Zhangyan Ancient Town in Jinshan, Shanghai was once dubbed the "First Town in Punan" and has always had a profound sense of culture. At the beginning of the 20th century, Zhangyan gave birth to a number of cultural groups headed by the Nanshe Society, from which emerged many figures who made outstanding contributions to politics, literature and art. Among them, the calligrapher and painter Bai Jiao was one of the most outstanding "Jiangnan talents" of this period. Bai Jiao (1907-1969), whose original surname was He and whose given name was Xuru, was an outstanding representative of modern and contemporary Chinese calligraphy. He was particularly renowned for his orchid paintings. He also wrote "Yunjian Tanyilu", "Jilu Shici Gao", "Kequlu", "Ten Lectures on Calligraphy", etc.
The Paper's "Cultural China Tour" recently visited the place where Bai Jiao grew up, explored the impact of Nanshe on Bai Jiao, as well as Bai Jiao himself, his friends, and his art.
In 1944, Bai Jiao climbed the mountain on the Double Ninth Festival.
In the season when magnolias bloom, the streets are quiet, the water flows slowly, and the ancient town of Zhangyan gives people a sense of vagueness. At every turn of the road, you can see Ming Dynasty memorial archways and old houses from the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China; small shops are neatly arranged and the streets still retain their gray and white tones. Zhang Yan seemed unable to escape from the old memories.
Although Jinshan District, where Zhangyan is located, is in the far suburbs of Shanghai, it carries a cultural heritage that has lasted for thousands of years. During the Yuan Dynasty, Yang Zhuxi, a native of Zhangyan, built the "Buaiyunshan Tower" and sang in harmony with famous artists such as Ni Zan and Yang Weizhen. Wang Yi's "Small Portrait of the Hermit Yang Zhuxi" from the Yuan Dynasty brings together the works of the great calligraphers and painters of the Yuan Dynasty in its inscriptions and postscripts, fully embodying the elegance of the style.
Wang Yi and Ni Zan, “Small Portrait of the Hermit Yang Zhuxi”, collection of the Palace Museum. Yang Zhuxi, also known as Yang Qian, was a native of Huating. He disdained worldly affairs and lived in seclusion in the south of the Yangtze River, where he had close contacts with Ni Zan and Wang Yi.
At the south entrance of Zheng'an Lane, one of the oldest existing alleys in the area, there is a weathered stone pillar, which is the remains of the "Sanmingfang" during the Longqing period of the Ming Dynasty. It records the heroic act of Hai Rui's close friend Wu Liang (whose courtesy name was Bocai, alias Zhenshi, a native of Zhangyan, whose birth and death years are unknown. He was the sixth-generation grandson of Wu Liangyong, a local prominent family in the Yuan Dynasty) when he was fighting against Japanese pirates on the southeast coast. The current Zhangyan Park was the former private residence of Wu Liangyong.
The remains of the "Sanmingfang" during the Longqing period of the Ming Dynasty
Over the past thousand years, Zhangyan's cultural heritage has flowed like clouds and water, carrying the spiritual talents of the scholars in the south of the Yangtze River, and also nurturing the later Bai Jiao.
White banana growing in the context of Yunjian
Bai Jiao was born into a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. His grandfather He Langfu and his father He Xichen were both famous doctors of their time. According to the recollections of Bai Jiao's student Jiang Bingchang, there are two former residences of Bai Jiao preserved in Zhangyan Town. One is at No. 16 Xinshang Road, which is a row of old-style bungalows facing north and south, with a brick and wood structure. It was where Bai Jiao lived in his childhood and it is also the ancestral home where he and his parents, siblings and siblings lived for generations. The other place is at No. 2, 3, and 4, Lane 134, East Street, which is the study where Bai Jiao most often lived. The two former residences of Bai Jiao in Zhangyan, Jinshan were announced as Jinshan District-level cultural relics protection sites in February 2012.
