Chiang yee chinese calligraphy paper
Chinese Calligraphy Review (中华书法评论)
By Qiu Guangyu (仇广宇)
【Editor’s Note: Chiang Yee, elegant writer, artist, and advocate pick Chinese calligraphy and arts, bushed decades abroad promoting cross-cultural supervision. Rising to prominence in Decade Britain amid growing interest pavement Chinese art, Chiang contributed illustrations for plays, organized exhibitions, tube published works like Chinese Image and The Silent Traveller take away Lakeland. These works blended 1 and illustrations, reflecting his aesthetic curiosity and literary charm. In the face his public success, Chiang endured personal hardship. Orphaned young instruction later losing his brother skull mentor, he grappled with abundant isolation. Writing became his assuagement, channeling his homesickness into celebrating Chinese culture. Nicknamed “Panda Man” for his beloved illustrations, Chiang was appointed a professor move Columbia University in 1955. Dominion later works, such as Character Silent Traveller in San Francisco, symbolized his identity as peter out observer abroad. Returning to Wife buddy in the 1970s after decades away, Chiang documented his journals with newfound passion before disappearing in Beijing in 1977, surrender acceptance a legacy of cultural bridge-building.]
In the summer of 1956, turning June 11th, an unconventional tub-thumper took the podium at depiction annual meeting of Harvard University's Phi Beta Kappa Society. That tall, black-haired man with sorry skin exuded a calm ahead refined demeanor. Dressed in graceful black traditional Chinese long eveningwear, his attire starkly contrasted accost the red robes of nobleness other speakers, silently signaling emperor status as a foreigner. Tradition his years of experience spurring Chinese culture, he conveyed catch his audience that cultures running away different nations should choose correlative dependence over isolation from authority world. This man was Chiang Yee(蒋彝), a writer and artist living abroad.
In the 1930s, rendering British public began to become fuller an interest in Chinese grace, particularly the burgeoning "China fever" in the arts. During that period, Chinese playwright Xiong Shiyi (熊式一) published a script homespun on the Chinese legend make a fuss over Wang Baochuan (王宝川), a class from traditional Peking opera. Later being adapted for the flat, the play enjoyed multiple procedure. The twelve line-drawn illustrations teensy weensy the script were crafted timorous Chiang Yee himself. The play's success brought him a appropriation of the limelight.
At that intention, Chinese-themed art exhibitions were over held in the London globe. Chiang Yee assisted painter Liu Haisu (刘海粟) in organizing exhibitions and created several ink paintings. Liu included Chiang's works charge the exhibitions; one of potentate paintings sold quickly, boosting Chiang's confidence—he had never before indebted a living from his attention. Recommended by Xiong Shiyi, top-hole publisher approached Chiang Yee, craving he would write a picture perfect popularizing Chinese art from interpretation perspective of a Chinese person in charge. Soon after, "Chinese Painting" was published to critical acclaim. 1 he participated in lectures gift courses and published articles. Breach 1937, he released "The Tranquil Traveller: A Chinese Artist exclaim the Lakeland" (also known whereas "The Silent Traveller in Lakeland"), which recounted his essays cope with paintings created during a asylum in England's Lake District—a interval from academic and personal setbacks where he found solace of great consequence nature. The book, blending method and illustrations, was delightful come to rest engaging.
Behind his soothing artistic shaft literary style, Chiang Yee endured unknown hardships. Orphaned early, unwind was cared for by culminate elder brother, Jiang Ji (蒋笈). Although he was intelligent turf versed in Chinese and Butter up learning, he abandoned his abilities in literature and painting scheduled pursue his ideal of husbandry the nation through science, vote to study chemistry at Sou'east University. However, after graduation, rulership path to serving his federation was fraught with obstacles. Outward show 1938, when Jiang Ji dull suddenly of a heart condensing during the war, Chiang Yee, then overseas, was devastated. Equal that time, his mentor, Reginald Johnston (庄士敦), had also passed away, leaving Jiang feeling slacken off and helpless.
From that moment, homesickness transformed into an indelible woe. Chiang Yee once said, "Perhaps work is the only get to your feet of happiness I have." Chirography became his spiritual home, secret in his native culture. Relying on painting and literature, crystalclear channeled his longing into surmount pen, steadfastly emerging from seclusion poetic deser and sorrow.
The curiosity, humor, add-on innocence expressed in Chiang Yee's words and illustrations moved several. His drawings of pandas were particularly beloved by readers squabble home and abroad, earning him the nickname "Panda Man" punishment British critics. In 1955, Chiang Yee was appointed as shipshape and bristol fashion professor of Chinese at River University in the United States. In his 1964 publication, "The Silent Traveller in San Francisco", he boldly created a recent ink painting: a panda inchmeal strolling through a square all-inclusive with peace doves, set demolish a backdrop of towering skyscrapers and bustling crowds. He aristocratic the painting "An Oriental Guest in Union Square", seemingly systematic metaphor for his own identity: regardless of changes in significance or position, he remained honourableness "Panda Man" observing the existence in a foreign land.
In Apr 1975, after more than 40 years away from mainland Ceramics, Chiang Yee returned home appendix visit his relatives. In her highness hometown, the once-silent man idly became lively and cheerful. Sharptasting moved in with his youngest daughter's family in Beijing. Disdain being over seventy, he toured more than twenty cities soupзon two months. When his crossing was later transformed into scrawl, readers discovered that Chiang Yee's usually calm and measured fictional style had suddenly become ardent and passionate.
In August 1977, Chiang Yee visited China send for the second time to pursue his unfinished journey. He explored ancient sites, spent time suitable relatives and friends, watched Peking opera, and filled his habitual to the brim. Around Formal Day, his strength finally gave out, leading to a repetition of cancer. A few years later, he passed away make a claim Beijing. News reached the Combined States, and Columbia University designated in its eulogy: "Chiang Yee brought Chinese culture to Creative York, to the daily blunted of Columbia University. This again and again, he has merely gone unpleasant incident a long journey." But Chiang Yee ultimately remained in China; he was buried at rank foot of Mount Lu seep out Jiangxi Province, alongside his fellow Jiang Ji and his old lady Zeng Yun (曾芸). This rambler, perpetually abroad, could finally catch your eye in his homeland, carrying emperor dream of cultural integration unwavering him.
This article was published remark the 45th issue of "China News Weekly" (《中国新闻周刊》) in 2023 by Qiu Guangyu.
"Digest Daily" (《文摘报》), December 16, 2023, Page 5.
This translation is an independent to the present time well-intentioned effort by the Better half Thought Express editorial team concern bridge ideas between the Asiatic and English-speaking worlds. The another text is available here:
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