Fei Sheng, a famous minister who went to Europe to study art in the last century, had Xu Beihong and Lin Fengmian in the 1920s, and Wu Zuoren and Lv Sibai in the 1930s. In the 1940s, Mr. Zhao Wuji, Mr. Xiong Bingming and Mr. Wu Guanzhong became the last batch of art officials Fei Sheng sent to Europe by the government of the Republic of China after World War II until 1949.

When I first arrived at Tsinghua Academy of Fine Arts in 2000, I was led to visit Mr. Wu and asked. He said that he was admitted to Hangzhou Art College during the Anti-Japanese War, went into exile all the way, studied French hard on the way, and prepared to go to Paris in the future. After the victory, the national government immediately resumed official studies in various disciplines, with 42 places nationwide, including painting 1 and sculpture 1. He and Xiong Bingming passed the exam and left on 1946. When and how did Zhao Wuji go? Teacher Wu also mentioned it, which I can't remember at the moment. Looks like an official fee. At the end of 1949, the three of them talked for a long night in Paris in order not to return to their motherland. This is already a famous story: Zhao Xionger stayed and Mr. Wu came back.

In the late 1990s, Mr. Xiong died and Mr. Zhao was still in Paris. Both he and Mr. Wu enjoy a long life, and I don't know who is older. I got the news of Mr Wu's death this morning. Well, he was the last old man who went to France to paint and stayed in the mainland during the Republic of China.

I didn't have the honor to be taught by Mr. Wu. I've only been there once, and I've seen him on three or four public occasions. Before the Cultural Revolution, Mr. Wu made his first appearance. When I was a child, I saw him sketching Tibetan scenery in an art magazine, but I didn't know much about him, not to mention his qualifications for studying in France: in the 1960s, literature and art were talking about revolution, and the style of painting was not obvious. After the Cultural Revolution, Mr. Wu became famous because everyone was expecting new authority. The art world suddenly discovered that we still have a painter who is studying in France in his prime, but he has opinions and dares to speak. Just after the Cultural Revolution, art criticism was still inarticulate and criticized dogma. He opposed the official materialistic dogma that "content determines form" and insisted that "form determines content", which has influenced it to this day. At that time, Mr. Wu was in his fifties. Like many old painters who came back from the side, he painted big paintings for hotels everywhere. One night, the Central Academy of Fine Arts invited him to give a lecture to teachers and students. There were no microphones at that time. He shouted almost every sentence, with a southern Jiangsu accent and concise words, and recited dozens of major aesthetic problems loudly. At this moment, I only remember one sentence: "beauty" is not "beauty", "beauty" is not "beauty"! Before the "Cultural Revolution", how could anyone talk like this? I was fascinated at once, thinking, why didn't I know such a clear truth! The applause thundered below. After the lecture, Mr. Wu flashed his eyes, clasped his left and right hands, and stretched forward horizontally-not the kind of fuels used by martial arts thugs-and greeted every corner of the audience frequently, as if he was ready to grab everyone's arm at any time, trembling and trembling: I watched it again with great interest, thinking that the predecessors studying in France were different after all, and how could I not know such a beautiful and enthusiastic gesture!

Later, I gradually saw the past data and images, and realized that Mr. Wu's coming to power was all the legacy of the left-wing youth speech in the Republic of China. He was impassioned and blameless, as if he were mobilizing the whole country for the anti-Japanese war. When I visited him at the beginning of the new century, he was already in his early eighties, and he was talking at home. He is still a righteous man, affirming his words and making sure that every word of his is close to the appearance of argument. He is thin-skinned and decisive, but when it comes to pleasure, there is always a resolute tendency, as if he were angry.

So I guess all the jokes that surprised him in the circle are true. For example, in the 1990s, in order to commemorate the founding anniversary of the China Art Museum, people of all ages gathered and took turns to support it. When Mr. Wu went up, he said, I feel sad for such a big country and such an art gallery! The word "sad" must be said in his Yixing accent, which is homophonic with "bitter worship" and should be pronounced with a hard tongue. -For example, at the beginning of the new century, the post of Chairman of the National Artists Association was vacant. He is undoubtedly a predecessor and one of the candidates. As a result, he made a disappointing remark that left four people speechless. He said: If I become the president, the first thing is to dissolve the American Association! The Yixing accent of the word "dissolution" is the same as that of "Gexi". If you study hard, you will be full of charm in Wu Guanzhong.

