Beichen District on the banks of the Grand Canal in the north suburb of Tianjin is known as a home of modern folk paintings. Drawing pictures with brushes is a great pleasure for the local people, both men and women, old and young.
"Tianjin is located on the north section of the age－old Grand Canal. Beichen is in a suburb of the big city. It has a long history. The growth of farmers' paintings has been influenced by cultural resources such as the famous Yangliuqing woodcut New Year pictures, folk paper－cuts, folk flower fairs, variety shows and other folk art forms rich in local flavor. The paintings have special features and cover a wide range of motifs. They have a flavor of humor like folk art forms,” said Liao Kaiming, folk art critic.
Historically Tianjin was a port for both land and water transport services, so the local people became hospitable and humorous. This character is vividly displayed in the farmers’ paintings in Beichen. The selection of motifs, the portrayal of human images and the treatment of details reveal an amusing taste. The painting “Night Chat” depicts some old men enjoying the cool under trees, talking and laughing cheerfully at a time of peace and prosperity. Their postures convey a sense of humor. Paper－cut skills make the images simple and clear－cut.
The farmer painters in Beichen are good at freehand brushwork, seeking a likeness in spirit, not in appearance. They do not confine themselves to what they see or stress the actual proportion of things. They present the space of paintings with their souls. To express the bigness of fruit, the painter only depicted a few peaches on a tree and the basket could only hold a single peach.
The farmer's paintings have full composition without much blank space, because farmers seek a feeling of fullness. The room should be fully furnished. Crops should grow well all over the fields. The family should be happy with many children and grandchildren. Fullness means beauty. Such aesthetic ideals are displayed in their bold application of colors. The strong, vigorous, simple and lively touches represent the straightforward character of farmers along the Grand Canal.
The farmer painters lead a rustic life and toil in the sunshine. Nature is the source of their intelligence. They cherish the river, the land, the sun, the moon, the stars as well as the flowers, birds, fish, insects, cattle, sheep, chickens and rabbits. The farmer painters in Beichen work in free and easy ways. Some people work out the composition of paintings before they wield their brushes. Some people carve figures on boards before they add colors to them. The number of colors determines the number of boards.
Farmers in Beichen input their paintings into the Internet to introduce their art to more people. Some foreigners come to Beichen to learn the creation of the farmers’ paintings. Through the paintings they get to know the conditions and customs of villages in northern China today and the joy of farmers who have become well－off. The farmers’ paintings of Beichen are distinctively national, so they appeal to the outside world. Perhaps this is the main reason why they are appreciated by so many people.
(selected from CCTV, and editted by Li Guixiang)
