After reading the works of Professor Tang Jian, "Don't let people praise the good colors, just leave the pure energy to fill the universe – Art Exhibition of Plum Painting by Professor Tang Jian's teachers and students", I felt a warm current in my heart.

China is a country of plum blossoms. For thousands of years, people have favored and admired plum blossoms the most. Plum blossoms are the "leader among flowers" and they mostly bloom at night. They are also known as "beauties under the moon". They are known for their jade bones and ice heart, plain color and delicate fragrance, elegant rhyme and high standard, moon soul and snow soul, vigor and vitality, and "the world is innate". The unique endowments of "spring" and "beautiful but not competing for spring" have become people's ideal personality types. For thousands of years, countless literati and people have loved, appreciated and chanted plum blossoms, and their elegance and nobleness have lasted from generation to generation. Professor Tang Jian, a famous contemporary painter, has been loving, looking for, protecting, appreciating, painting and chanting plum blossoms for decades. He has experienced many hardships and hardships, leaving behind many wonderful stories and creating a large number of fine works.

The theme of plum blossoms has typical characteristics in the entire Chinese flower and bird painting family. This characteristic depends on two factors: appearance and connotation. On the one hand, the many natural attributes of plum blossoms were appreciated by ancient literati. After being refined and sublimated, they mutually confirmed the human character. Gradually it became a spiritual portrayal of a scholarly hermit and a literati painter, and slowly developed into an emotional pursuit that continues to this day. Interesting meanings such as the scent of no one, the faint fragrance and sparse shadows, the clear air of the universe, etc. are not only the plum blossom wind god, but also a reflection of the charm of personality. On the other hand, plum blossoms are a common species in flower-and-bird paintings. The growth characteristics and combination rules of branches and flowers have been refined and shaped by painters of all generations. They are integrated with the brush and ink language of Chinese paintings, and the unique formal rules of Chinese paintings are brought into play. to the extreme, thus forming their own unique styles.

In fact, the evolution of any theme is related to the aesthetic characteristics of Chinese paintings in different eras. The development of Chinese flower-and-bird painting sprouted in the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties and matured in the Tang Dynasty, with plum blossoms being one of the most important themes. Mid-Tang Dynasty painters Yu Xi, Liang Guang, and Chen Shu all painted plum blossoms. They all mixed plum blossoms among other flowers or feathers, but none of them exclusively painted plum blossoms. Teng Changyou of the Five Dynasties painted plum blossoms with "light and sharp strokes and bright colors"; Xu Xi's plum paintings also used outline coloring, but the lines were thick and heavy, and the color filling was lighter. Xu Xi's son, Xu Chongsi, was unique in that he did not focus on description but used elixir and powder to add color, and paid attention to the integrity of the pen and ink. Chen Changzhao writes plum blossoms in white and flowers in color. Hui Chong used soap glue to paint plum blossoms on a fan, and the shadows of the plum blossoms were visible when reflected in a lamp. This was the origin of ink painting. The flower-and-bird paintings of the Song Dynasty pursued meticulous observation and expression of objective objects. "Exploring Plum Blossoms" by Ma Yuan of the Southern Song Dynasty has the theme of a master walking in the snow, and the artistic conception is relatively cold. Yang Wujiu's "Four Plum Blossoms" is an exquisite depiction of the four states of plum blossoms: unopened, ready to bloom, in full bloom, and dying. The rise of literati painting in the Yuan Dynasty emphasized the purification and nobility of the spiritual realm. Wang Mian inherited Yang Wujiu's method of painting plum blossoms and created a new style. His plum blossoms are vigorous, with luxuriant flowers and branches, graceful charm, and high-spirited business. "Don't let anyone praise the color, just leave the pure energy to fill the world." The thousands of flowers and stamens in the plum blossom works of Luo Pin, Wang Shishen and Jin Dongxin, among the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou in the Qing Dynasty, are all influenced by them. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, flower-and-bird paintings were part-time transcribers, and gradually focused on the expression of subjective emotions. The form shifted from the hook-point and boneless paintings of the Wumen School to the freehand expressions of Ivy White Sun. Developing further to the eight schools of Shitao and eight schools of Yangzhou, the individual language form is even more strengthened, "there are thousands of flowers slanting across the eye, but only two or three to the eye." Li Fangying took nature as his teacher and strived to "generate new things". He once wrote a poem: "Iron trunks, copper skins and jasper branches, and the old trees in front of the courtyard are my teachers. The painter's school must be established eventually, and there is no need to learn from Yuan Zhang and supplement it." The branches of the plum blossoms are interspersed vertically and horizontally, but they do not lose the law and show great ingenuity. After the Qing Dynasty, Shanghai-style painters represented by Wu Changshuo emphasized the use of calligraphy in painting to express the interest of epigraphy, simple and bold brushwork, and developed the broad-brush freehand flower-and-bird painting to its peak. Later, Qi Baishi, Pan Tianshou, Chen Banding, Li Kuchan, etc. It is the continuation and expansion of Wu Changshuo's capital style. Wu Changshuo was associated with plum blossoms throughout his life. He learned from Shi Tao, Bada Shanren, Yangzhou Eight Eccentrics and Zhao Zhiqian. He used calligraphy and painting with conciseness, vigor and magnificence, unparalleled in ancient and modern times. In his early years, he planted thirty plum trees in "Wuyuan", watched them day and night, and was intoxicated with joy. "I know the plum blossoms as a bitter railway man, and the description of the flowers is like a long branch." "Don't let people praise the good colors, only leave the pure air to fill the universe – Professor Tang Jian's teachers and students' plum painting art exhibition" Professor Tang Jian's works have academically sorted out this context, integrating pen and ink, calligraphy and painting, and wonderful creations Naturally, showing people in its own artistic language has a very positive significance for the times.

