Translated by Tianyue Wang, Tanda Li, Lijing Zhu, Zhengtang Ma and Damian Mandzunowski
Please see the PDF version of this text here for footnotes.
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徐悲鸿: 惑
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Holding China’s inaugural National Exhibition of Art is a joyous occasion deserving appraisal.[3] But the most laudable aspect is that there will not be any artwork by shameless artists such as Cézanne, Matisse or Bonnard put on display (except for only a few which will be used for reference). |
中国有破天荒之全国美术展览会，可云喜事，值得称贺。而最可称贺者，乃在无腮惹纳（Cézanne）、马梯是（Matisse）、薄奈尔（Bonnard）等无耻之作。（除参考品中有一二外） |
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Due to its complexity, fine art is able to soothe all of us. Therefore, it is necessary to develop knowledge of art. If the artists who deal with l’art savant[4] (the high art) are fascinated with archaisme[5] (the simple and crude science of the primitive man), they can only select advantageous materials based on their aesthetics to create artworks. Unfortunately, they have to return to a primitive life due to their simple-mindedness. (Those in China who are inept in studying the inscriptions of the Northern Dynasty (Beibei 北碑) may also be destined to do so.)[6] |
美术之所以能安慰吾人者，乃在其自身之健全。故需一智之艺。Art savant若必醉心Archaisme（简陋之原人学术）亦只可就其质而撷取其包含之善材，供吾作原料。终不当头脑简单，而返乎原始时代之生。（中国之不善学北碑者亦生此病） |
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The prominence of the French school lies in its all-inclusiveness. As human beings, we are endowed with acute capabilities of hearing and seeing, yet, at the same time, we are defiled by the faeces and urine held in our bodies. Let us take for example Prud’hon’s[7]masterly performance, Ingres’ luxuriousness, Delacroix’ magnificence, Puvis de Chavanne’s grandness, Bonnat’s and Henner’s unyielding and outstanding acuteness, Carrière’s ethereal and pious nature, Dagnan-Bouveret’s, Bastien-Lepage’s, and Hebert’s shared tacit profundity, Corot’s outstanding charm, Besnard’s sublimity, Baudry’s refined elegance, Rude’s powerfulness, Rodin’s heroism, Carpeau’s potency, Millet’s boundless reticence, Monet’s versatility and extraordinariness, as well as the calmness and complexity of Courbet, the weird grotesqueness of Daumier, the unconstrained effortlessness of Morot, the wittiness of Degas, the mysteriousness of Moreau, the expertise in animals of Barye, in addition to Manet’s mediocrity, Renoir’s vulgarity, Cézanne’s superficiality, and Matisse’s inferiority—even if we know about all the viciousness we are so opposed to, due to the art dealers’ insulting manipulations and promotions, their artworks made them famous, drawing people’s attention overnight. The ideology of Europe has changed since the Great War. A blind following of trends eroded the dignity of fine arts. Fortunately, some of the most prominent art has been preserved and we are still able to see the highest standards of our forerunners. At present, since life is so competitive, artists have no time for inquiring into the profound. All of this is by no means an evolution but just a changing phenomenon. (One cannot progress unless they become well-known, however, this does not apply to our forerunners.) If we, Eastern people, follow the trends to cover up our foolishness, it is as ridiculous as the Westerners’ attempt to promote Chinese ideology in Europe. It is like attempting to probe into the highly detailed Huang Huiru 黄惠如 case—would this not be ridiculous?[8] |
