Ancient people believed that personal character was equivalent to the quality of painting, hence their pursuit of the ultimate standard in painting was the "Dao" of painting—the Dao of harmony between heaven and humanity. From this perspective, the personal character that ancient people referred to transcended human moral qualities and became the quality of the universe. Therefore, cultivating one's life was equivalent to refining the quality of painting. "Before the emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness are expressed, they are called 'zhong'; when expressed in moderation and accordance with propriety, they are called 'he'." Zhong is the fundamental principle of the universe, and he is the great way of achieving harmony in the world. Professor Chen Zhangji's paintings never intentionally seek to shock or astonish; they lack sensational compositions. Instead, they often employ peaceful and upright brushwork, yet they can elicit applause and resonate with viewers.   

" a person who is taciturn in speech but swift in action"

Mr. Chen is a person who is taciturn in speech but swift in action. He is not one to seek favors or climb the social ladder; instead, he is modest, steady, and solely seeks to quietly pursue his artistic ideals, focusing on his inner pursuit of art, diligently engaged in teaching and painting, with a plain and sincere style. His artistic process always maintains a peaceful and far-reaching mindset, but the quantity and quality of his works demonstrate his diligence, sensitivity, and sharp aspirations. His paintings of vast mountains resembling seas, winds stirring up clouds, misty valleys, and sturdy pine trees on cliffs all overflow with an inspiring and wise spirit. Mr. Chen finds solace in the artistic ocean, feeling the surge of waves and the swaying motions, while remaining peaceful and restrained in the mundane world, as reflected in his paintings.

In many people's eyes, the Lingnan School of Painting is a symbol representing the artistic characteristics of the Lingnan region, and some people like to take this as a glorious identity. Mr. Chen is currently a member of the China Artists Association, a director of the Guan Shanyue Research Society, a consultant for the "Lingnan School of Painting" Memorial Hall, and a professor and graduate student mentor at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. Perhaps it is his dutiful and magnanimous character that makes Mr. Chen, as a disciple of the Lingnan School of Painting, stand humbly and calmly outside of the cumbersome introductions and conventional rankings, never hyping himself up with status or position, believing that art has its own history and that wise and insightful critics will make the final judgment.    

What is enviable is that beside Mr. Chen stands a supportive partner who flies with him in the art world, helping him maintain his focus on art. Mr. Chen's wife, Guan Yi, is the daughter of Guan Shanyue and has her own insights into artistic practice. Ms. Guan was not only Guan Shanyue's assistant before his death but also Professor Chen Zhangji's devoted partner. Like a pair of lovebirds in the south, they fly together. Although their paintings have different teachers and their aesthetic emotions and expressive styles are vastly different, their artistic pursuits do not conflict but rather complement and enhance each other. What is even more admirable is that they have not relied on the influence of Guan Shanyue in their artistic lives but have instead shown the utmost sincerity and respect as disciples.   

Mr.'s early sketches were very good and his modeling ability was very strong. Sketching portraits of characters in rural areas does not require charcoal to start with, but rather involves direct sketching with pen and ink. It is said that it was requested by Mr. Guan Shanyue. When he graduated from university and stayed on campus, Professor Yang Zhiguang suggested that he join the character group. However, due to the serious shortage of teachers in the flower and bird painting major of the Chinese Painting Department at that time, the teacher went to the flower and bird painting major according to the arranged needs, diligently studying the traditional techniques and theories of Chinese flower and bird painting, inheriting and learning the essence of traditional painting. Although  engaged in flower and bird painting, due to solid foundation in modeling, besides flowers and birds,  have also delved into subjects such as characters and landscapes, and can form  own opinions on the subjects being painted. Mark R0thk01903-1970, an outstanding abstract painter in modern art history, once said, "As long as a painter paints well, what he paints is irrelevant. Good works are pure and have nothing to do with anything.". I think this sentence is appropriate to describe Mr.'s art, breaking through the barriers of subject matter and professionalism, and paying more attention to the essential needs of his heart.

For decades, the teacher has been dedicated to writing with full passion, while also undertaking heavy teaching tasks. In his educational career, he tirelessly taught and personally wrote lecture notes and model paintings for teaching purposes. He started teaching students at Affiliated Middle School, went on to undergraduate studies, and then enrolled in graduate studies - in addition to his major, he also supervised his graduation thesis. Even after reaching the statutory retirement age, he/she guides graduate students in their studies without complaint. Mr.'s passion for art is always full, and he constantly creates while teaching.