I listened to him once on the spot, across the table, absolutely true. When I first arrived at Tsinghua Academy of Fine Arts, Mr. Zhang Ding, Mr. Wu Guanzhong and Mr. Yuan Yunfu and I began to recruit doctoral students. When Mr. Wu was helped in, he was asked to comment on the homework of more than a dozen candidates on the wall. After a trembling tour, he resolutely said, I won't admit any of them! "So, Mr. Wu, do you think this is a score?" He replied and shouted, "60 points at most!" "

There are probably no old people in the art world who talk like that now. I have the honor to meet several contemporary people of Mr. Wu, such as Hangzhou Art Institute and Beiping Art Institute. Many of them are as tough as Geng Jie. It can be seen that artists who debuted in the Republic of China are generally temperament, regardless of people's faces. Even if he was later made into an adult, he survived the disaster and made a debut, but his temperament is still there. Teacher Wu did not change his original attitude until he was old, which was really hard to get. Now, with Mr. Wu gone, those people who talked about it finally breathed a sigh of relief: I'm sorry to be so unkind. Too ignorant in front of the times. For example, China's art is not as good as Africa's. For example, the painting academy should be closed. For example, a hundred Qi Baishi is not worth one Lu Xun ... Every time he speaks out, there are always a group of critics who stutter and refute him, but his qualifications are there, and many people can't do anything about him. Now, you can be quiet.

But other excitement will follow, because Mr. Wu is, after all, a big facade to brag about, and the theorists who "discussed" with him a few years ago may have to change their pens to praise his old man.

Throughout his life, Mr. Wu was a young man of literature and art, unable to learn the world and the world, while the young people of his generation were generally enthusiastic and diligent. Sun Jingbo, an old classmate, sketched with Mr. Wu in Yunnan in the 1970s, saying that he would return to his place of residence after painting and wash his brush every day. How annoying it is to wash pens, but he is beaming. Mr. Yuan Yunsheng and Mr. Wu are very familiar, saying that he went to his house to see paintings after the Cultural Revolution. Every painting is carefully wrapped in a newspaper and hidden in a cupboard. He took it out one by one, opened it, read it, carefully wrapped it and put it back. It is also an outdated virtue to cherish yourself so carefully. In addition, the price is another unknown aspect of Mr. Wu: it was about a night talk in the late 1970s, when the old man told him some grievances after he returned to China. Early the next morning, he knocked on Mr. Yun Sheng's door and looked aggressive. After four exhortations, he was told to the effect that last night's conversation was not recorded, right? Don't tell anyone!

The long-term fear and depression of that generation of old people make young artists unable to imagine and need not experience. At present, we only know Mr. Wu's courage and dare to speak, but I don't know that he still has a lot to say. Now that I think about it, even if it is a "rumor", who will take it seriously? I have never seen Mr. Wu smile, only once. It was at a meeting in 198 1 Beihai Huafangzhai. After that, I went to tell him that his article was very enjoyable. He just said, "Oh?" The footsteps stopped, but in the long and wide crowd, I saw a slight smile, and then I became very serious. I asked which article it was and whether I agreed or not. I was sincere, and he didn't know me then. Many years later, Mr. Yuan Yunfu invited me to the Academy of Fine Arts to ask Mr. Yuan and Mr. Wu for their opinions. It is said that he also agreed.

In the spring of 2004, as usual, the Academy of Fine Arts invited a doctor to make a routine annual physical examination for the teachers in the whole hospital. Mr. Wu has just finished drawing blood, and his right hand is pressing the elbow of his left arm. His waist is straight and his face is awe-inspiring. That was the last time I saw Mr. Wu. I was a little surprised to see him waiting quietly in the teacher's long line. I suddenly realized that he has been an old worker in this unit for decades. I imagined for no reason how he argued with two classmates in the Paris Cafe in 1949 that he would not come back-when Zhao Xionger insisted on staying, it was actually cruel, and when Mr. Wu insisted on coming back, I think it was also cruel. I said this to Mr. Wu during that home visit. He paused and pondered for a long time, but I forgot how he responded-former Central Academy of Arts and Crafts, now Tsinghua Academy of Fine Arts, Mr. Zhang Ding and Mr. Wu Guanzhong, two most proud doyen, one from Yan 'an and the other from Paris. This year, they stopped writing and took a break.