How Chang Dai Chien Paintings Reflect Traditional

Dai-chien practicing calligraphy at his workshop. Above Dai-chien admires the poetic and pure beauty of lotus flowers, and cultivates several pots of them in his garden.

The 3 years that have elapsed since master artist Chang Dai-chien returned to his fatherland take been a period of recuperation for him. Physically, his diabetic condition has eased and he has been able to discard his wheelchair, while mentally he has found satisfaction afterwards a lifetime of wandering. Reflecting this, his poesy no longer has a rootless air, and the inspiration for his painting has switched from the exotic scenery of Switzerland and South America, to Alishan, the East-Due west Cantankerous-Island Highway and Lishan in Taiwan.

Since his favorite subject for painting is landscapes, it is not surprising that he also enjoys gardening. By immersing himself in nature, he has been able to brand his fine art a reflection of truth.

Chang Dai-chien recalls how he started his wandering life subsequently the Chinese mainland fell to the Communists. He and his wife and children journeyed from Republic of india to Hong Kong, Japan and Argentine republic before they settled down in an area of Brazil where the mural resembles that in Szechwan province. He invested US$two 1000000 to construct an artificial lake and a traditional Chinese garden which he chosen "Pa Teh Yuan."

When the government of Brazil decided to found diplomatic relations with the Chinese Communist regime in 1970, however, he withdrew all his investment and moved to the w coast of the United States. On a visit to Taiwan in 1976, Chang, then anile 78, decided he should settle in his fatherland before it was too late. He again packed upward his things to build a new home where he could rest his weary mind and trunk, in the Taipei suburb of Waishuanghsi.

He has since shown his patriotism through his work as an artist. In protestation over Japan and and then the U.S. breaking diplomatic relations with the Republic of Red china, Chang decided he would never use any painting materials made in the ii countries, concord exhibitions at that place or fifty-fifty visit them. During his stay in the U.Southward., he raised a national flag of the Republic of Communist china in the courtyard of his house so people would not fault him for a Japanese, and planted hundreds of plum blossom copse to glorify the national blossom of his homeland.

Today, the Chang's main leisuretime activities are cooking, strolling in his garden, drinking tea and chatting with his friends. When he loses his temper, he is like an irascible lion. But his landscape paintings still have a majestic dazzler despite the handicap of his 82 years.

People find it hard to believe that such an agile man has to be cared for solar day and night past four nurses because of heart disease and diabetes, and that he has to receive physical therapy 3 days a calendar week for a leg injury he received in an accident several years ago.

He always professes his beloved for his teachers, relatives, friends, and for all flesh, and even for inanimate objects such as plants and stones.

After painting, Chang's chief interest is in the Chinese culinary arts. He demands the most elaborate dishes from his chef.

Among the 15 snacks that Chang lists equally his favorites are baked cakes stuffed with sliced turnip, a blazon of Chinese ravioli with shrimp filling, and shao mai, a steamed dumpling filled with meat. Among different types of tea that Chang ever takes with his meals are tieh kuan yin and oolong. Tea must always exist served in the traditional fashion and never in a glass, which Chang says spoils the flavour.

Chang likes to show his hospitable nature by inviting friends to lunch or dinner. Virtually of the dishes he serves, including steamed cuttlefish with black beans, sauteed sprawns with love apple sauce, sliced pork with garlic sauce, bean curd fried in oyster oil, diced chicken in red pepper, and steamed pork steak in lotus leaves, are in the Szechwan style.

As a result of receiving strict training from Chang, many Chinese chefs, including Chen Chien-ming in Japan and Lou Hai-yun (who recently died in New York), take established worldwide reputations.

All Chang's guests marvel at his gardening stalls. He shows a preference for deep green shades and likes to heed to the murmur of a stream. As the breeze gently caresses his beard and whiskers, Chang feels at peace with the earth. After a long rest in the garden, he feels revitalized and prepare to return to his work.

Equally Chang meditates on how to lay out lawns, trees and stones in his garden, he besides receives inspiration for his painting.

The first thing that comes into view in his spacious garden is a fishpond, flanked past willows and logs, which is reminiscent of his painting "swimming fish and fallen flowers."

