On The People 's Feelings In Zheng Banqiao' S Artistic Creation

Zheng Banqiao, who epitomized the spirit of Eight Eccentric Artists in Yangzhou, is one of China’s famous painters, calligraphers and litterateurs in Qing dynasty. Mr. Xu Beihong once highly praised him as “one of China’s extraordinary and outstanding people over the past 300 years with his fantastic thought and articles, especially paintings and calligraphy.” when he inscribed Zheng’s Drawing of Bamboo, Orchids and rocks. His calligraphy is not limited in ancient ways, just like “freestones paved on the streets and punt-pones stuck in the waves”. His writings, which are called “six and a half calligraphy” are skew and out of order in the uniform size; His paintings, which are called “Orchids which will never wither throughout the four seasons; bamboo which will be always evergreen with hundreds of joints; rocks which will never rod; people who will never change. ” are stretchy and handsome in posture and facial features;His poems embodies metaphor of Chinese national aspirations and moral integrities. Working as a government officer for twenty years, he was honest and clean and did a lot of achievements benefit for the people. Although he offended his superior officials, he was deeply respected and won great honors from the masses. Not only did Zheng Banqiao develop a school of his own in literature and art, he but also expressed his gentleman characteristic side of being pure and lofty,extraordinary and strangely crazy and lofty-tone with noble qualities.Zheng Banqiao went through innumerable difficulties and frustrations in his life. His people-oriented feelings originated from his special life experience and creative thought. His whole life can be specifically divided into two phases: Before and after becoming an official.During the period of his being an official, he led a miserable and poor life; however, he still chose to make a living by selling his paintings in Yangzhou. What he saw and heard everywhere was all about the poverty of folk people. Accordingly, a strong wish occurred to him that a gentleman should make contribution to doing good to people after he has made achievements,which is the thought representing a gentleman’s ambition and the people-oriented feelings beneficial to common people. Zheng Banqiao worked hard assiduously and diligently at his studies. After three phases of imperial competitive examinations, eventually, he won the chance to take the official position. But, because of his providing disaster relief to common people, he offended the authorities. Then he had to resign to leave his position. During that period, he still did his best to get to know about the people and understand the hardship and sufferings of the common people thoroughly. He implemented his political career of “working to benefit the people “and establish his people-oriented feelings of benefitting the people. Meanwhile, thecreation thought blending Confucianism with Taoism had some effect on the people-oriented thought of Zheng Banqiao, throughout which, Zheng Banqiao had always been making the Confucianism idea of “equality and kindness “as his lifelong thought. “Man’s nature at birth is good.” had been firmly unshakable in his mind. Neither riches nor honors can corrupt him:Neither poverty nor low condition can make him swerve from principle; Neither threats nor forces can bend him, which is Zheng’s lifelong value orientation, is also the highest goals he had been seeking after.Nevertheless, we are bound to refer to the reason it generated from on the study of Zheng Banqiao’s people-oriented thought. In addition to his complicated life experience, the Book of Songs made for its cultural background; The system, such as selecting the elicits according to the eight-legged essays established its historical background; His family members endowed him generous love; his cynical traits of characteristic exerted some influence on his people-oriented feelings.Zheng Banqiao embodied his people-oriented feelings in many aspects. Of which, his most presentative ideas are as follows: “Working people in the world should be soothed.”, “I think only peasants are the first-class people. “and “Honest and tolerant character shall be encouraged;Cruel characters shall be wiped out. “Particularly, his family instructions with honesty and tolerance have been brilliantly shining with splendor of people-oriented thoughts. They also greatly influenced today’s family education.Zheng’s artistic creation is relevant to his life experience. What’s more, his people-oriented thought is shown through his benefiting the world and people. In terms of his calligraphy creation, the freedom of his “six and a half “style boasts his unique artistic charm. As for his creation of paintings, they are freshly with the obstinately unruly characteristic; in literary creation, he emphasized his point that “Dao should focus on common people’s sufferings”. The theme of his essays focuses on social life, which is opposed to adhering to past practices and infuses vitality into his artistic creation.In particular, orchid, bamboo and rock art drawn by him, which are seen to be describing bamboo from outside, in fact, he is depicting a peasant mentality. From these artistic works, we can clearly know that he had been regarding the common people as his own life and feel that his vigorous spirit of self-improvement when dealing with people and affairs as well as his indignation to the unfairness in the official circles.In a word, discussing Zheng Banqiao’s people oriented feelings will help us to understand his poems, writings and paintings from another perspective, thus exploring the heart journey of the excellent scholar.