From years of exploration in art, I have gradually come to the conclusion that art is a combination of line and phenomenon, the former referring to a spirit and the latter referring to outlook. In traditional Chinese culture, lines were used to express emotions in shapes, patterns, characters, calligraphy, paintings and sculptures created by our ancestors. Therefore, lines, for us, are meaningful, dynamic, energetic and spiritual; they are alive; while “phenomenon” reflects the features, individuality and mental loftiness of each historical period.

　　Lines represent the spirit of the Chinese nation. I have studied the emergence and development of lines, finding that there has never been a pause from the olden times to nowadays (except for the late Qing dynasty and the early days of the Republic of China). Today, with the rejuvenation of the country and the strengthening of its people, this line that has always been in our veins continues, reconnecting the past with the present and becoming a symbol of perseverance and pride of the Chinese people. Therefore, I try to make the lines standing up from a horizontal layout to a three-dimensional existence in my works, injecting into it new energy of “line and phenomenon” in the three-dimensional space. Standing Characters—Embrace of Love is an example. Yet in recent years, I’ve been returning from three-dimensional lines to “line and phenomenon” of “uphold standing” in a horizontal space, representing such line and phenomenon of our mind on rice paper and canvas, as is presented in this exhibition.

　　In the presented concept of “line and phenomenon”, line represents spirit while phenomenon represents outlook, and they combine into the spiritual outlook of each époque which is directly and intimately related to the social background and cultural inheritance of each dynasty and each era. In the époque of prosperity, the “line and phenomenon” is self-assertive and powerful; while in the époque of decline, it becomes weak and feeble.

　　As we observe the development trajectory of the entire Chinese history of fine art. From the very beginning, in the times of Yangshao culture, Majiayao Culture, Longshan culture and Hongshan culture, our ancestors started to draw lines in potteries and engrave them on rocks as a symbol of worship or sublime dignity, a powerful expression of wishes and emotions. For example, what did our ancestors see in the period of Hongshan culture? Under adverse and primitive natural conditions, the lines and shapes that they carved are more of aliens than normal human beings. For example, some figures have very large eyes and a tiny body. There are C-shaped dragons, triangles formed by three fire wheels whirling together as well as the accurate layout of the Big Dipper, form which, I believe that they are aliens and bizarre shapes observed by our ancestors in an instant. At that time, people worshipped the alien images which were unknown, mysterious yet did no harm, which was the source of their awe and worship. Therefore, our ancestors recorded and represented these images different from themselves in a most direct way, with lines, hieroglyphics and carved shapes, which may be the emergence of earliest lines, characters, paintings and sculptures, linking themselves to oracles. I used to be wonder what were lines and characters line before oracle bone inscriptions came into being, as how would oracles suddenly appear out of nowhere? What were the characters and lines like before that? Then I saw Hongshan culture, which, based on my research and comparison, is the link in the history of lines and characters which led to oracle bone inscriptions which came into being through evolution from the primitive stage of lines and characters. In the era of oracles, we still could see the religious significance in lines and characters, as is reflected in divination and primitive research into astronomy and geography, and the divination and praying by our ancestors for safety when they went hunting. Therefore, such lines and characters represent the primitive spiritual state and cultural outlook of our ancestors during that period.

　　Again, in the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties, we discover that texts and decorative patterns are engraved on bronze ware, such as the lightly engraved yet finely arranged patterns of cloud and lighting on T’ao T’ie, a mythical ferocious animal known for gluttony. Significant achievements have been gained at this time with the masterly changes between thickness and fineness, distance and intimacy, high and low as well as reflecting the social situation and spiritual outlook of that era. Representative works include Duling Tripod, Four-Goat Tripod and Five-Ear Great Tripod, etc.

　　Bronze inscriptions, stone-drum inscriptions and paintings in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring State Period have reached a new height in the ingenious expressive power of lines, as both shaping and expression in lines entered into a new phenomenon, thus laying a solid foundation for developments in art in Qin and Han Dynasties. Examples include the prince’s tripod, the square pot with a standing crane, plate (zun pan), tile drum (jian fou), paintings of figures, dragons and phoenixes, etc.

