China Galleries -- Issue 6

Author: Jia Dejiang, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-10-01
Features: The artistic form of Chinese painting is primarily based on brush and ink, differing from technology. Technology can continuously develop on the basis of previous research. However, Chinese painting and calligraphy are different—they cannot directly improve upon the foundations laid by predecessors but must start from scratch. Others' skills and experiences remain theirs alone. A painter, at 20, feels like 20, and at 60, has the experiences of 60. One grows old, and learning never stops. The factors contributing to artistic success are multifaceted, including timing, geographical advantage, human relationships, and the interplay of innate and acquired qualities. What is truly rare is self-awareness. It means recognizing oneself. If one achieves a goal without making an effort, it is self-abandonment. To set impossible tasks as goals is self-deception. Time flies, and the past is filled with hardships. This life is finite.