and Wang Ximeng (王希孟) were only 20 years old when they completed Preface to Tengwang Pavilion and Vast Land of Thousand Miles respectively. The key does not lie in natural age. Then, where does it lie? It lies in the cultural height on which one stands. In the racial reproduction and heredity of mankind, there are always a few people who possess the collective spirit of the race concerned. Once there are ample sunshine and water in their acquired life, the dust and veils will be lifted and their wisdom will be illuminated. It sounds very idealistic, but it can be found exactly in our lives. Jungian psychology contains incisive perceptions on this aspect. There was an old man leading a secluded life in the deep mountain. His wrinkled, bronze-coloured face wore a primitive smile. When asked how old he was, he replied, “99.” True, he was 99. A young man was able to recite 300 Tang poems at the age of 10, read through the Four Books and Five Classics at 15 and wrote marvellous essays that were widely spread at 20. You may ask how old he is. Probably 5000 years old! Yes, he embodies the brilliance of 5000 years of civilization! A friend of mine in San Francisco narrated a true story to me: A Chinese painter went to New York. He became lonely, feeling that his voice was not heard. He wanted to display his talents at Broadway by putting up a show of “Outstanding Chinese Culture and Tradition”. Therefore, he wore a long robe and a skullcap. Possessing the bearing of the “quintessence of Chinese culture”, he shuttled back and forth amidst the bustling crowd. However, no one paid attention to him. The next day, he wore another outfit fashioned after “Kong Yiji” (孔乙己). The reaction from the by-passers was cold as before. Were the Americans not interested in “Chinese tradition”? No! The garments he wore are only instant traces of history. They cannot represent tradition. It would be a comical humour if withered leaves in the setting sun are admired as green leaves with morning dew. In March 1998, I attended the opening ceremony of the Exhibition of 5000 Years of Chinese Civilization at Guggenheim Museum in New York.


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It was an exhibition that received unprecedented response. Zhu Da (朱耷) went against the moderate relationship between ink painting and images in Chinese tradition. His paintings of strange, abstract images, imbued with “broadmindedness and great vigour”, amazed American viewers. Why? The spirit of innovation and rebellion, strongly advocated in traditional Chinese ink painting, is embedded with romantic and reclusive cosmic awareness of ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Zi. Those paintings were completed in the early Qing dynasty. However, the national spirit expressed is perpetual. This spirit goes all the way back to ancient times. In Chinatowns in Europe and the United States, I often see young diehards with long plaits. Having lived there for decades, they are confined to their small social circles, thus failing to integrate themselves with European and American culture; neither do they have fresh nutrients of Chinese culture. They can only shrink slowly in tribe-like Chinese communities, eventually forming shells and becoming cultural tumours. They are remnants of the cultural phenomena in China in the 1930s and 1940s. The look of struggle can be seen from their eyes. The flesh on their faces looks hardened, just like saline land deserted for a long time. Chinese buildings of a big roof style, similar to skullcaps, have long been regarded by people as the symbol of tradition in Chinese architecture. Therefore, to decide whether to keep the traditional structure or not, the question of whether the big roof is to be used has to be answered first. As far as the psychological nature of the big roof is concerned, its “人-shaped” steadiness and balance epitomize the human possession of space and the dignity of mankind; it is the externalization of the national psychology of a big country. The spirited and graceful flying eaves point to the sky and demonstrate oriental mysticism. It makes people feel that a certain legend lingers there. Therefore, it would be too shallow if “tradition” is perceived as the big roof. Its spirit, charm and core should be the visual spirit conveyed by the lines and mass of its form. Having fully understood all these, we will not randomly add a big roof above a very modern building, just like a person in a trim Western suit wearing a skullcap on his head.

B. Innovation While talking about tradition just now, I have already incorporated concepts of innovation. Innovation is also inevitably linked with tradition. All those inheriting excellent tradition are innovators. The converse is true also. Tradition and innovation are not isolated from each other. They have a causal relationship. Therefore, in this section, I would focus on channels of innovation as clues to analyze the phenomena of fine arts in the East and

