The exhibition would last until Aug. 12th in the Central Gallery of Meridian Gate (in Chinese "Wu men") and Oct. 8th in the West Wing of Meridian Gate.

Introduction

Qi Bai Shi (1864-1957), one of the most influential Chinese painters, is well known for his traditional Chinese ink paintings. Beginning July 17, the exhibition "Prosperity in Tranquility: The Art of Qi Baishi" was held at the Forbidden City in the galleries of the main tower and western wing tower at the Meridian Gate (Wu men). There are over 200 exhibits, including paintings, seals, and literary works.

Qi' s Chinese Ink Paintings

Starting around 4000 B.C., Chinese ink painting, or ink wash painting, is known as a form of art that uses various densities of ink and water to brush and create brush movements as well as ink flows, thus the painters construct a work. The brushes used for painting are mainly made of bamboo with hairs and furs of horse, sheep, rabbit, etc. The paint objects mainly are Chinese landscapes, insects, livestock, birds, people, and plants. This art form highly contributes to audience' s feeling of the sense of visual consistency and the harmony of the life.

Qi Bai Shi' s ink paintings mainly focus on common subjects that could be seen everywhere in life. For instance, he prefers drawing small insects like cicada, moth and bee. From works that are exhibited, the audience could see even the most detailed texture of an insect' s wing. Those insects, hiding behind or flying around various plants, could hardly be believed that they are not real. Those vivid images are charming, although they are created by colorful or black ink and water.

On the one hand, the vivid paintings of insects with flowers or vegetables reveal Qi' s focused observation of the nature around him and his strong artistic painting ability. He was born in a small village in XiangTan, Hu Nan, thus was able to contact with nature during his childhood while looking after cows. When he was 15 years old, then, he began learning carpentry and craving decorations, such as decorations on wooden beds. When he was 27 years old, he began learning literature and artistic paintings. While drawing one certain kind of animal, Qi would concentrate on the observation of that kind of animal in realistic life by feeding the animal. For instance, when he was trying to draw yellow, tiny chicks, he would feed a group of chicks in his yard in order to observe them at a short distance. As a result, what the audience could feel after viewing the work is the unbelievable touchable sense towards the tiny animals.

On the other hand, just as the introduction of the exhibition says, the Doctrine of the Mean (Zhongyong), one of the profound book that contributes to traditional spiritual route of Chinese philosophy, expresses how the superior man develops his virtuous nature and studious inquiry by "seeking to carry it out to its breadth and greatness, so as to omit none of the more exquisite and minute points which it embraces" (translation by James Legge) . Similarly, what Qi Bai Shi wanted to express through his works was the essential philosophy that although he is trying to paint a small part of the world, every other part of the world and even the world itself could be touched through the paintings. Also, the paintings represent Qi' s personal life philosophy.

For instance, his painting Ignoble Life in the Grass (Caojian touhuo) expresses his sentiments regarding life in a chaotic world. Oil Lamp and Moth (Youdeng feie) reveals his deep compassion for the weakest creatures. It may be said that Qi' s paintings of plants and small creatures expressed his inner world and his reactions to life. Similarly, there are paintings reflecting his daily life. In the painting Du Zhuo (Drinking Alone) above, with the broken body of the eatable crab, a simple glass as well as two common insects, a special personal sense is revealed through the painting.

Qi' s Seal Engravings

Besides, Qi Bai Shi is also good at seal engraving, a technic that is reached by carving Chinese characters (Hanzi) on materials mainly including wood block and stone. Using the seal, painters or scholars could stamp the painting or writing, usually with red ink. For Qi is not only a painter but also a painter who learnt how to carve at a relatively young age, there are abundant seals being created and exhibited. He once called himself "Prosperous Gentleman of Three Hundred Stone Seals". Like other painters or scholars, Qi' s seals not only reflect his own name, but also reflects his personal interests as well as life ideals.

The Forbidden City praises Qi, "Qi Baishi continued his artistic endeavors into old age. His life of passionate expression earned him recognition as a celebrated artist of the highest degree." On the other hand, however, What the exhibition reflects is not only the traditional artworks created by a famous Chinese ink painting painter. It greatly reveals the charm of the Chinese ink art form and the unique spirit of essential Chinese philosophies.