61 Works Showcase an Artistic Quest: "Endless Faint Fragrance – Zeng Jingxiang's Freehand Flower-and-Bird Painting Exhibition" Opens in Xiangtan

On the afternoon of October 11, 2026, guided by the Xiangtan Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and co-hosted by the Xiangtan Artists Association, Qi Baishi Painting Academy, and Hunan University of Science and Technology, the exhibition "Endless Faint Fragrance – Zeng Jingxiang's Freehand Flower-and-Bird Painting Exhibition" opened at the Qi Baishi Painting Academy in Xiangtan. The exhibition features 61 of Zeng's freehand flower-and-bird works. It runs until November 21 and is open to the public free of charge.

Zeng Jingxiang has been deeply engaged in the art world and higher education for decades. He has served consecutive terms as a board member of the Hunan Artists Association, honorary committee member of the Xiangtan Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and honorary chairman of the Xiangtan Artists Association. He was the founding head of the Fine Arts Department at Xiangtan Normal College and the founding dean of the School of Art at Hunan University of Science and Technology. He has also been invited as a guest professor and doctoral supervisor by various universities at home and abroad. In his artistic creation, he specializes in Gongbi (meticulous) painting, freehand flower-and-bird painting, and watercolor, combining a deep foundation in classical poetry with solid theoretical literacy. His works have been selected for national exhibitions multiple times, winning numerous awards, and have been collected by domestic and international institutions, including the National Art Museum of China, as well as private collectors.

Zeng Jingxiang’s freehand flower-and-bird paintings often focus on the "cut-branch" style. His compositions are minimalist—he cherishes ink like gold, using a single stroke to represent ten. A single plum blossom branch, a cluster of pine needles, or one or two birds are rendered cleanly and resolutely. His brushwork is vigorous yet profound, majestic yet timeless, exuding a serene and expansive tranquility. This creates a mood of leisurely elegance, capturing the charm of expressing abundant meaning through minimalistic brushstrokes.

Now 77 years old this year, Zeng Jingxiang continues to paint tirelessly. Regarding this exhibition, he admits that the 61 paintings represent his artistic creation across different stages of life, yet "the most satisfying piece has not yet been painted." If his brush and ink represent his lifelong pursuit of art, then beyond the ink lies his most profound and simple attachment to his homeland.

This deep attachment is rooted in his family's cultural heritage. Born in 1949 in Taojiang, Hunan, Zeng lost his father at a young age. Coupled with devastating floods, his family was pushed to the brink of destitution. Despite conditions of extreme material deprivation, his mother never viewed his "painting" as a frivolous distraction; instead, she smiled and gave her tacit approval. This attitude conveyed a simple yet firm set of values: expression and creativity hold inherent worth, even if they do not yield immediate practical benefits. Zeng later cultivated his art with "the laboring attitude of a farmer in the sea of art," advocating for art that appeals to both refined and popular tastes. He believes that artworks "are only meaningful when accepted, recognized, and loved by the public." This artistic philosophy, grounded in real life rather than hovering in elite discourse, aligns perfectly with his mother's tolerance for "useless pursuits" during their impoverished years.

In Zeng's old house in Zengjiaping, Taojiang County, the kitten drawn on the wall and the phoenix painted around the stove by his mother served as his earliest visual training. His grandfather was a private tutor, and the combination of his grandfather’s influence and his mother’s handicraft—blending text with poetry, imagery with craftsmanship—profoundly shaped the nearly 80-year-old artist's lifelong career.

Beyond brush and ink, Zeng Jingxiang also translates art into the practice of social aesthetic education and educational ethics. In April 2018, Zeng put 40 of his meticulously crafted flower-and-bird paintings up for charity auction. The entire 3.74 million RMB raised was donated to the Taojiang County Education Foundation to establish the "Zeng Jingxiang Poverty Alleviation and Student Aid Special Fund." Since its inception, the number of beneficiaries has grown steadily each year. By 2025, nearly a thousand individuals had received assistance, with 2.155 million RMB in funds distributed. Zeng once braved scorching summer heat to personally hand a scholarship to a Taojiang No. 1 High School student who scored an impressive 691 points in the national college entrance exam, encouraging the student to "repay family and society with even more outstanding achievements." At the fund distribution ceremony, he spoke with deep emotion, expressing his hope that the fund "operates long-term, helping more people in need."

At the exhibition, a special visitor drew considerable attention. Luo Shengli, a deaf-mute painter from Yiyang, traveled specially to attend with her family. She began studying painting under Zeng at the age of 17 and is the only deaf-mute student among his many disciples. Over the years, Zeng has taught her with immense patience and care, helping her steadily grow on her artistic journey. Today, Luo is dedicated to mastering Gongbi techniques and has achieved remarkable proficiency. Through sign language, she expressed: "My teacher is still improving in his 70s. That is something I must learn from."

Zeng Jingxiang remarked: "Flowers and birds are spirits of nature, intricately connected to human joys, sorrows, and thoughts. Flower-and-bird paintings have become excellent carriers of human spiritual character. I love flower-and-bird painting, and I am willing to dedicate a lifetime of effort to it." From the 61 exhibited works to the continuously operating student aid fund, from the minimalistic charm of his cut-branch paintings to the silent nourishment of his family’s legacy, Zeng Jingxiang’s artistic life perfectly echoes the title of his exhibition: an endless, faint fragrance, gently wafting by.

Source: peopleart.net