A Century of a Pot: The Life of Wu Changshuo, Volume in the Series of Biographies of Famous Figures in Zhejiang Culture

Author: Wu Jing
Publisher:
Publishing Time: Not available
Features: Wu Changshuo (1844—1927), as the late leader of the Shanghai School of Painting, was one of the most representative artists of the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. He was renowned both domestically and internationally for his integrated artistic achievements in poetry, calligraphy, painting, and seal carving, and had a profound impact on the direction of traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy over the past century. Previous research has already produced numerous studies on Wu Changshuo, the person and his art. As part of the "Zhjiang Cultural" series, this book aims to explore and offer its own insights in several aspects. First, this book will use the evolution of modern history and modern cultural history (including the history of painting) as the vertical axis, and the activities of various groups such as the Zhexi cultural circle in the Jiangnan region, the Jiangsu-Anhui-Jiangnan painter group, the Shanghai School of Painting, and the Zhejiang cultural figures as the horizontal axis, to strive to outline Wu Changshuo's true position in the social and cultural changes of the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. The title "A Century of a Pot Master" is deliberately chosen to reveal the relationship between Wu Changshuo and his era. The era in which Wu Changshuo lived was known as the "unprecedented changes in three thousand years." He was born four years after the Opium War and shared a birth with the beginning of modern history. He lived a long life, dying in 1927. During this time, he suffered greatly in wars, faced setbacks in his official career, but also received many generous gifts from this great era. In his youth, Wu Changshuo personally experienced the turbulent waves of the Taiping Rebellion. The five years of hardship and wandering left a profound impact on his life, making him understand the complexities of the world and people, strengthening his willpower and resilience, and also enabling him to maintain a open-minded attitude and a longing for better times in the long-term adversities that followed. Afterward, Wu Changshuo, in his youth, struggled to find and choose his life path through imperial examinations, official career fluctuations, and selling seals and paintings to make a living. His life as a student, artist, and official constituted the longest and most important part of his life. Among these, his pursuit of an official career from his thirties to his near-seventies, and his movements within the officialdom, were often overlooked by researchers, yet they were actually a persistent pursuit alongside his artistic endeavors. For example, he served as a minor official and a candidate for official appointment in Suzhou for many years, entered the service of various officials multiple times, and engaged in the late Qing officialdom with his seal carving and calligraphy skills, even participating in the First Sino-Japanese War. His official experience and political ideals had both positive and negative effects on his art, ultimately giving it a higher, broader, and deeper meaning, allowing him to stand out among other painters. In his later years, Wu Changshuo experienced the Xinhai Revolution and the warlord conflicts, spending his entire life in turmoil, so even at the end, he still harbored the hope of "observing peace from his seat with both eyes suspended," which deepened his understanding of transcending real-world suffering and pursuing a higher ideal. He once sighed, "Storms are the great path, and dust holds the deepest emotions," and hoped, "How I wish to build a cottage by plum blossoms." The vibrant and lifelike floral works he painted, full of both realism and non-realism, left an extraordinary impression, as they were the embodiment of his innermost desires and yearnings. Among the hundred cultural we have profiled, Wu Changshuo's era determined that his continuity in the history of painting and art was stronger than his originality. He was the last literati painter, loyal and patriotic, pursuing the typical old-fashioned life of official career and poetry, yet he was also influenced by the modern spirit due to the inevitable changes of the era. In the end, after the fall of the Qing Dynasty, he completely abandoned his dreams of fame and fortune, took his final step, settled in Shanghai, and lived the rest of his life selling paintings and calligraphy to support himself. This was the continuation of the fate of earlier literati painters like Xu Wei, Shi Tao, Ba Da, and the "Eight" of Yangzhou, but with a comedic ending. Wu Changshuo further infused his rich life experiences and cultivation into his paintings and calligraphy, drawing on the profound cultural heritage he had gained from traditional and regional cultures in his early years, and through extensive social connections, as well as his wise and open-minded life wisdom and his blend of elegance and popular appeal, he built a network of good relationships and adapted to the times, ultimately reaching the peak of the Shanghai School of Painting and the Xiling Seal Club in his later years, achieving a rare life in the century. This book also aims to highlight the broad background of Wu