◆By Helen Yuen

　　The Sino-Japanese exchange of culture and painting reached its prime during ancient China's Tang and Song dynasties. However, in modern times, due to the sharp decrease in the exchange of painting between the two countries, we know little about each other's development.

　　The Beijing International Art Biennale was held in this year's golden autumn, which included the Painting Exhibition of Takayama Tatsuo - one of the "Four Masters of Modern Japanese Painting". It is undeniable that the biennial event offers the general public a golden chance to have a close look at Japanese painting and appreciate its unique style and great charm from a closer distance.

　　The landscape paintings created with Japanese pigments by Mr Takayama Tatsuo are not only serene and magnificent, conveying great harmony of calmness; they are exquisite and vigorous as well. To be exact, his works of art are perfect combinations of the original meticulousness of Japanese painting and the freehand brushwork spirit of traditional Chinese painting.

　　As a disciple personally instructed by Takayama Tatsuo, and also a remarkable Japanese painter, Mr Fujixima Hakubun, who is now in his 60s, carries forward the painting spirit and essence of his predecessor; moreover, he expresses his comparatively more delicate feelings in a bolder way by using more splendid colours.

　　Being a classic representative of Japanese painting, Mr Fujixima has won a high reputation in Japan. One of his paintings, named Oriental Cherry, was once given as a state gift to the Russian president by the Japanese emperor.

　　His masterpiece Jiu Gao, the creative concept of which comes from a verse of the Book of Songs (Shi Jing) reads like this: "The Cranes sang together in Jiu Gao, and soared upward in the sky". It depicts three red-crowned cranes wearing plumes of pure white feathers and assuming different postures in a halo of green light. Looking at the painting attentively, one may seem to have heard the sonorous chorus of those elegant creatures. It is this outstanding painting that brought Fujixima the outstanding honour of "Top Crane Painter of Modern Japan".

　　Most of Fujixima paintings are based on mountains and water, plants and animals, which not only convey his understanding of the vastness of the Universe and the greatness of Nature, but his ideal of pursuing great harmony between Man and Nature, but also his bountiful religious sentiments. The great variety of enigmatic moods delivered in his paintings are never superficial; on the contrary, they are profound explorations into the origins of the painting spirit.

　　Fujixima is not merely a successful painter highly respected in his motherland, He is also a messenger of friendship between China and his own country, and the very person who actively promotes the 21st Century "New Generation" cultural exchange between China and Japan.

　　As poetic autumn rain drops were falling on Beijing, Fujixima stepped into this mysterious land and attended the Beijing International Art Biennale to communicate heart-to-heart with "New Generation" artists and young students in this capital city.

　　On 26 September, the auditorium of the Xu Beihong Art Academy at the People's University was packed to capacity. Hundreds of enthusiastic students listened to the brilliant lecture given by this master of his art.

　　In his lecture, Fujixima guided his listeners to review the works of some of the greatest Chinese painters of the Tang and Song dynasties, who are highly valued by this Japanese artist himself. Japanese painting imparts and inherits the fine tradition of the painting spirit of the Tang and Song dynasties, he said. The painting style of Song dynasty is considered the most rigorous throughout the history of Chinese painting. In a sense, it is this painting style that coincides with the meticulous character of the Japanese people - however, Japanese painting plays up the usage of colours - with its stress on exquisiteness. Fujixima enlightens us to re-evaluate our traditional art from another perspective.

　　During his lecture, Fujixima put particular emphasis on the painting of nature and objects, especially on how to observe them before artistic creation, and how to re-create all those moving objects and touching feelings, regardless of utility, and without any feeling of bewilderment. In fact, all the great charm of personality reflected in his wonderful paintings (including the graceful arts lines and the fantastic colours) originates from his long-term observation and personal feelings.

　　Called "Top Crane Painter of Modern Japan", Fujixima 15 years ago adopted a couple of red-crowned cranes from Shenyang zoo, after overcoming great difficulties. From then on, this Japanese artist has been living day and night with those two little creatures, right up to the present time. Now, the red-crowned cranes being raised in his courtyard have become this old man's "most beloved creatures".

　　Based on close and attentive observations of the cranes, Fujixima has created numerous extraordinary paintings including Jiu Gao and Xiang He (meaning flying cranes). The couple of red-crowned cranes not only inspire him to create, but enable him to apprehend the natural, pure and unworldly emotions between men and cranes as well. He is passing on his unique discoveries and inner feelings to the world in all his creative works of art.

　　As a messenger of Sino-Japanese art exchange, Fujixima declared to his young audience : "China and Japan are both countries with a long historical, cultural and artistic tradition. We should enhance the art of our two countries, and work together to introduce it to the other parts of the world." This is also the reason why he has been making great efforts to push forward the artistic and cultural exchanges between our two countries.

　　In addition, he hopes that China will be able to achieve its prosperity both in economy and art, and become an economic and cultural centre at the same time.

　　As far as Fujixima is concerned, no people in any field like economy and politics would enjoy true happiness without the spirit of appreciating beauty. Therefore, he sincerely exhorted the young students to uplift the quality of life by studying art, so that beauty will take roots and bloom in the world we live in.

　　The Japanese artist set his life goal this way: to start a revolution of aesthetic perception, and create a transnational kingdom of beauty.

　　To conclude his speech in Beijing, Fujixima recited the poem Ou Cheng, written by Chinese famous scholar in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Zhu Xi. It is the very poem that changed his life. In the cadences of his chant, the listeners were, once again, strongly moved by the everlasting charm of transnational art.

　　Chinese Idioms

　　Training an army for a thousand days to be used for just one hour

　　Chen Xuan, an official in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, was talented at writing poems and essays. His only flaw was his wanton and frivolous demeanour, and his biggest hobby was drinking. He was often drunk from morning till night. While drunk, he often fell from his horse, or slept in the street. Chen Xiu, his nephew, was very much against Chen Xuan's behaviour. But, since he was of the younger generation, he could not criticise his uncle directly. So he wrote to his uncle's good friend He Xu, asking the latter to admonish Chen Xuan not to indulge in excessive drinking.

　　Contrary to Chen Xiu's expectation, instead of listening to He Xu's admonishment, Chen Xuan wrote back to his nephew justifying his drunken behaviour. In the letter, he listed many historical celebrities who loved to drink, just to show he merits and benefits of drinking. He wrote: "I often compare wine with water. Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize a boat. Someone has said:'Wine is like army soldiers. A country may not deploy its army in a thousand days, but it should maintain an army at all times. One may not drink wine for a thousand days, but once one drinks one should not stop until drunk.’”

　　Later on, the saying "Training an army for a thousand days to be used for just one hour" is used to mean one should always stay prepared for future eventualities.