“诗中有画，画中有诗。”这是中国早有的艺术观。我推崇诗、书、画、印全才之大师。我亦将不遗余力地努力此道。——萧峻

　　"I am definitely not willing to be a passerby on the road of pursuing art. Instead, I want to take art as my lover and companion, to whom I will devote my heart and soul to feel her embrace, her skin warmth and her heart beat." These are words from Xiao Jun, whose personal exhibition on art works starting this week in Xiamen.

　　It generally takes several days to finish a western oil painting, but maybe only a few minutes to round off a Chinese painting. "Looking at a Chinese painting, we are often touched by the artistic flavor it demonstrates as a whole, instead of detailed places or painting techniques, and that is what counts most in a Chinese painting."

　　Master artist Qi Baishi once said, "The magic of Chinese painting lies in between real and unreal. Too real is vulgar, while completely unreal is false." These words have become Xiao Jun's goal, which he endeavors to achieve. Unlike some artists, he puts little value on "Gongbi" painting- a type of Chinese painting which emphasizes reality- and calls it craft instead of art. "It's pointless for an artist to portray reality exactly. In that way I'd rather use a camera or VCR；both can do a better job."

　　Xiao Jun comes from a southern Fujian county, Datian. His assumed name, "a villager from Datian," is derived from his hometown, in commemoration of the place where he started his art dream. His father, a former journalist before liberation, was severely maltreated during the Cultural Revolution, which cast a shadow on Xiao Jun's childhood. Though excellent at studies, Xiao Jun was still looked down upon by others. Little Xiao Jun turned from the coldness of the reality to the dream-like beauty of the art world. Even in primary school, Xiao Jun knew exactly what he wanted to be when he grew up- a painter adored by people.

　　Over twenty years passed. Xiao Jun has accomplished his dreams step by step. Especially after his study at the National Arts and Crafts Institute, he made a great leap in his art pursuits. Not only has Xiao Jun made achievements in Chinese painting, but also in several categories: calligraphy, seal cutting, finger painting, etc. His artworks have won awards and prizes in many national competitions and were collected by several art galleries and museums both at home and abroad.

　　"Painting exists in poetry as poetry exists in painting. Calligraphy and painting originate from the same root," -these are traditional Chinese art conceptions. Xiao Jun said he had the greatest esteem for those artists who were versed respectively in poetry, calligraphy, painting and seal cutting. To be one of these few art masters is the supreme ideal he has been working for.