Current status of Bai Jiao's former residence on Zhangyan East Street
Bai Jiao once carved two seals - "Ju Shangshu's Old Residence" and "Ji Lu Sheng", which respectively extend the two historical origins of Bai Jiao's study. The "Former Residence of Minister Wang" can be traced back to the Minister of Works Wang Hongxu during the reign of Emperor Kangxi. His father Wang Guangxin and his brothers Wang Xuling and Wang Jiuling all served as officials, and the three brothers all became poets. According to Yu Siyan, director of the Jinshan District Museum, the brothers Wang Xuling and Wang Hongxu from Zhangyan were not only important ministers of the emperor, but also famous collectors. Wang Xuling's postscript to the second year of Yongzheng's reign after Yan Zhenqing's "Eulogy for My Nephew" in the Tang Dynasty shows that the book was "belonged to my uncle's brother Yanzhai (Wang Hongxu)" and "I got this in my old age and felt like I had found a treasure."
Yan Zhenqing's "Eulogy for My Nephew"
Wang Xuling's postscript to the "Eulogy for My Nephew" (part)
When Bai Jiao was young, he fell in love with this garden hidden in Shangshubang on East Street, so his parents bought it at a high price to provide him with space for reading and writing. The garden has a quiet environment, with a pond, a bamboo garden, and a rockery, and was named "Liuyun Garden" by Bai Jiao; there are three study rooms, which Bai Jiao called "Liuyun Xiaoshe". Bai Jiao enjoyed reading, writing, and chatting with friends here. His calligraphy style is sparse, clear and elegant, which seems to be in line with the legacy of the old master.
Weijilu Medical Records written by Bai Jiao's father He Xichen
The other seal "Ji Lu" must start with Gao Xu's "Wei Ji". Gao Xu, also known by his courtesy name Tianmei, was from Zhangyan and was one of the founders of the "Nanshe". In 1909, Gao Xu published "Nanshe Qi", and together with Liu Yazi, Chen Qubing, Yao Guang from Zhangyan and others, he gathered a large number of patriots who used literature as their weapon and often held elegant gatherings in the Zhangyan area. The relationship between Bai Jiao and Nanshe can be traced back to a long-standing family friendship. The Gao family and the Yao family of Zhangyan were both prominent families, and the He family had long-standing contacts with them. When he was young, Bai Jiao was educated in these two private schools, and was influenced by the traditional culture and the elegance of the Southern Society - even, "Gao Tianmei once temporarily lived in Bai Jiao's house due to renovations, and named the room he lived in 'Weiji Lu'. This name comes from the last hexagram of "The Book of Changes" - 'Weiji Hexagram', which symbolizes that the world is unfinished and ambitions are unfulfilled. Gao Tianmei wrote "Weiji Lu Poetry Collection", and later "Weiji Lu" was used by Bai Jiao's father, who wrote "Weiji Lu Medical Collection". As a younger generation, Bai Jiao left "Wei" and stayed in "Ji", hoping for his own success, and published "Ji Lu Yi Yan" under this name." Yu Siyan said.
Bai Jiao's Former Residence on Xinshang Road, Zhangyan
However, it is hard to find any trace of the literary elegance of the past. Today, No. 2, 3 and 4, Lane 134, East Street are residential buildings, where ordinary people live. However, the small flower bed woven at the door seems to continue the former splendor of this place.
If you want to recall Zhang Yan’s magnificent literary talent in the past, the Nanshe Memorial Hall (Yao Guang’s former residence) located at No. 139 Xinhua Road in the town may be a starting point. The Nanshe Memorial Hall was built on the basis of Yao Guang’s former residence, beside the Zhangjing River. It is a typical Jiangnan residential building and was first built in the Qing Dynasty.
Aerial photo of Nanshe Memorial Hall
Walking into it, you will see the words "Fu Lu" written on the wall. "Fu Lu" is Yao Guang's library. He loved collecting books and was one of the famous bibliophiles in Jiangnan. Yao Guang (1891-1945), whose real name was Houchao, was also known as Fengshi, Shizi and Fulu. He was one of the first group of people to join the Southern Society when it was founded on November 13, 1909. In 1918, Liu Yazi resigned from the post of director for some reason and recommended Yao Guang as his successor, who was supported by all members. Therefore, when discussing the leaders of the Southern Society, there was a saying that "there was Liu Yazi in the front and Yao Shizi in the back".
The "Nanshe Membership Letter" displayed in the Nanshe Memorial Hall (Yao Guang's former residence).