法国派之大，乃在其容纳一切。如吾人虽有耳目之聪明，同时身体上亦藏粪汁之污垢。如普吕动（Prud’hon）之高妙，安葛尔（Ingres）之华贵，特拉克罗利（Delacroix）之壮丽，毕于维史（Puvis de Chavannes）之伟大，薄奈（Bonnat）、爱耐（Henner）之坚卓敏锐，干连（Carrière）之飘渺虚和，达仰（Dagnan-Bouveret）、白司姜勒班习（Bastien-Lepage）及爱倍尔（Hebert）之精微幽深，谷洛（Corot）之逸韵，倍难尔（Besnard）之浑博，薄特理（Baudry）之清雅，吕特（Rude）之强，骆荡（Rodin）之雄，干尔波（Carpeaux）之能，米莱（Millet）之苍莽沉寂，穆耐（Monet）之奇变瑰丽，又沉着茂密如孤而倍（Courbet），诙诡滑稽如陀绵（Daumier）, 挥洒自如如穆落（Morot）, 便捷轻利之特茄史（Degas）, 神秘如穆罗（Moreau）, 博精动物如排理（Barye），虽以马耐（Manet）之庸，勒奴幻 (Renoir) 之俗，腮惹纳（Cézanne）之浮，马梯是（Matisse）之劣，纵悉反对方向所有之恶性，而藉卖画商人之操纵宣传，亦能震撼一时，昭昭在人耳目。欧洲自大战以来，心理变易。美术之尊严蔽蚀，俗尚竞趋时髦。幸大奇之保存，得见昔人至德。降及今日，生存竞争激烈，无暇治及高深。是乃变象，并非进程。（非谓遂无进步，顾绝非彼辈）若吾东人尤而效之，则恰同西人欲传播中国学术于欧土，而刺探綦详黄慧如事蹟，以掩饰浑体糊涂，不可笑耶？ |
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There are giants among the modernists, such as Puvis de Chavannes, Rodin, Carrière, Monet, and Besnard. Among the neo-impressionists (dian pai 点派) Martin and Aman-Jean, Simon and Blanche are also known for their unique styles.[9] However, art by artists appealing to the masses is commercialized in one way or another. How unfortunate it is that the yellow-faced people (huang mian ren 黄面人) are fooled by art dealers the likes of Paul Durand-Ruel. Consequently, there is no art on the market by such ground-breaking and exceptional artists as Germany’s Menzel and Leibl, Belgium’s St Bats[10] by Lys,[11] Spain’s Sorolla, Sweden’s Zorn, Italy’s Boldini, Tito and Sartorio, England’s Sargent, USA’s Brngwyn,[12] and Hungary’s Munkácsy. As a result, all of these artists are seldom known. If our country’s revolutionary government (geming zhengfu 革命政府)[13] was ever tempted to come up with high-level strategies, master plans, or visionary foresight, it would go as far as to collect ten million yuan from opium, gambling and various other taxes in order to establish an extensive art museum. It would also collect three or five thousand yuan and acquire tens of paintings by Cezanne and Matisse. If the “flesh and blood of the people (minzhi mingao 民脂民膏)” is spent on purchasing works of art which can be made as easy as falling off a log, it would be the same as spending the money to purchase imported morphine and heroin.[14] I, Xu Beihong, would rather let my hair grow and go to live as a hermit up the mountains (pifa rushan 披发入山) than witness such despicable corruption and degeneration ever again.[15] Among an existing variety of natural talents in our nation, I adore and admire Chinese masters (yi ren 艺人)[16] such as Xu Xi,[17] Huang Quan,[18] Yi Yuanji[19] and Qian Shunju,[20] in addition to Ren Bonian,[21] who brought new life to the art scene with his extraordinarily exceptional skills. I hope not to see the inanimate and lifeless art conventionel[22] dominated by the Four Wangs (si wang 四王),[23] and the layman (wai hang ren 外行人)[24] Wu Changshuo[25] who dominates the realm of art. Gradually declining and diminishing (shiwei shiwei 式微式微),[26] fine art has already deteriorated to an extreme degree. I hope Chinese art will take a bright and glorious path once again and that our ancestors’ non-utilitarian stance will be prominently showcased. (This is a characteristic of Chinese fine art. Fine art is commonly supposed to be non-utilitarian, however, in other countries there have always been art practitioners pursuing their interests and seeking fame; quite to the contrary, Chinese artists tended to portray flowers and birds, mountains and rivers so as to express emotions and deepen our aesthetics.) There is no place for art dealers to defraud others on this path either. (This is somewhat over thought, but it is actually inevitable.) Mister Zhimo, your ongoing thoughtfulness is much appreciated. Although one hundred flowers can blossom it is hard to imagine them blossoming all at the same time, (that is to say,) it is impossible to simultaneously share all of the works of art and viewpoints with the audience. As I am not enthusiastic lately, I will not attend the exhibition—yet I mean no harm. |
