Zhou Fang

Zhou Fang

Zhou Fang (unknown year of birth and death), Zhonglang and Jingxuan, was born in Jingzhao (now Xi'an, Shaanxi Province) and was a famous painter in the Tang Dynasty. Born in a distinguished family, he served as governor of Yuezhou and Xuanzhou successively.

He was good at painting figures and Buddha statues, especially noble women. He was dignified in appearance, fat in body and soft in color. He was loved by the court literati at that time. He was an important figure painter after Wu Daozi in the middle Tang Dynasty and a famous religious painter and figure painter at that time. In his early years, he imitated Zhang Xuan, but later changed it to create a new one. The most famous Buddhist image created by Zhou Fang is "Shui Yue Guan Yin".

Zhou Fang's Buddhist painting has become a long-term popular standard, known as "Zhou family style". The works handed down from generation to generation include the painting of beautiful ladies with hairpin flowers, the painting of beautiful ladies with fans, the painting of harmonizing the piano and sipping tea, etc.

Character experience

Zhou Fang was a painter of Tang Dynasty in China. He was named Zhonglang and Jingxuan. He was born in Jingzhao (now Xi'an, Shaanxi Province). His birth and death are unknown. (the elder brother Zhou Hao was influenced by his family's martial ethos. He was good at riding and archery. He followed the famous general Ge Shuhan to the west of Tubo. In the battle of seizing Shibao City, he was brave and good at fighting, and made military contributions. He was appointed zhijinwu. In June of 749, Zhou Hao was over 20 years old.

Zhou Hao is Zhou Fang's elder brother. If we infer from this, Zhou Fang was born in the late years of Kaiyuan (713-741) He was born in the family of officials and traveled among the nobles. He once served as governor of Yuezhou (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province) and governor of Xuanzhou (now Xuancheng, Anhui Province). His position was second only to the governor of a state. Zhou Fang was able to obtain this official position because of his elder brother's status. His elder brother Zhou Hao had made great contributions to the battle of keshibao city in Tubo with Ge Shuhan. In his early years, he learned from Zhang Xuan. He was also good at diction. He was good at painting portraits and Buddha statues. His painting style was "simple and vigorous clothes, soft and beautiful colors, and rich body."

He was the governor of Yuezhou and Xuanzhou. As a young lady, she began to learn from Zhang Xuan and began to paint from life. She wrote more about noble women. Her works were leisurely, full-bodied, luxuriant, simple and colorful, which were highly valued by the court and literati at that time. When painting Buddha statues, they have a strict manner and are called divine products.

Hearing its name, Dezong ordered Zhangming temple to be painted. It was decided after more than a month, and then it was the first. When the murals of Zhangming temple were painted, many people competed to see them. There was only a garden gate in the temple. The sculptor imitates it, which is called "Zhou family style". The part-time portrait of Zhao Zong, the son-in-law of Guo Ziyi (679-781), is similar to Han Gan's, but she can't decide whether it's good or bad. Mrs. Zhao said that "both of them are similar, but Gan can paint their appearance, and Fang can paint with both air and emotion." Cheng Yi, Gao Yun and Wei Xian were all his disciples. Good writing, good writing.

Historical records

Taiping Guangji volume 213 painting 4 biography of Zhou Fang

In the Tang Dynasty, Zhoufang was named Jingxuan and Jingzhao. After temperance, he is good at learning, and he is good at painting. You and Qing are the same. The elder brother, who is good at riding and shooting, went to Tibet with Ge Shu. Shoushibao City, to zhijinwu. At that time, Dezong built Zhangjing temple and called him to say, "my younger brother Fang is good at painting. I want to invite Zhangjing Temple God to paint. I have a special word from you." After a few days, the emperor asked him to do it again. At the beginning, people will see it. When the temple reaches the gate of the country, the wise and the foolish will arrive. If there is a saying that it is wonderful, it means that it is flawed, and it will be changed with each passing day. After more than a month, the language is absolutely non-verbal, all sigh wonderful. So he wrote it. For the first time in the contemporary era. And Zhao Zong, the son-in-law of Guo Ling, tasted Han Gan's portrait, which was praised by all. Later, he asked Fang to take a photo, and both of them were famous. Lin Gong tried to put the two paintings on the table, but he could not decide on them

Advantages and disadvantages. As Mrs. Zhao returned to the province, the Duke asked, "who is this?" "Zhao Lang," he said "Which is the most similar?" Cloud: "two painting trance like, after painting is good." Then he asked, "how can we say that?" The former painting is empty and looks like Zhao Lang, while the latter one moves his mental, emotional and smiling posture Linggong asked, "who is the latter painter?" Naiyun: "Zhou Zhen." It is the advantage and disadvantage of the two paintings decided by the sun that hundreds of brocade and color pieces will be sent. Today, there are bodhisattvas who observe the nature of the universe. There are people, water, and moon. There are two gods in front of the West Buddha Hall in Dayun, and there are two gods in front of the Guangfu temple. Later Xuanzhou don't drive, in the Zen temple painting northern king.

