Traditional Chinese paintings on fans

重慶市綦江實驗中學 馮 弋

He Ting and Xiao Han were classmates at Shanghai Normal University, where they majored in traditional Chinese painting,an ancient art they were so enthralled with that they decided to make a career out of promoting it in the modern era.

The pair, both aged 30, are now full-time artists running their own studios for traditional Chinese paintings. Traditional Chinese painting,dating back thousands of years, is usually created using ink and water-based colors on materials such as paper or silk. Despite its long history,He and Xiao believe that the art, which usually arouses a sense of an idyllic (田園詩歌般的)life and peace, can still be seen as vibrant (充滿生機的) in today's busy world. This concept was showcased in a collection of 28 paintings at the Shanghai Public Art Museum. The paintings,designed to fit round and folding fans, come in different styles.

Xiao's paintings are created on round spun silk fans. Most are inspired by the pure, simple life of people in the Southern Song Dynasty(1127—1279) and the idyllic poems depicting pastoral (田園的) landscapes and rural life by Chinese poet Lu You during the Song Dynasty(960—1279). “That's my ideal painting style and ideal life in a busy world,” said Xiao, who has set up a home studio near Huangxing Park in Shanghai with a window allowing him to enjoy the sunrise. Xiao depicts the life he pursues in his paintings, which feature scenes of people making tea, reading, and listening to birds chirping.

Instead of focusing on people and life, the folding fans decorated by He Ting, on the other hand, feature paintings that illustrate landscapes,birds and fishes. Born in the coastal city of Xiangshan in Zhejiang Province, He Ting fancies the warm, delicate views of Jiangnan water towns. In addition to Chinese painting techniques, He Ting also draws pattern styles and color designs of Western paintings, adding bright tones to the works. He Ting only chooses light colors from Western paintings that can fit into the style of Chinese ink.

To find inspiration, the pair go frequently to bookstores, art exhibitions and visit scenic spots,such as Huangshan Mountain in Anhui Province,to do sketching. “We're lucky to be living in an era when the government fully supports the culture industry and is promoting the revival of traditional Chinese culture. As the country develops, artists gain more opportunities to spread the culture both at home and abroad,” said He Ting.Xiao plans to further his studies in poems and arts history. The artist also hopes to pursue the kind of life depicted in ancient paintings and integrate the essence of these ancient works into his own creations.

Critical Thinking

What do you think of Xiao Han's and He Ting's paintings?