The Jinshan Yao family is a famous cultural family in the south of the Yangtze River. They have left behind many documents and writings from generation to generation. As most of their works were collected under the name Song, Yao Shizi named the place where he inherited family knowledge and discussed academic matters with friends from all walks of life "Songyun Thatched Cottage" in his early years. The "Dunrentang" in the former residence was named by Yao Shizi's great-grandfather Yao Jing'an, and it has been more than 200 years old. "Be kind and cultivate virtue" has been the family motto of the Yao family for generations. The restored "Gu Huan Tang", "Huai Jiu Lou", "Fu Lu" and "Zizai Shi" in the former residence also display some of Yao's collections of books, calligraphy and paintings. After the liberation in 1949, Yao Guang's collection of books was sorted out by his sons Kunqun and Kuntian and donated to the country.
"Dunren Hall" in Yao Guang's former residence
Yao Guang's former residence exhibition
In the exhibition at the Nanshe Memorial Hall (Yao Guang’s former residence), Yao Guang’s personal life is intertwined with the history of the Nanshe, presenting the style of an era. This is also the environment in which Bai Jiao grew up. Bai Jiao never studied abroad, but took root in his native land, consciously continuing the cultural tradition of Yunjian. With the support of the elders of the Nanshe Society, he was immersed in a cultural environment of poetry and literature since childhood.
On November 13, 1909, the first gathering of the Southern Society was held at Zhanggong Temple in Tiger Hill, Suzhou. Liu Yazi (front row, second from right), Huang Binhong (back row, second from right), Chen Taoyi (back row, second from left)
From the Nanshe Memorial Hall, follow the stone path, passing by old houses with white walls and flying eaves, and walk to the Baijiao Art Museum at No. 29 Huaxian Road for about five minutes. The art gallery was rebuilt from an old house in the ancient town of Zhangyan. Although there is no trace of its connection with Bai Jiao's life in Zhangyan, the two places are across the street from each other, which reminds people of the elegant gatherings and singing of the Southern Society in the past.
He Xichen (Bai Jiao's father) drew a full map of Zhangyan Town, with the current location marked in red.
“Bai Jiao’s circle of friends is a first-rate art circle”
It was misty in March, and the weather was still cold. The big tree outside the Baijiao Art Museum had not yet grown new leaves. Its branches were drooping with its upright body, leading every visitor to look at the plaque on the lintel of the Baijiao Art Museum. According to Yu Siyan, the brick-carved words "清芬自远" at the entrance and "明德唯馨" inside were collected from Bai Jiao's works, which are a reflection of Bai Jiao's life.
Entrance of Baijiao Art Museum
Turning right upon entering the museum, the art museum places Bai Jiao’s own seal exhibition area first. In this small piece of gold and stone, there is a three-dimensional and vivid white banana. He engraved "the laziest man in the world", but in fact he was "so obsessed with paper and ink that he forgot to eat and sleep." Bai Jiao called himself "the laziest man in the world". There is certainly an interesting point in the homophony of "lazy" and "orchid", but it is also a kind of elegance that he was proud of in painting orchids.
White banana seal
"I'd rather be myself", "Managing the fragrance for hundreds of years", "Why not", all of Bai Jiao's private seals are the epitome of his attitude towards life. The seal of "I'd rather be myself". It comes from the famous Eastern Jin Dynasty scholar Yin Hao's "I have been dealing with myself for a long time, and I would rather be myself." This seal is often used at the beginning of a work to declare one's own persistence. His signature, "Managing the elegant fragrance for hundreds of years", fully demonstrates his nobleness and indifference, and also reveals a kind of arrogance like the famous scholars of the Wei and Jin Dynasties. The other side of the seal "Why not" is also intriguing. It not only plays on the homophony of the surname "He", but also carries a hint of provocation, faintly revealing his unruly and unrestrained nature. All these reflect his indifference to worldly views and his self-confidence in his own talents.
