Spring Rain in the Ancient City
H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III’s painting “Spring Rain in the Ancient City” creates a pure and exquisite inner world with extremely concise brushstrokes. Upon viewing it, one feels a sense of ethereal illusion, akin to gazing at the moon reflected in water, or the fresh and invigorating sound produced by pressing down a piano key. This artistry, which combines reality with the abstract and exudes a transcendent naturalness, enlightens the mind and often transports individuals to a realm of beauty and wonder.
With a stroke of the artist’s ingenious brush, the reality of the impermanent years and the philosophical insights contained within natural phenomena are presented on the canvas. The aesthetician, Zong Baihua, once said, “By focusing on the specifics of universal life, appreciating its colors, order, rhythm, and harmony, one glimpses the highest reflection of the self; transforming reality into the realm of the abstract, creating images as symbols, and concretizing the highest human spirit, embodying it physically – this is the realm of art.”
When admiring the Chinese painting “Spring Rain in the Ancient City,” my past painting ideas and perplexities suddenly melted away. The artistic conception in the artwork shook my inner being, and the marvelous composition deeply enlightened my mind. In the painting, a towering tree stands, firmly rooted and majestic, with branches reaching up to the sky. Through the spaces between the branches, one can see the lush greenery of trees lining the streets, exuding the freshness of spring. Above the canopy stretches the boundless sky, evoking the infinite implications of universal life. Beneath the crisscrossing branches lies the bustling city streets, where people hurry about their business. A sudden spring rain brings a new aesthetic perspective: under the vast sky, countless beings toil diligently in the wind and rain…
From the painting, we can observe that during that time in this ancient city, there weren’t many cars on the streets. People were either riding buses, bicycles, or walking. It portrays vivid, serene scenes, offering a soothing and comforting feeling to the heart.
This philosophical painting also reminds me of the verses from the poem “Nian Nu Jiao” by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III: “Abruptly entering the universe, The universe of a billion worlds, Stand firmly against all hardships and obstacles. Seeing through glory and riches, I simply smile. The rooster crows announcing the dawn, the morning bell hurries the moon, the whole Soha world is revealed everybody bustles about to survive,life, like smoke and snow, gone!….. “
The artist, with skillful brushstrokes and delicate ink, creates a realm that is subtle, almost mysterious. The shades of ink, varying in density and wetness, complement each other, resulting in a loose and unrestrained style, with a serene and unadorned visual essence. Whether in form, color, brushwork, or ink application, the painting breaks free from rigid constraints and embraces a sincere expression of artistic intention. Through subtle ink shades, it seeks to capture the essence beyond mere representation, embodying a style characterized by simplicity and refinement. There is no wild passion, no dramatic rhythm that sets the heart racing, and no dazzling colors. Even the composition seems to emerge effortlessly from the void. Everything is harmonious and natural, with the entire painting radiating a luminous brilliance, like jade coming to life.
This work skillfully combines the macro and micro perspectives. Through the delicate depiction of trees and leaves, it unfolds the vastness of the cosmos, as if to say, “Every stroke creates a marvelous realm.” This brushwork embodies profound Zen principles. Upon contemplation, the boundless wonders of the universe and life are revealed within this ethereal painting, inviting deep reflection.
The scenes depicted in the painting have long existed objectively within our familiar yet overlooked surroundings. The artist extracts them from everyday life and presents them anew, allowing us to view our own existence from a fresh perspective.
Just as when I first heard the violin concerto “Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai,” the moment the poignant melody gently flowed out, I was immediately moved by the unfamiliar yet familiar notes. The unforgettable melody seemed like a long-lost acquaintance, evoking excitement and beauty as if meeting an old friend in a dream. This sense of beauty seems to have always existed deep within our souls, waiting to be discovered. The artist perceives this beauty and presents it to people in an appropriate form. Perhaps this is a commonality among all great and extraordinary art in the world, which is why art history refers to this type of art as the ideal reality.
This painting is at the permanent exhibition housed at The International Art Museum of America, located in downtown San Francisco.
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