In forepart of the patio of Chang's firm are two ponds and a pocket-size canal flanked by several pots of Huangshan pino trees.

A pavilion supported by wooden pillars with a palm coir roof is used for Peiping-style barbecues. Along the snaking paths leading deeper into the garden prevarication seven to viii pots containing lotus flowers. In the summer, pink and white blossoms inspire Chang to capture the eternity of their beauty with his brush pen.

A large marble tabular array and several marble benches surrounded by a bamboo fence provide a retreat for the artist. A large pottery jar contains water from the nearby river which Chang uses to make tea for his guests.

Next to the bamboo fence are two pavilions called "Feng Han" and "Yi Ran," which Chang regards equally the essence of the gardening art. Encompassed past light-green mountains and a stream, and filled with the sound of flowing water and birdsong, Chang's homestead is like a modern Garden of Eden. The creative person likes to recline in his pavilions to contemplate such things as the moon and plum blossoms, or to read poetry in the summer afternoons before dropping off to slumber.

The path through the garden ends in a long curtilage fabricated of thatch, palm leaves and wooden pillars. The master feels especially happy when he shares the beauty of the landscape with his friends. The main focus of attention is possibly the mei chiu (plum rock), inscribed boldly with the two characters "mei chiu" in Chang's calligraphy. Chang brought the rock back from the The states at great expense, but considers its beauty the try has been worthwhile.

Chang has never regretted the time and money he has spent in hunting down genuine masterpieces of art. It is estimated that if he had non spent his money on art and plant collections, he would exist worth some US$100 million today.

In the large workshop downstairs, Chang has installed a photograph of his blood brother taming a tiger, a painting of plum blossoms and 4 scrolls of calligraphy by his teacher Tseng Nung-jan, and a famous painting past master Huang Kung-wang. The well-nigh eye-catching detail, still, is a self-portrait of Chang at the age of 30, which conspicuously portrays his self-confidence and high spirits. Though he constantly changes his displays, Chang always includes works done by his teachers and his brother to prove his respect for them.

Afterward his afternoon nap, Chang likes to talk with his friends on the achievements on prima donnas in classical Chinese opera, the masterly performances of famous acrobats, the activities of people in arts and literary circles, and the life and careers of ancient Chinese painters. These conversations acquit witness to his versatility and his profound knowledge of Chinese art history.

Chang says that during his youth, he was like a wild horse galloping through mounnains and beyond rivers. Although age has made him less mobile, he is however consulted by high-ranking officials, leading actors in Peiping opera, writers and artists, and in fact, people from all walks of life. Thus, he likes to compare him self with "a scholar in ancient times," because though he stays at home, he is kept informed of all the news.

Although the primary does not listen people watching while he paints, he is affected by their personality. If he feels in tune with the spectators, he is inspired; if non, he may finish working birthday.

If he does not want to be disturbed while he works, he retires to his new workshop on the top floor of his house. This den is adorned with Chang's collections of precious stones, and outside the window, two monkeys, 1 black and one brown, keep the creative person entertained.

In the daytime, when he is at his best mentally and physically, he paints with bold strokes. In the evening, he paints traditional landscapes. His eminence has not been achieved without endeavour. He believes that an artist must depend on "seventy per centum hard work and only thirty pct talent" for his success.

He started to learn painting with his mother and sister at the age of nine, and when he was twenty years old, he received instruction from the two keen masters--Tseng Nung-jan and Lee Mei-an. After studying difficult and practicing calligraphy and poesy, Chang was able to reproduce nearly all the masterpieces kept by collectors in Nanking and Shanghai. In the early on stage of his painting career, his works were influenced by Shih Tao. It was non until he was l that he escaped from the master'southward shadow to create his own manner.

Between the ages of 30 to 40, Chang spent nigh of his time arresting the essence of works of leading painters in the Ming dynasty.

At the age of 40, he started the mammoth task of introducing the art treasures at the Tunhuang Cave to the world. Located at a pivotal point of traffic betwixt the East and the West, Tunhuang has long served every bit a resting place for loftier-ranking Buddhist priests expounding Dharma in the due east, or Chinese Buddhist monks collecting Dharma in the west. Merchants as well ofttimes stopped over at Tunhuang.

