Li Zijian’s audience comments

During more than 30 global tours, audiences from all over the world left tens of thousands of sincere words in more than 60 volumes of guestbooks in rich writing and language. Publish bits and pieces to give an overview.

Mr. Li Zijian: You have great talents. I am deeply gratified that you have devoted your genius to the service of humanity. Wishing you greater success. ——United Nations Secretary-General Kofi. Annan June 7, 1997

Mr. Li Zijian: Your great talent combined with your humanity is a great gift to contribute to society. Deep admiration. ——United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Ikebel. Reissa

This is the best work I have ever seen! The painter Mr. Li Zijian deserves congratulations for his courage to step into tradition. Modern painting is good, traditional painting is better. Congratulations! ——Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir

The world needs love——Master Hsing Yun, the founder of Fo Guang Shan in Taiwan

I was able to meet you and my wife Dan at your exciting solo exhibition. Hui, we feel honored. It is indeed surprising. Many people were deeply moved by your paintings and shed tears. This is something I have never seen before. Because we have the opportunity to translate the audience's messages for you, we are deeply affected again. People are in awe of your works. Many people unanimously wrote: This is the most beautiful painting exhibition I have ever seen in my life. What a valuable message this is, considering that in the Netherlands, people can easily visit exhibitions of many world-famous painters. This is enough to show how much your work is respected by people here. ——Dutch scholar Felix. Dr. Meyerson

I would recommend every art student in the UK to see Li Zijian’s works. Meeting the painter and talking to him was a very pleasant moment for me. ——British Royal Authoritative Art Critic Harry. Blake

The world and life are in your hands. ——Jiang Weiguo

Mr. Li Zijian painted the beauty of love and humanity. World peace can only be achieved if self-love is the starting point. ——Li Zongru, Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Los Angeles

Mr. Li Zijian: You have brought the beauty and love of a great nation to the world. You are an outstanding ambassador of the Chinese nation. ——Famous Chinese-American scholar Chengming Hu

To: An outstanding painter Li Zijian. There are many painters, but few masters, like you. I am deeply moved by your paintings, which depict human love, pain, sadness and human reflection on nature and life. Thank you for your contribution to a better world. ——Deputy Mayor of Sydney, Australia Henry. Qiong

Li Zijian’s works have reflected the highest realm of beauty and kindness. This world tour exhibition promotes the value of Eastern culture and is admirable. ——Zhong Zhengshan, President of the Malaysian Institute of Arts

Great! Your work reflects that humanity and love are the essence of life. ——Lord, Chairman of the National Art Association of South Africa

I have never been to China, but these paintings made me decide that I must go to China. —— Freeman

Zijian, Danhui: Loyal to the motherland, loyal to history, reproducing life, and sublimating true feelings! —— Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing

Warm congratulations to you. Your artistic creations shock people's hearts. I wish you more brilliant achievements. ——Wang Xuexian, Permanent Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to the United Nations

Li Zijian’s oil paintings express the rich local customs, touching human nature and love, and narrate historical facts with passionate brushwork, making his works full of... Shocking artistic power. ——Hua Liming, Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands

It originates from life and is higher than life. It reflects human beings’ desire for peace and pursuit of beauty. ——Feng Shusen, Consul General of China in Los Angeles

Yiyuan flowers, the heart of China. ——Liao Qiping, Consul General of the Chinese Consulate in Brazil

A genius in the Chinese painting world! The simple life of the people has become the highest beauty in the painter's paintings. ——Cao Qining, Consul General of China in Berlin, Germany

You are an inspiration to young painters. ——Soo Kai-chen, President of Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore

When we see your works, our emotions are greatly enriched. The characters shown in the paintings prove your pursuit of a perfect world and your commitment to improving human life. Invest. ——Peter. Maguire

Your special painting style has greatly opened up our horizons. Your paintings tell me how you grew up from a difficult environment to become a kind and strong person, so The experience is hard to replace with anything in the world. Before you came to Zest, I barely knew your name. Eight days have passed since I first met you, and I tell you that you have at least one more admirer. I admire you, an ordinary person and a special artist. Your works taught me to see the world in another way, which is "human nature and love". I will never forget meeting you. My most respectful blessings! ——Vice Mayor of Zest and Chairman of the City Art Committee Wen. Denhayi

Mr. Li Zijian, it is our honor to have the opportunity to invite you to the Zest Palace. As you can see, this is a very special exhibition that has been visited countless times. Thousands of spectators watched it, reaching the highest number of visitors in history.

