The Man Who Inspires My Bamboo Carving

I have been pursuing the art of bamboo carving for 30 years. My reputation as an accomplished sculptor is mostly ascribed to Master Feng Zikai (1898-1975), modern painter, essayist, translator, teacher of art and music.

I began learning how to paint at 7 and engrave seals at 12. In these years, I also studied woodcarving with some folk artists. Since 1979, bamboo carving has been my total commitment.

My carving style is descended from the Jinling School, one of the two major bamboo carving styles since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Unlike the bamboo carvers in Jiading near Shanghai who have pursued something like a rococo style, bamboo-carving artists in Jinling (today’s Nanjing) have tried to keep original charms of bamboo materials. Their carvings, in a minimalist style, present naturalness in sharp contrast to the intricate details seen in masterpieces by Jiading artists.

I am not the only bamboo carver in Zhejiang who prefers the Jinling Style. In fact, artists in Zhejiang have always preferred a scholastic and natural style in their calligraphy, painting, seal engraving, etc. In my opinion, bamboo helps highlight this spontaneity. Unlike precious materials such as jade, ivory and sandalwood, bamboo abounds in nature and embodies simplicity and elegance. All this means that it takes an artist more to create a bamboo carving as precious as carvings in more precious materials.

Master Feng Zikai, a native of my hometown, has inspired me since I began to study art. His paintings and calligraphy radiate a rich naturalness and scholarship, bearing great resemblance to bamboo carvings. That perhaps explains why I tried my hand at reproducing the master’s paintings in bamboo carvings.

Warm responses to my reproduction of Master Feng’s paintings were beyond my expectation. Feng Chenbao and Feng Yiying, daughters of the master, regarded my bamboo-carving reproductions of their father’s paintings as a major discovery. They recommended my works to friends and students of Master Feng including many celebrities and scholars. When my carvings circulated among Feng’s friends and scholars, my reputation grew. I know that the reputation is largely because of the master.

As my reproductions increased, more and more friends encouraged me to exhibit them overseas. In December 1992, Mr. Wang Shixiang, a prominent connoisseur, was invited to lecture in Hong Kong on major styles and modern masters of Chinese bamboo carvings. He displayed the three rubbings of my works at his lecture.

In March, 1996, my bamboo carvings of Master Feng’s paintings were exhibited in Singapore at an exhibition which also displayed works created by students of Master Feng.

My bamboo carvings were unable to display in Taiwan due to the difficult approval procedure. It was not until August 2004 when the authorities in Taiwan finally approved that a delegation from Tongxiang City was able to visit Taiwan and mount an exhibition of Feng Zikang’s paintings and calligraphy at the invitation of the culture bureau of Yunlin County in the island province. My bamboo carvings of Master Feng’s paintings were part of the event.