“Gleaming Brilliance, Golden Splendour, and Exquisite Nobility”: Beijing Symposium On Master Yun’s Fengshui Art Was a Resounding Success
Unbeknownst to many, the renowned artist Master Yun Long Zi has held 17 major solo exhibitions around the world. Following his spectacular exhibitions at the Great Wall of China and Tokyo Calligraphy Exhibition in 2023, Master Yun held the Symposium On Master Yun’s Fengshui Art on 11 March 2024, coinciding with the traditional Chinese Dragon Head-Raising Day, in Beijing.
The significance of this Symposium On Master Yun’s Fengshui Art lies in its in-depth and multidimensional analysis of Master Yun’s fengshui art. It traced its origins and, amidst the collision of different cultural discourses, sparked a resonance and mutual encouragement in the art fields both within and outside China, from techniques to artistic concepts.
Distinguished guest, His Excellency Mr Alain Wong, the Ambassador of the Republic of Mauritius to China, after admiring Master Yun Long Zi’s fengshui calligraphy, remarked, “I greatly admire Master Yun’s work. His calligraphy is a genius masterpiece that also unites the whole world. Like the spirit of Mauritius, although we are small, we are inclusive; just one of Master Yun’s works can be so captivating and suitable for all ages. I will surely talk about Master Yun’s art often.”
Subsequently, Secretary Xue Qiliang, former Director of the Office of the Central Propaganda Department and the first Chairman of the Graduate Student Union of Peking University, also stated, “Master Yun Long Zi is genuinely talented, and his works are urgently needed in this era. Master Yun’s works bring Chinese culture to the present and then to the whole world. Our Chinese values of benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, and faith can all be found in Master Yun’s calligraphy. Perhaps, many have recognised the importance of cultural confidence, but Master Yun’s paintings truly achieve this.”
Regarding the artistic aspect of Master Yun Long Zi, China’s National First-Class Artist, Ambassador of China Cultural Cooperation of Silk Road Cities Alliance, member of the China Artists Association, China Calligraphers Association, and China Writers Association, Mr Li Mingquan shared, “Master Yun Long Zi has inherited the fine tradition of Chinese calligraphy, yet, considering the national conditions of Singapore and the aesthetics and fashionable life of modern people, he has ‘advanced with the times’ to create this new art form, without deviating from the orthodox. It is indeed like water with a source and a tree with roots, possessing strong vitality and high aesthetic value.”
Mr Li Mingquan continued, “Currently, there is a strange phenomenon of jianghu calligraphy in the domestic calligraphy scene, which advocates ugliness as beauty and arbitrarily changes the structure and layout of Chinese characters without any cultural and artistic content, sensationalising and shocking the public to attract attention, hastily seeking quick success, self-righteous, and even glorifying it as ‘innovation’. In fact, this is completely different from the true sense of innovation, leading calligraphy astray. In contrast, Master Yun’s calligraphy is based on the excellent national traditional culture as its foundation and is promoted. Master Yun is knowledgeable and treasures his learning, with a deep foundation in Chinese culture, integrating his understanding and perception of the world into calligraphy art creation, truly re-creating art. It is creating a form on the land of Singapore that is more suitable for growth and promotion, making it both form and spirit, full and vibrant.”
Master Yun Long Zi responded, “I believe art expresses life. Since my thinking incorporates both Chinese and Western languages and cultures, why not let them express themselves in my art as well?” And by comparing Ming dynasty Zheng He’s contributions to Southeast Asia with how Western colonisers treated indigenous peoples, he emphasised the superior features of Chinese culture: “Chinese culture is not only extremely inclusive but also a civilisation that blesses the world with its benevolence. Chinese culture is the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Therefore, when journalists from different countries interview me and ask where I am an artist from, I always respond: I am a Chinese artist from Singapore. I am a Chinese artist from Singapore.”
For this Symposium On Master Yun’s Fengshui Art, Master Yun specifically created 21 new calligraphy works themed around different birds, such as Building a Nest to Attract Phoenixes, A Peng’s Journey of Thousands of Miles, All Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, and A Flock of Swans Playing in the Sea. Master Yun used oracle bone script and seal script, incorporated semi-cursive script, and infused new life appropriate for the new era, developing his consistently celebratory style, resulting in works that are dazzling in daylight and sparkling under fluorescent light, truly inspiring. It can be said: “All birds return to their nests, a multitude of sparrows pay homage to the phoenix!”
Vice President of the Henan Province Bird and Flower Painting Research Society, Vice Chairman of the Jiaozuo Fine Brushwork Research Society, Ms Zhang Lingli commented, “Master Yun Long Zi is a legendary figure. The first time I saw Master Yun’s work, I asked myself: Can paintings be done like this? Indeed, Master Yun’s art is unique. It breaks the boundaries of painting. A good art work can transcend specific forms, genres... This is very different from our traditional painting style.”
Ms Zhang Lingli also took the opportunity of this symposium to look back on Master Yun commissioning her to paint a portrait of Confucius, the Supreme Sage. During the painting process, Master Yun discussed the details of Confucius’ image with her multiple times. She gained insight into Master Yun’s unique understanding of Confucius and Confucianism and felt honoured to paint the portrait of Confucius for Master Yun, who is dedicated to passing down Chinese culture.
Subsequently, China’s National First-Class Artist, member of the China Artists Association, Deputy Head of National Chinese Painting Major Exhibition Committee, Vice President of the Central Party School Painting and Calligraphy Academy, Deputy Director of the Shanxi Creation Centre of the China Artists Association, Ms Tan Hongjing extended, “The first time I saw Master Yun Long Zi’s art work, it reminded me of the feeling I had when I first saw Picasso’s paintings: How could he paint like this? Looking at Master Yun’s work, it’s full of passion, reminding me of the feeling I had when I saw Van Gogh’s works: That vitality, bursting out of the frame!”
