Han Zhen - Appreciating Paintings in Kunlun Hall Art Museum

Author: Kunluntang Art Museum
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-10-01
Features: The owner of Kunluntang, Zhu Fuyuan (1919–), is a renowned contemporary collector. He has dedicated his life to collecting ancient Chinese paintings and calligraphy lost overseas, amassing a collection so vast that it surpasses that of any museum in Japan. In 2001, Mr. Zhu generously donated over 300 ancient artworks to his hometown, Kunshan. The Kunshan Municipal People's Government then established the Kunluntang Art Museum to permanently preserve and display these treasures. Since its establishment, the Kunluntang Art Museum has prioritized the study of its collections, warmly inviting experts and scholars from around the world to engage in various academic activities. Whether it involves (examining and authenticating), resolving doubts, or distinguishing between genuine and forged works; or appreciating and exploring the subtleties, tracing origins, and identifying schools of art, the museum's colleagues have actively participated in selecting topics, researching historical materials, and achieving initial research results. Therefore, we have compiled forty essays on the collection into a collection, dedicating it to readers on the occasion of the museum's fifth anniversary. Due to space constraints, some parts of the original text may have been slightly edited. We apologize for any inconvenience.
In the contemporary art collecting world, Mr. Zhu Fuyuan is a figure of considerable mystique. He is neither a wealthy tycoon nor a professional painter or appraiser, nor a high-ranking official. Yet, through his relentless efforts over more than three decades, he has amassed over 500 artworks spanning from the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties to the modern era, truly embodying the saying "a pinch of silver and an inch of jade, accumulating mountains of treasures" (from Yang Renkai's preface to Kunluntang Collection of Paintings and Calligraphy). Among the works donated to Kunshan, there are numerous masterpieces and even rare gems. For example, the Molbodhi Monk Portrait, a Tang Dynasty painting depicting a monk, is renowned for its masterful line work that is both effortless and weighty, described by Yang Xin as "not the work of an ordinary artist" (Kunluntang Appreciation of Paintings and Calligraphy). Experts have identified it as a precursor to the line work style of Li Gonglin, a master of the Northern Song Dynasty, making it highly valuable for both academic research and artistic appreciation. It can be called a "treasure of the ages."
Another notable piece is the Spring Swallows Playing Among Flowers by Xu Zhongling, which was appraised and inscribed by the early Qing collector Da Zhongguang. The painting features bold brushwork, strong outlines, light colors, and an ancient aura, resembling the style of "Xu Xiyi's wild and unrestrained brushwork." According to Zhang Yuan's inscription from the early Qing Dynasty, the painting was part of Da's family collection and was exchanged for Dongpo Bamboo by Xu Xiyi, making it particularly precious. Other works, such as the Ming Dynasty Snow Mountain Journey by Xie Shichen, Mountains and Waters After Mei Daoren by Lan Ying, Embassies from Distant Lands by an anonymous Ming artist, Streams and Mountains of Seclusion by Gong Xian, The Drunken Scholar at the by Yuan Jiang, Autumn Colors in the Study by Wang Jiao, Mountains of Nanxu by Qia Shibiao, and Bamboo, Chrysanthemums, and Rocks by Gao Fenghan, represent the typical works of various Ming and Qing Dynasty schools and styles, covering landscapes, flowers and birds, and figures. The calligraphy collection includes many famous works by renowned masters, such as the Tang Dynasty Manuscript of Buddhist Scriptures, Running Script of Du Fu's Poems by Dong Qichang of the Ming Dynasty, Vertical Scroll of Wang Zuo's Letter to Zhi Lao by Wang Zuo of the Qing Dynasty, Small Regular Script Collection of Jiazhou by Da Zhongguang of the Qing Dynasty, Running Script on the Legend of the Luo River by Weng Fanggang of the Qing Dynasty, and calligraphy couplets by Li Tongshu and Zhao Ziqian, among others. Modern masters such as Weng Tongshuo, Ren Boqian, Wu Changshuo, Qi Baishi, Huang Binhong, and Zhang Daqian are also well represented in the collection. Truly, as Xie Ziliu inscribed in the preface to Kunluntang Collection of Paintings and Calligraphy, "The calligraphy is like mist and clouds, and the treasures are like jade and jade."
Looking at the Kunluntang collection, one cannot help but be impressed by Mr. Zhu Fuyuan's exceptional insight and courage as a collector. Those familiar with Mr. Zhu know that his three secrets to collecting are: first, relying on his own judgment without seeking prior appraisals; second, settling transactions with money upfront, never delaying payment. Sometimes, if a seller travels a long distance and the transaction falls through, he even pays their travel expenses to show appreciation. Third, he only buys and never sells. Since his collecting is driven by appreciation rather than profit, even if he acquires a fake, he remains content and does not complain. With his integrity, kindness, and the support of timing, location, and people, Mr. Zhu has naturally become a leading figure among overseas Chinese collectors, which is only natural.
Mr. Zhu has always been passionate about paintings and calligraphy, often comparing himself to Xiang Zijing's "Tianlai Pavilion." In my opinion, while Xiang Zijing was indeed a great collector of the Ming Dynasty, he made his fortune in pawnbroking and was known for his stinginess. Whenever he had to pay slightly higher prices for works, he would fume all day. His collecting methods were no different from those of—"devious acquisition and ruthless seizure"—and his appraising skills were largely attributed to Wen Peng and his brothers, not his own. This cannot be compared to Mr. Zhu Fuyuan's patriotic efforts to return treasures to their homeland with his own strength.
The Kunluntang collection includes a small work by the modern Shanghai painter Wang Zhen, imitating the style of Baishi. The painting depicts a small bird perched on fruit, about to take flight, with the inscription "Not Greed is Treasure." This was created for the abbot of the Jingxiang Temple, Shi Pao. Wang Zhen was a disciple of Wu Changshuo and also a philanthropist. Mr. Zhu was deeply fond of this painting, bought it without haggling, and printed many photos to send to Chinese students in Japan. "Not Greed is Treasure" is Mr. Zhu Fuyuan's principle in life and the true secret to his success in collecting.
Qi Gong once wrote a poem: "Kunlun is a famous mountain rich in treasures,
Golden sands and jade stones for all to admire;
To unfold the scrolls is like entering the hall,
The footsteps of the great masters shine bright."
This is a fitting evaluation of Mr. Zhu Fuyuan and Kunluntang.