Painting Collection · Hu Chunyang

Author: Duan Chuanfeng, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-10-01
Features: Hu Chunyang possesses an innate, radiant, and harmonious natural talent. He often summarizes the essence of Chinese traditional culture with a single word: "Wu" (). "Wu" is a feeling, an awakening from the heart, a crystallization of innate genes and post-natal diligence, hence it is heaven-born. Because of its heaven-born nature, it is simple and pure; because of its simplicity, it is perfect. It is a highly valuable art that follows the way of nature. The Chinese land has nurtured a nation with particularly strong perceptual abilities. Extraordinary intuition always integrates the universe, life, and the senses, permeating all aspects of life. For example, a horse breeder values the spirit of the horse, a traditional Chinese physician observes the complexion to diagnose illness, a chef relies on intuition to cook, and military strategy is not based on rote memorization of tactics but on perceiving and guiding the situation in real-time. This is "Wu." The level of intuition determines a person's talent. Western art is more rational; they treat art with a scientific spirit, and both the means and results of art are highly clear and analytically structured. For instance, the golden ratio is precisely calculated using numbers. Eastern art, on the other hand, is an attitude of transcendent freedom, and this freedom itself cannot be defined or explained by numbers. How can logical digits calculate the beauty of the intangible and pervasive "spirit" ()? The lines in Western painting are concrete scientific tools used by artists, while the lines in Chinese painting are the tracks of the spirit, the warp and weft of life, and the cables of emotion. The subtlety of this is beyond comprehension unless one reaches a certain level of enlightenment. Hu Chunyang has interpreted classical painting styles with rich connotations, advancing them to a new realm and stage. Realm refers to the highest standard of Chinese humanistic spirit. The "realm" () refers to the state where the human spirit achieves a unified oneness with all things, a state of completeness, harmony between heaven and humanity, and the golden mean. Laozi said: "To attain the Dao is to be invincible." To attain the Dao, the human spirit can stand unshakably. Throughout history, Chinese culture has been impacted by other ethnic cultures, but it has not changed its cultural spirit. Instead, foreign cultures have been absorbed, transformed, and digested. This is all thanks to the strong middle path philosophy rooted in the profound spirit of Chinese civilization—extreme resilience and the golden mean. This book is a collection of landscape paintings by Fang Chuqiao. The included works are: "Misty Waters and Distant Mountains," "Green Bamboo and Mountain Residence," "Foggy Village Mountain Path," "Empty Mountains after Rain with White Clouds," and more.