Beijing-Tianjin School of Painting

Author: He Yanzhe
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-10-01
Features: The character "" originally refers to water systems, as stated in the saying "All rivers have their branches, and they converge into the sea" (from the "Wu Du Fu" by Zuo Si of the Jin Dynasty). Each school is composed of main streams and tributaries, hence the saying "A single stream cannot form a school." Academic schools also exhibit very distinct group characteristics. Although the history of painting in Tianjin is long-standing, the term "Tianjin School of Painting" has never been mentioned in the history of painting. It was not until the 1990s that some new perspectives were proposed regarding the Tianjin School of Painting. One view holds that, in terms of style and school, Tianjin still lacks independence and can only be considered a branch of the "Beijing School," thus should be classified under the name of the "Beijing-Tianjin School." Another (view) argues that the "Liu Kui Ling School" represents Tianjin and, together with the "Shanghai School" and the "Lingnan School," constitutes a new trend in modern Chinese national art. In my opinion, the modern Tianjin art scene, from the perspective of master-disciple relationships and the composition of painters, exhibits many individualized phenomena. It has neither formed a regional school nor should Liu Kui Ling's personal style be regarded as a school. Nor should Tianjin be classified under the name of the "Beijing School." Tianjin painting has undergone hundreds of years of historical development, yet it lacks the unique regional cultural characteristics and the distinctive historical brilliance of specific stages. Early painters are rarely mentioned in official histories but are occasionally referenced in local chronicles, poetry collections, and supplementary histories, such as the "Tianjin County Annals," "Tianjin Poetry Collection," and "Tianjin Historical Records."
After the 17th century, Tianjin painting gradually developed in scale. Some Jiangnan painters studied in Tianjin, such as Zhu Min of Wujin and Xu Yun of Suzhou. Later, local painters like Guo Kun (Liangbi), Jin Yugang (Xikun), and Shen Qian (Shiqiao) also rose to prominence. They mostly inherited the tradition of literati painting from the Yuan and Ming dynasties, with some painters (like Jin Yugang) being accomplished in poetry, calligraphy, painting, and seal carving. However, from the early Qing Dynasty to the 19th century, Tianjin never developed a painting market like some southern cities, where painters could rely on selling their works for stable income, as some painters in Yangzhou did with "a six-foot scroll priced at 3,000 strings of cash." In Tianjin, such lucrative conditions were unimaginable. Painters often relied on patronage rather than selling their works and were ashamed to admit it. Some had to curry favor with high-ranking officials and nobles. For example, Shen Qian, active during the Qianlong era, was once patronized by the Manchu aristocrats Hong You. During the Jiaqing era, Chen Jing (Qingli), a descendant of the Lou Dong school, left his hometown and spent a long time traveling as a teacher in the mansion of Luo Kezhao, the magistrate of Xingguo in Hubei, and was recognized by Bi Yuan (Qiufen), the Viceroy of Hubei and Hunan. This indicates that Tianjin lacked the cohesion necessary to form a thriving art scene like Yangzhou or Shanghai, where "scholars from all directions came to visit with their art."
Information about Tianjin painters is scattered and fragmented, making it difficult to organize it systematically. There are also many extraordinary individuals and events. Some left faint traces like footprints in snow, while others achieved sudden fame. However, based on the limited historical records, it is hard to establish the necessary connections between different stages. Their life experiences, encounters, and individual actions reflect the complex and intricate nature of artistic laws, even those that defy conventional logic. This clearly demonstrates the uniqueness of Tianjin's historical and cultural context. Here are a few typical examples.
Tianjin has never produced a figure of significance in the study of painting theory, yet in the late Qing Dynasty, a man named Hua Lin suddenly emerged. His work, "The Secrets of the Southern School," presented clear arguments and advocated a new perspective, achieving high theoretical significance. Yu Shousong, in his "Manual of Calligraphy and Painting Catalogues," described it as "profoundly insightful," noting that "his words reflect the hard-won wisdom of his own experience, unwilling to merely follow old theories." Yu Jianhua, in his "History of Chinese Painting," praised it as "perceptive arguments and meticulous observations, especially in the discussion of brushwork and ink techniques." Hua Lin painted extensively throughout his life but never sold his works. He felt that his artistic achievements fell short of his theoretical contributions and was ashamed to leave his paintings for posterity. He destroyed all his works before his death, leaving none for us to see today.
Zhang Xueguang (Menggao), a painter from the Jiaqing era, was not well-known in the history of painting, but he had a profound influence on the master of the Shanghai School, Wu Changshuo. Wu Changshuo mentioned this painter multiple times in his inscriptions on paintings and letters, yet the Tianjin art world and academia knew little about him.