　　The line has almost completely and gradually run through Qin and Han Dynasties. The 1st Emperor of the Qin Dynasty (Qin Shi Huang) united China, contributing to the social production as well as the development of culture and art, hence the line during this period featured a heroic air, a powerful and majestic spirit which reflected the prosperity of this era. Talking about the 1st Emperor of the Qin Dynasty, I would stress two points: first, a tyrannical emperor as he might be described by some, he made tremendous contributions to the Chinese nation by uniting China; secondly, he established a uniform writing system which replaced the Babel of languages and writing systems used in various states and made it the common tool of communication used by people of a vast territory, hence ensuring the continuity and integrity of the Chinese culture. His contributions in this aspect deserve much credit. For example, the small seal style of Li Si, Langya stone engravings, terracotta, stone statues at Huo Qubing’s Tomb, etc., where the power, inartificial and impressive. The spiritual outlook of this era featuring much freedom is clearly seen in the cursive calligraphy style of Zhang Zhi in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Zhang Zhi, known as “Sage of Cursive Style” established a new era of calligraphy with his work Going Home, as was commented by Zhang Huaiquan in Comments on Calligraphy, “The characters look as if they are written in one cursive stroke, and where, occasionally, is interrupted by blankness never seems broken, as strokes are linked by their veins, and the energy passes through lines.” In this period, lines in calligraphy became a source of free expression of inspiration in the Eastern Han Dynasty, with the individuality of lines and the independent spirit of people highlighted and the charm of lines and the brilliance of people proudly demonstrated, representing the splendid times for lines.

　　In Wei, Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties, Gu Kaizhi’s paintings, featuring lines in motion and transformation, were closely connected to the image of the times and his soul with the smooth, cursive and forceful lines; his sentiments as the inner lines were in perfect harmony with the spirit of his times. It was during this period that line was taken as a media of grandeur and charm, which is clearly visible in Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy best known for the smooth, charming, naturally graceful and vivid dots, lines and strokes. The lines formed an uninterrupted circulation of energy, elegant, serene and artistically fluent, sometimes with meaningful blankness between strokes, and each stroke was rhythmic, expressive and ever-changing, shining with awesome brilliance under this writing brush. Lines in this era represented a spiritual outlook of energetic grandeur and lasting charm, as was seen in calligraphy works by Lu Ji, Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi as well as statuettes in Yungang Caves.

　　In the Tang Dynasty, a dynasty of national unity and prosperity with the country reaching its peak in all aspects, the order of lines was much emphasized, indicating the importance of law and order during that era. All lines, like a forest of stone tablets, observed certain order, representing the spiritual outlook of the time. Examples include Wu Daozi, the Four Great Artists of the early Tang Dynasty including Ouyang Xun, etc., Zhang Xu, Huai Su, the Six Talented Artists of Zhaoling, tri-colored glazed pottery, Longmen Caves, etc.

　　Whereas lines in the Song Dynasty emphasized on the conceptual world of art, which was the case with landscape paintings, figure paintings, flower and bird paintings, clay statues and stone carvings, reflecting the spiritual outlook of humanistic care in that era. Examples include landscape paintings by Fan Kuan and Guo Xi, flowers and birds as well as figure paintings of Zhao Jie and Liang Kai, the Four Great Painters of the Song Dynasty—Li Tang, Liu Songnian, Ma Yuan and Xia Gui, stone carvings in Dazu, Chongqing, etc.

　　Lines in the Yuan Dynasty were broad and the posture was emphasized. For instance, long and forceful lines appeared in the murals in Yongle Palace, with one stroke extending for two or three meters, highlighting the posture or attitude of lines, demonstrating a broad-minded spiritual outlook. Examples include the calligraphy and paintings of Zhao Mengfu, the Four Great Painters of the Yuan Dynasty—Huang Gongwang, Wu Zhen, Ni Zan and Wang Meng.

　　What started to draw people’s attention in Ming and Qing Dynasties? So much having been done by the earlier generations, how would this line continue to develop? There being no more examples to learn from, everything again returned to the original, to the fine traditions established by our ancestors, i.e. tracing lines back to their source. The spiritual outlook of this period strongly featured the continuation of lines, the imitation of works by great masters and the pursuit for natural charm. Representative artists include Lv Ji, Dai Jin, the Four Great Artists of the Ming Dynasty—Shen Zhou, Wen Zhengming, Tang Yin and Qiu Ying, the Four Kings of Art in the Qing Dynasty, the Eight Great Talents and Shi Tao, Fu Shan, etc.

　　From a contemporary perspective, the content expressed in the abovementioned lines have become unimportant and thus negligible; for instance, we are interested not in the content expressed in the calligraphy works of Zhang Xu and Huai Su but in their styles. I am more focused on how meanings are expressed in lines and have been organized, transformed and structured the era of freedom and unstrained boldness without troubling over trivial matters, as the information of the period they were living in can be clearly felt.

　　Up to the late Qing Dynasty and the earlier days of the Republic of China, lines at this time was distressed and discontinued mainly due to political reasons: domestic strife and foreign aggression, war and disorder, major social turbulences and the all-time low economy, all of which made people’s life very difficult. Lines at this time, as a result, were distressed and even on the brink of disappearance. During this historical period of almost 100 years, this line was almost invisible.

　　Now let us look at the line which is most representative of our cultural sprit, focusing on its emergence and development.