Tang Jian is well-known for his plum painting in the contemporary era, and is especially good at ancient plum and old plum. The work "Tang Plum" exhibited in "Don't let people praise the good color, just leave the pure air to fill the universe – Art Exhibition of Plum Painting by Professor Tang Jian's teachers and students" One of the representative works. "Plum Blossoms of the Tang Dynasty" changes the ancient hermit's lament about the "bleakness and coldness" of plum blossoms. It is fresh and unrestrained, vigorous and free-spirited, tall and majestic. Looking at the whole text, it reflects the blending and communication between calligraphy and painting. Tang Jian's paintings were made with seal characters, which are solid and green, and are an example of the integration of brush and ink. First of all, judging from the line quality of the painting, the simplicity produced by pointillism and lines is very close to the lines of calligraphy and is very transparent. Tang Jian's calligraphy is based on bronze inscriptions. In this piece of "Tang Mei", the lines on the branches are all written with a center pen, which is calm and thick, and penetrates the back of the paper. In particular, the thick lines on the trunk of the plum blossom are first written with a light ink wet pen, and then with a heavy ink and heavy pen. If the specific image of the plum blossom branches is stripped away, these lines are the original freehand inscriptions. The plum blossom works of painters of the past dynasties are all rich in brushwork, and the lines with different textures of petals, thick branches, and thin branches are also expressed in different brushwork. Tang Jian's plum blossoms place great emphasis on overall unity, and even the thin lines that outline the plum blossoms are centered with a round pen. Secondly, from the perspective of the graphical structure of the painting, Tang Jian's plum blossoms mostly choose vertical compositions, giving full play to the vertical axis and vertical composition of the sky and earth pattern, emphasizing the interspersion of hooks and horizontal oblique lines. From the analysis of the generalization and main structure of the plum blossom image, the processing of pen and ink images is also one of the painter's artistic characteristics. Plum blossoms are like people, with strong bones and a blazing heart. "I've been missing you all night long, and suddenly I came to the window and thought it was you." This painting "Tang Mei" is such a considerate plum blossom! "Wearing this body in the ice and snow forest is not like peaches and plums mixed with fragrant dust. Suddenly, the fragrance spreads all night, spreading like spring in the universe." In the freezing cold, "Tang Mei" is still full of vitality, replenishing energy, and the fragrance bursts out in the cold night, Giving the windy and snowy heaven and earth a verdant spring feeling, "When the mountain flowers are in full bloom, she smiles among the bushes." The shape of "Tang Mei" is made up of hooks and diagonal lines, and the branches are in a circuitous manner, rising and closing, which is open and natural. This characteristic is also reflected in Tang Jian's signature writing. It can be seen from the single character structure of Tang Jian's running script that the basic line relationship is also staggered and changes, which plays a role in transition. Tang Jian has the same pursuit of calligraphy and painting. His works are filled with the inner beauty of ancient and vivid, penetrating, simple and powerful, pure and simple.