Lixing Fojiao Li Shucong (1880–1942), known in his secular life as Li Shucong, lived in Tianjin in his early years and was skilled in painting, calligraphy, seal carving, poetry, drama, and music. In 1905, he studied at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in Japan, becoming one of China's earliest students of fine arts abroad. After returning to China in 1910, he taught at the Tianjin Industrial College of Fine Arts and later moved to Shanghai, Nanjing, and Hangzhou to engage in art education. His students included Feng Zikai and Liu Zhipei. In 1918, he became a monk at the Tiger Running Temple in Hangzhou. He became a renowned figure after leaving Tianjin but did not establish a significant presence in Tianjin's cultural scene.
Li Mingzhi (fl. 1933), styled Shijun, was from Ya'an, Sichuan, and resided in Tianjin. He incorporated legendary finger-painting techniques with Western methods, creating works with rich ink tones and a sense of fluidity, free of finger marks, and full of innovation. His landscape paintings, layered and winding, were full of ink expression, resembling black-and-white photographs at first glance. In 1927, two American merchants, Owen and Lowber, came to Tianjin to collect Chinese masterpieces, primarily historical works. They (accidentally) discovered Li Shijun's paintings and were deeply impressed, purchasing multiple scrolls for $200 each. Before leaving, they preordered several landscapes and flower-and-bird paintings, causing envy among many art circles. His paintings were indeed unique and extraordinary, yet they did not receive the attention they deserved and were even regarded by some as unconventional.
In summary, Tianjin's cultural development exhibits strong local characteristics, influenced by its geographical conditions, folk customs, and historical context. Tianjin ranks among the top three cities in China in terms of urban scale, yet its cultural and artistic scene struggles to thrive. In people's minds, the painting world has always lacked nationally renowned masters. The root cause is not proximity to Beijing or a lack of talent but rather the distorted art market, the cultural state of society, and the academic atmosphere of the region. It can be said that Tianjin has never developed a stable, mature, and prosperous art market. Zhang Tao, a late Qing literatus who was registered in Hangzhou, born in Beijing, and resided in Tianjin, observed an interesting phenomenon: although Tianjin had many painters, selling paintings was not as straightforward as in the south. They often took indirect approaches and were shy about it.
"The cultural scene of Xijin has become fresher than in the past, and even the livelihood of calligraphers and painters has become diverse. Recently, many famous calligraphers and painters have emerged. In northern customs, it was once considered unrefined to earn income from painting, yet those seeking instruction came in droves, causing great inconvenience in responding to them. Some had to break the norm by creating copies and charging a fee, which marked a change in the situation, allowing each to pursue their strengths without hiding them." (From "Tianjin Miscellaneous Records·Calligraphers and Painters") The practice of teaching painting being more valued than selling paintings persisted in Tianjin for a long time.
The second phenomenon worth noting is the extreme scarcity of specialized studies or monographs on the history of local painting. Although there are many collectors of calligraphy and painting, there are few researchers. Especially lacking is academic research and recognition of painters' achievements and value. For a long time, this has led to the loss of many valuable historical records and even the disappearance of works.
Yu Jianhua, in the modern era, compiled the "Great Dictionary of Chinese Painters," including tens of thousands of calligraphers and painters. The dictionary is nearly exhaustive, even including local craftsmen and folk artists from counties and lower-level divisions, yet painters from Tianjin are few and far between. Not only are painters like Lu Wenyu, Su Jiheng, and Zhang Cheng missing, but even Liu Kui Ling, who achieved remarkable success, is absent. Some painters whose names appear in the dictionary were originally from outside Tianjin and retained their records in their hometowns. For example, Peng Yang, a painter of green-and-vermilion landscapes and figures, and Li Shijun, a finger-painting master, were both famous in Tianjin during the Republican era and were mentioned in "The History of Sichuan Painting." Zhao Tongsheng (Yuantao), originally from Fuzhou, sold paintings and taught in Tianjin, "with a well-deserved reputation," yet his records appeared in "The History of Fujian Painters." Li Shijun's finger paintings gained recognition abroad, elevating his status. Due to the lack of documentary evidence, research on Tianjin's painting history remains at an academic preparatory stage. Some painters who should have been valued are gradually forgotten, or suppressed due to political reasons (like Fanguo), or rejected by biased and superficial scholars, often dismissed in non-academic ways. This is not conducive to the healthy development of the painting industry.
In recent years, this situation has improved significantly. The study of Tianjin's local painting history has been recognized as part of the regional cultural development strategy and has received attention and support from the government. New historical materials are being continuously unearthed, and research perspectives are expanding. The depth of future thinking and the level of research will have a profound impact on how Tianjin's painting will develop in the future.