Exhibition View of “Brushstrokes Across Centuries: How Xu Wei, Zhu Da, and Wu Changshuo Shaped Qi Baishi’s Art”
“Turning tirelessly under the guidance of these three masters” is a line of a poem repeatedly chanted by Qi Baishi. This does only convey his profound and humble reverence for the three great predecessors, Xu Wei, Zhu Da (Badashanren), and Wu Changshuo, but also clearly outlines the enduring trajectory of freehand flower-and-bird painting over centuries. The exhibition “Brushstrokes Across Centuries: How Xu Wei, Zhu Da, and Wu Changshuo Shaped Qi Baishi’s Art”, co-organized by Beijing Fine Art Academy, Badashanren Memorial Museum, and Xiling Seal Engraver’s Society, was unveiled at Art Museum of Beijing Fine Art Academy in September, 2025. Listed in “Ministry of Culture and Tourism 2025 National Art Museum Collection Exhibition Season Project”, this exhibition features years of meticulous preparation and collaboration with more than ten leading cultural institutions throughout China, including National Museum of China, National Art Museum of China, Nanjing Museum, Liaoning Provincial Museum, and Tianjin Museum. Centered on Qi Baishi’s deep reverence for and artistic dialogue with the three masters, this exhibition brings together more than 70 works by Xu Wei, Zhu Da, Wu Changshuo, and Qi Baishi. Comprising four sections, i.e. “Brilliance Across Generations”, “The Creation of Pingweng”, “The Vigorous Brush of Wu Changshuo”, and “Xu Wei and Zhu Da”, it traces the majestic origin and stylistic evolution of Chinese freehand flower-and-bird painting from the Ming and Qing dynasties to modern times.
Exhibition View of “Brushstrokes Across Centuries: How Xu Wei, Zhu Da, and Wu Changshuo Shaped Qi Baishi’s Art”
An Epic of Freehand Painting
from Late Ming Dynasty to the 20th Century
The tradition of mentorship constituted the lifeblood of the continuity of Chinese painting. This involved the transmission of brush-and-ink techniques, and a profound and intangible spiritual commitment. Throughout his artistic journey, Qi Baishi assimilated a wide spectrum of influences, reserving particular reverence for Xu Wei, Zhu Da, and Wu Changshuo. His deep admiration was often expressed in poems, as seen in these lines: “Qingteng and Xuege unleashed heaven’s creativity,/A generation of originality and extraordinary talent (like Wu Foulu)./ I would gladly be their attendant even in the afterlife,/Turning tirelessly under the guidance of these three masters.” He even invoked Zheng Banqiao’s seal inscription—“Zheng Xie, a humble follower of Xu Qingteng”—as a self-reference, reflecting his profound reverence.
Exhibition View of “Brushstrokes Across Centuries: How Xu Wei, Zhu Da, and Wu Changshuo Shaped Qi Baishi’s Art”
To visually articulate Qi Baishi’s artistic origins, this exhibition displays representative works, including Xu Wei’s Unknown Flower and Bamboo, Rock, and Narcissus, Zhu Da’s Two Magpies on a Rock and Deer under a Chinese Toon Tree, Wu Changshuo’s Deer after Zhu Da and Plum Blossoms in Color, and Qi Baishi’s Ink Peony, Red Plum Blossoms, and Two Birds on a Rock, as well as valuable drafts of Qi Baishi’s copies of Zhu Da. Whether in ink-brushwork language, compositional structure, or the expressive vitality within his works, the influence of these three masters can be fully perceived in Qi Baishi’s art, ultimately culminating in the remarkable brushstrokes and liberated spirit of his mature style. By juxtaposing works of shared themes yet distinct styles from these four masters, this exhibition enables visitors to experience a dialogue across time and space through ink and brush, conveying both the enduring cycle of artistic inheritance and a profound spiritual resonance.
Miscellaneous Plants by Xu Wei, 1592
30 cm × 401 cm, Ink on Paper
Rong Bao Zhai Collection
Tree Peony in Ink by Qi Baishi, 1955
51 cm × 43.5 cm, Ink on Paper
Collection of National Art Museum of China
Magpies and Large Rock by Zhu Da, 1690
159 cm × 49 cm, Ink on Paper
Bada Shanren Memorial Museum Collection
Two Birds on a Rock by Qi Baishi, Undated
156.5 cm × 41.5 cm, Color on Paper
Beijing Fine Art Academy Collection
Beyond the Three Masters:
Becoming a Master by Drawing upon the Strengths of All
What Qi Baishi learnt are from various masters. As he said, he “consumed the mulberry leaves of millions of silkworms” and “gathered the nectar from hundreds of flowers”. He embraced Xu Wei’s unrestrained freedom while abandoning his self-indulgence. He learned from Zhu Da’s purity from simplicity while avoiding his aloofness. He studied Wu Changshuo’s vigorous boldness while eschewing his awkward rigidity. He also drew nourishment from masters of freehand style in the Ming and Qing dynasties, such as Shen Zhou, Tang Yin, Dong Qichang, Shi Tao, Jin Nong, Huang Shen, and Li Shan. Qi Baishi possessed both the profound humility of one who “wished to have been born three centuries earlier” to grind ink and prepare paper for the ancient masters, and the unyielding spirit of one who “felt ashamed to speak of masters Jing Hao and Guan Tong” while carving his own path. This duality ultimately coalesced into his distinctive style of “red flowers and ink leaves”.