It is often seen in dreams. The painting of children is the highest in ancient and modern times. There are "hunshizhong banquet", "Liu Xuanwu dance" and "dugufei music powder". He also wrote the pictures of Zhongni asking for rites, Jiangzhen, Wuxing and pudietu, and wrote about the ten disciples of zhuzhenren and Wenxuan king. At the end of Zhenyuan Dynasty, the state-owned people of Xinluo closed the market at good prices in Jianghuai. In the future, his paintings of Buddhas, real immortals and children are all gods. Only horses, birds and beasts, bamboo, stone, plants, not poor in their shape. (out of Hua Duan)

Translation:

Zhou Fang, a native of the Tang Dynasty, was born in Kyoto. After he became an official, he continued to write well. In painting, he learned all the skills. He is a noble young man who contacts with high officials. Zhou Fang's elder brother Zhou is good at riding and archery. He once accompanied Ge Shuhan on an expedition to Tibet He took back Shibao City, and after returning from the war, he was awarded zhijinwu, who was in charge of public security in Kyoto. At that time, Tang Dezong was building Zhangjing temple. He summoned Zhou Zhen and said, "Ai Qing, your brother Zhou Fang is good at painting. I want him to draw the statue of Zhangjing temple. Please tell him." After a few days, Dezong asked Zhou to do it again, and Zhou started painting. Zhou Fang put the original statue in the temple like a screen, which can be seen by people in Kyoto. Zhangjing temple is just in front of the palace. All the virtuous and foolish people go to see the pictures. Some people say the painting is good, others say it is not good. If someone finds out the problem, Zhou Fang will revise it at any time.

After more than a month, there was no one who commented on the good or bad, and people all praised the painting of this statue for being so good! Finally, the painting was finished, which was the number one in the world at that time. Zhao Zong, Guo Ziyi's uncle and servant, once asked Han Gan to draw a portrait, which was praised by everyone. Later, he asked Zhou Fang for a portrait. Han and Zhou were the most famous painters at that time. Once, Guo linggong put the two portraits together, so that people could evaluate the quality, but no one could judge them.

Just as his daughter, Mrs. Zhao, came back to visit his relatives, linggong asked, "who are these two portraits?" "It's my Zhao Lang gentleman," he replied Ask: "which portrait is the most similar?" A: "the two portraits are very similar. But the latter one is the best. "Why do you say that A: "the former one only shows Zhao Lang's appearance, while the latter one shows his manner, expression and joking posture." Linggong asked, "who painted the latter one?" Someone replied, "it was painted by Zhou Fang." On that day, Guo Ziyi decided on the merits and demerits of the two portraits, and asked people to send Zhou Fang hundreds of brocade to show their gratitude. The portraits of shuiyueguanyin in a Taoist temple in Chang'an, Kyoto, the monks in front of Dayun West Buddha Hall, and the two gods in front of Guangfu temple are all wonderful. These portraits are the works of Zhou Fang. Zhou Fang later became an official in Xuanzhou. During his tenure, he painted a picture of the northern heavenly king for the Zen temple. After the painting was finished, he often saw the king come to him in his dream. Zhou Fang's painting of men and women in the world can be regarded as the first master in ancient and modern times.

This kind of painting includes: Hun Shizhong banquet, Liu Xuanwu dance and Dugu Fei music. There are also pictures of Zhongni asking Li, Jiangzhen, Wuxing and Pudie, as well as portraits of real people and ten disciples of Wenxuan king. In the last years of emperor Dezong of Tang Dynasty, a man came back from Silla and bought dozens of Zhou Fang's paintings at a high price in Jianghuai area. When he was about to leave, he found that the immortals in the paintings he had bought, including real people, men and women, had gone and disappeared. Only pommel horse, birds and animals, bamboo, stone and plants are still on the painting.

Handed down works

The paintings, such as the painting of Princess Yang taking a bath, the painting of concubines counting parrots, the portrait of Zhao Zong's servant, the painting of Ming emperor riding from the throne, the painting of palace riding and the painting of ladies in spring, have been lost. The existing paintings, such as the painting of ladies with flower hairpin, the painting of ladies with fan, the painting of harmonizing the piano and sipping tea, are his works.

Works handed down from generation to generation include the painting of a lady waving a fan, a silk version with colors, depicting the life scenes of palace ladies in summer, such as enjoying the cool, watching embroidery, and making up. They are full-bodied, elegant in style, elegant in color, and elegant in style. They are now stored in the Palace Museum. The painting of a lady wearing a hairpin describes the scene of palace noble women playing in the garden at the turn of spring and summer, and is stored in Liaoning Provincial Museum The picture of tea drinking on the piano, volume (Biography), Nelson Art Museum, USA. Arts activities in the Tang Dynasty Dali, Zhenyuan.

Zhou Fang was a famous religious painter and figure painter at that time. There are two meaningful stories about his activities. Zhou Fang and Han Gan both painted the portrait of Zhao Zong, Guo Ziyi's son-in-law. The two paintings hang together, and no one can tell the difference between them. Later, Guo Ziyi's daughter came to see Han Gan's painting in person and thought that it was "empty as Zhao Lang's appearance", while Zhou Fang was able to "change his air and get Zhao Lang's smile". Therefore, Zhou Fang's art is considered to surpass Han Gan's. That is to say, Zhou Fang's portrait is vivid and reaches a high level. Zhou Fang once painted murals at the newly built Zhangming temple outside Tonghua gate in Chang'an (the second year of Dali, 767 A.D.). After drawing the draft, people from the capital came to see tens of thousands of juices and put forward their opinions one after another. Some said yes, others pointed out their shortcomings. Zhou Fang listened with an open mind. After a month's revision, the public was completely satisfied, and he was praised as the first one at that time. This story not only illustrates Zhou Fang's virtue as an excellent painter, but also illustrates how religious art is combined with the demands and wishes of the masses.

Zhou Fang

Chinese PinYin : Zhou Fang