Bless you! ——Director of Zest Palace, Kes. Baisi

Such a beautiful painting made me change my impression of China! That article that slandered (China) will inevitably disappear. ——Held. Sioting

It’s so beautiful, everyone says so. But I think: beyond beauty, it is something that cannot be expressed in words, it can only be felt, which is the school of perception. ——Fan. Ike

So beautiful, incredible! I only have one wish, to go to China and experience it for myself. ——Fan Dun

I loved it so much that I was so moved that I couldn’t breathe and was moved to tears. ——Linda

When I look at your paintings, I seem to be watching a movie or traveling in your dream world. This exhibition is called the Rembrandt of China. , but I personally think it is closer to the style of Yubi Hirschman. Those portraits of old ladies are absolutely "top quality". ——Aofu Picco

This is the seventh time I have come to the art exhibition! Rembrandt today! —Jacqueline

Thank you for coming to the United Nations. This exhibition will become a noteworthy event. The human nature represented is a global theme and is also the noble quality of the Chinese people. This is an extremely memorable exhibition, please come back! —Mike (United Nations)

I have visited this exhibition many times and cried every time! It's great, thank you for building a great character. —Barbara. Diuke (South Africa)

When I write these words, tears are rolling in my eyes. Tears of excitement and love are impacted by your brushwork? Every capture (image) is the most important part of our humanity. The important factors - our love for each other and our utter loneliness on this earth. Of course, we still have hope, the hope that we can reach each other. Thank you for speaking with us. —Belville (South Africa)

Every pair of eyes tells a story, and every story writes the tragedy of a nation, and every joy and sorrow is filled with heavy love. Tell the world that China and the world love each other. —Guo Wenke (writer living in Macao)

The artist is here? His sublime charm and appeal are deeply moved throughout the entire visit, and every detail of each painting is condensed. ?The artist’s love for people, his love for art, and the love he pays for it. Your work tugs at my heartstrings. —Sydney Chinese musician Shang Quan (Australia)

So beautiful—it hurts my heart. —Salmon Sen (Malaysia)

When people in heaven see your works, they will definitely praise God. Your genius conquers me and brings me great joy. —Eliberbeth (Brazil)

Chinese audience’s comments are selected

Lv Zhangshen, Director of the National Museum of China

Mr. Li Zijian:

Informed Your painting exhibition grandly opens today at the Xinjiang International Expo Center. On behalf of the National Museum of China and in my own name, I would like to express my heartfelt congratulations to you! You are a talented and responsible painter, filled with an artist's vigorous passion and lofty pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty. Your heart for beauty and kindness is the embodiment of the essence of Chinese descendants. I believe you will use your paintbrush to make outstanding contributions to China and mankind!

Use Western oil paintings to show the soul of the nation and inherit Chinese civilization. The love revealed in the painting is like a blazing flame, baking the twisted hearts of the current society. This kind of art exhibition should travel around the world, and it will definitely travel around the world. Beijing Wei Qunhu

gives silent promotion to humanity and tangible praise to great love. This is a painter with a conscience, the most sincere reward for the civilized world. amazing! Beijing Sun Jie

After watching the art exhibition with tears in my eyes, I thought that only someone with deep love for the motherland and the people could paint such a painting. Beijing Wu Min

This art exhibition is great. Every painting has artistic appeal, and the whole exhibition is full of visual impact. The painter loves life and expresses ordinary people. He is truly a people's artist. Zhao Shucheng, Beijing

Dear Mr. Li Zijian, your paintings are just like the person you are. I saw the exhibition four times and shed tears four times. I was moved by your perseverance. You are a man with the backbone of China. Cultural envoy...Beijing Wuzhixue

Li Zijian, a name resounding all over the world, your paintings depict the soul of the Chinese nation. I have read each of your paintings hundreds of times, and each time I feel new. Taiwan Cao Pinqian

Teacher Li, no matter where you go, you are an excellent representative of the Chinese people because you have not forgotten your roots. Changsha Luo Taiming

Realistic works will never lose their value. "Love and sincerity" and "local feelings" are actually engraved in everyone's hidden heart, just waiting to be awakened. And your painting exhibition is the most peaceful, gentle and true way to wake up. Changsha Yin Ling

Every masterpiece is a great manifestation of love. Two lines of tears cannot express my feelings for this love. I can only pay tribute to love and art!

Changsha Zhang Kui

I am a person who has great doubts about human nature. After reading your paintings, I saw that human beings have such beautiful moments and life has such wonderful moments. Such a wonderful moment. It turns out that I forgot. Believe in humanity, believe in love, and believe that tomorrow will be more beautiful. Thank you painter.