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West, so as to expound the relationship between innovation and tradition. The superseding of the old by the new is a universal law of nature. 20th century German historian and philosopher Oswald Spengler believed that any kind of culture has its own occurrence, development, peak and decline, and that a culture which develops to the stage of civilization marks its tendency to decline. Also, the universal mentality of mankind is only featured by order and their subservience to the order. They will never have complete spiritual satisfaction. In the spiritual world, hidden desire is suppressed, but it is constantly trying to surpass itself. It evades, expands, creates and indulges in strange, remote and wonderful realms that cannot be attained. This is the inner motivation of individual innovation. Surveying history generally, all masters are advocates and practitioners of innovation. George Gordon Byron once called out, “Only rebels are victors.” In early 20th century, Friedrich Nietzsche made reformative challenges to traditional Western culture and values. He believed that “all old perceptions should be done away with and all values should be re-evaluated”. Li Dazhao (李大钊), a fighter in the field of ideology in China, believed that “the Chinese nation has gone through a long history with much oppression….the future international standing of the Chinese nation depends not on the dying old China, but on the rejuvenation of youthful China”. There are also responses in art with shouts from poets, philosophers and thinkers — Matisse and Picasso and subsequent surging modern art movements; May Fourth Movement of New Culture in China, with artists in the fine arts circle and education of fine arts as representatives, such as Xu Beihong, Lin Fengmian and Liu Haisu (刘海粟), raising the banner of innovation. Chinese painter Huang Binhong, with an age similar to that of Matisse, was himself another zenith of Chinese ink painting. He has always been regarded as the “quintessence of Chinese culture”. In fact, he had an open attitude towards culture, saying, “Now, we should stand up, carry forward our national spirit, open ourselves to the world and get ready to shake hands with any foreigner”, and “Paintings should not be divided into Eastern and Western. They are all naturally produced with brushes and ink. They should develop from form resemblance to spirit resonance — abstract Impressionism of Western paintings. Painters of Fauvism as discussed recently are thinking of making a change to focus on lines in ancient Chinese paintings.” Just as what master calligrapher Lin Sanzhi commented, “Innovation started very early. All masters in the Tang dynasty and Song dynasty endeavoured to blaze a new trail through learning from ancient people. As a universal case in history, success lies exclusively in innovation, free from rules and regulations set by ancient people.” From the thoughts and traces of innovation of those masters, we can see


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several elements influencing innovation: 1) The spirit of the times. 2) Traditional art. 3) Foreign art. 4) Integration in a comprehensive manner.

Now, I would like to talk about these four elements separately

1) The influence of the spirit of the times on innovation: The change of the times has led to the change in the entire social ideology. Art reflects a new era, and suits new aesthetic needs and new emergence of forms. In my work The Psychology of Visual Arts, I pointed out, “Fundamentally speaking, artworks have not been divorced from the spirit of the times, but have expressed themselves more ingeniously in a special way. The spirit of the times is macro and rational. It is art that vividly presents them. This is the externalization process of artists’ personality.” From the facial expression of “Statues of Disciples and Xiesi Bodhisattva” in Yungang Grotto and “Jiyuetian” of Northern Wei dynasty, we see the mien of Northern Wei and Jin dynasties, and the unrestrainedness of people at that time who went against protocols and laws with their naked appearances. Such a scene was also portrayed in Buddhist art. Again, let us look at Red Leaves on the Mountain in Autumn, painted by Jingfeng (经风) in the late Ming dynasty. It is wild and graceful, featured by unrestrained brushstrokes and human personalities. It portrays the style of the late Ming dynasty, which was characterized by realistic depiction of real emotions, self-exposure and unrestrainedness. These characteristics were also expressed in the people during the time of the May Fourth Movement who held personality as the supreme, in the rebellion against tradition, as well as in Self-Depiction, a number of Galloping Horses and Standing Horses painted by dignified and independent Xu Beihong in 1938. At that time, the style of realistic depiction was advocated in China. However, the tradition of the poem, inscription and painting coexisting in one work to form an integrated whole is still kept in Xu’s paintings. The form of Chinese paintings has not been thoroughly reformed, but the poetic inscription for the painting profoundly reflects the painter’s state of mind:

Looking at group movements in the distance, Standing for a long while, waiting for the thunderous gallop. This poem also reflects the aspirations of advanced intellectuals at that time.

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Horse, Xu Beihong. Collected by Wu Weishan.


