A Hundred Quatrain Poems by Fan Zeng

Author: Fan Zeng (Author), Tian Yunzhang (Calligrapher)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-11-01
Features: Poetry, calligraphy, and painting were originally an interconnected whole, bound together by bone and flesh. But at some point in time, they were secretly divided into three separate parts, becoming unrelated entities. Traditionally, "scholar" and "ink-wash artist" were considered synonymous terms. Yet now, they have become two distinct concepts. It has even become a stringent demand to expect scholars to possess excellent calligraphy skills. What is even more puzzling is that when poetry is integrated into painting and calligraphy works, critics often dismiss it as "extraordinary skills beyond calligraphy and painting." Although poetry, calligraphy, and painting are a trinity, they cannot be equated. Due to the richer cultural connotations of poetry, it can more directly and profoundly reflect the author's inner world and cultivation, thus playing a dominant role in calligraphy and painting. Without poetry, calligraphy and painting lack their source of inspiration and nourishment, becoming blind and superficial. Mr. Kou Mengbi wrote in the preface to "Fan Zeng's Poetry Manuscript": "In ancient times, painters were also poets. From the very beginning, it was so, and since the Song Dynasty, the number of such painters has been countless. Regrettably, many modern painters lack poetic talent. Although there are reasons for this, those who cannot write poetry find it difficult to embody the world with a poetic heart or observe it with a poetic eye. As a result, figures lose their radiance, and mountains and rivers lose their elegance. There is no other explanation—this is because the external is lacking in the internal, and refinement comes from inner beauty." As painters, a lack of poetic sensibility makes it difficult to express the essence of their art. Moreover, since many fine paintings in history were created by calligraphers, it has been established that Chinese painting must rely on brush and ink as its. Based on these reasons, Mr. Fan Zeng proposed in his theory of painting that Chinese painting must be "guided by poetry as its soul and supported by calligraphy as its bones." This can be said to be a precise and penetrating insight.