The art of Zhu Huipeng Photo:Courtesy of Zhu

Veteran Chinese guqin player Zhu Huipeng's seal script calligraphy work Cheng Yu Yue debuted at the Beijing Rongbao 2022 Spring Art Auction Preview Event held on Friday and Saturday. The auction was held on Sunday to mark the 350th anniversary of Rongbaozhai (literally Studio of Glorious Treasures), the time-honored calligraphy and painting shop in Beijing. 

As a master of the seven-stringed zither-like traditional instrument, Zhu's Cheng Yu Yue is a representative work from the artist that brings the art of guqin to calligraphy with unique artistic connotations.

"Cheng Yu Yue" is a phrase from The Analects of Confucius meaning that only after learning music is a person's self-cultivation complete. As an influential contemporary guqin player and artist, Zhu has made great contributions to promoting traditional guqin culture. The seal calligraphy Cheng Yu Yue demonstrates Zhu's deep understanding and interpretation of the ancient phrase, which adds rich and profound connotations that go beyond the calligraphy work itself.

Zhu studied bronze inscriptions such as San Family Plate, Great Yu Tripod and Duke Mao Tripod to form his own artistic style. His works are vigorous and subtle, with varied structures and natural strokes, which are as interesting and intriguing to viewers. 

It is commonly believed that guqin and calligraphy have something in common artistically - the ability to build strong emotional bonds with audiences. While retaining the vigorous brushwork of the large seal script, Zhu uses lines of various thicknesses to restore the simple and natural beauty of the script with a sense of elegance, just like a string of slowly played notes.

The year 2022 marks the 350th anniversary of the establishment of Rongbaozhai. Founded in 1672 as Songzhuzhai (literally Pine and Bamboo Studio), Rongbaozhai serves as a bridge between artists and collectors.