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2) Innovation — Vertical Development In the earlier section, I talked about the influence of traditional art on innovation. Outstanding tradition has a dual nature — the coexistence of succession and rebellion. This rebellion marks the start of a new growth. It inspires and foretells another era. Outstanding innovators always enlarge and organize bright spots in tradition, and then separate and position them before re-organizing them to form a new organism. This is the extension of a traditional system. For instance, Seurat (1859–1891), a painter of Neo-impressionism, received institutional traditional education at École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris. He was passionate about ancient Greek sculpture and masters of classicism. In his early years, he studied the integration, theories and principles of colours and explored them in Eugène Delacroix’s paintings. Together with Paul Signac, they explored the possibility of integrating Renaissance and traditional classic structure with colour-testing of impressionism, as well as the integration of the latest spatial concepts of painting, traditional elusive perspective space and the latest science discovery in the perception of colours and lights. He painted A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, in which the colour system is based on realistic perception of Impressionism. This painting created an orderly geometric structure which is very similar to pure abstract art of the 20th century. Or we may say he opened a window for pure abstractness in the 20th century. He died at the young age of 31, but his brief life was entirely devoted to studying, researching, inheriting and developing tradition, leaving a bright spot in the history of fine arts. Tradition provided him nutrients while innovation endowed him with historical value. When I was admiring Picasso’s paintings at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, I often compared them with oil paintings in the early years of the Renaissance. This is because their models and aesthetic standards were similar to one another and some of them possessed the beauty and serenity of ancient Greek sculptures. The painting La Toilette at Albright-Knox Art Gallery in New York is close to the Athenian spirit of 5th century B.C., serene and fresh. This is not strange. Before Picasso advanced towards Cubism, he used to try out different styles, such as Impressionism, Neo-impressionism and the Nabis. In 1900 in Louvre Museum, at the age of 19, he got acquainted with all masters of the older generations as well as classic and pre-classic sculptures. As early as in 1905, he entered his first stage of Classicism. Later, he further absorbed classical art and changed his perspectives at will while learning from pure brownish yellow and brick-red of ancient paintings, finally advancing towards Cubism. In the works of Brancusi, one of the greatest sculptors of the 20th century, there is a sense of afterlife in another universe. His oval sculptures such as Sleeping Muse was deeply influenced by Kiklades

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Islands (in the Aegean Sea) and ancient Greek sculptures. Huang Binhong, a master of Chinese ink painting, established the features of “blackness”, “density”, “thickness” and “heaviness” in Chinese painting circle. He started from studying works of painters in the Ming dynasty, tracing back to the works of painters in Northern Song dynasty and finally concluding at works of painters in Yuan dynasty. After 80 years old, he began to “draw on strong points of ancient painters as his own while keeping his own unique style”. In sum, the national tradition is their firm foundation. In the process of accepting and inheriting, they feel close and familiar, just like listening to their own slang, making it easy for them to enter the core and grasp the spirit, providing an endless source for their innovation.

3) Innovation — Horizontal Development The influence of foreign art on innovation. The word “foreign” includes the influence of other nations and other sister arts. It is innovators standing at the high plane of mankind, taking in every kind of beneficial culture with a broadminded attitude. It is the extension of the traditional system. The art of different nations does not develop separately, nor does it only belong to the narrow scope of one particular nation. It develops in the course of exchanges, infiltration and fusion of arts of various nations, thus gaining lively vitality. The influence of Greek art on Gandhara art and the influence of Indian Buddhism on Chinese art and Japanese art have caused the inner forms of art to exceed the original scope and style of art, presenting themselves with a new outlook. As Buddhism and Buddha statues were introduced to China, the undulant style of modelling in painting was also brought to China. In the early sixth century, Chinese painter Zhang Sengyao acquired this technique from Northern India and oasis cities in the deserts of Asia. Though this technique went against the line-painting technique commonly used at that time, it was later accepted by the Chinese and passed down to future generations. This indicates the Chinese attitude of acceptance and their spirit of tolerance. Later, localization of Buddhist sculptures remained relatively stable in China. It was not until the period of the May Fourth Movement that Western sculpting began to exert its influence on Chinese sculpting. A group of outstanding intellectuals, such as Li Jinfa (李金发) and Liu Kaiqu, returned from their studies in the West, marking the start of modern Chinese sculpting — learning the integration of Western technique of realistic depiction with Chinese sculpting. This was how the Monument to the People’s Heroes came about. The involvement of traditional Western sculpting greatly promoted the development of Chinese outdoor monumental sculpting. In 1912, Liu Haisu founded a school of fine