　　"Line and phenomenon" as artistic creations and the "uphold standing" is well established.

　　The history of Chinese fine art started with the emergence of lines and characters, which was the source of writing styles over thousands of years and lines were the source of calligraphy as an art, based on writing script and representing the spirit, the soul and the life of calligraphy, paintings and sculptures.

　　The emergence of oracle bone inscriptions marked the start of ten thousand years of recording and representing the national spirit of China, from generation to generation. Lines, whether for engraving or writing, run through the spiritual outlook of each époque.

　　If engraved lines in oracle bone inscriptions, bronze inscriptions and stone-drum inscriptions carry a religious significance, the unsophisticated lines in seal style of the Qin Dynasty in clerical script in tablet inscriptions of the Han Dynasty, as well as the spontaneous lines on bamboo slips are a media through which loftiness is conveyed.

　　Up to Wei and Jin Dynasties, lines in writing became classics among the literati while lines in stone carvings became the advocate of Buddhism.

　　Lines emphasizing on law and order in the Tang Dynasty, artistic conception in the Song Dynasty, shape and form in the Yuan Dynasty, simplicity and naturalness in the Ming Dynasty and ingenuity and curiosity in the Qing Dynasty are all reflected in traditional calligraphy, painting and sculpture. The use of lines has truly become one of the most important techniques of expression in the Chinese art history as well as one of the utmost media of conveying ideas, emotions and spirit of the times for the Chinese people.

　　Therefore, works of new linearity and phenomenon which stand proud in the contemporary era and featuring new principles of Chinese innovation shall be possible only through inheritance of this precious jewel from our ancestors, innovatively transform the fine cultural traditions and injecting into them new vigor and vitality as well as connecting the past with the future, hence standing upright in the world.

　　Therefore, if lines emphasized on law and order in the Tang Dynasty, artistic conception in the Song Dynasty, shape and form in the Yuan Dynasty, simplicity and naturalness in the Ming Dynasty and ingenuity and curiosity in the Qing Dynasty, lines in our époque shall emphasize on upright standing as is communicated across the world in the linearity and phenomenon. Here upright standing means an all-rounded upright posture in politics, economy, culture and more importantly, people’s self-esteem and self-confidence, which is the precondition of going global. Otherwise what would be the point of statesmen, thinkers, artists and entrepreneurs? What would be the being reason for literati? The literati are in even greater need of standing upright in terms of new thinking, a new system of linearity and phenomenon which shapes their thinking.

　　Based on years of learning and research abroad, I have come to the conclusion that “line” should be emphasized as one of the most important element, even to the extremity, in linking the Chinese spirit into an integrated being, which connects our ancestors, the Hongshan culture, the dynasties of Qin and Han, Tang and Song, up to the present times, exploring a path of linearity which advocates upright standing. This explains the themes of my next two exhibitions—Line & Phenomenon and Uphold Standing, as I want this line to stand up in a real sense, to run across the world and convey the new information of our times. It might be better to be interpreted as the progress of people than the upright stance of lines, and as the transcendence of human beings than the expansion of lines.

　　Cultural rejuvenation, prosperity and development is advocated throughout the country, yet what is the way towards rejuvenation, prosperity and development? In my opinion, first things first, our independent personality, independent thinking and spirit of innovation must stand up before we can explore a path of innovative development of our own, In my sculptures, the lines are made to stand upright first so that they feature edges and corners, combining toughness in appearance and softness at heart. On the other hand, the grandeur of the times shall be reflected in several strokes of lines, which might be interpreted in different ways, some seeing phenomenon while others seeing mountain ridges, and the meaning is in the eyes of the beholder. As an artist, I want to connect my inner soul with our ancestors through this line, and I believe only by this can be create works of art featuring line and phenomenon where “one produces two, two produces three, and three produces all beings in the universe” which are therefore united in one.

　　We have already become a large economy but not a strong one, and a strong economy does not necessarily indicate a strong nation. The strength of a nation should, first of all, be reflected in its culture; therefore the rejuvenation of the Chinese culture is an all-rounded rejuvenation in all aspects. Reflecting on our culture and art of the last century, what we see is noting but those imitating ideas and concepts advocated by and introduced from the West. How can we create something of our own? First we should understand our cultural traditions and to absorb, emulate, combine, transform and generate their fineness and incorporate it with our times, define goals and understand our point of origin. You will have your own way as along as you find and expand this point of origin which can be sustainably developed. I have found the charm, the spirit and the grandeur of this line, which I represent through my own language of shape, color and texture.