Art originates from life. "If you don't go into life, you can't draw." Mr. Guan Shanyue was inspired and deeply understood the relationship between life and creation. Mr. is a diligent person. Over the years, he has traveled all over the "ends of the earth", arrived at Dunhuang in the north, visited Taihang Mountain, Mount Huangshan Mountain, the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, etc., and collected a wealth of creative materials. Surprisingly, every time the gentleman goes out to experience life or participates in activities, new creations can almost always appear. In the early days,  went to the suburbs of Wuhan and received "The Return Journey"; Experience life in the land of fish and rice in Xinhui; Collaborating with teachers Guan Shanyue, Li Xiongcai, Yang Zhiguang, and others to work at the Zhanjiang sea blocking construction site,  achieved a large-scale collaboration between teachers and students in the traditional Chinese painting "Declaration of War on the Ocean"

In the 1970s, the gentleman finally became famous for his works such as "Spring in Kui Township" and "Xisha Liri". Later, he continued to write a large number of highly acclaimed works of flowers, birds and landscapes, such as "The Painting of Red Plum Blossoms" and "Clouds in Mount Huangshan Mountain".

Without excessive influence and praise from the outside world, the gentleman is steadily moving forward on the artistic path step by step. In 1977, he was elected as a director by the Guangdong Branch of the Chinese Artists Association, and his artistic achievements were recognized both domestically and internationally. In 2002, a man over sixty years old unexpectedly created a batch of high-quality and stylish flower and bird works. This never-ending spirit of hard work cannot help but make us and the younger generation marvel at it!

 Flowing endlessly

Mr. is the kind of person who tirelessly strives for artistic ideals.

The message that the gentleman conveys to outsiders is always calm, tolerant, and low spirited, almost completely ignoring his innate passion and infinite love for life. Most of the time, this only belongs to art and always remains in a saturated state.

The disclosure of life and the expression of ideals are all in the "grooves in the chest" and "forests and springs on paper". In art, the teacher often uses the two themes of nature - the sea of clouds and the waterfall - to create a habitat for the soul. The sea of clouds surges, without dreams or illusions, clear and clear, the realization of virtual objects, boundless and profound; And the waterfall is surging, unbiased and pure, with a continuous flow, dynamic and serene, smooth and timeless.

The teacher is good at finding themes that can represent his emotions in natural landscapes, and through meticulous writing, he makes them vivid and typical. The teacher prefers to select high mountains and rivers, ancient paths of pine trees, and flying waterfalls as the main elements in landscape paintings. For example, the image in "Cloud Map of the Xia River" is solemn and thick, magnificent and vast. In terms of composition and layout, a large area of peaks almost occupies the entire picture, with white clouds lingering in the mountains. Only a line of waterfalls is placed in the upper left corner behind the pine trees in front of the mountain, and a bend in the river and a sailboat breaking through the waves are drawn in the lower right corner. This strong contrast not only highlights the towering peaks of the Three Gorges Mountains, but also highlights the agility and exuberance implied in masculinity Vitality. Looking at "Running non-stop" again, a scene of a huge waterfall cascading down from the top left with a towering force, causing droplets to fall like snow. In front of the waterfall, in the lower right corner of the picture, there is a towering boulder with towering pine trees on top, while a black eagle fights between the water and air. Outside the painting, it seems to hear the sound of water rushing and roaring incessantly. In addition, the teacher also painted a series of works such as "Flying Waterfall and Flowing Water", "Red Tomb Rising Sun", "Youjian", etc., which are equally magnificent, rich, and vibrant, making people's blood boil and their hearts surge. Roscoe's goal is to step out of painting and immerse himself wholeheartedly into the depths of his soul. In fact, from the perspective of emotion, this kind of state of "Cloud Picture of the Gorge River", "Cloud Surge of Mount Huangshan Mountain", "Waterfall Flowing" and "Running" is not the casual expression of your life philosophy, artistic cultivation and life attitude!

 Righteous Paths are free from evil

Mr. is the kind of person who has gone through countless experiences but still has clear and innocent eyes.

In today's developed market economy, in Guangzhou, the concept of economic benefits extends to every corner, and prices seem to measure everything, and art is no exception. Some people cheat, some pass off inferior products, and some use various social activities to raise the price of their works. The social hype for the works of the Lingnan School of Painting is very hot. As a disciple and artistic achievement of the Lingnan School of Painting, it has naturally attracted the attention of merchants and collectors. But the gentleman only pursues art with persistence, and with abundant soul and spirit, he cares very little about the art market. Apart from dedicating himself to painting, he is enthusiastic about social welfare activities. Whether it is the "Famous Calligraphy and Painting Disaster Relief Charity Sale", "Fundraising for the Restoration of the Old Site of Huangpu Military Academy", or the "Youth Development Foundation" or the "Guangzhou Cultural Development Foundation", as long as it is within the scope of our ability, Mr. Wu always spares no effort to repay society by donating works.

In the collection of calligraphy and painting, it is difficult for ordinary people to distinguish the authenticity of their works, and a little carelessness can confuse them. Due to his special identity, Mr. Li often takes on the task of identifying the paintings of Guan Lao and Li Lao for collectors and enthusiasts of calligraphy and painting in society without compensation. Despite being criticized at times, he remains both serious and responsible as always.