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arts in Shanghai. For the first time, he employed human models in classroom teaching. This was the first instance in the long history of Chinese civilization. However, in the West, it is not a new thing, but has been the tradition. Such a modern method of fine arts teaching promoted the development of fine arts in perceptions and techniques. In his early years, Liu Haisu studied in the West, learning Western techniques of expression since the Renaissance. He was particularly fond of Neo-impressionism and Expressionism, and integrated them with the tradition of Chinese calligraphy, creating majestic and resplendent Chinese expressionism. In learning, Lin Fengmian was more inclined to Impressionism, Neo-impressionism, Fauvism and Expressionism. With regard to the order of block, surface, line and geometry, he benefitted from the Western art and art of ancient mankind. With respect to the emotions, charm and depth of the spirit, he gave fullest play to the essence of black and white, possessing sorrowful splendour. With a pure heart, his works reveal the most natural and genuine childlikeness, a model example of Eastern and Western art meeting and falling in love, marrying each other and producing offsprings. I should also mention painting master Qi Baishi here. He learnt his techniques from Shi Tao, Zhu Da and Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou. Due to his unique life experiences and personal interest, his brushstrokes depict childlikeness. In some common themes among folks, he discovered the form in themes which were never expressed before — the beauty that corresponded to the extremely vigorous and gentle painting brush and the ink of joy, anger, sorrow and happiness, thus stimulating his energy of art creation. Art, at its peak, is both crude and refined. The art of Qi Baishi absorbed the entirety, amorphousness, simplicity and passion of folk clay sculptures. Such folk wildness was also embodied in his graceful and refined style as well as the candour and purity of the nature and succinctness of the form. His paintings, such as Fisherman, are genuine and interesting, bearing a remarkable resemblance to the “folks”. The art creation of Qi Baishi takes in nourishment from the folks, naturally enriching, developing and broadening the expression of Chinese paintings. At that time, painters only esteemed paintings by literati and despised those from the “common folks”, which were the source of perpetual life and art inspiration. Master calligrapher Lin Sanzhi achieved breakthrough in calligraphy from his understanding of the essence of Chinese calligraphy. In his early years, he learnt from a number of teachers before becoming a student of Huang Binhong. His paintings are marked by extraordinary skills, with dynamic and solemn atmosphere, but are too similar to those of Huang Binhong. However, his calligraphy is outstanding, full of antiquity, and novel. In the past, people had very shallow understanding of the fact that calligraphy and painting are of the same source. Most of them believed that words written like a painting (or form)

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A Solitary Cloud Calmly Drifts On — Lin Fengmian, 2006. Bronze

A solitary cloud, In the time and space of Chinese modern fine arts!


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would be “painting the meaning”. Some even practised it. The innovation of Lin’s calligraphy is expressed through the integration of Chinese landscape spirit with calligraphy. By “dry autumn wind carrying spring rain”, it refers to the best attainment of brushstrokes in Chinese ink painting. However, it was creatively and ingeniously applied in the calligraphy of Lin Sanzhi, and became the visual aesthetic foundation in his calligraphy. Drawing on foreign culture and sister art is just like “using rocks from other mountains to polish one’s jade”. Such reference often shakes the habitual thinking of people and has a sense of novelty. It stimulates artists to constantly look for new breakthrough points, and makes commonly seen modes suddenly look fresh and interesting.

4) Innovation — In a crisscross complexity The East and West, past and present, are in perfect harmony. Art runs freely between them. Maestros or first-rate masters all roam freely between the East and the West, the past and the present, making their works transcendent and perpetual. Picasso not only learnt traditional Western art and African sculpting, but also wanted to visit China in his late years. Van Gogh acquired inspiration of planes and lines from Ukiyo-e of Japan. To every artist with creativity, the more inspired he is, the more eager he becomes to absorb nutrients from all that can nourish his thoughts. No matter what kind of nutrients, he would absorb it and turn it into things of his own. Let us recall some of the resplendent names in the history of fine arts: Renaissance, Dunhuang Grottoes, Neo-impressionism, Fauvism, Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou, Shi Tao, Michelangelo, Matisse, Ren Bonian (任伯年), Lin Fengmian, Li Keran, Zhao Wuji (赵无极) ….They all create based on human culture since ancient times. Maestros are like waterfalls flowing all year round. Their water source lies in several snow mountains of different directions. Despite changes in the angle of sunshine, snow melts constantly, flowing into waterfalls, surging incessantly. The paintings by Li Keran, master of modern Chinese painting, are characterized by splashes of accumulated ink, smoothness and moistness, illusion in substance and profound ambiguity. These features are reminiscent of those found in paintings by Huang Binhong and Qi Baishi. In particular, a painting of Qi Baishi A Rainy Scene in Jiangnan was hung on the wall in the study of Li Keran until the end of his life. However, we cannot overlook “backlight” and “sidelight” of mountains painted by Li Keran, which were inspired by Rembrandt. This marks a great beginning in Chinese landscape paintings.

