刘善元Liu Shanyuan

Liu Shanyuan, male, from Jiangxi, with the courtesy name Yanzhi and the pen name Mingde, is the Vice President of Beijing Global Hanmo Culture and Art Institute, Honorary Director of Wu Daozi Art Museum, National First Class Calligraphy Master, Senior Calligraphy Master of China Calligraphy Academy, Senior Calligraphy Master of Beijing Huaxia National Art Calligraphy Academy, Researcher of China Calligraphy and Painting Art Creation Center, Director and Honorary Chairman of China Calligraphers and Painters Association. Calligraphy works have participated in many exhibitions nationwide (including Hong Kong), been published and reported, and logged on the international expert exchange network, the Chinese calligraphy network, the Chinese calligraphy academy network, the Beijing Universal Hanmo Culture and Art Academy network, the Chinese poetry and calligraphy painter network, and won the National Heritage Award, the Lanting Hundred Flowers Award Award, the "the Belt and Road" National Calligrapher's 100 meter long scroll creation project achievement award and other awards. Has won the titles of "Powerful Calligrapher", "Top 100 Chinese Calligraphers", "Outstanding Calligrapher of New China", and "People's Artist of the Republic" multiple times.

 

Ink dancing in the universe, pen forging spirit

——Multidimensional exploration of Liu Shanyuan's calligraphy art

 

Huang Jinliang (Editor in Chief of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Guide)

 

The essence of calligraphy lies in "expressing its emotions and shaping its sadness and music" (Sun Guoting's "Shupu"). Liu Shanyuan's calligraphy creation is a vivid practice of traditional calligraphy in the contemporary context, as he excels in various styles and demonstrates his spirit through his brushwork.

 

His cursive script is the most stylish, with lines like "Long live withered vines" (Wei Shuo's "Pen Array Picture"), which not only embodies the graceful and unrestrained style of Zhang Xu and Huai Su's wild grass, but also implies a modern grasp of rhythm and composition. Looking at his cursive works, the strokes turn like startled snakes walking cobras, and the structure is intertwined. The ink color is dry, moist, and rich, blending the artistic conception of Tang poetry (such as Wei Yingwu and Du Mu's poems) with the lyrical nature of cursive script, forming a visual tension of "emotion galloping and spirit wandering, transcendent and leisurely". It is precisely the vivid footnote of "the calligrapher, the heart painting" (Yang Xiong's "Fayan").

 

In the creation of seal script and clerical script, he also demonstrated reverence and reconstruction of ancient methods. The two characters "Danbo" in seal script are derived from the technique of using stone drums to create their own unique style. The lines are even and clear, with a hint of simplicity and simplicity, and the structure is tight and dynamic; Lishu follows the style of Han steles, with clear waves and square characters, and elegant ends visible in stable places, reflecting the typical characteristics of Lishu, such as "silk head and tailcoat, one wave and three folds". It is a adherence to the concept of "modern calligraphy, not expensive and rich, only strong and vigorous" (Zhang Huaigui's "Shuduan").

 

Liu Shanyuan's calligraphy creation also implies a profound understanding of the relationship between "technique" and "Dao". He can shuttle freely among various forms, with the boldness of cursive script and the depth of seal script. This is not only due to his long-term refinement of techniques such as the "Eight Laws of Eternal Character", but also to his artistic pursuit of conveying messages through writing. The cursive works such as "The heroic spirit of China lies in the soul of the Chinese nation" melt the patriotism into the brush and ink, making calligraphy transcend formal beauty and become a carrier of spirit. This perfectly fits the artistic essence of "calligraphers, expressing themselves, dispersing their emotions, and dispersing their worries" (Cai Yong's "Pen Theory").

 

Against the backdrop of diverse explorations in the contemporary calligraphy world, Liu Shanyuan's creations adhere to the traditional roots without being limited by the barriers of the ancients. Through his brush and ink, he not only demonstrates the precision of his techniques, but also the expression of his spirit. He is a powerful calligrapher who constantly seeks to inherit and innovate. His works provide valuable samples for us to understand the contemporary vitality of traditional calligraphy.