新派中自有巨人。如毕于维史（Puvis de Chavannes）、骆荡（Rodin）、干连（Carrière）、穆耐（Monet）、及尚在之倍难尔（Besnard）。又如点派之玛律当（Martin）及安茫象（Aman-Jean）、西蒙（Simon）、勃郎雪（Blanche）亦卓绝有独造。顾最脍炙人口之美术家，多带几分商业性质。奈黄面人受（Paul Durand-Ruel）（大画商）一类人愚弄，以市面上无德之Menzel, Leibl, 比之St bats,Lys西班牙之Sorolla, 瑞典之Zorn, 义大利之Boldini、Tito、Sartorio, 英之Sargent, 美国籍Br ngwyn, 匈加利之Munkácsy（皆革新不可一世之大家）之作。其名于是杳焉无闻。若吾国革命政府启其天纵之谋，伟大之计，高瞻远瞩，竟抽烟赌杂税一千万元，成立一大规模之美术馆，而收罗三五千元一幅之腮惹纳、马梯是之画十大间。（彼等之画一小时可作两幅）为民脂民膏计，未见得就好过买来路货之吗啡海绿茵。在我徐悲鸿个人，却将披发入山，不顾再见此类卑鄙昏聩黑暗堕落也。吾滋愿吾敬爱之中国艺人，凭吾国天赋造物之繁，有徐熙、黄筌、易元吉、钱舜举等大师，并与吾人以新生命工力湛深遗世独立之任伯年，不愿再见毫无真气无愿力一种Art Conventionel之四王充塞，及外行而主画坛之吴昌老。式微式微，衰落已极。愿吾国艺术趋向光明正大之途。以绍吾先人非功利（此为吾中国美术之特点。美术之共同条件固有非功利，但在他国，恒有求福邀功之迹。不若中国人写花鸟作山水惟抒情寄美感）之伟迹。而使一切买卖商人，无所施其狡狯也。（此亦过虑，但势所必然。） 志摩兄：承再三眷念，感激万分。顾百花开放，难以同时，比来意兴都尽，其不参与盛会，并无恶意。 |
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You are so intelligent that you must have perceived it. I deliver the article I drafted yesterday for your review. Whether you publish it or not depends on you, but do not judge it by its author. If it is to be published, it shall be proofread thoroughly to avoid typos throughout. |
足下之明当察及也。昨归作文一篇，谨呈。教采登与否，原所弗计。但苟登去，须校对精确，毋白字连篇。 |
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A tender adieu with appreciation and warm regards, Xu Beihong |
拜祷此致日祉 悲鸿启 |
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The exhibition is well-organized and of singular originality. Your hard work is admirable. Most exhibits are masterpieces. It will show your respect for the great masters if you place Gao Jianfu’s paintings in the middle.[27] May I ask for your honoured response? |
此次布置妥当，殊见匠心。其佩诸公贤劳，出口亦多佳作。剑父诸幅能置中间（即过去几幅）亦尊重名家之意。 尊意如何？ |
References
1. Translator’s note: Xu Beihong 徐悲鸿: Born in 1895 in Jiangsu Province, Xue was a painter who used both the styles of traditional Chinese painting and Western painting in his artwork. He studied French at Zhendan University in Shanghai before going to Paris in 1919 where he enrolled at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. He also travelled to other European countries, as well as to Japan, and Southeast Asia. He then worked as a teacher in Beijing, Chongqing, Nanjing, and West Bengal (India). A “strenuous opponent of Western modernism”, Xu Beihong “made notable progress in combining Western realism” with the techniques of traditional Chinese painting. (See: Michael Sullivan, Modern Chinese Artists: A Biographical Dictionary (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006), 185-186.)
2. Translator’s note: This article, titled Huo 惑 (translated as “Perplexity” by David Der-wei Wang) was written by Xu Beihong and published in 1929 in the fifth issue of the journal Art Exhibition (Meizhan). In the text, Xu writes that he is happy the inaugural National Exhibition of Art “features no works by such shameless painters as Cezanne and Matisse” and criticizes Chinese painters who “blindly followed the western modernist trends”. The article soon induced a rejoinder titledWo ye “huo” 我也 “惑” (translated by David Der-wei Wang as “I Too Am Perplexed”) written by Xu Zhimo. (David Der-wei Wang, “In the Name of the Real,” inChinese Art: Modern Expressions, edited by Maxwell K. Hearn, Judith G. Smith and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York: Dept. of Asian Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2001), 29.)
