Q&A with visiting artist, Prof. Yu Li

Yu Li is an Associate Professor and Director of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. She is also the Director of the Portrait Painting Studio and a member of several organisations, including the China Artists Association, the China Gongbi Association, and the Painting Art Committee of Guangdong Artists.

Professor Yu will be visiting the School of Traditional Arts in June 2024 to teach a course on tuanshan, Chinese silk fans.

Please introduce yourself.

I come from China and I am a teacher at the School of Traditional Chinese Painting, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. My main focus is on teaching and research work of “Gongbi” - Chinese meticulous painting. At the same time, I am also a painter and I spend my spare time creating my own artworks."

How did you become interested in painting moon-shaped fans? What sparked your interest in the subject?

Among classical Chinese paintings, the paintings from the Royal Painting Academy of the Song Dynasty are very representative, and the fan painting is an important form of expression. The content of moon-shaped fan paintings in the Song Dynasty is extremely rich, ranging from vast landscapes and palace buildings to literati and beauties, and flora and fauna… all of which were depicted with exquisite detail. I have been influenced by Chinese classical culture and art since I was a child. Under the guidance of my parents, I began to systematically study classical Chinese painting and painting techniques derived from Europe, especially those exquisite Chinese classical art works and the profound cultural connotations behind them, which deeply attracted me, including the moon-shaped fan. In the teaching of Chinese painting at the art academy, there are specialized courses for copying, and the research on fan surface is one of the topics. This is partly due to the needs of my teaching work, but also includes my own understanding of art and life.

For those who are not familiar silk fans can you tell us about this craft? What don’t most people know?

“Tuan Shan” – the moon-shaped fan is a round fan with a handle, also known as “Gong Shan” (the palace fan) and “Wan Shan”. It is an ancient Chinese traditional artwork. It is made with materials such as silk, gauze, or satin for the surface, and wood, bamboo, bone or other materials for the handle, adorned with pendants, jade ornaments, and tassels as decorations. In ancient China, exquisite artworks were painted on the moon-shape fans and people gave them to family and friends to appreciate elegance and comprehend life. However, what we are going to introduce in this workshop is not the craft process of making fans, but the painting technique of “Gongbi” Chinese meticulous painting depicted on the fan surface. Fan culture is an interesting and elegant art culture in China, with a very profound tradition, just like Chinese tea culture and bamboo culture. The moon-shaped fan has various symbolic meanings in traditional Chinese culture. First of all, it represents reunion and friendliness, auspiciousness and good luck because its shape is like a bright moon, symbolising completeness and perfection. Secondly, moon-shaped fan was one of the commonly used accessories for women in ancient China. It was often associated with the delicate and reserved qualities of women. Women in ancient times often covered their faces with a moon-shaped fan to show their reserved and introverted characters. This method not only concealed the faces, but also expressed the graceful beauty of the woman. Therefore, the moon-shaped fan also symbolizes family harmony, happiness, and represents a woman's loyalty and dedication to her family. Additionally, the moon-shaped fan symbolizes the union of a talented individual and a beauty, because it was often used as a token of love or as a wedding gift in ancient China, implying the eternity and beauty of love.

In addition to the above meanings, the moon-shaped fan also has deeper cultural connotations. It represents an aesthetic concept and artistic spirit, reflecting Chinese people's pursuit of natural beauty and the beauty of life. In the process of making and painting the moon-shaped fans, people pursue exquisite, delicate and magnificent craftsmanship, emphasising symmetry in patterns, colour harmony and material selection. This pursuit of beauty is not only to decorate and beautify life, but also to express a love for life and reverence for nature.

Where did you study, and how is the craft taught?

After graduating from junior high school, I was admitted to the High School Affiliated to the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and began to receive systematic and professional art training. Afterwards, I continued my study in Chinese classical painting at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, from undergraduate to graduate school, where I obtained my master's degree and stayed on as teacher. In 2007, I went to Tokyo, Japan to study painting and material techniques of the East at Joshibi University of Art and Design.

The most basic and effective method for learning the tradition of Chinese classical painting is through copying the works of ancient masters and predecessors. I not only teach these professional knowledge and techniques in university classrooms, but also offer online workshops on copying artworks. I also wrote and published some specialised textbooks. These are all important components of my teaching work.

In recent years, I have developed a preference for visiting museums around the world to observe and study these precious ancient artworks. I guide graduate students in exploring both practical and theoretical aspects. At the same time, I have also summarised these research findings into teaching case and have published textbooks to share and discuss with others. The workshop of "Chinese Magnolia Painting" on the moon-shaped silk fan is one of such examples of my work.

If someone was to ask you ‘What is tradition’ in the context of your practice, what would you say?

When it comes to the word “tradition”, our usual understanding and cognition may be the essence of a certain skill, theory or idea that has been continuously explored by numerous participants throughout the history and gradually accumulated and passed down.

However, the tradition I understand is not just the result of exploration and accumulation by predecessors. It should also include the psychological accumulation and aesthetic habits formed from historical development, inevitably influenced by factors such as time, space, climate, politics, economy, culture, and multi-ethnic integration. Moreover, it is unavoidably affected by the impact of our era resulting from various choices made due to the balance of interests. Therefore, maybe it can be said that tradition has always been a cognition of historical experience under the joint efforts of past continuous tense, past perfect tense, past future continuous tense, past future perfect continuous tense and present continuous tense. Of course, tradition does not necessarily have to adhere strictly to ancient methods. In the process of artistic practice, as one's own vision and cultivation continue to improve, consciously transform and innovate some techniques that are more in line with one's own creative needs. This can not only enrich the artistic effects of the work, but also provide a deeper learning and understanding of tradition. In addition, tradition also requires continuous infusion of fresh nutrients in the development process. In this way, tradition can last forever and remain vital.

What are your hopes for the students taking your class – what should they carry with them when they leave?

This workshop will introduce the classic work of the royal painting academy of the Song Dynasty in China – Chinese Magnolia. As a meticulous flower-and-bird painting, I personally believe it is one of the most representative and aesthetic masterpieces of its kind. Through this artwork, I hope everyone can understand the unique aesthetic characteristics of traditional Chinese meticulous painting. By learning about and using the traditional Chinese painting tools and materials that I have brought from China, students can experience the process of this ancient yet youthful art form and appreciate the ancient charm and the beauty of materials from the East.

During the few days of study, students will enjoy this wonderful process as much as possible and hopefully complete a piece of Chinese meticulous painting independently. They will gain insights into the unique art forms that arise in different cultural backgrounds, and look at all beautiful things with an inclusive perspective and mindset.