On The Construction Of The Reputation

Seeking the epigraphs from others is the elegant behaviors adopted by men of letters in ancient times, which even became a popular trend in the Qing Dynasty. Bian Shoumin is one of the most outstanding men who did this to the ultimate. Among his numerous paintings kept till now, "The Splashed-ink Painting" is a relatively special one, which has no authentic work, but the epigraph of it was kept by copying. Although inviting others’ epigraph is not a novelty in the ancient times, almost one hundred and six of poets being written by 85 men of letters on the one painting like "the Splashed-ink Painting" is hard to see, comparing with the work before it.With the pursuit of the fame changing to the painting achievement in the early years and the "Painting of Wild Geese in the reeds" widely spread in the midlife, Bian Shoumin invited so many people to write epigraphs in his "splashed-ink Painting" in over twenty years of his journey. Why? What is the purpose and significance of this manner and the function to his painting achievements? Did he achieve his aim in the end? Starting from his way of pursuing painting achievements and focusing on the epigraphs of "the Splashed-ink Painting", this paper analyzes causes, purpose and significance of inviting others’epigraphs, concludes Bian Shoumin’s situation and features of making friends, as well as comparing his status and impacts in the ancient times with that in the present times according to his life, in order to prove that he has wider impacts in the present age and draw more attention due to his article achievements and distinct personal quality.