Plantain, Plum Blossoms, Rock, and Snow by Xu Wei, 134cm×30cmRong Bao Zhai Collection
Deer under a Chinese Toon Tree by Zhu Da, 178.5cm×83cmBada Shanren Memorial Museum Collection
Singing Bird and Swimming Fish by Zhu Da, 108cm×48.5cmCollection of Tianjin Museum
To vividly illustrate Qi Baishi’s artistic lineage, this exhibition adds an interactive installation “Qi Baishi’s Artistic Lineage and Ink-Brush Revival”. Visitors can examine authentic manuscripts of Qi Baishi, read his critiques of earlier masters, explore his artistic lineage visually, and trace the influences and resonances among these renowned artists. The “red flowers and ink leaves” technique represents more than a stylistic innovation; it expresses Qi Baishi’s deep affection for everyday life and his passionate celebration of the very essence of vitality.
Grapes in Color by Wu Changshuo 1915
140 cm × 69 cm, Color on Paper
Collection of Xiling Seal Engraver’s Society
Squirrels and Grapes by Qi Baishi, Undated
88.5 cm × 29 cm, Color on paper
Beijing Fine Art Academy Collection
Nandina and Palm by Wu Changshuo, 138cm×68.5cm, 1919Collection of Xiling Seal Engraver’s Society
Lychees by Qi Baishi, 96.5cm×33.5cm, 1945Beijing Fine Art Academy Collection
Freehand Brushwork & Seal:
Understanding Ink and Poetry Through Interaction
Poetry captures the essence of painting, while seal reveals the artist’s inner world. Chinese freehand brushwork prioritizes the expression of one’s spirit, pursuing the harmonious integration of poetry, calligraphy, painting, and seal. Qi Baishi mastered all four arts—his poems sincere and unadorned, his calligraphy solemn and robust, his seals simple and vigorous—all harmonizing with the lush flora and animated insects in his paintings, together forming a coherent and spirited whole. To allow visitors to deeply experience the complete creative process of freehand art, this exhibition includes an interactive stamping area “Poetry, Calligraphy, Painting, and Seal”. Here, visitors can follow traditional steps of painting, composing a poem and adding a seal to create their own freehand artworks. Or they may use the guidebook to discover new things throughout the exhibition hall. Additionally, this exhibition features an educational area dedicated to freehand painting, where textual and visual explanations, detailed enlargements, and multimedia animations vividly illustrate “the birth of a grapevine”. This section unravels the technical secrets and aesthetic principles of freehand brushwork. Visitors can explore more surprises by themselves.
Bamboo, Rock, and Narcissus by Xu Wei, 135cm×47cm
Tianjin Museum Collection
Lotus and Rock by Zhu Da, Undated, 178cm×45cmBada Shanren Memorial Museum Collection
From Xu Wei’s ink-washed fervor to Qi Baishi’s “red blossoms and ink leaves”, freehand brushwork has evolved from a medium of personal expression into a celebration of life itself. It is not merely an exhibition of masterpieces; it is also a profound meditation on legacy, creativity, and breakthroughs. In Qi Baishi’s dialogue with the three masters, we discern not only the flow of ink but also an awakening of the spirit. It inspires us to find ourselves in tradition and transform ourselves from its constraints. This exhibition remains on view until December 5.
Exhibition View of “Brushstrokes Across Centuries: How Xu Wei, Zhu Da, and Wu Changshuo Shaped Qi Baishi’s Art”
About the Exhibition
Dates: 2025-09-09 to 2025-12-05
Organizers: Beijing Fine Art Academy, Badashanren Memorial Hall, Xiling Seal Engraver’s Society
Venue: F3 and F4, Art Museum of Beijing Fine Art Academy
Supported by: National Museum of China, National Art Museum of China, Shanghai Museum, Nanjing Museum, Liaoning Provincial Museum, Tianjin Museum, Guangdong Museum, Guangzhou Museum of Art, Shenyang Imperial Palace Museum, Tsinghua University Art Museum, CAFA Art Museum, Rongbaozhai
Courtesy of Beijing Fine Art Academy, edited by CAFA ART INFO.
