Zhao Lengyue (1915-2002) was a renowned calligrapher of modern and contemporary China, a figure who held a profound influence and served as a link between past and future generations. The Paper has learned that the "Boiling: A Calligraphy Exhibition Commemorating the 110th Anniversary of Zhao Lengyue's Birth" opened on September 9th at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum. The exhibition features a selection of 45 works by Zhao Lengyue, most of which date from his peak period. The exhibition comprehensively showcases the artist's arduous artistic journey and his spirit of innovation and creativity.
Upon entering the exhibition hall, one is greeted by Zhao Lengyue's calligraphy of the excerpt "The Way of the Great Dao, the World for All" from the Book of Rites. This expansive, eight-foot-long scroll, spread across four consecutive screens, creates a visually stunning scene. This also seems to set the tone for the exhibition. Wandering through the halls, nearly every piece of calligraphy on display is a massive scroll. Visitors can directly encounter Zhao Lengyue's six- and eight-foot-long masterpieces, experiencing his "rich, concise, and majestic" style.
Exhibition site
Wang Lixiang, curator of this exhibition, director of the Chinese Calligraphers Association, and president of Duoyunxuan Calligraphy and Painting Academy, said that looking back at Zhao Lengyue on the 110th anniversary of his birth, we can appreciate the special significance he has bestowed upon us: his "reform in old age" absorbed a wide range of artistic nourishment and reconstructed his understanding of traditional calligraphy and epigraphy. "He was a pioneer of contemporary calligraphy's brush and ink language and a pioneer of aesthetic realm. This is the greatest significance his calligraphy practice has brought to the calligraphy world today."
"My father's diligence is rare, and he has a deep respect for calligraphy."
Zhao Lengyue (March 15, 1915 – November 20, 2002), also known by his given name Liang and later by his pseudonyms Queyuanzhai and Huiweng, was a native of Jiaxing, Zhejiang. He learned calligraphy from his grandfather Zhao Jiefu and his father Zhao Tingzhen in his hometown. As a teenager, he became a disciple of the calligrapher and painter Xu Menong, who hailed him as "the foremost calligrapher in Jiaxing after Shen Zengzhi." This suggests that Zhao Lengyue's calligraphy studies began very early, tracing his roots from Tang Kai to the Two Wangs, and from Han Li to Northern Epitaphs. His method was authentic, his scope broad, and his foundation in traditional calligraphy.
Zhao Lengyue
At the age of 30, he moved to Shanghai and made a living selling calligraphy. He interacted with renowned calligraphers such as Shen Yinmo, Lai Chusheng, and Xie Zhiguang, which enabled him to refine his art and achieve remarkable success. In 1958, he joined the Shanghai Advertising and Decoration Company. In 1961, he became one of the first members of the Shanghai Calligraphy and Seal Carving Research Society (the predecessor of the Shanghai Calligraphers Association). After retiring at the age of 60, he spent several years visiting inscriptions throughout China, beginning to rethink a series of core concepts in calligraphy and determined to explore the realm of calligraphy "from the depths of the heart." By the late 1980s, he had developed a unique style that was both profound and powerful, with a profound and imposing style that profoundly impacted the calligraphy world of the time.
Zhao Lengyue's calligraphy works
"Through Mr. Zhao Lengyue's works, one can sense his inner passion, just like the exhibition title and the two characters he wrote, 'boiling,' which surge with heat and power. He is a quiet and reserved person, and he is actually a very studious calligrapher."
Exhibition site
Mr. Zhao Lengyue's son, Zhao Shizhong, told The Paper, "My father's diligence is very rare. 365 days a year, as long as he's not sick (and he's not often), even on New Year's Day, he would copy calligraphy for four hours in the morning and create calligraphy in the afternoon, without fail. And my father also took calligraphy very seriously and with awe, and was meticulous in his work."
"Looking back on Mr. Zhao Lengyue's artistic journey, we can see that his traditional calligraphy skills are very profound. Through this exhibition, when we look back at him, we see his artistic innovations, but we should not forget his artistic growth path, his respect for the inheritance of calligraphy and his respect for traditional Chinese calligraphy art." said Wang Lixiang.
The eight-foot-long masterpiece embodies advanced modern consciousness
The Paper observed at the exhibition that the exhibition features a meticulous selection of 45 pieces/sets of Zhao Lengyue's calligraphy, encompassing various scripts, including regular, running, cursive, official, and seal scripts, encompassing various forms, including banners, scrolls, couplets, handscrolls, and albums. The majority of the works date from Zhao Lengyue's peak period, but also include pieces from the 1970s and 1980s, when his style was developing. His calligraphy features large characters with a powerful, unadorned quality, exuding true power, while his multi-character works exude a natural charm and a naive, unrestrained style.