Changshuo's life and art—the traditional Chinese culture, especially the cultural context and academic atmosphere of the Qing Dynasty and the late Qing Dynasty. For example, the flourishing of textual research since the Qianlong and Jiaqing reigns, the rise and fall of stele and seal carving since the Daoguang and Xianfeng reigns, the emergence of the gold and stone painting style, and the surge of urban thought and the cultural market since the late Ming Dynasty, as well as the popularity of Shi Tao and the "Eight" in their expressive and eccentric styles. Beyond the influence of the era, this book pays special attention to Wu Changshuo's early life in the central Jiangnan region, specifically the northern part of Zhejiang, southern Jiangsu, and Shanghai, where he studied, pursued his artistic interests, and interacted with Zhejiang scholars, painters, and seal carvers, highlighting the significant impact of the ancient Zhejiang culture and painting tradition on his life. The relationship between Wu Changshuo's birthplace (Zhangwu Village in Anji) and his place (Shanghai) is metaphorically rich, much like the relationship between the water systems of the two places: Anji is a source of the Huangpu River in Shanghai. Wu Changshuo's life was like the small stream in front of his childhood home, flowing from the depths of the mountains, converging into the Taosi River, flowing into the Taihu Lake, and heading toward the East Sea. Wu Changshuo's life was like the people of Zhejiang, who were homesick but adaptable to the times, moving from Anji, Huzhou, Suzhou, to Shanghai, gradually moving farther away. The ancient Zhejiang region was a prosperous land of Jiangnan ink painting, and since the Southern Song Dynasty, it has been the birthplace of painters and calligraphers for seven hundred years. After 1840, the "Sea School" rose in this region, becoming a peak and a new beginning. The painting, calligraphy, seal carving, and poetry skills that Wu Changshuo excelled in had deep roots in Zhejiang. In his youth, he was influenced by many great masters in the region, met many talented but unsuccessful folk artists, and was inspired by their character, temperament, and skills. Moreover, throughout his life, he was surrounded by Zhejiang people, Huzhou people, and Anji people, who helped him in various ways. Of course, Wu Changshuo cannot be confined solely to the era and region. His influence, both during his lifetime and after his death, has long surpassed any single time or place. However, without placing him in the context of the historical changes of the modern and contemporary century and the cultural atmosphere of Jiangnan, it is impossible to truly understand the cultural spirit embodied and demonstrated by his art from the perspective of art and painting history alone. Second, this book aims to portray Wu Changshuo as an important cultural figure of the modern era, not just a painter and calligrapher, by treating him as a case study at the cultural level. It explores and reveals the typical significance and complexity of a person who embodied the old-style literati, painter-calligrapher-seal carver, and leader of the painting world in the cultural transformation, in order to create a fuller and more authentic image. It also hopes to integrate his life into the study of modern and contemporary Zhejiang cultural history through a comprehensive study of his life, making him an organic part of it. The Qing Dynasty was an era of integration and the culmination of traditional culture, with various academic and artistic revivals. By the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, the traditional Chinese cultural heritage had not yet been completely severed by the factors of the times and human intervention. It was precisely in this context of the integration and convergence of traditional culture that the generation of that era achieved what no one before or after could match in depth and breadth. The greatest characteristic and advantage of Wu Changshuo's art was its integration and transcendence, which contributed to his fame. When writing this biography of Wu Changshuo, it became particularly evident how the region and era had a huge impact on his life, but beyond opportunities, his own hard work was also a key factor in his success. Therefore, this book also aims to be, to some extent, a life lesson. As a biography of an artist, this book follows the life of the subject while also considering his art, ultimately returning to the person and his story. It hopes to recreate the and legendary life of the subject, portray his true and complex personality, and present a full and approachable image: a person who was sentimental, experienced, deep, even somewhat worldly, yet remained passionate, innocent, and humorous in his old age; generous, un, with many friends, sometimes eccentric and artistic, yet always grounded, sincere in his interactions, and diligent in his pursuit of art. It also highlights the "great spirit" in him, a spirit that came from his strong vitality and the powerful energy of traditional culture seeking change in the great era, ultimately manifesting in the robust and profound spiritual connotation of his art. The two most important characteristics of Wu Changshuo's art are the wild and unrestrained, and the ancient and noble, as seen in the common imagery of "wild plum blossoms" and "ancient