Changsha Liao Youzhu

Teacher Li Zijian, you are our eyes, I hope you can find more beauty in life! Changsha Yuan Wenjuan

Thanks to Jiangsu Art Museum and painter Li Zijian. This touring exhibition is the best one ever held by Jiangsu Art Museum. Such a good exhibition must be vigorously promoted so that more people can enter Art Museum! Nanjing Xu Ge

Seeing this exhibition is like listening to a symphony with rich connotations, giving us excitement, joy, compassion, strength, excitement, and warmth. We can’t get enough! We pay tribute to Mr. Li Zijian, a cultural ambassador and art master who is committed to spreading the eternal theme of "humanity and love". We are proud of you! Nanjing Diao Zhengdan

After experiencing suffering and transcending it, the painter realized true kindness and love, and used art to precipitate it into ultimate beauty. This kind of beauty does not go to extremes or pursue performance. Everyone can understand and be moved by it. It will always be the mainstream and recognized by all mankind. Pay tribute to Mr. Li Zijian.

Nanjing Wang Lingling

Teacher Li: This is the fourth time I walked into the exhibition hall, and I was moved for the fourth time. Thank you for always paying attention to people's livelihood and the lives of ordinary people. It shocked me so much. . Your tour is a very meaningful thing, and I think it’s worth all your hard work. Hope to see more of your local-themed creations! Nanjing Wu Rongrong

Master Hsing Yun wrote the preface to Li Zijian's first painting album (1992)

The world needs love

Meeting Mr. Li Zijian is not so much a coincidence as it is a coincidence. Because of the suffering experience, I have a strong sense of love as a traction.

In 1991, I went to the United States to travel and spread the Dharma. Once, I was invited to Los Angeles to host a women's dharma conference. The organizer was creative and displayed oil paintings on both sides of the corridor entering the venue as decoration, making it look elegant and refined. I have never been good at painting, and since I don’t have much time, I can only take a quick tour of the flowers. But when I glanced at a work called "Pregnancy", I couldn't help but pause for a moment. The young woman in the painting lowered her head and stared. , as if she was holding her breath to listen to the throbbing of the swollen fetus in her belly, and thoughtfully, her brows were filled with maternal kindness, and all the truth, goodness, and beauty in the world seemed to be concentrated on this woman. Depend on? ah! Yes! "Pregnancy" is the most kind and beautiful expectation in the universe, and anyone who has "waiting" needs to be kind and patient. Compassion represents harmony; ninja represents strength. The combination of hardness and softness leads to endless life between heaven and earth. This principle of harmony and harmony will never be distorted in the world, but who is the artist of this painting? How could he explain the meaning of "pregnancy" so exquisitely and clearly with a tube of colored pen!

"In a society full of oppression and turmoil, how I wish there were people like that who could dip their pens with love and paint the true joys and sorrows of the world, and bring the compassion, joy and sacrifice of Buddhism to life on paper!" On the way back, looking at the endless flow of people and cars outside the window, I thought to myself.

A few months later, under the introduction of Mr. Wu Jianxiong, a young man came to Xilai Temple with painting tools and made an oil portrait of me. I started to open one by one the small collection of old paintings he brought with me. When the picture titled "Pregnancy" came into view again, I was extremely surprised.

Oh, it turns out that this touching oil painting was actually made by this young painter for his pregnant wife. Many other works of the painter are also full of sincerity and simple beauty. I think that even if an artist has strong skills, it will be difficult to achieve such a state without a profound experience of life.

In a short conversation with Mr. Li Zijian, I already felt that the young painter in front of me had an extraordinary foundation in life and a simple and honest artistic temperament. Not only is he uniquely talented, but he is also full of ideals. However, due to the pressure of life, he has been unable to create art for more than two years since he came to the United States, and has no choice but to paint for life. It is a pity and unbearable that such an outstanding artistic talent has been buried in vain. Therefore, I offered to fully support him in continuing to develop his artistic pursuits. In the next few years, he would paint a hundred oil paintings with the theme of "love" for all living beings. I also suggested that he could embody the perseverance, hard work, and resentment of the Chinese people. The national character of seeking perfection is reflected in his works. I hope he can regain his painting style and create his own artistic world.

Mr. Li was so excited that he readily agreed and said that I was his close friend. In fact, why don’t I share with him some of the feelings I have experienced through the wind, frost, rain and snow in the past sixty years?

The next day, Mr. Li left the small living space and moved his family into the "Montela Jingshe" I provided for him. With this spacious, quiet, elegant and transcendent living environment, Li My husband was able to concentrate on painting with all his strength, and I was able to take comfort in him. I was doing my best. Since then, Mr. Li has opened a new page in his artistic life. His artistic inspiration is like a spring, and new works are continuously produced. With extremely amazing efficiency, he works hard and in just one and a half years, Here, he actually completed more than eighty masterpieces.