Bai Jiao's talent and character made him a close friend of his peers such as Xu Beihong, Deng Sanmu, and Tang Yun. Among them, Jiang Meisheng's acquaintance with Xu Beihong began. In the 1920s, Bai Jiao studied under Jiang Meisheng, who had a deep foundation in Chinese studies. He was very good friends with Jiang Danlin, the son of the Jiang family, and often went to Jiang's house for dinner. After a long time, Bai Jiao met Xu Beihong, the son-in-law of the Chiang family. The two drank and talked, and they hit it off immediately. It was for this reason that, through Xu Beihong's introduction, Bai Jiao met Huang Binhong, who was 42 years older than him, and they became close friends regardless of age difference.
This is described in Bai Jiao's autobiography:
" There are two great men in the art world who are my friends and teachers. One is Huang Binhong from Shexian County, and the other is Xu Beihong from Yixing. I met Beihong because of my late friend Danlin. Danlin was the son of the old poet Jiang Meisheng from Yixing, and Beihong was his beloved son-in-law. I met Binhong because of Beihong, and they are both old. " - Bai Jiao, "Two Great Men in the Art World"
In Yu Siyan's further research, he found that the two people mostly exchanged letters, in which they discussed art and painting. Bai Jiao called himself a "junior", but Huang Binhong was not restricted by seniority and called him "Mr. Bai Jiao". He often praised Bai Jiao in his words and said that his seal carving was "profound without losing its delicate style" and "far beyond the reach of contemporary sages."
Poems sent by Bai Jiao to Huang Binhong on his 70th birthday
In the letter, Huang Binhong did not give any condescending instructions, and even often revealed his intention to discuss techniques with Bai Jiao. Once, in a letter to Bai Jiao, Huang Binhong wrote, "In my opinion, simple brushwork should seek precision in technique, while fine brushwork should seek fullness of energy. Simple brushwork is more difficult than fine brushwork. What do you think about the elegance of quality?" After thought, Bai Jiao recorded this experience in his "Collection of Painting Titles in Yunjian, B", and began with "Mr. Bin once discussed painting with me." Although we cannot meet each other all the time, doesn't this mean that seeing is as good as seeing in person? In 1934, when Huang Binhong celebrated his 70th birthday, Bai Jiao wrote a poem "Happy 70th Birthday to Mr. Huang Binhong" to congratulate him. "The four kings and eight monsters are all silent, and the three most common five-character quatrains have been around since ancient times." The poem expresses a deep admiration. This poem was also published in the "Humanities" magazine edited by Bai Jiao himself.
Letter from Huang Binhong to Bai Jiao, 1952
Letter from Bai Jiao to Huang Binhong
Bai Jiao's relationship with Huang Binhong and Xu Beihong lasted for more than 30 years until their deaths. Bai Jiao's residence in downtown Shanghai is located near Jing'an Temple. It was originally the home of Xu Beihong's wife Jiang Biwei's parents. Bai Jiao joined Jiang's Poetry Society in his early years and often came here. In 1942, the Chiangs moved to Chongqing and Nanjing, and gave this place to the newly married Bai Jiao and Jin Xueyi, until they moved out in October 1975. Bai Jiao's student Jiang Bingchang once wrote an article recalling that Mr. Bai Jiao's residence in Shanghai was diagonally opposite the Paramount Ballroom, and the official address was No. 3 Lianshengli, Lane 18, Lane 259, Yuyuan Road. At present, it has been replaced by a new building.
Qi Baishi's "Banana"
In the autumn of 1953, Bai Jiao went to Beijing for a meeting, where he met Xu Beihong and encountered Yao Xuanchu, a major figure in the Southern Society. And visited Qi Baishi accompanied by Xu. Bai Jiao stayed in Xu's house for a week. Before leaving, Xu Beihong gave Bai Jiao a scroll of his recent works. The next day, Xu Beihong suddenly passed away. More than a year later, in 1955, Bai Jiao attended Huang Binhong's funeral and stayed in Hangzhou for three days, interacting with Lai Shaoqi, Jiang Hanting, He Tianjian, Lin Fengmian, Zhao Yannian and others.
"Bai Jiao's Self-Written Poems in Calligraphy" was created in the spring of 1955. Huang Binhong stayed in Hangzhou for three days when Bai Jiao was attending the funeral. He wrote four poems after visiting Liuhe Pagoda, Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, Yuquan and Hupao. Others who traveled with him included Lai Shaoqi, Jiang Hanting, He Tianjian, Tang Yun, Lin Fengmian, Zhao Yannian and others.
