Tianzhu: The Record of Foreign Stories in the Republic of China

Chapter 29 Absolute Painting (1)
During the period of the Republic of China, two famous painters came out of Xiulin City.

One is Zhang Xuan.Zhang Xuan, courtesy name Yu Mo, was born in Taipingfang, Xiulin. He painted landscapes, figures, flowers, birds and animals, especially the figures of flowers and birds.He once made "The Picture of Aoshuang", an old plum with steep branches, proud and unyielding, and wrote a poem "People are as clear as plum blossoms". .His paintings of flowers and birds are combined with the brushwork of the Song Dynasty in the Five Dynasties.Most of the figures are drawn from the customs of the market and the life of the common people, mainly reflecting the suffering life of the working people, and the heart of worrying about the country and the people is fully reflected in the pen.Zhang Xuan participated in the art activities of the "Leftist League", and once wrote "Scholars Serving the Country" to encourage himself.Later, due to anonymous reporting, he was suspected by the authorities. After being assassinated by a spy, he set fire to his home. Several members of his family were buried in the sea of ​​fire.

Another painter is Meng Lanting.

Meng Lanting was born in Chaotiankou of Embroidery Forest, and he called himself Mr. Lanting. He was another Embroidery Forest painter who rose after Zhang Xuan.Good at painting landscapes, especially clouds, waters, and waterfalls. He once wrote "Flowing Clouds and Waterfalls", a dangerous mountain, straight into the sky, and a waterfall, just like falling from the sky. .He painted landscapes, with lofty scenery, beautiful brush and ink, learned from the tradition, but with his own style. He was recognized as a leader in Jingchu painting at that time.

After Meng Lanting became famous, there was an endless stream of people who came to ask for paintings, and the money for writing was expected to increase. With some money, he bought a house in a quiet place under Xiulin Mountain, titled "Lanting Yaju", and built a large studio inside. , for your own use of splashing ink.Meng Lanting painted very quickly. Someone came to ask for a painting, talked about the size and runge, walked into the studio, picked up the brush, and finished it overnight.People at the time joked that Mr. Lan Ting's paintings could be picked up immediately.

It's a pity that the good times didn't last long. Maybe it was blinded by the high amount of ink brushes, or maybe it was emptied of talent by the endless stream of door-to-door painters. Meng Lanting became famous only five or six years ago, and gradually showed that he was bald and exhausted. In this state, the speed of painting is getting slower and slower, and the quality is not as good as before. Sometimes, I can't draw a satisfactory painting for several months.Meng Lanting was very distressed, I don't know how many paintbrushes were broken because of this, but he didn't break a good painting.

In November of this year, the cold wave arrived ahead of schedule, freezing the water in the river and people's hearts into ice cubes.There was news from the north that the National Army Hu Zongnan had fought a fierce battle with the Red Army in Gansu Mountain Castle.Later, news came that Meng Lanting's only son, Meng Xing, who served as the brigade commander in the 11st Army of the National Army, died on the front line.When Meng Lanting heard the news, he felt dizzy and fainted immediately.After he finished dealing with his son's funeral, he regained his composure, and it was already the second spring.

Cleaned up my mood, walked into the studio, picked up the brush again, but my mind was blank, I didn't know how to write.Can't help sighing: "Oh, I am a leader in the Jingchu painting circle, but I am really exhausted and can't draw a good painting anymore?" With a shaking of my hand, a drop of ink dripped on the snow-white drawing paper. glaring.He locked himself in the studio for three days, and in the end, there was only one ink dot on the drawing paper.More than half a year later, still no new works come out.There were rumors in the market that Mr. Lan Ting's paintbrush was useless.So no more painters came to the door.

Meng Lanting was unwilling to be reconciled to being a leader in the painting circle in the past, with a thriving family, but he was so neglected today. He was determined to paint a good painting no matter what, so as to sweep away the decline and revive his reputation.On this day, he thought deeply and carefully conceived a long scroll of mountains and rivers, which is his best painting of mountains and waterfalls.So he cheered up, walked into the studio, picked up the brush again, and sketched it with his heart.Helplessly, I was exhausted and exhausted. From morning to night, I could barely draw half of the mountain peak.The other half, until late at night, still had no way of writing.Feeling that the general situation is gone, my heart is ashamed, I throw down my paintbrush, and leave depressed.

A sleepless night.Early the next morning, Meng Lanting hurried into the studio, intending to tear up the unfinished work from last night, abandoning his brush and quitting the painting world.Unexpectedly picked up the drawing paper, but was stunned.On that paper, the painting that was not completed last night has been completed by someone at some point, and it is clearly an excellent "Smoky Mountain and Flying Waterfall" on the paper.In the painting, the high mountains are lush, the mountains are surrounded by smoke and clouds, the flying waterfalls are sparse, and the artistic conception is bleak. It is really a rare masterpiece of landscape.

He observed it for a long time, and doubts arose in his heart. Last night, he obviously did not finish the painting. How could a half-remnant painting become a masterpiece this morning?Could it be that he woke up in the middle of the night and wrote the painting?If so, how could I not know it?

After thinking about it quietly, he knew there must be something strange, so he called the servant who was on duty in the courtyard last night, and asked, "Did outsiders enter the studio last night?" The servant shook his head and said, "No." Meng Lanting got angry, He patted the table and said, "Bastard, the things in the studio have obviously been touched." The servant was startled, and hurriedly said, "Only Yuan Tuozi came in to sweep the floor this morning."

