Essays of Fan Zeng - Thirty-Three Pieces

Author: Fan Zeng
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-06-01
Features: In the summer of the year of Ji Mao, through the introduction of my brother Hou Jun, I first had the opportunity to meet Mr. Fan Zeng. My initial desire to study under him was truly out of admiration for his reputation, respect for his talent, and appreciation for his character. Though I am not particularly talented, I am certainly not a wise person. However, upon entering his circle and gradually becoming familiar with him, I came to understand his true nature, his principles, his greatness, and his worth as a teacher. Formerly, Zigong said, "Compared to a palace wall, Zixu's wall is just up to his shoulder, allowing him to glimpse the beauty of the courtyard; Confucius's wall is many feet high, and those who cannot find the entrance cannot see the beauty of the ancestral hall or the richness of the officials' offices. Those who find the entrance are few." Now I understand this well. But who outside his circle can witness this? If one encounters a person of lesser caliber and tries to engage them in conversation, they may laugh, as Zhuangzi said, "One cannot speak of winter ice to a summer insect," which is indeed the case. Mr. Fan has a straightforward and cheerful personality, speaks without hesitation, hits the mark precisely, and always speaks of the meaning behind his words. When it comes to critiquing contemporary figures, he is often blunt and unambiguous, which inevitably offends people, but this is unavoidable. However, the envy and hatred directed at Mr. Fan are not limited to this; the real reason lies in his exceptional talent and high reputation. Formerly, Su Zhe spoke in defense of his brother Su Shi, saying, "What crime has Dongpo committed? It is only that his fame is too high." I observe that Mr. Fan Zeng of Jiangdong Ten Wings in the modern world faces criticism for similar reasons. There is nothing else to it. Han Changli said, "When virtue is high, slander arises; when things are accomplished, slander follows." Everyone understands this clearly, and one cannot help but sigh. As for those who do not even know Mr. Fan, who watch the scene like a short-sighted person following others, and who take pleasure in criticizing him, they are like dogs barking at the sun—both laughable and pitiful. Or those who use such tricks to elevate their own status are even more vulgar, hypocritical, and ignorant—how could they possibly succeed? Mr. Fan's artistic style is high and refined, and he excels in utilizing talent, free from the burdens of ordinary trivialities. Like a city in the mountains, he is far from the noise and distractions of the world, thus able to remain unburdened and speak with ease. He rises at five in the morning, either painting on the wall, writing at his desk, reciting poetry in a chair, or sitting quietly in his study. At such times, I believe he can "soar to the extremes of the universe with his spirit," "let his thoughts wander to the heights of ten thousand feet," "think deeply and connect with the past," "move subtly yet reach far," "transcend the external and grasp the essence." Thus, he wrote works such as "Great Beauty Speaks Not," "Where Does the Wind Come From," "The Return of Calligraphers to Nature," and "The Debate Between Li and Pan." Moreover, his concerns are the safety of the entire global environment and the harmony of all ethnic groups and humanity, as expressed in his essays "The Alarm Clock," "Dust, I Offer You an Eternal Curse," "The Great Vehicle Awakening," and "All Sentient Beings Are Kind."
"As the saying goes, 'If the words are upright and straightforward, the essence of the writing takes shape; if the spirit is spirited and clear, the style becomes refined'" (Liu Xie, The Art of Writing). With a refined style and a firm backbone, his writing is both elegant and substantial, embodying the essence of inner and outer cultivation. His reasoning and teachings are profound and extensive, his words clear and concise, his insights subtle. Thus, his works are admired by the world and valued by the wise. His prose is grand and all-encompassing, worthy of being read as poetry, art criticism, historical essays, or philosophy. It is grand prose, not ordinary prose. It is grand in spirit, deep in thought, beautiful in language, and rich in meaning. Without the vast and lucid spirit, without comprehensive and erudite learning, without profound and mysterious thoughts, without wise and transcendent insights, without outstanding and unorthodox actions, without sharp and flexible reasoning, without open and unrestrained emotions, without unrestrained and inspired talent, without bold and unrestrained brushwork—how could it possibly achieve this?
When Mr. Fan picks up his brush, he writes tens of thousands of words with ease, as if handling light weights. Yet, just like his ink-wash paintings, his writing contains extraordinary difficulty and absolute height, something that is hard to explain to outsiders.
What is required is the subjective psychological state of the painter, a bold and unrestrained spirit like riding a horse and grasping the reins, a powerful force like moving mountains; a swift and fierce momentum like a hungry eagle or a thirsty horse, like lightning striking or thunder rolling. At such times, one must shed their clothes and stand freely, looking down upon the past and the present, with a stroke of the brush coming to life, as if the objects are before one's eyes. In the unrestrained strokes, it is like a waterfall hanging over Mount Lu; in the, it is like the sound of a swan breaking the waters of Mount Heng. Grand and unrestrained to the extreme, yet never losing its measure; unrestrained and wild, yet ultimately restrained. This is not the hardest part of ink-wash painting. The hardest part of ink-wash figure painting lies in this instant, when the painter must be in harmony with the subject, meeting in spirit and transforming in form. What a marvelous and lofty realm this is! Ink-wash figure painting has nothing to do with petty, hesitant, timid, or cautious emotions. Everyone may have the desire for ink-wash painting, and it can be quite magical in fantasy, but when it comes to picking up the brush, obstacles arise; as soon as the brush touches the paper, failures follow one after another. At such times, frustration grows while clarity fades, and as the spirit wanes, emotions decline. One can only pound the inkstone, break the ink, and tear the paper. Therefore, ink-wash figure painting requires even more than talent, effort, insight, cultivation, and natural ability (Fan Zeng, Words Beyond Painting).
How wonderful! The excellence of Mr. Fan's writing style perfectly corresponds to the excellence of his painting style, revealing the secrets of his art. Studying under him, receiving his teachings directly, has brought me great rewards: in painting, calligraphy, poetry, prose, art, character, conduct, and morality. Mr. Fan is indeed a true teacher, like spring rain nurturing growth, perceptive and subtle, not overly concerned with specific schools or texts, nor overly focused on specific chapters or sentences. His teaching has no set methods; it follows the heart's desire, in the act of painting, in moments of play, in travels, in meals, in conversations. For example, when using poetry and couplets as a pastime, Mr. Fan teaches according to each student's aptitude, carefully choosing words, gently guiding, and transforming ordinary into extraordinary. Then, both teacher and student enjoy the experience, each finding their own insights. This scene seems easy, but in reality, it is arduous. Among his disciples, those who are not well-read in poetry and literature may struggle. As someone as mediocre as I am, I often blush and sweat, and I must constantly motivate myself to improve.
When others are still scratching their heads, Mr. Fan's words have already been spoken. His wit is swift, his charm outstanding, his meaning subtle, and his structure flawless. We can only gaze in awe and sigh in admiration. Mr. Fan's everyday words are like pearls, and the number of his lost words is countless—unfortunately, they cannot all be recorded. His fame as a painter overshadows his fame as a poet, and his fame as a writer is overshadowed by his fame as a painter. Anyone who has read his works is utterly impressed, regretting that they met him too late and suffering from the inability to read all of his writings. Thus, I was inspired to compile this collection, and thankfully, Mr. Fan agreed, leading to this volume, which only captures a part of his greatness.
Upon completion, Mr. Fan kindly added a few words, and I dared to follow in his footsteps.