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Huang Binhong’s gleaning from the West is unlike Xu Beihong who was confined to the expression of “form” and Liu Haisu who was confined to the depiction of “colours”. After reaching maturity in art, i.e. having being enlightened, Huang Binhong started dialogues, at a commanding height, with Impressionism and Fauvism on equal footing. He took some valuable vocabulary from them to enrich himself. This process of enrichment itself was one of grinding and digestion, eventually turning into mellow wine, seeping into the skin and soul, transforming into emptiness and finally attaining a glorious realm of integration of Tao and art. This shows that ink landscapes painted by Huang Binhong are blended with colours, which, of course, already has a metaphysical significance. He was an old man who drank Chinese tea and coffee in his long robe, just that he did not have much direct experiences with Western art. Therefore, the great span of accommodation of Eastern art and Western art is not very obvious in his works. Now, the world is changing rapidly. The globalization of computers exerts a great impact on ancient Chinese culture. I always believe the path of Chinese calligraphy reflects traces that delineate the most excellent ideological process in China. Calligraphy is the art of the whole nation and the art of elites. Wang Xizhi, Yan Zhenqing (颜真卿) and Su Dongpo….their calligraphy condenses outlooks of life and the world, and contains ways of conducting oneself in society. In handling matters, openness and folding up displayed by left falling and right falling strokes, as well as tenacity displayed by horizontal, vertical, bending and hooking strokes, in their exceeding profundity and heaviness and the grasp of lightness and speed, represent emotions, reason, intelligence and wisdom. How do the later generations inherit them and carry them forward in the rapidly changing society of the Information Age? “New ideas” and “new techniques” which are eager for instant success and quick gains may be understood as “innovation”, but they cannot ignite our passion for deep rumination, becoming sly, impetuous, shallow and frivolous. However, we should believe, in the long run, any new impulse has the possibility to act as a catalyst for innovation. In terms of accepting and inheriting, we should adopt the attitude of “strong points of different people complement one another; with all these strong points shared among all, the world becomes common to all” (words of Fei Xiaotong). With regards to development and innovation, we should be courageous to refrain from being sentimentally attached to fetishes but to embrace the sun of tomorrow.


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Ruan Yuan, 2006. Bronze

The sages of old did not leave behind their portraits for remembrance. Dissimilarity is true likeness. The models in powdered copies are mostly alike. I can only capture the spirit in them. While making a statue of Ruan Yuan of Qing dynasty, I used Portraits of Qing Scholars as reference. However, the reference was only cursory as the thousand portraits all looked alike and could not be taken seriously.

Ruan Yuan (partial view), 2006. Bronze

Qing scholars were mostly composed and refined. Their character must have lain in their literary grace and poetry awareness.

A Little Girl with Plaits (partial view), 2004.

12. Pictures of Freehand Sculptures

A Little Girl with Plaits, 2004.

Daughter, Daughter, Your smile Embodies the civilization of old….

A Graceful Crane-like Body, 2003. Bronze

Aloof like a crane, Ethereal like a cloud….

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Carrying a Little Basket, 2004. Bronze

A little basket that Carries hope and Holds the future.

The Sound of Flute from the Remote Ages, 1999. Bronze

In tandem with the rhythm of life, In tandem with the synchronizing work song, Ah, The news of spring, Spread far and wide from here….

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Singing a Folk Song in the Mountain, 2003. Bronze

Birds will not be silent in spring, They must sing. — Shen Congwen (沈从文), Dialogue

An Old Man of Qiang Tribe, 1999. Bronze

On the way to Jiuzhaigou, I happened to pass by a Qiang village. The warm and hospitable old man invited me to drink tea at his home. Later, I made this sculpture based on my memory of this encounter. Professor Yang Zhenning changed the original title to Man, expressing this work of anthropological significance in a profound and succinct way.

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A Collection of Comments and Short Reviews

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On 4 October 2007, at 3 pm sharp, the academic committee of Inje University in Korea announced, “As an artist, Professor Wu Weishan has made outstanding contributions in promoting the development of human culture through the arts and philosophy. As a recognition of his invaluable contributions, we confer on him the honorary doctorate degree.”

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Nakwhan Paik, Chairman of the Board, and Professor Kyeongho Lee, President of Inje University, presented the honorary doctorate degree certificate to Professor Wu Weishan and gave him a congratulatory handshake.

Appendix: A Collection of Comments and Short Reviews

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I’m pleasantly surprised to have found another Rodin in China. — Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Former Secretary-General of the United Nations

Boutros Boutros-Ghali with Wu Weishan, 2002.

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Mr. Wu’s art belongs not only to China, but also the whole world. — Johannes Rau, Former President of Germany

Former German President Johannes Rau receiving Wu Weishan, 2004.


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On 2 October 2007, at 5.18 pm, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, president of the Philippines, personally unveiled a bronze statue of her in Shanghai. Shaking Professor Wu’s hand and thanking him, she expressed great admiration for Wu’s art, especially his spirited works of portrait sculptures, which have left many with deep impressions. This bronze statue is displayed at Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the president of the Philippines.

In 2002, Her Excellency Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo, President of the Philippines, expressed her thanks and shook hands with Wu Weishan at the unveiling ceremony of her bronze statue.

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Mr. S.R. Nathan, the President of the Republic of Singapore, with Yang Zhenning and Wu Weishan, 2007.