Although I can’t paint, I only like paintings that are full of true human feelings. Every time I travel to Los Angeles from all over the world to promote Buddhism, no matter how busy I am, I always make time to appreciate and visit Mr. Li’s studio. . And every time I see Mr. Li's new work, I get excited. The real images of American homeless people aroused my reflection; and the family affection in the "Mother and Daughter Series" works also gave me a sense of warmth; especially those paintings that showed the images of ordinary Chinese people and ordinary life scenes, often made me think Bring back memories and reveries of childhood.

Painting is a book without words. Tens of thousands of words can be expressed in a painting, which is no exaggeration at all. Naturally, by appreciating Mr. Li's touching works, viewers may be able to understand the artist's profound experience and expression of human nature and the world. During my many conversations with Mr. Li, I deeply felt that if the painter did not have a bitter growth process and a compassionate and kind personality, his works would not have such touching charm. "The painting is like the person", indeed in this way.

Throughout Mr. Li's artistic creation process, his paintings have always been focused on reflecting real life and celebrating human emotions. On the one hand, it is certainly because humanism has been an enduring theme for hundreds of years after the Renaissance and has always had its unique artistic charm; on the other hand, it is because the painter himself, after suffering from the instability of worldly emotions, It is driven by a sense of mission to express life that is condensed deep in the soul. His rich life experience and solid artistic skills have enabled him to master this aspect with ease. As a realist artist, he always adheres to his sincere beliefs and persistent pursuits. He is not swayed by fashion and always keeps himself rooted in the honest soil of life.

The painter is good at portraits. He painted his wife and daughter many times, and the relaxed and elegant pictures were always filled with warm emotions. He painted his elderly father, and his fine brushwork vividly created the solemn image of this ordinary Chinese old man who had experienced many vicissitudes of life, was compassionate and stubborn. I also really like the portrait he made of my ninety-year-old mother who lives in China. The mother's compassion, perseverance, diligence, kindness and tranquility are fully revealed in this portrait, which is extremely expressive. Especially the mother's wrinkled hands, twisting the beads, convey a very rich connotation.

The artist directly drew inspiration from the "Tramp Series" of real American society, which also has a touching charm. The painter used superb expression skills to make these homeless people living on the streets realistic and tangible. The face of hesitation, depression and helplessness still reveals the dignity of human nature. Facing these real and moving pictures, I can imagine that the painter has risked many times to go deep into the homeless people of Los Angeles to collect materials, and experienced various scenes first-hand. The compassion and love are injected into the paintings. How can it not be exciting?

Someone once asked me, as a monk, why don’t I ask Mr. Li to paint the holy images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas? In fact, Guanshiyin Bodhisattva "prays for thousands of places, and the answer comes in thousands of places" and "the body in which the Dharma should be preached is the body in which it should be delivered." The Buddha also said: "If you see me with my form and seek me with my sound, you will follow the wrong path and cannot see the Tathagata." The so-called: "The majesty of sound and form leaves traces everywhere." To implement love in the human world, you yourself are Guanyin and Maitreya, why do you need to look for it from outside? Every accomplished artist has his own special temperament and persistent pursuit. What is gratifying is that Mr. Li faces reality in the field of art and praises the artistic style of humanism and the compassionate spirit of humanistic Buddhism. The natural integration allowed his artistic talent to be fully unleashed, producing so much rich spiritual food for the world.

Mr. Li’s hard work has yielded successful results. A large number of works embodying his hard work are now displayed in front of people's eyes. In May of this year, his first exhibition in Los Angeles attracted countless Chinese and foreign audiences with his simple, elegant, strong and friendly new look. In today's society, where commercialized art and extreme self-expression are prevalent, such a batch of works that express the reality of life and focus on the true feelings of the world are like a pure white lotus, standing out from the mist, looking particularly fresh, gorgeous, and simple. Naturally, it has won high praise from audiences and critics. As this batch of works will be exhibited in more places around the world, I firmly believe that Mr. Li’s art will be loved by more and more people. As time goes by, the artistic value and artistic value of his works will become more apparent. social value.

“Behind every successful man, there is a great woman.” Mr. Li is no exception. His wife, Ms. Wang Danhui, is a gentle, graceful and gentle poet. She does not hesitate to develop her own career and devotes a lot of time and effort to support her husband's career. Attentive viewers may easily notice from the "Mother and Daughter Series" that Ms. Dan Hui is also an excellent model in the paintings.

I am glad to hear that Mr. Li Zijian will compile his paintings into a book, so I will write a preface for it. I hope everyone can appreciate this album with your heart, and I also hope that it can arouse respect and respect for life. love.

Xingyun November 25, 1992 in Fo Guang Shan