"You can remain silent, but don't say anything against your heart." To distinguish the authenticity of a work, the teacher only has two standards in his heart: true and false, and he must bravely speak it out. He neither accomplices nor helps. Once, a calligraphy and painting enthusiast wanted to buy a painting of "Red and White Plum Blossoms" by Guan Lao, which was sold at a price lower than the market price. Please rest assured that the enthusiasts will send the painting to Professor Chen Zhangji for identification. At first glance, the effect of that painting may seem quite good, but after identification, the master reasonably pointed out that it is a fake: due to the lack of skill of the imitator, the background of the painting is not natural enough, and the petals do not conform to Guan Lao's painting style. He carefully analyzed many differences with the enthusiasts. The outcome of the matter? Of course, it was the enthusiasts who avoided being a scapegoat in the fake painting market because Professor Chen did not mind the trouble of careful identification. In terms of identification, the most sensational event was the exhibition of fake paintings at the Zhuhai Museum in 2005. Mr., along with Guan Shanyue, the family of Li Xiongcai, and a group of senior calligraphers and painters, went to Zhuhai to personally verify the authenticity.

At that time, the gentleman also brought the relevant seals of Guan Lao and carefully compared them with the seals on the on-site paintings. The gentleman told people that a seal is a painter's mark and an important basis for identifying whether a painting is genuine or fake. Those paintings were found to have incorrect seals, and it is almost certain that the paintings are indeed fake. Although there have been many versions of this incident later on, the righteous aura that the gentleman exuded from the bottom of his heart made it clear to the world that in this era of adhering to the principle of "everyone sweeps the snow in front of their own door, and no one cares about the frost on others' tiles", if a person walks on the right path, they will naturally have no fear of some ugliness in the world.

accumulate richly and release slowly

Mr. is the person who has accumulated rich experience in artistic practice.

Fifty years of time pass like a white horse, in such a short moment. Starting from aspiring to pursue a career in art, the teacher has passed through the scales of "standing tall", "not confused", "knowing fate", and "ear obedience" in the annual rings. Since he was admitted to the Chinese Painting Department of Wuhan Zhongnan Art College (predecessor of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts) in 1957, for the past 50 years, he has immersed himself in the ocean of art and was fortunate enough to have studied under Lingnan painting masters such as Guan Shanyue and Li Xiongcai. During his studies, he had the opportunity to learn from famous Chinese painting masters such as Li Kuchan, Guo Weiqu, and Tian Shiguang. After graduation, the gentleman devoted himself to the field of education and also devoted himself to studying Chinese painting techniques. He achieved remarkable achievements in flower and bird painting, landscape painting, and other fields. He participated in the painting creation group of the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall in Beijing and was invited to paint for the Guangdong Department of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Zhongnanhai, and the Chinese delegation to the United Nations. In 1991, six people including Guan Shanyue, Li Xiongcai, and Chen Jinzhang held the "China Lingnan Painting School Six Person Painting Exhibition" in Singapore. In addition, his works have been selected for national and provincial art exhibitions multiple times, and have been collected and published by the China National Art Museum, Guangdong Provincial Art Museum, and some foreign art museums, deeply loved by the people.

Dongpo once said, "Calligraphy and painting should surpass people with their aura and charm. There should be no dominant aura, and if there is, it will fall into the habit of vulgarity. One can only discuss painting.". Mr.'s calligraphy, just like the solid foundation of early sketching, sketching, and color modeling, had a short history in the art world as early as his youth. It is a consensus that good painting is achieved through writing. From the perspective of brushwork, modern and contemporary people have all focused on the character of "writing". Whether it is Qi Baishi, who used seal script to create the painting, Huang Binhong, who used seal script to create the painting, or Fu Baoshi, who used seal script to create the painting, or Pan Tianshou, who was cool and dignified, all have the meaning of "writing". The brushwork, power, momentum, and watery charm of writing dissolve the common customs of form. Fifty years of life experience have no regrets or grievances; fifty years of brushwork and ink have no dominant aura, telling the mountains and rivers of life in a leisurely manner. Flowers, plants, and grass. All emotions and sorrows are transformed into beautiful brushstrokes and good compositions.

The achievements of the gentleman not only showcase some established historical facts, but more importantly, they demonstrate that there are more possibilities for the gentleman in his artistic career. Now, the teacher will reach the age of antiquity. His emotional experiences and artistic accumulation have gradually entered the realm of "following one's heart and not exceeding one's limits". The ups and downs of time, honor and disgrace, and the understanding of art have reached a point where one can freely and without exceeding the norm. An old hero crouching with a thousand miles of ambition. The teacher has accumulated too much in his artistic practice,  It is time for him to erupt. The gentleman is planning to draw a few large summary works, and we are eagerly awaiting them.

Lin Ruoxi

Xiaogang Bamboo House

Winter of Dinghai year

（Lin Ruoxi - Professor and Doctoral Supervisor of the Art Creation Institute of the Chinese Academy of Art）