Bai Jiao also had friendships with Gao Xie, Chen Taoyi, Liu Yazi, Sun Xueni, Yao Guang and others in the Southern Society. In 1956, when Wu Hufan was preparing for the establishment of the Shanghai Chinese Painting Academy, he nominated 25 Class A painters based on their achievements in the fine traditions of Chinese painting. Bai Jiao was among them. At that time, Bai Jiao served as a member of the preparatory committee and concurrently as deputy director of the secretariat. It can be seen that "Bai Jiao's circle of friends is a first-class art circle."
In 1956, during the preparatory committee period of Shanghai Chinese Painting Academy, Wu Hufan nominated 25 Class A painters, and Bai Jiao was among them.
Bai Jiao's orchid painting is also a gentleman's pursuit
Calligraphy and painting are the people, and their character and spirit are connected. Bai Jiao was a person of open-minded, straightforward and pure character, which was not only reflected in his lifestyle, but also permeated into his calligraphy and painting.
Bai Jiao did not make a living by selling paintings. The remuneration he received from Xu Beihong for his paintings was unique. He did not accept money, but only exchanged pens, ink, paper and inkstone, returning to the true nature of art. Only when life becomes really difficult does one have to hold art exhibitions in exchange for a living that can support several years. He had a seal with the words "Man on the Line" engraved with a line and the character "Man", implying his struggle on the starvation line - in fact, Bai Jiao lived a poor life. His wife Jin Xueyi once lamented that he had been struggling "between white rice and black ink" all his life.
Bai Jiao's style of writing and ink has the elegance and vigor of Wei and Jin dynasty calligraphy, as well as his own unique style of thought. He traced back from Ou and Yu to Zhong and Wang, and then went straight to the Wei and Jin dynasties, from regular script to running script and cursive script, and later specialized in the Two Wangs. The calligraphy world at that time was dominated by the stele school. However, Bai Jiao, who had no master and slowly practiced his calligraphy in the attic to the point where his works could be copied from rubbings in the sunlight, became an important promoter of the revival of calligraphy in modern times.
Among Bai Jiao's calligraphy works, the one that best represents the overall charm of Bai Jiao's calligraphy is "Lan Ti Za Cun". This scroll is a collection of Bai Jiao's notes on orchids and art. It is five meters long, written in a freehand and casual style, with concise and logical content, and it combines the scholarly air of a literati with the skill of calligraphy.
Bai Jiao's cursive script "Miscellaneous Orchid Titles" (partial)
As far as we know, there are two volumes of "Lan Ti Za Cun": one volume was written by Weng Shizhen, and later was collected by Duo Yun Xuan, and has been published several times; the other volume, according to Mr. Shen Peifang, was written by Bai Jiao for his student Sun Zhenghe, but its whereabouts are now unknown and there is no chance to see it. In 2024, the "Miscellaneous Collection of Orchid Titles" from the Dooyunxuan Collection was exhibited in the "Who Will Interrupt It in a Hundred Years - The Revitalization of Modern and Contemporary Calligraphy and the Special Academic Exhibition of Calligraphy by Shen Yinmo, Pan Boying and Bai Jiao" at the Shanghai Cheng Shifa Art Museum. When facing this work, one could feel the rhythm of the ups and downs of running script, with the elegance of the "Two Wangs" and the unrestrainedness of Mi Fu, but it was more subtle and restrained, less wild and more elegant, as natural and vivid as an orchid.
