Who is Jizi?

Abstract

Jizi provides us with an opportunity to observe how one artist combines life experiences with an awareness of traditional Chinese aesthetics to create distinctive artistic compositions of great originality. By selecting one artist for careful study, we follow the call to create new interpretations for Chinese aesthetics from the actual practice of Chinese artists. In asking “Who Is Jizi?” we have two initial avenues to explore: the practical circumstances of Jizi’s artistic growth and his statements on art, philosophy, and Chinese aesthetics. First, we may consider details of the circumstances that propelled Jizi on a path of unusual independence, self-discipline, and creativity. His independence and self-cultivation have contributed to his originality; yet, his artistic practice has always been shaped by his participation in everyday events. Second, this chapter clarifies Jizi’s own claims about the guidance he receives from Chinese aesthetics. He uses the language of Chinese aesthetics to articulate what he regards as his guiding principle: the use of painting to show the unification of self with nature, others, and a larger universe. These two topics—the circumstances of Jizi’s self-cultivation and his writings on Chinese aesthetics—are the starting point for an analysis of Chinese aesthetics and how it guides Chinese ink-wash painters who seek to meet the needs of audiences inside China and elsewhere in the world.