　　I was invited to lecture for students of the Department of Sculpture, Central Academy of Fine Arts on such line and phenomenon as a new language of sculpture, with a method totally different from conventional pedagogical methods employed in institutions of fine art. I was admitted to CAFA in 1982 where I specialized in painting, and the basic course of drawing from plastic statues lasted from one week to one month, which actually would erase many interesting ideas from your mind. On the other hand, art concepts in diversified forms such as line drawing, line carving and bone-shaped style of strokes created by ancient Chinese preserve and maintain the finest and the most inspired part of you. In my curriculum, the first step is to inspire students to appreciate objects of others and great works in Chinese and world history of arts and explore for the good points of them, because first you need to know what is good about others in order to find out what you should learn and what you should do. The second step is to appreciate objects from the nature, i.e. choose four or five objects that you like, observe them and ask yourself: why do I like them? How it is touching me? Then portray these highlights with lines in order to clarify your choice and expression. The third step is to appreciate objects of your own, i.e. the circles or squares, colors or lines that you portray. For example, if you prefer lines, go ahead and study lines of different historical periods and find out which one is your favorite type of lines, or which is your favorite era in terms of art. You will generate your own language of shapes and forms if such research is continued at a greater depth. The fourth step is to appreciate what is in your heart, that is, reconstruction, which means destruction for construction, and massive destruction for massive construction. In the destruction phenomenon, combine what you are thinking about and longing for with what you are looking for, and break them eventually. The fifth step is to appreciate line and phenomenon, where you extract the lines and reproduce the phenomenona in order to create the line of our society, our nation, our times, etc. And this is how my curriculum comes into being. It is a new idea, a new curriculum on the basis of line and phenomenon, hence breaking free from the tremendous influence of curriculum from the West for the past century yet has never belonged to us. What is important is not drawing from plaster statues, imitating masters’ works or painting from life, but to explore for a path of basic art education with Chinese characteristics which I have always longed to implement. And such curriculum is well acknowledged as innovative and worth trying.

　　The line and phenomenon in my works create a national spirit and a heroic grandeur, and such a spiritual outlook shall enable a nation to stand upright in self-esteem and self-development. What will the Chinese nation rely on in its going-global strides? I believe the answer is the spirit of line, the line and phenomenon of life, of artistic conception characteristic of our times. Do not despise objects for what they seem to be, because when lines are incorporated, life is breathed into them, transforming them from mere objects into living beings, the existence of life. Here I am reminded of the stone carvings on Huo Qubing’s tomb; they represent the spirit of the times intrinsic for a powerful nation, the cultural charm of the times and cultural image of admiration for heroes.

　　Such creation of line and phenomenon are an appeal for what is the most needed for our times, arranging the lines in an upright posture to convey a positive energy and a broad mind. One reason why I like the small seal style of the Qin Dynasty is that its linearity produces a feeling of toughness, standing up and walking ahead decisively and energetically, with the upper part closely structured and the lower part comparatively loose. What I appeal for is to enable our spiritual outlook to stand upright, which is regrettably absent now. Therefore I have combined the fineness of writing systems of all époques and peoples, such as hieroglyphics, oracle bone inscriptions, Phagspa abugida and Mongolian alphabet which are combined with Yangshao culture and Hongshan culture, thus exploring our own path of majestic grandeur and heroic generosity which shall announce to the world what a powerful nation we are and how splendid and unique our art is. Moreover, such linearity shall influence our direction of progress and build our foundation as a great nation standing proudly in the world.

　　What is the most precious thing in art? The answer is, the line and phenomenon inspired from the very depths of soul, which constantly regenerate and develop themselves through recombination, re-absorption and critic reflection of existing cultural traditions.

　　The times where we are living now cannot be interpreted through causal relationships; yet we can trust our heartfelt emotions to this great times, the times of line and phenomenon that connect the past with the future with an air of grandeur and heroism and bring the linearity of art and upright posture of spirit to their very beginning in order to continue the splendor, which shall be the goal and mission for artists of our times.

　　The greatest thing about the Westerners is that they have created things that never existed before in a scientific way, and this is what we should learn from them. We must observe what they have achieved and how such achievements are made in order to understand what we should learn or create as we look back on our own culture.

　　Fortunately, this is indeed the best of times as artists nowadays are allowed to give full play to their artistic talent, and they have every possibility to explore their own path of line and phenomenon and uphold standing with a brand new outlook.

　　It is indeed a wonderful opportunity for today’s artists to plough on this soil and to create their artworks in the present époque. I believe that good climate ensures good soil, which in turn brings about better seeds, better sprouts, better flowers and better fruits.

　　Finally, I would like to avail myself to this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all the organizers and curators whose generous support, patience and help has made this exciting and unforgettable event possible while providing me with great opportunities to learn from you. Again, thank you all! And my thanks also go to the entire staffs who have worked painstakingly for this exhibition. Thank you and well done! Thank you all!

　　(Source: recording of interview in May, 2012)