Beijing customs

Author: Chen Shizeng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-12-01
Features:
★ 12-inch format, magnetic blue paper cover, ink and color painting on Xuan paper
★ Beijing Folk Customs Painting is hailed as the pioneering work of modern Chinese folk painting. In 1926, it was published in Beijing Daily News and ran for two consecutive years
★ Chen Shizeng represents the new literary painting of the Republic of China era and was called "the pioneer of Chinese cartooning" by Feng Zikai
★ The original Beijing Folk Customs Painting is preserved in the National Art Museum of China, with many renowned figures contributing poems, lyrics, and inscriptions
★ Over a hundred selected calligraphy works by famous artists are presented in simplified Chinese typesetting, facilitating appreciation of the full-color illustrations of Beijing Folk Customs
The full-color illustrated collection features 34 paintings, divided into four categories:
First category: Describes the daily lives of ordinary laborers and impoverished urban residents, accounting for more than half of the works, such as waste collectors and elderly individuals picking up scraps of paper and cloth.
Second category: Depicts traditional Beijing weddings, funerals, and folk entertainment, including musicians and flag bearers.
Third category: Portrays the aimless demeanor of Qing Dynasty remnants, such as tea connoisseurs and bird enthusiasts.
Fourth category: Satirical works, such as "Landbound Bodhisattva" and "Walls Have Ears."
Chen Shizeng captured the social customs and folk atmosphere of early 20th-century China with a realistic brushstroke. At that time, China was experiencing relentless struggles between the democratic revolution and feudal forces. Events like Yuan Shikai's declaration of emperorship, Zhang Xun's restoration, the Protection Movement, and the National Protection Movement shook the nation. As a literati painter with democratic ideals, Chen Shizeng, though not directly immersed in the revolutionary tide, used his keen observation and humorous style to portray the harsh realities of history, revealing the true lives and tragic fate of Beijing's urban poor. His works reflect his compassion for the laboring masses, his critique of unequal society, and his spirit of resistance. This creative philosophy aligns with the humanistic concerns of outstanding literati throughout history, embodying the spirit of literati painting that he emphasized—personality and thought. After the paintings were completed, many literati and painters, such as Jin Cheng and Yao Mangfu, inscribed verses and poems, further enriching their literary essence.
What is literati painting? It is characterized by the qualities and interests of a scholar, focusing not on artistic techniques within the painting but on the intellectual sentiments revealed beyond it. This is what is meant by literati painting. How Chinese painting will evolve cannot be predicted. In general, as long as it is studied, progress will be made. Moreover, Chinese painting has long been influenced by foreign traditions, as seen in previous examples. Today, with more opportunities for contact with foreign art, there will be room for adoption and integration. The key lies in skillfully harmonizing these influences to highlight the inherent strengths of Chinese painting.