3. Translator’s note: The National Exhibition of Art 全国美术展览会: In April 1929, the Ministry of Education of the Nationalist Government held China’s first National Exhibition of Art in Shanghai. More than 2000 exhibits were on display, including paintings, arts and crafts, sculptures and architecture pieces. (See: Zhenggong, Yanjing yu yundong: Zhongguo meishu de xiandaihua (1875-1976) 演进与运动: 中国美术的现代化 (1875-1976) [Evolution and Movements: Modernization of Chinese Art (1875-1976)], (Nanning: Guangxi meishu chubanshe, 2002), 102.)
4. Translator’s note: High art (French: l’art savant): High art refers to the art of an upper class such as an aristocracy or an intelligentsia. It is contrasted with the popular art. (See: William Irwin, Jorge J. E. Gracia, Philosophy and the Interpretation of Pop Culture (Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007), 41.)
5. Translator’s note: Archaism (French: archaisme): Archaism is the use of old-fashioned art techniques with theattempt to revitalize early art. (See: Kenneth Bendiner, Art of Ford Madox (Brown Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2010), 3.)
6. Translator’s note: Beibei 北碑 (inscriptions of the Northern dynasties): Beibei, also called weibei (魏碑), refers to inscriptions on Chinese steles in the Northern dynasties. These inscriptions are regarded as exemplars of traditional Chinese calligraphic scripts. (See: Chen Tingyou 陈廷祐, Zhongguo shufa 中国书法[Chinese Calligraphy] (Beijing: Wuzhou chuanbo chubanshe, 2003), 108.)
7. Translator’s note: Pierre-Paul Prud’hon (1758-1823) was a French painter who was well-known for his “allegorical paintings and portraits”. He was widely considered an artist of Romanticism owing to the “melancholy” and “dreaminess” of his paintings. He went to Paris in 1780 and stayed in Italy from 1784 to 1878. He gained membership in the “Institute de France” in 1816. (See: Pierre-Paul Prud’hon: 100 Master Drawings, Blagoy Kiroff) (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015), foreword.)
8. Translator’s note: Huang Huiru 黄慧如: Huang Huiru was a widely known woman during the Republican period of China. As rumour had it, having a background of a wealthy family, Huang Huiru had an affair with her brother’s servant Lu Genrong after her engagement with another man was broken. Her pregnancy in addition to her brother’s lawsuit against Lu Genrong made her story widely talked-about in the media. (See: Wen-hsin Yeh, Shanghai Splendour: Economic Sentiments and the Making of Modern China 1843-1949 (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2007), 113.)
9. Translator’s note: Dianpai 点派 (neo-impressionism): Neo-impressionism focuses on Seurat and
the pointillist /divisionist technique. It uses a systematic approach to form and colour, particularly using pointillist technique that emerged in the late 1870s. (See: Mckever, Rosalind. Neo-impressionism and anarchism in fin-de-siecle France: Painting, Politics and Landscape by Robyn Roslak. Art Book 15 no.3, 2008), 35.)
10. Translator’s note: No information can be found about “st bats”, which is written in English in the original text. However, we suspect it may refer to a painting.
11. Translator’s note: we cannot confirm the existence of an artist known as “Lys”.
12. Translator’s note: The artist Xu Beihong referred to as “Br ngwyn” may refer to Frank Brangwyn (1867-1956), also known as Sir Frank William Brangwyn. He was a British watercolourist and painter of murals, examples of which are to be found in London and Missouri. (See: Stangos, Nikos. The Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Art and Artists (Thames & Hudson, 1994), 59.) However, we think the nationality of Brangwyn may be incorrect in the original text.
13. Translator’s note: Gemingzhengfu 革命政府: Gemingzhengfu is translated as the revolutionary government in this article, however David Der-wei Wang translated this the Nationalist government. (See Wang 2001, 29).
14. Translator’s note: Minzhimingao 民脂民膏 (flesh and blood of the people): Minzhimingao refers to people’s wealth gained from their hard work. (See: Xiaoqing, Zhao and Ying, Li. Shehui zhuyi hexin jiazhiguan wenhua duben, weiyandayi 中国社会主义核心价值观文化读本，微言大义 [A book of the culture of core socialist values—small words with deep meanings] (Beijing, 2016), 99.)
15. Translator’s note: Pifa Rushan 披发入山: It means that one lets one’s hair continue to grow, leaves the secular world and lives in seclusion. (See: Han da chengyu da cidian 汉大成语大词典 [Chinese idioms dictionary] (Shanghai: Chengyu da cidian chubanshe, 1996), 564.)