stones" in his poetry and paintings. Both the rustic and the gold and stone qualities coexist. The former comes from the mountainous spirit and vigorous vitality brought by his deep geographical roots; the latter comes from his lifelong love for ancient bronze pots, stone drums, and other ancient gold and stone elements. As he once said, "I regard the pot as my home," and he regarded gold and stone as his spiritual and artistic sustenance, incorporating them into his calligraphy, seal carving, and painting to create a unique artistic life. These two characteristics can be internally unified as Wu Changshuo's influence from Taoist thought (also the mainstream of Chinese artistic spirit) in pursuing a natural and rustic beauty, with the artistic philosophy of "the Dao is in the tiles and jars." Externally, they are unified in his outstanding rough brush and freehand ink floral paintings. He took the innovations of the Shanghai School of Painting, such as Zhao Ziqian, Xu Gu, and Ren Boren, one step further, giving life and vitality to ink floral paintings with rich colors, tilting the literati painting toward the aesthetic tastes of the urban populace. However, due to his strong gold and stone quality, his paintings were praised as "ancient and elegant" rather than "vulgar and colorful," a testament to the artistic brilliance and elegance that bloomed from traditional culture, from the artistic treasures of the "Li Sao," ancient gold and stone, and Tang poetry. The unique aspect of Wu Changshuo's art lies in his integration of gold and stone into his seals, calligraphy, and painting, ultimately shaping a new artistic style and trend with traditional artistic elements and aesthetic ideals. This was undoubtedly due to his refusal to be a follower of anyone (even his most respected Xu Wei, he said, "If Banqiao were willing to be Qingteng's dog, I cannot be a dog to others inappropriately"), and his more conscious awareness of establishing a new school compared to other painters of the same era. There are many other aspects of Wu Changshuo that are worth pondering, such as the tendency of his art and life toward elegance and popular appeal, whether he was a cultural refugee, and the idea of "a poet in his old age." These are all explored in this book. Wu Changshuo's complex life experiences, rich personality, and extensive social connections added color to his biography. His limitations due to the era, such as his obsession with the official career and selling paintings to "eat a mouthful of meat," are also true and lovable. There are also shortcomings in his art, such as the tendency to become "worldly" in his pursuit of wildness and the "dryness" brought by his pursuit of the ancient and noble gold and stone style, which, in turn, highlight his innovative awareness and strong individuality in art. His character and artistic charm continue to inspire deep reflection. After his death, Wu Changshuo's reputation in the fields of painting, calligraphy, and seal carving has remained strong for the past 80 years, thanks to his outstanding disciples and the distinct style of the painting school, influencing the art world to this day, with his artistic life enduring and even leading the art world during the early years of the People's Republic of China due to the public's preference for robust and strong aesthetics. His descendants and disciples further shaped an artistic idol through their memories and admiration, one who was majestic and dignified, yet gradually lost the vitality, simplicity, and approachability of his original life. This book strives to gather credible first-hand materials (such as Wu Changshuo's own poems and calligraphy, epitaphs of his early friends and contemporaries, correspondence, and poems dedicated to him, as well as materials on painting, calligraphy, poetry, and letters returned from Japan), to remove the superficial gloss of history and reveal the truth of the times and the hidden depths of human emotions, recreating some detailed and vivid scenes, outlining the general lines of Wu Changshuo's real life, and showcasing the rich personality colors nurtured by his unique experiences. It also explains why Wu Changshuo, amidst the era of outstanding figures in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, became a master of the painting world, and evaluates and correctly assesses his true cultural significance as an idol of the modern painting world who rose in the modern Shanghai. It neither diminishes his historical contribution to integrating and transcending tradition and popular appeal in painting due to the later and gradual entry into the world of some late Sea School followers, nor overpraises him, aiming to write a straightforward biography of a person. At this turning point of the century, reflecting on the century-long journey of modern Chinese culture and art, the complex feelings of today's people toward Wu Changshuo stem from their doubts and determination to continue exploring the turning points of Chinese culture in the past century. Regardless, Wu Changshuo's status is unshakable. In that era, he maintained the framework of literati painting with calligraphy, painting, poetry, and seal carving, while also creating new innovations; he adapted to various trends while achieving his own successful life and had numerous followers, truly worthy of the title "A Century of a Pot Master."