Eight Great Mountains River Flower Scroll

Author: Zhu Da (Qing Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publish Date: July 1, 2002
Features: Zhu Da dedicated his life to painting, with a broad and generous spirit, often expressing himself through his art. Due to the characteristics of his era and his personal experiences, he remained uncompromising toward the Qing Dynasty, channeling his deep resentment into his paintings and calligraphy. His works often featured birds with distended bellies, fish with wide eyes, or birds standing on one leg, symbolizing his defiance against the Qing rulers. Their eyes were turned upward, resembling a look of defiance toward the heavens. He frequently wrote the characters "" in a cursive style that resembled "crying" or "laughing." His poems and inscriptions were often obscure and challenging, expressing his extreme hatred and disdain for the Qing regime. His works reflected a clear sense of love and hatred. For example, his famous "Peacock Painting" and its accompanying poem:
"A peacock, named 'Flower Rain Bamboo Screen,' with half its bamboo stalks ink-generated; How can one discuss three ears when one is done? Just sitting in the second watch of spring." This poem sharply criticized the Han landlords who wore three-eyed flower feathers and black hats, kowtowing to the new rulers. Another landscape scroll bore the inscription: "Guo's crinkling technique, small clouds; Dong's hemp skin, trees abound; I imagine how people understand painting—writing one peak to depict Song's rivers and mountains." He admired the Five Dynasties painter Dong Yuan and Guo Xi, using their unique brushwork to depict the uninvaded rivers and mountains of the Song Dynasty, thereby igniting his patriotic sentiments.
The "Magpie and Stone Painting" (now housed in the Zhu Da Museum) depicts two magpies perched on a large stone. Its meaning, however, carries the symbolism of "magpie nests occupied by jays," suggesting that the Qing nobles, like jays, had forcibly taken over the nests of the Han landlords. The painting emphasizes the magpies' firm perching on the stone, an unshakeable position that the jays could never attain.
He often painted lotuses, reeds, pines, rocks, plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums, as well as herons, ducks, fish, and deer—all symbols of his indomitable spirit and noble character. He refused to paint for Qing officials, but readily created works for farmers, scholars, monks, and children, embodying his defiance against power. His unwavering spirit has been admired throughout history.
Zhu Da achieved remarkable success in art. Centered on painting, he also excelled in calligraphy, poetry, and seal carving. His ink paintings, particularly his bold and expressive brushwork, were renowned, especially in bird-and-flower paintings. In his creations, he drew inspiration from nature, employing concise yet powerful strokes, creating a unique and expansive style. Over three centuries, his influence has been felt in the school of bold and expressive ink painting. The Qing Dynasty critic Zhang Geng praised his work as reaching the level of "simplicity beyond geometric rules, disdain for meticulous coloring."
He advocated for "simplicity" in painting, sometimes filling an entire sheet with just one bird or stone, capturing the essence with a few strokes. His calligraphy was vigorous and elegant, while his seals were and distinctive. During the development of his style, Zhu Da inherited the fine traditions of his predecessors while forging his own path. His bird-and-flower paintings drew from the wild and unrestrained style of Wu Xi in the Five Dynasties and the literati paintings of Song Dynasty scholars, as well as the techniques of Ming Dynasty painters Lin Liang, Lü Ji, and Lu Zhi. He was particularly influenced by the bold style of Chen Tuan and Wu Wei. His landscape paintings were inspired by the works of Southern Dynasties painter Zong Bing and masters like Dong Yuan, Guo Xi, Mi Fu, Ni Zan, Huang Gongwan, and Dong Qichang. In calligraphy, he deeply studied Shiguwen, meticulously copying the works of masters from the Han, Wei, Jin, Tang dynasties, especially Wang Xizhi.
Zhu Da's artistic characteristics can be summarized as follows: "Expressing emotion through form, capturing the spirit through transformation; light and sparse ink, bold brushwork; open composition, expansive; full of vigor, majestic in." His style and techniques were the best reflection of his true feelings. Zhu Da once said: "Read ten thousand books, and this heart will be free from confusion; travel ten thousand miles, and you will encounter great masters." He believed that painting was like climbing a mountain—"Only by frequently climbing can you overcome fear." This illustrates his relentless pursuit of artistic refinement.
In the early Qing Dynasty, amid the clash between innovation and conservatism in painting, Zhu Da played a prominent role as one of the "Four Revivalist Painters." To honor this great master, the Zhu Da Museum was established in Qingyunpu, Nanchang, after the liberation. His art has had a profound impact on the art world in the East, particularly in Japan and globally.
Many of Zhu Da's paintings and calligraphy are no longer in existence. Examples include: "Lotus Pond with Birds Playing," "Flowers by the River with Inscriptions," "Fish and Duck Scroll," "Joy of Fish Scroll," "Miscellaneous Flowers Scroll," "Willow and Bird Painting," "Hibiscus and Heron Painting," "Large Stone and Fish Painting," "Double Eagle Painting," "Ancient Plum Painting," "Ink Pine Painting," "Autumn Lotus Painting," "Banana, Bamboo, and Rock Painting," "Pine and Deer Painting," "Clear Sky after Snow Painting," "Boating in a Quiet Stream Painting," "Four Silk Screens with Light Red and Green Landscape," as well as numerous scrolls and albums featuring birds, fish, ducks, herons, landscapes, trees, and rocks. His calligraphy works include "Citation of the Orchid Pavilion Preface," "Four Screens of 'On the River at the Mulberry Grove'," as well as copies of master calligraphers' works and scrolls of poetry and calligraphy, all preserved in museums worldwide.