A Study Of Chinese Painting Groups In Chaoshan Area During The Republic Of China

In the Republic of China(1912-1949),a unique community of traditional Chinese painters related to the Chaoshan region came into existence.This community emerged when cultural and artistic thoughts in modern China underwent great change.The painters inherited the culture of the Central Plain as well as the style of literati painting,continuously absorbed merits of different schools and from various places,and ushered in an era of traditional Chinese painting with Chaoshan's regional characteristics.During this period,there were a considerable number of traditional Chinese painters from the Chaoshan region,and talented artists came out in succession,obtaining remarkable achievements.However,these artists gradually faded out with time passing by,and relevant topic has long been under-researched,with its significance in Chinese painting history failing to receive due attention.Chaoshan's traditional Chinese painter community,with distinctive geographical features,a great number of community members and unique painting style,is an important part of Chinese painting history.Chaoshan's traditional Chinese painter community during the period of the Republic of China was parallel with the Lingnan school of painting which mainly prevailed in Guangdong province,rather than belonged to the latter.Although the community was barely influenced by the Lingnan school,it has been mistakenly regarded as a branch of that school over years by many people The in-depth research on the process of artistic development and the characteristics of painting style regarding Chaoshan's traditional Chinese painter community during the period of the Republic of China and the exploration of its special artistic value and contemporary significance may help with the future development of painting in Guangdong and even in the entire China.Each era needs the inspiration from excellent traditional culture,and every subject of humanities needs research,exploration,inheritance and carrying forward of such culture,which also includes the art of traditional Chinese painting.This paper focuses on Chaoshan's traditional Chinese painters in the background of the Republic of China,including those who were born and lived in Chaoshan,and who were born in the Chaoshan region but later moved to another region of China or lived abroad.Using historical,statistical,sociological,artistic,multidisciplinary and comparative research methods,this paper dissects the multicultural background formed by Chaoshan's traditional Chinese painters during the period of the Republic of China and their inheritance and innovation of the traditional cultural ethos of the literati,thereby summarizing the structure,main ideas and artistic features of the community during the Republic of China.This paper consists of five sections organized as follows.First section analyzes special cultural background of the Chaoshan region during the Republic of China,and expounds on cultural deposits of Chaoshan's traditional Chinese painter community.Many residents of Chaoshan were descendants of notable families moving from the Central Plain through the ages.Along with the southward migration,advanced folk crafts were also brought to the Chaoshan region.After being inherited and evolved,these crafts were highly localized,formed a unique style,and the artworks became indispensable items in the houses of noble officials,as well as the collections of arty literati.As such,Chaoshan's folk art with both traditional culture inheritance and distinctive regional characteristics was formed,affected by which,Chaoshan's traditional Chinese painting also had strong regional characteristics.Because of its unique geographical location,the Chaoshan region was hardly influenced by wars.In such a somewhat closed environment,traditional culture was able to be preserved in a relatively complete manner.After inheritance,integration and innovation,the unique regional culture in the Chaoshan region came into being,providing solid cultural and environmental foundations for prosperous development of Chaoshan's traditional Chinese painting.The second section discusses the internal structure and composition of Chaoshan's traditional Chinese painters,who can be generally divided into three categories in terms of local master-apprentice relationship,return after studying out of Chaoshan,and development at home and abroad.These-painters inherited the styles they learned,combined them with local culture and art,and paid attention to brushwork as well as the painting style.They had both common pursuits and ideals,as well as their unique painting features.In order to record and present the artistic and cultural characteristics of the Chaoshan region as much as possible,this paper selects representative Chaoshan's traditional Chinese painters who lived in Chaoshan,other areas of China and abroad,and conducts in-depth research into their creative theories and practices.These artists include Dian Jiemei and Rao Zongyi,who stuck to archaizing and literati painting;Wang Xianzhao,Lin Shouyi.Liu Changchap and Wang Lanruo,who returned to Chaoshan after studying in