New Exhibition | Fish and Stone—A Study Exhibition of High-Fidelity Copies of Bada Shanren’s Works
Release time:
2023/07/21

Fish
With
stone
KUN AND STONE
Organizer / Eight Great Mountains Man Memorial Hall
Undertake / Nanchang High-tech Zone Art Museum
Academic Advising / Zhou Xiaojian
Curator / Zhang Linjie
Exhibition Coordination / Zhong Liwen, Chen Wei
Visual design / Guo Yang
Curatorial Assistant / Jiang Xinjiang
Executive Assistant / Tang Xinyu
Exhibition Extension / July 16 - September 3, 2023
Location / Nanchang High-tech Zone Art Museum A 、 C Museum
This exhibition features a selection of eight masterpieces by Bada Shanren, each uniquely characteristic. “ Fish “” stone ” and about ” An exhibition featuring highly authentic reproductions of calligraphy works by Fish and Shi. By exploring and examining the contemporaneity of Bada Shanren’s art through various interpretations of the same subject matter, the exhibition employs a variety of media—including videos, light boxes, physical objects, and highly accurate reproductions—to highlight the modern relevance of Bada Shanren’s works within his own era.


This is also the first time that the Nanchang High-tech Zone Art Museum has combined traditional Chinese style with the museum’s Gothic architecture, offering everyone a unique artistic experience.

In addition to allowing viewers to closely examine and study the works of Bada Shanren, the exhibition also features an interactive experience zone. Throughout the duration of the exhibition, visitors can express their own interpretations and ideas by engaging in hands-on activities right here in the gallery. “ stone ” and “ Fish ”。


Exhibition site

Eight Big Mountain person
Eight Great Mountains Man, whose real name was Zhu Da, was a descendant of the Ming royal family and the ninth-generation grandson of Zhu Quan, the Prince Xian of Ning—the sixteenth son of Emperor Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang. He was an outstanding master of calligraphy and painting during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties in China. 1626 Born in Nanchang. He received his early education from his family and displayed artistic talent at a very young age. According to Chen Ding’s “Eight Great Masters” from the Qing dynasty, the Master... “ He was solitary and aloof, exceptionally gifted and unparalleled in talent. At the age of eight, he could already compose poetry; he excelled in calligraphy and was highly skilled in seal carving, but especially brilliant in painting. ”。1644 When the Qing army entered the pass, the Ming dynasty fell. The former princes and nobles vanished in the blink of an eye. “ Ying ran, like a dog that has lost its home. ” , only years old 19 At the age of eight, the great artist Bada Shanren went into seclusion in the forests and mountains, renouncing his former identity to become a monk in the mountains of Fengxin. Endowed with exceptional intelligence, after taking refuge in Buddhism, he... “ Within a few years, he rose to fame as a master (Qing dynasty). · Shao Changheng's words) ” The purity of the Zen school ultimately fails to quell the inner fervor—Eight Great Mountains People 54 While in Lincuan, he suddenly fell into a狂疾. At times he would burst into loud laughter, at other times he would weep bitterly. Then, he tore his monk’s robe to shreds and threw it into the fire before walking back to Nanchang. 57 Seasonal “ With heartfelt resolve, I’m planning to grow my hair long for my wife. ”, After returning to secular life, he made a living by selling paintings. 1705 He passed away at Wuge Caotang in Nanchang.

Zhu Da / Fish and Bird Scroll
A life full of ups and downs, “ Eight Great Mountains Man ” The four-character phrases encapsulate his intricate thoughts and emotions; strung together, they resemble both tears and laughter. In the works of Bada Shanren, people can clearly perceive a Zen flavor—clear, serene, cold, and tranquil—natural, harmonious, effortlessly authentic, and disarmingly simple and genuine. Yet within these concise images and refined brushstrokes, one cannot help but sense lingering, poignant sighs; beneath the cool and aloof exterior lies an intense surge of emotion. Bada Shanren is renowned for his bold, freehand style in ink painting, standing out uniquely in the art world with his original approach and forging a new, distinctive aesthetic. With Bada Shanren, Chinese literati painting reached an unprecedented height in its mastery of brush and ink. Every single stroke and dot in his work is the result of painstaking deliberation and meticulous craftsmanship. His compositions are meticulously planned yet boldly expansive, often containing layers beyond what’s immediately visible, creating a vast and open artistic atmosphere.

Zhu Da / Floral Album: April Rose
The lingering aftertaste is endlessly fascinating, utterly devoid of any trace of deliberate artifice—reaching a state of consummate mastery. The choice of subjects and their artistic treatment by Bada Shanren represent a unique achievement in the history of freehand painting. The imagery in his works arises from the harmonious union of the subjective and the objective: he captures form through spirit, transcends mere physical appearance through intent, ultimately achieving a perfect blend of form and spirit—a simplicity that is profoundly evocative. Bada Shanren’s poetry is intricate and circuitous, peppered with numerous allusive Zen phrases and obscure classical references, making it both enigmatic and deeply thought-provoking. This very complexity lends his poetry an unparalleled atmosphere of originality and novelty, leaving the reader constantly intrigued and amazed. The calligraphy of Bada Shanren draws on the finest elements of various styles, benefiting from the influences of Zhong Yao, the Two Wangs, Sun Guoting, Yan Zhenqing, Huang Tingjian, and Dong Qichang. Yet, he managed to develop a style that is uniquely his own. His calligraphy is characterized by an ethereal and fluid quality, seamlessly blending together the styles of regular script, running script, cursive script, clerical script, and seal script. This results in a style that alternates between semi-cursive and cursive, interweaving seal script with standard script, and exuding both subtlety and smoothness. The high artistic caliber of his calligraphy rivals that of masterpieces created by great calligraphers throughout history.
Exhibit product Grab First Look

Zhu Da / Twelfth Piece from Chuan Qian’s Sketchbook: The Exquisite Stone

Zhu Da / Six Fishes from the Miscellaneous Album of Ge Shan

Zhu Da / Five Fish in a Calligraphy and Painting Album

Zhu Da / One of the Miscellaneous Sketchbooks

Zhu Da / Album of Miscellaneous Paintings, No. 6

Zhu Da / Album of Miscellaneous Paintings, Number Twelve

Zhu Da / Hall of Zen Poems by Xingcao Shiwu Qinggong
Opening Hours
9:00—17:30 ( 5:00 PM Stop admission)
Closed every Monday (except on statutory holidays and in special circumstances).
Venue Address
Nanchang High-tech Zone Art Museum, at the intersection of Huoju Fifth Road and Junyan Road in Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province





