Great master of traditional Chinese painting Shen Xichun’s 100th anniversary of birthday was held in Beijing last Friday.

Zhang Kehui, vice chairman of National Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Wang Yifu, member of Standing Committee of National People's Congress (NPC) and also executive vice chairman of Taiwan Alliance, Hu Ping, former commerce minister and also former governor of Fujian Province, and as many as 120 other painters, critics and Shen’s friends attended the meeting.

Artists expressed that Shen not only contributed greatly to east China’s Fujian painting style but also made fruitful efforts in boosting traditional Chinese painting.

Chen Yun, vice chairman of the CPPCC in Fujian Province, pointed out Shen was an artist with high reputation both in his painting skills and behavior.

According to Shen’s will, his households announced the establishment of the Shen Xichun Art Education Foundation. The first batch of 2 million yuan will be sent to help impoverished students in Wuyishan Mountain area, where Shen had worked and lived for many years.

A retrospective exhibition of Shen Xichuan’s top-notch artistic works was also held after the anniversary. Over 60 pieces of Shen’s works were selected to show to audience over the weekend.

Jian Qinlin, chairman of CPPCC, Liang Qiping, vice chairman of NPC and chairman of Fujian Province presented flower blankets.

Shen Xichun’s Profile

Shen Xichun, traditional Chinese painting master, educator and one of the founders of Art Academy of Fuzhou.

His painting works were selected into Collection of the Traditional Chinese Paintings Ancient and Present in 1937. His brief biography and works were published in 1944 in Art Yearbook of China, the first conical in modern Chinese art history. Since then, Shen had become the most influenced people in Fujian Province.

In 1979, Shen founded Art Academy of Fuzhou with some other Fujianese painting masters and acted as a teacher, painting a great many traditional Chinese paintings.

Shen’s works covered a wide range of subjects. He was specialized in flower, bird and tiger paintings.

(China Development Gateway December 20, 2010)