Bai Jiao's cursive script "Miscellaneous Orchid Titles" (partial)
Bai Jiao is famous for his orchid painting and is known as the "Orchid King of the Generation". "Miscellaneous Essays on Orchids" is also a famous work on painting. Bai Jiao's method of painting orchids embodies the style and charm of Wei and Jin Dynasty painting, and also embodies his lifelong pursuit as a gentleman. Bai Jiao's story with orchids can be traced back to his childhood experience of helping his father take care of flowers and plants while he was away at home for medical treatment - "Serving the master of the family to cultivate orchids, moving mud and bricks, watching out for rain and sunburn; sweeping lice and preventing ants, lifting curtains and sealing cracks. Also, I was careful to dry and damp, and got used to orchids and hyacinths all year round. Seeing the stamens and buds sprout, it was like sharing life with them... " As to when Bai Jiao began to paint orchids, there is no way to verify it. The only description of the scene when he first learned to paint orchids was in his "Collection of Painting Orchids" painted around 1960, in which he wrote: " There was an old man in my old house who grew orchids and hyacinths. When the flowers bloomed, people from far and near came to admire them. I served my father, carrying pots from the courtyard into the room in the morning and returning to the courtyard in the evening. It was not hard work. After copying the calligraphy of the Great King one night, I looked up and saw the shadows of the flowers moving on the white wall. I immediately used up all the ink in the inkstone, and it became my regular practice from then on. This was when I first learned to paint orchids as a child... " From this we can see that, unlike the common idea of "painting orchids against flowers", Bai Jiao's starting point of painting is "painting orchids against shadows". As the breeze blows by, light and shadows move, the concreteness disappears, and it naturally becomes a watercolor painting. It is no wonder that Bai Jiao called Lanhua "my teacher" and had the courage to say that he "learned from nature". He did not follow the techniques of his predecessors, nor was he the same as anyone in history. What enlightenment is more touching than seeing it with your own eyes?
Bai Jiao, “Lan Shi Tu”, 1947, Jinshan Museum
At the Bai Jiao Art Museum in Zhangyan, many of Bai Jiao's orchid paintings are exhibited, whose original works are housed in the Jinshan Museum. The orchids painted by Bai Jiao are painted with concise brushwork and profound artistic conception. His brushwork is influenced by running cursive script. The lines of orchid leaves are often drawn with the center of the brush, with rich changes in lifting and pressing, like orchids swaying in the wind, with an elegant posture. He described his experience in painting orchids, saying, "Flowers are easy but leaves are difficult; brushes are easy but ink is difficult; shape is easy but rhyme is difficult; momentum is easy but timing is difficult. The momentum lies in speed without being fast, and the timing lies in moistness without being wet, and the ink is good; the shape lies in reservedness without intention but unrestrained posture, and then the rhyme is complete." The alternating shades of brush and ink reveal his detached aura, displaying the temperament of a literati and his inner cultivation.
Bai Jiao, “Four-panel screen of orchids in the empty valley”, 1947, Jinshan Museum
As a man of letters, Bai Jiao never stood aside in the face of national turmoil and cultural decline. Instead, he used his pen as a banner and plunged into the tide of the times.
In 1926, 20-year-old Bai Jiao founded the bimonthly "Voice of Youth" with Chu Shichao, Li Xiaowen and others, and published it in Zhangyan to promote progressive ideas. In 1929, with the recommendation of Huang Yanpei, he served as the editor-in-chief of "Humanities Monthly". During this period, his book "Yuan Shikai and the Republic of China" became a valuable historical material for later generations to study Yuan Shikai.
Bai Jiao also turned his attention to education and devoted himself to the revitalization of cultural undertakings. After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, the Hongying Library where he worked was on the verge of closure due to lack of funds. At this time, Bai Jiao stepped forward and rushed to raise funds, even writing and painting day and night, and collecting calligraphy and paintings from famous artists everywhere. All the income from the exhibitions was used as the library's funds, which eventually enabled the library to be maintained.
When Shanghai was liberated in May 1949, Bai Jiao and his wife actively participated in the work of the residents' committee and supported the people's army. In that year, Bai Jiao and Deng Sanmu co-wrote "Fountain Pen Calligraphy Model", which played a huge role in promoting the promotion and dissemination of fountain pens in China. During his time working at the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Culture, Bai Jiao also did a lot of work for Shanghai's cultural undertakings. In Zhangyan Town, the Qian Family Ancestral Hall at No. 15 Dongheyan Road (which was once used as the Zhangtan Grain Store) has been renovated and transformed into the Deng Sanmu Art Museum, which will open at the end of 2024. Deng Sanmu and Bai Jiao, two close friends in art, staged a "reunion" across time and space in Zhangyan.
Deng Sanmu Art Museum will open at the end of 2024. Image provided by Zhangyan Town