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Accompanied by Dean Wu Weishan, Minister Sun Jiazheng (孙家正) of the Ministry of Culture received the sculptors. (From left) Noted sculptor Professor Sheng Yang (盛扬), Minister Sun Jiazheng, Dean Wu Weishan. (From right) Noted sculptor Professor Qian Shaowu (钱绍武), noted sculptor Professor Pan He (潘鹤). On 28 May 2007, the Graduate School of China Art Academy established the China Academy of Sculpture. Wu Weishan was appointed as its first president.

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With great artistic talents, coupled with his diligence in self-improvement and adeptness in innovation, Weishan developed a personal artistic style with distinctive Chinese features in his early years, winning the attention and praises from his peers. It is exactly because of this that he was invited to make a statue of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands when he was visiting and engaging in art creation in the Netherlands in 1996, producing a great influence then. During her visit to China in 1999, the Dutch Queen specially received him and visited the exhibition of his works. Since then, his artworks began to receive increasing attention and were loved by more and more foreign artists. He has succeeded in establishing the Institute of Sculpture Art and Academy of Fine Arts in Nanjing University, integrating teaching with art creation. He has made active explorations and carried out practice in developing the academic discipline of art for the comprehensive university. In addition, he has accumulated valuable experiences for future reference and promoted the development of art education at Nanjing University. — Jiang Shusheng, Chairman of Central Committee of China Democratic League and Former President of Nanjing University


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Weishan and I are both engaged in portrait art. Objectively speaking, we are not in the trend. Chinese sculpture has directly crossed from realism over to postmodernism, by-passing modernism in the middle. In the 1980s, we were once interested in modernism which was quickly replaced by post-modernism. Under such circumstances, sober-minded Wu Weishan took his own path of realistic depiction which was different from Western realism. Rodin’s sculptures integrated realism with impressionism, but sculptures by Wu Weishan are different from those of Rodin. He has found the Chinese freehand style. Freehandedness infuses the spirit of traditional Chinese culture in it. This is a very difficult path to take. The development of Chinese art requires such a process. The development of sculpture requires treading on this path. Wu Weishan has done very well in following this path. — Jin Shangyi, Chairman of China Artists Association and Painter

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Jin Shangyi (靳尚谊) admiring Wu Weishan’s work.


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Wu Weishan’s sculptures are the artistic crystallization of thought, reason, emotion and art. The importance of Wu Weishan lies in the fact that he is not only a sober-minded person of culture orientation, but also a practitioner making great efforts to discover and create things. With cultural self-awareness, he has discovered the source of traditional sculpture, and has advanced step by step because of his constant discoveries. He has entered an inspiring world of traditional sculpture, having perceived the systematic value of traditional sculpture and directly applied its most outstanding “freehand” spirit in his art. Sculpture, an art form closely linked with the history of the spiritual development of mankind, requires constant changes and innovation. Achievements of Wu Weishan in the space converged by “Man-centred themes” and “Freehand sculptures” have undoubtedly provided valuable lessons for the development of contemporary Chinese sculpture. — Fan Di’an, Director of the National Art Museum of China and Art Critic

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Fan Di’an (范迪安) and Wu Weishan examining stone carvings of the Six Dynasties.


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Wu Weishan is a representative sculptor in contemporary Chinese human figure sculpting. His works have presented many figures whose forms have brought insights to his spiritual world. Looking at his figure statues, we first feel the closeness of these human figures and the richness of their inner world. His sculptures are the union of the form and inner world of human figures. I believe it is not easy for a sculptor to achieve such union. Wu Weishan’s sculptures are Chinese, representing the Chinese aesthetic spirit. Chinese sculpture should develop in contemporary times. A long history of Chinese sculpture as well as rich and broad Chinese culture should be expressed in the creation of contemporary Chinese sculptures. Through his creation, Wu Weishan has led and represented the standards of contemporary Chinese sculpture. Some of his new artistic pursuits will be better presented in the outlook of Chinese sculptural art in the next five to 10 years. I think this is of great significance. His achievements in art are significant in leading and guiding the entire Chinese sculptural art creation. — Wang Wenzhang (王文章), President of the China Art Academy

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Wang Wenzhang attending the opening ceremony of “Shaping the Soul with Love for Culture — Exhibition of Wu Weishan’s Sculptural Art” at the National Art Museum of China.