Plum blossoms have always been a delicacy in the world. From condiments, dishes, drinks to staple food, it can play multiple roles, and every role is amazing. "Shang Shu Shuo Ming Xia" says: "If you want to make a soup, you can only use salt plums." The "Plum Blossom Soup Cake" in Lin Hong's "Shan Jia Qing Gong" in the Southern Song Dynasty is said to have been created by a virtuous hermit in the Song Dynasty. It has the sharp fresh air of plum blossoms, the rich fragrance of sandalwood, and the fresh and sweet taste of chicken juice. It will whet your appetite and leave a fragrance on your teeth and cheeks. Many literati in the Song Dynasty loved plum blossom delicacies, and Yang Wanli, a poet in the Southern Song Dynasty, was one of them. Yang Wanli claimed that "I love chewing plum blossoms the most". He once ate honey-pickled plum blossoms and was full of praise. He impromptuly composed a poem "Honey-pickled plum blossoms" and chanted it: "The clear snow water in the vat brews the spring cold, and the honey-dotted plum blossoms are exposed to the meal." There is no smoke and fire, and no one can go to the Shaoling altar." Such a pure, fresh and elegant delicacy is a perfect and elegant thing, whether as a snack or as a side dish with wine. Yang Wanli also likes to eat plum porridge. There is a poem "Cold Food Plum Porridge" that says: "I just saw the spring harvest after the wax, and I was worried about the snow falling in front of the wind. After the pistils are removed, they will be cooked into porridge, and the fallen pistils are still good for burning as incense." Plum blossoms and Snow has always been a good friend in winter. "Plum plum blossoms are less white than snow, but snow loses the fragrance of plum blossoms." Yang Wanli picked up plum blossoms, turned snow into water, and cooked porridge with plum blossoms and snow water. It was a perfect match.

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, plum blossoms were still popular in delicacies, and the methods were constantly innovated and the production techniques became more sophisticated. Gao Lian of the Ming Dynasty described in detail the method of making "dark fragrant soup" using plum blossoms as ingredients in "Eight Notes of Compliance with Life: Notes on Drinking, Food and Taking Food". The use of "secret fragrance" to refer to "plum blossoms" originates from the two famous poems "Yong Mei" written by Jiang Kui, a poet in the Song Dynasty. Gu Zhong of the Qing Dynasty was a gourmet, and his food book "Yang Xiaolu" also recorded "secret fragrance soup", which is very similar to the practice of Gao Lian of the Ming Dynasty: "When the plum blossoms are about to bloom, pick half of the blossom heads on Qing Dynasty. Put the pedicles in a magnetic bottle. Sprinkle one or two pieces of fried salt on each two pieces. Do not break it with your hands. Seal it several times with thick paper and place it in a sunny place. Take it out in the spring and summer of the next year and put a little honey in the cup. Then put two or three flowers in it. Boil the soup for a while and the flower heads will bloom on their own. Rusheng is so cute and has a strong tea fragrance. "Rusheng is so cute!" Nourish your body and mind! Isn't this the work of Professor Tang Jian, "Don't let people praise the good colors, just leave the pure energy to fill the universe – Art Exhibition of Plum Paintings by Professor Tang Jian's teachers and students"? (Guan Bukun, member of the Chinese Calligraphers Association, winner of the Yunnan Literature and Art Fund Contribution Award, visiting professor of Chuxiong Normal University, deputy director of the Calligraphy Professional Committee of Yunnan China College, special correspondent of the "Calligraphy News", national calligraphy "Top Ten", the first Winner of the "Fenghua Award", the highest award in the China Internet Calligraphy Competition.)

Appreciation of Tang Jian's works

Introduction to the painter

Tang Jian, PhD in literature and art, is a second-level professor at the China Academy of Art, a doctoral supervisor in the field of flower-and-bird painting creation, a painter at the Chinese Painting Academy, a training course instructor at the Art Training Center of the China Academy of Art, a member of the Chinese Artists Association, and a member of the Chinese Calligraphers Association. . Part-time: Doctoral tutor of Chinese calligraphy and painting aesthetics research at Shandong University, professor at China University of Political Science and Law, distinguished researcher at Beijing Normal University, visiting professor at the School of Art of Shenzhen University, part-time professor and master's tutor at Shandong University of the Arts, part-time professor at the School of Fine Arts at Shandong Qufu Normal University, Master tutor, visiting professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, Gansu University of Political Science and Law, etc.