16. Translator’s note: yiren 艺人 (master): In this article, the term refers to the great masters of art, rather than the actors, performers, and entertainers as it is understood today.
17. Translator’s note: Xu Xi 徐熙 (886-975): Xu Xi was a Chinese painter in the Southern Tang kingdom during the Five Dynasties. He was particularly adept at painting birds and flowers. (See: Peng De 彭德, Zhongguo meishu shi 中国美术史 [Chinese art history] (Shanghai: Shanghai renmin chubanshe, 2004), 506.)
18. Translator’s note: Huang Quan 黄筌 (?-965): Huang Quan, zi Yaoshu, was a Chinese painter during the Five Dynasties period and the Song dynasty. He was a master of painting birds and flowers. (See: Xu Shucheng 徐书城, Songdai huihua shi 宋代绘画史 [Art history of the Song dynasty] (Beijing: Renmin meishu chubanshe, 2000), 7.)
19. Translator’s note: Yi Yuanji 易元吉: Yi Yuanji, zi Qingzhi, was a painter during the Northern Song dynasty. He specialized in realistic paintings of animals, especially the gibbons. (See: Hu Wenhu 胡文虎, Zhongguo gudai huajia cidian 中国古代画家辞典 [Dictionary of artists in ancient China] (Zhejiang: Zhejiang renmin chubanshe, 1999), 56.)
20. Translator’s note: Qian Shunju 钱舜举: Qian Shunju was also known as Qian Xuan (钱选). He was a Chinese painter during the late Song dynasty and early Yuan dynasty. He was adept at painting birds and flowers, as well as landscape paintings. (See: Xia Xianchun 夏咸淳, Gao Yudi 皋玉蒂, Ming qing sanwen shang qi 明清散文赏奇 [Proses in Ming and Qing dynasties] (Shanghai: Hanyu da cidian chubanshe, 2001), 13.)
21. Translator’s note: Ren Bonian 任伯年 (1840-1896): Ren Bonian, also known as Ren Yi, was an outstanding painter in modern China. He excelled at painting landscapes, flowers, birds, and characters. (See: Huang Ding 黄鼎, Mingjia shuhua jianding de lilun yu shijian 名家书画鉴定的理论与实践 [Theory and practice of the identification on masters’ calligraphy and paintings] (Zhejiang: Zhejiang renmin meishu chubanshe, 2000), 110.)
22. Translator’s note: Art Conventionel (Conventional Art): Conventional Art is made with standard mediums, such as paint and canvas.
23. Translator’s note: Si Wang 四王 (Four Wangs): The Four Wangs were four Chinese landscape painters during Qing dynasty, all of which were surnamed Wang. They were Wang Shimin (王时敏), Wang Jian (王鉴), Wang Hui (王翬) and Wang Yuanqi (王原祁). (See: Jianming zhongguohua cidian 简明中国画辞典 [Brief Chinese painting dictionary] (Shanghai: Shanghai shuhua chubanshe, 2004), 72.)
24. Translator’s note: Waihang 外行 (layman): Wu Changshuo said he was best at seal engraving, then at calligraphy and portraying flowers. However, he was a layman at depicting landscapes. (See: Liu Haisu 刘海粟, Huiyi Wu chang shuo 回忆吴昌硕 [A Memory of Wu Changshuo] (Shanghai: Shanghai renmin chubanshe, 1986), 35.)
25. Translator’s note: Wu Changshuo 吴昌硕 (1844-1927): Wu Changlao, also known as Wu Changshuo, was a Guohua painter, calligrapher, poet and seal engraver. (See: Sullivan, Michael. Modern Chinese artists: a biographical dictionary/Michael Sullivan. University of California Press, 2006), 174.)
26. Translator’s note: “式微式微” is a quote from The Book of Songs (诗经).
27. Translator’s note: Gao Jianfu 高剑父 (1879-1951): Gao Jianfu, also known as Gao Lun, was a Cantonese artist and the founder of Lingnan School. He was a leader in the movement to modernize traditional Chinese painting as a “new national art” by introducing Western techniques such as realistic drawing and shading. (See: Michael Sullivan, Modern Chinese Artist: A Biographical Dictionary (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006), 41.)
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