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Wu Weishan has established another great system of Chinese sculptural art and further developed traditional Chinese sculptural art. He also succeeds in integrating tradition with modernity, forming the big freehand style of his own advocacy. He has very clear cultural perceptions. His works possess form and spirit, spectacular and majestic, demonstrating the important spirit of Chinese culture. From the perspective of education, our fine arts education in the past should be said to have followed the system of the former Soviet Union and Russia for over 50 years. Mr. Wu Weishan has established another system solely based on the local culture of China. At the same time, it is the integration of different art pursuits of different people. I believe this is a sudden, emerging force. His achievements in art are amazing. I sincerely wish him success. — Yuan Yunpu (袁运甫), Professor of Qinghua University and Artist

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The essence of “Wu Weishan phenomenon” is his sculptural creation. His sculptural works not only possess distinctive characteristics of toughness and gentleness, but also contain implicit, strong artistic appeal and a profound spirit of humanity. In Chinese literary theories, literary beauty is divided into masculine beauty and feminine beauty. The former is a majestic beauty, vigorous and sturdy; the latter is a serene beauty, graceful and tranquil. These two styles of beauty both come from the “cream of nature”. If an artist acquires one of them, his works will possess special features. If he acquires both styles, he will become a maestro. It is highly commendable that the sculptural art of Wu Weishan can attain such a realm. To possess form and spirit is the aim of his pursuit, but he is not a rigid advocate of realistic depiction. Rather than saying his works convey the spirit through the form, it would be more appropriate to say that they delineate the form through the spirit. — Shao Dazhen (邵大箴), Professor of China Central Academy of Fine Arts and Art Critic


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About Wu Weishan

Wu Weishan is the President of the China Academy of Sculpture, Professor at Nanjing University, Dean of the Academy of Fine Arts, Nanjing University, Head of the Academic Committee of Nanjing University, honorary Doctor of Philosophy, Korea Inje University and Supervisor of research students in Art and Design. He is a specialist enjoying special subsidies by the State Council. Born in Dongtai of Jiangsu Province in 1962, he graduated from the Art Faculty of Nanjing Normal University and pursued his postgraduate studies at Peking University and Washington University Graduate School of Art in St. Louis. He is a member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors, the Society of Portrait Sculptors, UK and the Steering Committee of China City Sculpture. He is also a standing member of the China Sculpture Institute, professor of cultural lectures at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He became the “Y. K. Pao Distinguished Visiting Artist” of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and also “‘Gong Xueyin’ Outstanding Scholar” of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was selected as Nanjing’s first Top 10 Cultural Notables in 2006. He is also a member of the National Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Wu Weishan has engaged in sculptural creation for more than twenty years, creating nearly 400 sculptures of historical and cultural notables, home and abroad. In sculpting, he advocates the integration of the freehand spirit of traditional Chinese art; in theories of fine arts, he is the first to put up the “Theory of Freehand Sculpting” and “Theory of Eight Major Styles of Traditional Chinese Sculpture”, blazing a new trail of freehand sculpture in China. Since 1998, Wu Weishan has successively held personal sculpture and

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Wu Weishan

A�out �u �eis�an

painting exhibitions in Gallery on the Rim, USA, Hong Kong Arts Centre, UNESCO Centre of Macau, National Central University of Taiwan, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Yufuku Gallery in Tokyo. He has won the Pangolin Award, the Recognition Award of the Third Exhibition of City Sculpture in China and the Recognition Award of the 10th National Exhibition of Art. His works have been exhibited often in UK, USA, Canada and South Korea as well as at important exhibitions such as the Beijing International Biennial Exhibition and Centenary Exhibition of Sculpture. The People’s Fine Arts Publishing House and China Social Sciences Press have published two of his theoretical works, namely, The Psychology of Visual Arts (260000 words), Thus Saith the Sculptor (200000 words) and fifteen kinds of picture-albums. His achievements have been reported in two episodes of “Extraordinary People of the East” by China Central Television. His works are collected by the China Fine Arts Gallery, Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands, Honolulu Academy of Arts, and the Fourth University of Paris etc. In Nanjing Museum, there is a permanent “Gallery of Wu Weishan’s Sculptures of Cultural Notables” while there is a “Sculpture Studio of Professor Wu Weishan” at Macao Polytechnic Institute. In 2006, nine units such as the Central Committee of China Democratic League, China Artists Association and Nanjing University jointly organised “Casting the Soul with the Literary Heart — Exhibition of Wu Weishan’s Sculptural Works” in the National Art Museum of China. This exhibition was successively held in Changchun World Sculpture Park and Jiangsu Provincial Art Museum. Eight of his sculptural works have been collected by the National Art Museum of China.