Ms Tan Hongjing continued, “As a professional painter, I can say, Master Yun’s works are... innovative, surprising, how he combines completely different painting elements together... it’s not easy.”
Master Yun Long Zi is the sixth-generation successor of a fengshui family, from a family of scholars, learning fine arts and calligraphy from a young age. He is the first Chinese to hold an exhibition at the UNESCO World Heritage Site La Pedrera-Casa Milà in Spain and the first person to hold a calligraphy exhibition at the Great Wall of China.
Master Yun’s fengshui art advocates “Celebrationism,” celebrating everything worth celebrating, anytime, anywhere. Day or night, victory or loss, surprises or disappointments, all are moments for celebration.
Then, at the Symposium On Master Yun’s Fengshui Art, member of the China Artists Association, Vice Chairman of the China Calligraphers and Painters Association, Vice Secretary-General of the China Women Painters Association, Executive Member of the Beijing Women’s Federation, Vice Chairman of the Beijing Traditional Chinese Painting Artists Association, member of the Heilongjiang Province Artists Association, art researcher at the Heilongjiang Province Academy of Painting (Art Gallery), National First-Class Artist, Deputy Dean of the China Tongze Painting Academy, Ms Zeng Yingchun said, “Before, I had seen Master Yun Long Zi’s art works, which were refreshing and had a kind of inexplicable infectivity. Today, after seeing Master Yun’s new calligraphy works, I have a few words: gleaming brilliance, golden splendour, and exquisite nobility. As a professional artist, many times, we dare not take too big a step, for fear of ‘stepping on a landmine’. Master Yun’s breakthroughs, unexpected... really have to learn from Master Yun.”
Ms Zeng Yingchun continued, “I paint freehand paintings. Many times, I have thought about how to let the various elements during the exhibition complement the freehand atmosphere and feeling of my works... but I have never been able to do it. Now, whether it’s the location of Master Yun’s exhibition, the lighting of the paintings, the frames, etc... what we want to do but can’t, Master Yun has achieved. We all have to learn from Master Yun.”
Master Yun’s fengshui paintings are masterpieces that inspire celebration, using real gold and silver as pigments to reflect true wealth and elegance. Master’s fengshui paintings are currently printed on two types of Laurent-Perrier champagne. Master Yun also innovated painting with champagne and used this method to create fengshui paintings. Master Yun has also been recognised for his contributions to the champagne industry, being inducted into “Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne” in 2018.
Master Yun’s breakthroughs in art have also been recognised by China Central Television (CCTV). In 2019, Master Yun was recognised as a “Chinese Pioneer” for his contributions to fengshui and fengshui art. His experiences and philosophy were also made into a personal documentary. At the same time, Master Yun also received the “Industry Leader Award”, “Achievement in Art Award”, and was bestowed the titles of “I Ching Gold Medal Master” and “Golden Lotus Chinese Ambassador.” In 2021, Master Yun was recognised as the founder of the origins of the following four: fengshui painting, fengshui calligraphy, fengshui jewellery, and fengshui art.
Contemporary State Gift Calligrapher, President of the Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Art Research Institute, Executive Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Cultural Committee, Honorary Chairman of the China National Economic Development Promotion Association, Chairman Gao Tengyue also mentioned at the seminar, “Master Yun’s art is very superb, achievements very transcendental.”
Then, Deputy Editor of the Chinese Artists Association, member of the China Calligraphers Association, member of the Central Government Organs Painting and Calligraphy Association, Senior Registered Teacher of the China Calligraphers Association, member of the Chinese Poetry Society, Visiting Professor at Hunan University of Technology, Shen Peng (Zheng Ju) stated, “Master Yun Long Zi’s calligraphy is an art with a lot of ‘chew’, a lot of taste.”
Following, disciple of the famous painter Fan Zeng, National First-Class Artist, member of the China Calligraphers Association, member of the Shanxi Province Artists Association, Mr Ye Jianbo surprisingly pointed out, “In the art world, we often mention and focus on ‘figurative, imaginative, abstract’; unexpectedly, Master Yun Long Zi’s works, besides these three images, ingeniously use thousands of colours, taking art to a higher level.”
In addition, Director Wei Dongyuan of the Strategic Research Institute of the Ministry of Science and Technology discovered a significant connection between material science and art after viewing Master Yun’s calligraphy works. For example, Master Yun’s use of acrylic paint and real gold. Such an innovative painting method, also discovered by us Chinese (Yun Long Zi), is Master Yun Long Zi’s contribution to all Chinese.
Director Rong Xiwu of the Urban Strategy Department of the National Development and Reform Commission’s Urban and Small Town Reform and Development Centre proposed: Fengshui is our science and culture, and suggested that Master Yun’s art should be produced on an industrial scale, thus spreading Master Yun’s art to a wider audience, also allowing Master Yun’s Celebrationism painting style to be more effectively promoted.
Other guests participating in this seminar included Minister Zhang Tianbao (former Vice Minister of Education, National Superintendent Advisor), Mr Xu Deshun (researcher at the National Commerce Ministry’s International Economic Research Institute), Mr Li Hao (Secretary-General/Deputy Director of the China High-tech Industrialisation Research Association’s Technology Achievement Transformation Collaboration Work Committee), Mr Wang Junfa (Executive Secretary of the Qilu Think Tank), Mr Kan Ying Loong (Executive Director of Lotus on Water), and Mr Charles Chen (Assistant to Master Yun Long Zi). Mr James Hu (renowned Singapore actor, fourth-generation successor of Ip Man’s Wing Chun Kung Fu) served as the host of this symposium.
Beijing Symposium On Master Yun’s Fengshui Art
11 March 2024
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