The caves at Tunhuang, containing Buddhist statues and frescoes dating from the fourth to the twelfth centuries A.D., are a living museum of art. Chang Dai-chien spent three years re-numbering the grottoes and reproducing some of the masterpieces housed there. His journey to Tunghuan certainly helped him to achieve his lofty position in Chinese art history.

Chinese painting is roughly divided into professional and amateur schools. The sometime tends to stress realism and the latter expressionism. Before he started his Tunhuang project, Chang Dai-chien painted in the amateur style. After he absorbed the essence of lineal school painting done by Wu Tao-tzu, master of the professional person school, he completely changed his approach.

Dai-chien is ane of the few artists who has had the opportunity to absorb the characteristics of the two primary branches in Chinese art history.

About 10 years ago, Chang began to feel the need for opening a new direction in Chinese classical painting in view of the development of fine art in the West. His breakthrough came when he started painting landscapes with bold ink strokes.

When he realized that the strokes of green and red could not fully create the effort he wanted, he started to add lines representing human figures or houses, thereby merging the modernistic spirit with the ideals of classical painting. From the Western point of view, his splash techniques make his piece of work similar to the semi-abstruse style in modern painting, just from the standpoint of Chinese painting, they are regarded as beingness in the classical tradition.

Although Chang never intended to create any art movement, his works serve as a span between the East and the West, and ancient and modern theories. Though he has become immortalized in Chinese art history, he continues to aggrandize his knowledge of the Chinese classics and art books. Information technology is this sort of dedication that his life-long progress has been based.

[Motion-picture show Caption]

Left: Dai-chien practicing calligraphy at his workshop. In a higher place Dai-chien admires the poetic and pure beauty of lotus flowers, and cultivates several pots of them in his garden. Correct: The pond at the archway of Chang'south courtyard is surrounded by old willows and other trees. Multicolored carp add decoration.

Above left: The path leading from the patio to the workshop is shaded by foliage. Below left: The rock inscribed with "Mei Chiu," which Ta-chien brought back from the U.s.. Above right: The ii pavilions "Feng-han" and "Yi-ran" overlooking Waishuanghsi. Below correct: A corner of the patio decorated with Huangshan pines.

Above left: The roof of Chang'south residence is covered with black tiles. Above right: Though more than than a hundred years old, these trees still sprout new shoots. In a higher place: Most of the artist's drove of stones has been brought from Brazil. Correct: Huangshan pines, a constant motif of the paintings of Shih Tao.

Left: Monkeys are the artist's favorite pets. Dai-chien'southward mother dreamed of monkeys before he was born, and and then he feels an affinity with the animals. Right: Dai-chien' pets.

Above left: Dai-chien'southward workshop contains a total array of stationery, brush pens, and portraits of his 2 brothers. Beneath left: The screen he bought in Nippon. Right from 3 to 5: The masterpiece of Dai-chien's teacher, Tseng Nung-jan; the moving picture of Dai-chien and his wife; and the calligraphy of Dai-chien's ii teachers.

The pond at the entrance of Chang's courtyard is surrounded by old willows and other trees.

Multicolored carp add ornamentation.

The path leading from the patio to the workshop is shaded past foliage. Below left: The rock inscribed with "Mei Chiu," which Ta-chien brought dorsum from the United States.

The two pavilions "Feng-han" and "Yi-ran" overlooking Waishuanghsi. Below right: A corner of the patio decorated with Huangshan pines.

The roof of Chang's residence is covered with blackness tiles.

Though more a hundred years old, these trees all the same sprout new shoots.

The roof of Chang's residence is covered with blackness tiles.

Though more than a hundred years onetime, these trees still sprout new shoots.

Nigh of the artist'southward collection of stones has been brought from Brazil.

Huangshan pines, a abiding motif of the paintings of Shih Tao.

Monkeys are the artist'due south favorite pets. Dai-chien's mother dreamed of monkeys before he was built-in, and and so he feels an analogousness with the animals.