The Yuan Tuozi he was talking about was old Yuan, a handyman in the Meng Mansion.Lao Yuan is from Shandong. In order to avoid the war, he begged and came to Xiulin City, which is located on the edge of Hunan and Hubei.On a snowy day three years ago, he was cold and hungry and fainted at the gate of "Lanting Yaju".Old Yuan was ugly, with slanted eyes and mouth, scars all over his face, and a hunchback. Everyone called him Yuan Tuozi.

Meng Lanting frowned and asked his servant to call Yuan Tuozi.After a while, the servant led Yuan Tuozi into the studio.Yuan Tuozi is thin and thin, and he always smiles flatteringly when he sees everyone.Bowed to Meng Lanting and asked: "Master, what do you need from me?" Meng Lanting asked: "Did you enter my studio this morning?" Yuan Tuozi said: "Yes, come in and clean it." Meng Lanting Asked: "Have you touched the things inside?" Yuan Tuozi said: "No." Meng Lanting looked at the painting on the table, wanted to say something, but held back, waved his hand, and told the servant to retreat.

Meng Lanting closed the door of the studio and said, "Old Yuan, tell the truth, did you help me finish the half painting on the table?" Yuan Tuozi smiled even more unnaturally, and said, "My master really knows how to joke. If you can’t even hold a pen, how can you draw?”

Meng Lanting glanced over and saw some ink stains on the fingers of his right hand, knowing that although he refused to admit it, the painting must have been drawn by him, so he was taken aback.He thought to himself: Judging by his painting skills, he is by no means inferior to mine.If he hadn't committed a major event, he would never have destroyed his future and fallen to this point.Then, with confidence in his heart, he lowered his face and said, "Old Yuan, I also guessed a little about your origin. If you refuse to tell the truth, I have no choice but to drag you to the police station to see an officer."

Lao Yuan knelt on the ground with a "plop" and said, "Master, I don't want it. I'm telling the truth. Lao Yuan was originally a painter at the Shandong Academy of Painting. Because he was involved in a life lawsuit, he kept his name incognito and died here. I went to the master's studio to clean it this morning. When I saw an unfinished painting on the table, I couldn't help picking up the paintbrush and completing the master's painting. If the painting is not good, it will ruin the masterpiece of the master. Please blame the master."

When he admitted this, Meng Lanting was somewhat skeptical, and asked: "Is it really you who painted this "Smoky Mountain and Flying Waterfall"?"

"I did draw it."

"Then draw another picture and show me."

Lao Yuan didn't refuse, spread the rice paper on the table, picked up the brush, and started to draw.After a while, a painting of "Waterfall Viewing on Pine Rocks" appeared vividly on the paper, with continuous layers of rocks and waterfalls in the painting.Meng Lanting couldn't help but look at him with admiration.

Looking at the painting carefully again, the ink is light and clear, with clear layers. When moving the brush slightly with the middle finger at the key points, the lines have a sense of twists and turns, waves and waves, and the style and conception are very similar to myself.After thinking about it for a while, he felt hesitant, and patted Yuan Tuozi on the shoulder and said, "Old Yuan, as the saying goes, real people don't show their faces, and those who show their faces are not real people. I can't imagine that there is such a big hand like you hidden in the humble house. Are you here?" It's a pity that I'm a handyman here, what a pity that I have such a great talent!" Yuan Tuozi was deeply touched, and sighed, and said, "It's really hard for a painter who can't draw with a brush!"

Meng Lanting said: "Meng has a way to get the best of both worlds. It can let you hold the brush again and paint to your heart's content without revealing your identity as a fugitive and causing trouble." Yuan Tuozi asked: "What way?"

Meng Lanting said: "Meng's method is actually very simple. From now on, you are no longer a handyman in the Meng Mansion, but a painter of our Lanting Yaju. You can come and go freely in my studio and paint as you like. You The paintings I draw are stamped with my Mr. Lanting's seal, and sold in outside art shops. You and I get half and half of the painting money. When outsiders ask, they will say my own handwriting. Anyway, your painting style is very similar to mine, so forgive me. No one can see it. In this way, you can paint and earn some money to live without revealing your identity and causing trouble. How about it?"

Yuan Tuozi said: "I'm afraid that my painting will not be good, and I will insult the master's reputation as a leader in the painting circle of Jingchu." Go." Yuan Tuozi said gratefully: "But teach me to hold the paintbrush again, and everything will be arranged by the master."

Meng Lanting laughed and said: "Old Yuan, you are too polite. You and I are both in the painting circle. We are friends if we like each other. In the future, don't want to be called a master. In terms of age, you should be a few years older than me. If you think highly of me, Just call me brother Meng." Lao Yuan said, "Okay, then thank you brother."

Meng Lanting stamped his own seal on the two paintings on the table, and taught others to take them to Yutingxuan Art Shop on Yipu Street to hang them up.Seeing Mr. Lanting's red seal on the painting, everyone thought it was Meng Lanting's new work, and they rushed to appreciate it, but seeing that after a period of precipitation, Meng Lanting's painting skills became more sophisticated and better than before, so they couldn't help but highly appreciate it.After a few days, the two paintings were bought at high prices.

From then on, Yuan Tuozi became a professional painter of Lanting Yaju. Every time he drew a work, he had to affix Mr. Lanting's seal, pretending to be Meng Lanting's new work, and selling it outside.Outsiders don't know what to do, but they only know that Mr. Lanting has produced new works one after another, and his painting style is becoming more and more mature. They all praise him, saying that he is a well-deserved "Sage of Jingchu Painting".

(End of this chapter)