The Collaborative Paintings by Jao Tsung-i and the Four Masters of Lingnan

I have been fond of painting and calligraphy since my early youth. At that time, there was a magazine named The Lighthouse, and the articles on practical painting techniques by Master Zhao Shao-ang were carried in every issue. After reading, I always collected and glued them into an album. In the 1970s, I shown this album to Master Zhao, and he smiled and said, “It is commendable that you still keep this.” The first time I met Master Zhao at his place for the purpose of interviewing him for a publication. His inspiring speech was full of wisdom, and being with him was such a breeze. After the interview, he requested me to visit him often, and hence I became his frequent visitor. Later, he “instructed” me to become his student. Unfortunately, I was a very lazy one.

Master Zhao and Professor Jao had been close friends for years. In one of the meetings in the 1980s, Master Zhao suddenly said that, “We should jointly create some paintings for the remembrance of our friendship.” And Professor Jao thought that it was a good idea. That is where their collaborative paintings come from.

In the 1980s of the last century, Master Zhao, Master Li Xiong-cai, Master Guan Shan-yue, and Master Yang Shan-sum always met at Master Zhao’s studio in Hong Kong, and the Four Masters created quite a number of collaborative paintings. This set of paintings had been exhibited in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong. That inspired the editor to ask Professor Jao and the Four Masters to do the same thing, and the set of 68 paintings is the achievement.

This set of paintings not only records the friendship among Professor Jao and the Four Masters, it is also a rare and precious part of Guangdong artwork.

TANG Wai Hung, Thomas

Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole

The University of Hong Kong