other places;Xie Haiyan,Chen Dayu,Huang Dufeng and Luo Ming,who left Chaoshan for other parts of China;and Sun Xingge and Chen Wenxi,who lived abroad yet continuously adhered to Confucian culture and Chaoshan customs.The study on these individual cases leads to the discussion of common features of the whole community.The third part focuses on the evolution of Chaoshan's traditional Chinese painter community during the Republic of China.The evolution shows gradual and periodic characteristics.For one thing,it reflects the features and artistic characteristics of the community,proving the causal relationship between the continued expansion of painters and successive coming out of talents in the Chaoshan region.For another,the artists of the Chaoshan region,who guarded and inherited the culture of the Central Plain,displayed Chaoshan's unique aesthetics and spirits in their works,showing a strong artistic appeal.Taking the time as a clue,we can see that the pioneers of Chaoshan's traditional Chinese painting during the early stage of the Republic of China inherited traditional methods,paid attention to the painting patterns,continuously made creative efforts,integrated regional cultures,actively participated in folk art activities,and extended traditional Chinese culture.Under these circumstances,traditional Chinese painting developed rapidly,leading to the gathering and competition of talented painters in the later period of the Republic of China.The major causes of such flourishing and thriving were:traditional cultural was relatively intact in the Chaoshan region,and the dense atmosphere of traditional culture and education were dominated by the inheritance of traditional cultural ideas,and were compatible with other cultures;the atmosphere where people's ideas and concepts formed and their influence,and the inheritance and carrying forward of the spirit of traditional literati painters.The fourth section focuses on the painting characteristics of Chaoshan's traditional Chinese painter community.Chaoshan culture mainly originated from "indigenous" Chaoshan culture,the culture of the Central Plain brought southward and exotic cultures(Southeast Asian cultures).It was therefore a multi-cultural integration.Affected by different cultures and environments,the formation of the artistic style of Chaoshan's traditional Chinese painter community during the Republic of China was undoubtedly closely related to the unique cultural traditions of Chaozhou,demonstrating essential artistic features of the community:for creative language,the community drew on the culture of the Central Plain,demonstrated unique artistic nature,pursued a traditional style in terms of brushwork and had a distinctive painting style as well as artistic taste;for creative themes,the community demonstrated regional cultures,drew on local folk customs,and assimilated a considerable number of merits of folk art;for artistic inheritance,the community emphasized the influence of inheritance the ancestral art on the inheritance of painting,actively participated in the cultivation of young artists,and actively promoted new art trends.Their artistic ideas were relatively active,and their painting underwent continued development and transformation,which echoed with the great development of Chinese art when new studies of modern Chinese fine art sprung up.The fifth section elaborated on the achievements and influence of Chaoshan's traditional Chinese community in contemporary Chinese painting history.The development of modern Chinese painting integrated traditional Chinese styles with Western styles.During the Republic of China,the community established unique regional styles of painting,and tried to explore ways for Chaoshan painting to transform from traditional styles to modern styles on their own.They pursued the traditional brushwork and humanistic spirit,creating elegant and subtle styles that suited both refined and popular taste,and inheriting and carrying forward virtuous spirit of traditional literati painters.In the period of the Republic of China,there were numerous traditional Chinese painters from the Chaoshan region,and the number continued to grow.These talents established a necessary connection between traditional culture and modern innovation.This period represented an important period for the development and maturation of Chaoshan's painting.Although the relatively closed geographical location and special social environment caused the inevitable limitations of the development of traditional Chinese painters during this period,many talented artists came out in succession from Chaoshan in the Republic of China,and they attached great importance to the cultivation of the next generation of painting talents,making indelible contributions to the development of painting in Guangdong province and even in the entire modern China.The discovery of history of Chaoshan's traditional Chinese painter community enables people to see the experience and practices of cultural inheritance of the community that had brilliant achievements,which has theoretical and realistic significance to the flourishing of contemporary painting as well as sociocultural development.