Exhibition site
The works on display range from massive, eight-foot-long canvases to twelve-panel screens, along with miniature study couplets, scrolls of varying sizes, and mirrors. The sheer number of large-scale works and the visual intensity they create are rarely seen in typical calligraphy exhibitions. These works, all completed in Mr. Zhao Lengyue's limited study, are now displayed in a spacious, bright, modern space, seemingly designed for the space.
Exhibition site
Wang Lixiang said, "Mr. Zhao Lengyue was very aware of the public nature of contemporary calligraphy very early on, and began to explore the integration and transformation of inscriptions and calligraphy with modern visual concepts, reflecting his pioneering and innovative spirit."
For example, the painting "The Way of Greatness, the World for All" at the entrance is 8 feet large and consists of four connected screens, which is very suitable for exhibition in public spaces of museums and art galleries. It gives the audience a visual shock and allows them to closely feel the artist's brushwork and the tension of the large-character structure.
The calligraphy of "One" at the exhibition
Another calligraphy work, "One," is a single character, with the inscription "Sincere and Dedicated" in small characters above it. The exhibition's title, "Feiteng," draws its origin from the phrase "Hundred Rivers Boiling," and is another masterpiece by Mr. Zhao Lengyue. Comprising eight panels of scroll calligraphy, this work is one of his most representative works.
"My father's thinking was indeed quite advanced. He had this advanced consciousness since the late 1970s and early 1980s. In addition, his visits to Japan, visiting Japanese exhibitions, and seeing Japanese displays also formed his own unique insights." Zhao Shizhong said that in fact, these tall scrolls by Mr. Zhao Lengyue that we see today were actually created in a limited room. "Because my father was used to it, he just put a board on an ordinary dining table. The room was less than 20 square meters and there were furniture inside. He created his works in such an environment."
Exhibition site
Looking back at Zhao Lengyue, what are we commemorating?
Looking back at the 20th century, Chinese calligraphy art still showed great vitality, and many calligraphers were born, and there was a brilliant star at that time. Among them, a group of masters gathered in Shanghai, and their glory shone until the latter half of the last century.
Ding Shenyang, Chairman of the Shanghai Calligraphers Association, stated that during the 1970s and 1980s, two styles emerged in Shanghai's calligraphy world: one, the elegant style exemplified by Bai Jiao and Shen Yinmo, which focused on the study of calligraphy, and the other, the robust and majestic style exemplified by Zhao Lengyue, which blended steles and rubbings. Both styles were rooted in Shanghai's open and inclusive culture. Although Zhao Lengyue lacked much scholarly attention or recognition during his heyday, those who truly care about calligraphy hold him in high regard.
Wang Lixiang stated that Mr. Zhao Lengyue is an important calligrapher in Shanghai, a link between the past and the future. He discerned his own path through extensive copying, ultimately reaching the state of "following one's heart without transgressing the rules." He strives to avoid sweetness and vulgarity. His brushwork, modeling, and composition strive to resolve various relationships such as black and white, beauty and ugliness, hardness and softness, excitement and tranquility, simplicity and elegance. "Zhao Lengyue's works are infused with his unique life emotions. Looking back at Mr. Zhao Lengyue today, he is clearly a pioneer of the traditional aesthetic realm and a forerunner of contemporary calligraphy brush and ink language. The formal composition he explored has profoundly influenced the modern public visual display of contemporary calligraphy."
Works by Zhao Lengyue
"Mr. Zhao Lengyue is a historical model. Not only is the result of his works a model, but his individual growth to maturity is also a model. His life and creative state may have some inspiring significance for today's young and middle-aged calligraphers, and even older and more experienced calligraphers." Chen Zhenlian said.
At yesterday's opening ceremony, Mr. Zhao Shizhong also donated 6 calligraphy works by Mr. Zhao Lengyue to the Zhejiang Provincial Museum. He said that donating his father's works to the museum is more meaningful than keeping them with himself. The works can be better preserved in the museum and more people can appreciate them.
The exhibition is co-organized by Zhejiang Provincial Museum, Zhejiang Calligraphers Association and Shanghai Calligraphers Association. It will last until October 8 and will be held at Zhejiang Provincial Museum (Zhijiang New Building).
