Elderly Man in His Eighties Holds Calligraphy Exhibition, 35-Meter Long Scroll Stuns Villagers
▲Liu Tianyi teaches villagers calligraphy.
▲Villagers admire the long calligraphy scroll.
Text and photos by Meng Zhaofu
On February 20, at the cultural compound of Liumiao Village, Dongchangfu District, Liaocheng City, Shandong Province, people from villages near and far all came to see Teacher Liu Tianyi's calligraphy and painting exhibition.
Teacher Liu Tianyi is 83 years old this year and is the chairman of the Yansi Branch of the Dongchangfu District Calligraphy Association. Since he became chairman, the Yansi Branch has become more and more thriving. On the one hand, he vigorously cultivates calligraphy talent and strengthens the calligraphy team, enabling the Yansi Branch to have more than 60 members at all levels; on the other hand, he actively organizes members to participate in various exhibitions. Each time, it has the largest number of participants in the whole district and the highest quality of submissions. In recent years, more than ten people have won awards at provincial and municipal exhibitions.
Holding a personal calligraphy and painting exhibition in his hometown has been Teacher Liu Tianyi's wish for many years. After several months of careful preparation, more than 110 calligraphy and painting works, for which he personally contributed 20,000 yuan for mounting, were ready, and the exhibition finally opened as scheduled. "Inheriting excellent traditional culture and nurturing the folks in my hometown is the dream I have pursued all my life..." While giving his speech, Teacher Liu Tianyi choked up after saying just one sentence.
At the exhibition site, from elderly people in their eighties and nineties to children as young as four or five, everyone watched carefully and attentively. Especially when they saw the 35-meter long scroll of excellent traditional culture written by Teacher Liu Tianyi in small regular script, everyone felt deeply astonished. Wu Shuren, a villager in his seventies from Dachengji Village, said excitedly: "Just look at this long scroll and you know how much effort Teacher Liu put in. Look, the layout of each section and the writing of each character are all proper and well-structured. This is a wordless education for the next generation!"
Most of the works in the exhibition are content closely related to ordinary people, including inspirational couplets such as "When young, one does not know to study early; when old, one regrets reading too late," family rules and family teachings such as "Gold is not gold; books are gold. All things may be empty, but goodness is not empty," and couplets praising the new countryside such as "With gentle winds and good governance, a thousand households rejoice; in a new village of the prosperous age, all trades flourish." "Uncle Tianyi has truly made contributions to our village. Usually he runs calligraphy training classes at home and does not charge a single cent, and the children rush to learn; during the New Year he voluntarily writes village couplets for everyone, starting in the first month of the lunar year and writing for a whole month. It hurts us to watch! Now he has also paid out of his own pocket to hold a calligraphy and painting exhibition, and people from villages near and far come to see it and all receive an education. It is really wonderful!" said Liu Runling, Party branch secretary of Liumiao Village.
"What does it mean to be down-to-earth, what does it mean to integrate into the lives of ordinary people, what does it mean to be heart-to-heart? Teacher Liu's calligraphy and painting exhibition gives us the best interpretation. Activities like this should be held more often, and models like this should be vigorously promoted. This is how excellent traditional culture should be passed on!" At the event site, looking at the crowds coming and going to view the exhibition and at the young people studying eagerly, Cheng Hongzhi, vice chairman of the Liaocheng Calligraphers Association, was full of emotion. At that moment, a melodious song, "Song of Ink Fragrance," rang out in the cultural compound: "Village of happiness and longevity, ink fragrance in Liumiao; calligraphy brings health, joy drives away illness
..." The song was specially written for Liumiao Village by a lyricist and composer from the district, expressing his admiration and respect for the village's advocacy of traditional cultural education and inheritance.