Qian Juntong: The Bell Sound Sends Away the Flowing Light

Author: Zhong Guisong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: This is a series of character-focused books that highlights historical photographs and visual materials. It is said that we are now in an era of images, and this is quite true. Regardless of television, film, CDs, and other media dominating cultural consumption and reading trends, the rise of historical relics such as old photographs, old cartoons, and old illustrations alone demonstrates that people are no longer satisfied with experiencing life and history through text. They are increasingly willing to read about people and history through historical images. Indeed, a single living scene, a portrait, or even a page of handwritten notes often contains richer and more unique content than textual descriptions, making them more engaging for readers and sparking their imagination. This is a series of illustrated personal histories that emphasizes historical photographs and visual materials. The author uses the life of the subject as a backdrop, scanning and focusing on certain fragments that highlight the subject's personality and fate with elegant prose. Through the perfect combination of historical photographs, visual materials, and the subject's own accounts or others' critiques, the lives of these modern Chinese cultural figures are presented in a multi-layered, multi-faceted, and vivid manner. Each book contains approximately 30,000 words and about 120 images. The text is concise, the images are precious, and the books hold collectible value. The concise text, rich images, and their harmonious synergy have made the books deeply popular with readers and highly praised by experts.
Qian Junfang, originally named Qian Jintang and styled Yutang, was a native of Tongxiang County, Zhejiang Province, and was a renowned figure in Chinese cultural and artistic circles. He devoted over 80 years to the arts, in bookbinding, music, new poetry, prose, calligraphy, painting, seal carving, art theory, as well as education, publishing, and collecting. He was particularly renowned for his integration of ancient and modern calligraphy and painting, carving, and art theory, creating new paths and earning respect in his time. "The Bell Sound Marks the Passing of Time" is a famous stone seal print by Qian Junfang, symbolizing his relentless pursuit of self-improvement. The book revolves around the bell sound, recounting Qian Junfang's lifelong struggle and dedication to calligraphy and painting: from his early love of doodling on walls, resisting traditional private school education for art, to entering the world of calligraphy and painting under the guidance of local elders, and later honing his artistic skills and techniques under the mentorship of masters. He collected numerous famous paintings and works to study the art of his predecessors, ultimately becoming a renowned collector. Another highlight of the book is the inclusion of a wealth of photographs of Qian Junfang's calligraphy, painting, seal carving, and collected works, allowing readers to easily appreciate the precious collections of the Junfang Art Museum without the hassle of travel.