About Wu Weishan

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Postscript

My heartfelt gratitude goes to Prof. Yang Zhenning, scientist, humanities scholar and Nobel laureate, for his enthusiastic recommendation, and to Dr. Kok Khoo Phua (潘国驹), chairman of World Scientific Publishing, for his full support, in the publication of this English edition of Diao su de shi xing《雕塑的诗性》. In recent years, my writings and picture albums of sculptures have successively been published at home and abroad. However, most of them only had their tables of content and forewords translated into English. As such, I often lament the constraint of language that impedes dialogues with the world. Undoubtedly, artworks by themselves transcend nationality, country and time, but if readers can be furnished with the artist’s monologue, they can gradually enter the context in the harmonics of soulful exchanges. This will enable them to obtain more information in a more effective way. In the past 30 years, I have been roaming in the arenas of sculpture, painting and writing, with my flowing river of thoughts surging amidst modelling, colours and ink, as well as words. This trinity forms my world of art. With World Scientific as the bridge, I am truly blessed to be able to reveal this private world of mine to a more vast space, meeting and making friends through words. At present, the progress of Chinese society depends on her connectivity with the world. The core of this connectivity not only lies in science, technology and economy, but more so in culture — in the mutual understanding of each other’s values produced by culture. As a contemporary artist of China, it is my honour to promote communication in this connectivity with my cultural view and art. World Scientific has always been world-renowned for its publication of scientific works. With its base in Singapore, a special location where Chinese and Western cultures converge, it has also determined the extraordinary influence it will exert through cultural and art publications.

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My sincerest thanks to Prof. Yang Zhenning! Being the initiator of the publication of this book, he even took time out of his busy schedule to write the foreword. Professor Yang’s great favour motivates me to advance continuously. My sincerest thanks to Dr Kok Khoo Phua! From science to art, he has made an exception, for the first time, to publish my writings on art. Finally, I would like to thank Ni Xiaoyan (倪晓燕), Chen Yihan (陈弋寒), Ng Chin Choon (黄政全), the designer of this book, and Bryan Low Chuen Chieh (刘峻碣), editor of World Scientific Publishing for their tireless work of labour. I am also grateful to Titus Teo Ken Hian (张敬贤) who put in a lot of effort to translate the Chinese text into English. Dr. Shang Rong (尚荣) of Nanjing University diligently and conscientiously compiled my writings from my 20 years of travel and wrote captions for some of the pictures. My beloved wife Wu Xiaoping (吴小平) meticulously proofread my work and accompanied me to Singapore to discuss the publication of this book. If the publication of this book can become a drop in the ocean of culture, I will bear firmly in mind the nurture of my Motherland’s culture and even the entire human civilization, remembering the chance given to me by the great era! I will forever be grateful to each and every of my teacher and mentor for their guidance, and to my parents who are both my mentors and friends.

Wu Weishan Nanjing University April 2007

Postscript

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Poetry Of Sculpture

Slow Sculpture

Slow Sculpture

Slow Sculpture

Slow Sculpture

Slow Sculpture

Theodore Sturgeon - Slow Sculpture

Sturgeon, Theodore - Slow Sculpture

Theodore Sturgeon - Slow Sculpture

Sculpture and its Reproductions

Sculpture, 1896-1923 (Corinth)

New Zealand Sculpture: A History

Poetry

The Gothic: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting

Poetry

Slow Sculpture by Theodore Sturgeon

Amazing Sculpture You Can Do

The Poetry of Sound

The Poetry of Praise

Poetry of Magic

Art of Poetry

Enjoyment of Poetry

The Poetry of Sappho

Swinburne's Theory of Poetry

The Art of Poetry

The Poetry of Sappho

The Work of Poetry

The Poetry of Physics and the Physics of Poetry

Desire Never Leaves: The Poetry of Tim Lilburn (Laurier Poetry)

Earthly Pages: The Poetry of Don Domanski (Laurier Poetry)

Notes on Some Archaic Attic Sculpture

Poetry Of Sculpture

Slow Sculpture

Slow Sculpture

Slow Sculpture

Slow Sculpture

Slow Sculpture

Theodore Sturgeon - Slow Sculpture

Sturgeon, Theodore - Slow Sculpture

Theodore Sturgeon - Slow Sculpture

Sculpture and its Reproductions

Sculpture, 1896-1923 (Corinth)

New Zealand Sculpture: A History

Poetry

The Gothic: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting

Poetry

Slow Sculpture by Theodore Sturgeon

Amazing Sculpture You Can Do

The Poetry of Sound

The Poetry of Praise

Poetry of Magic

Art of Poetry

Enjoyment of Poetry

The Poetry of Sappho

Swinburne's Theory of Poetry

The Art of Poetry

The Poetry of Sappho

The Work of Poetry

The Poetry of Physics and the Physics of Poetry

Desire Never Leaves: The Poetry of Tim Lilburn (Laurier Poetry)

Earthly Pages: The Poetry of Don Domanski (Laurier Poetry)

Notes on Some Archaic Attic Sculpture

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