The Last Splendor: Exploring the Artistic World of Qi Baishi in His Later Years

Author: Sa Mu Jie
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-03-01
Features: More than ten years ago, by chance, my left and right feet stepped into two dreams of Qi Baishi—one real and one illusory. Because of this, I began to have a series of dreams about brilliance from that time onwards. This dream was so long, and finally, it became this book. In this book, Qi Baishi progresses from the real to the illusory. The step, absorption, can also be called a process of being bound. This is the necessary path for every person studying culture and pursuing art to explore the laws of nature. At this stage, others, books, and objective standards are still used as references. This step is briefly mentioned in this book. The second step is about the realm between resemblance and dissimilarity. Others have spoken enough about this, and I think it doesn’t belong to me to repeat. If you want to delve into the details, please go directly to the art section in bookstores to pick out the relevant materials. There are plenty of art books, specialized essays, and memoirs. Among them, what is said is clearer than what I intend to say. The third step is when the brush becomes a part of Qi Baishi’s body. Through ever-changing forms and colors, the subconscious is released. The laws of art are intentionally or unintentionally broken, surpassed, and one expresses oneself freely. A higher level of harmony between humanity and nature—this is the focus of this book. Here, the dream of Qi Baishi’s ancient pearls and my own dreams overlap, creating a final brilliance.