古今吳門畫作跨越時(shí)空對(duì)話——由中國(guó)美術(shù)館、江蘇省委宣傳部、江蘇省文聯(lián)、蘇州市人民政府主辦的“回眸600年——從明四家到當(dāng)代吳門”繪畫特展于11月30日至12月10日在中國(guó)美術(shù)館舉辦。展覽展出中國(guó)畫、油畫、版畫、水彩畫等作品164幅，展現(xiàn)了“明四家”為代表的吳門畫派的藝術(shù)風(fēng)華。本刊刊發(fā)故宮博物院研究員單國(guó)強(qiáng)的文章，以展現(xiàn)吳地藝術(shù)“兼容并蓄、多方融合、含蓄蘊(yùn)藉、以道統(tǒng)藝”的特征。

Initiated as a cross-time dialogue between the ancient and the present paintings of the Wu School, "Looking back 600 Years---From Four Great Painters of Ming Dynasty to the Present Wu School special painting exhibition hosted by National Art Museum of China, Publicity Department of Provincial Government of Jiangsu, Federation of Literature & Art of Jiangsu, Government of Suzhou City has been held at NAMOC from 30, November to 10, December. The exhibition displays 164 artworks, including the Chinese painting, oil painting,engraving, watercolor painting etc., demonstrating the artistic style of the Wu School represented by the Four Great Painters of Ming Dynasty. This article by SHAN Guoqiang, a researcher of the Palace Museum, is committed to showing such artistic characteristics as comprehensive inclusiveness,diversified combination, refined implication and aesthetic tradition in the art works of the region.

蘇州是座舉世聞名的歷史文化古城，自春秋吳國(guó)建城以來(lái)，距今已有2500多年，文化積淀也十分豐厚。近500年的明清時(shí)期，蘇州更成為全國(guó)農(nóng)漁業(yè)、工商業(yè)經(jīng)濟(jì)的重心和文化藝術(shù)中心，其文化藝術(shù)昌盛的主要特色是綜合實(shí)力強(qiáng)，門類齊全，發(fā)展持續(xù)。最盛名遐邇的，蘇州是工藝之邦，瑰麗精細(xì)的蘇繡，為我國(guó)四大名繡之一；玉雕有“鬼斧神工”之譽(yù)；桃花塢木刻年畫是南北三大民間木刻年畫流派之一；還有他處無(wú)及的蘇裱、富于變化的蘇州折扇、活潑生動(dòng)的虎丘泥人、高雅絕俗的蘇式家具、玲瓏剔透的紅木小件以及緙絲、劇裝戲具、民族樂(lè)器等。蘇州還是園林之城，據(jù)統(tǒng)計(jì)明代園林多達(dá)270余處，清代園林有130多所，有“城里半園亭”之說(shuō)。蘇州又是狀元之鄉(xiāng)，清代出狀元26名，占全國(guó)總數(shù)的22.8%。蘇州更是詩(shī)、文、書、畫文壇的重鎮(zhèn)，明代有號(hào)稱“吳中四杰”的高啟、楊基、張羽、徐賁，“吳中四才子”的文徵明、唐寅、祝允明、徐禎卿，通俗文學(xué)家馮夢(mèng)龍、文學(xué)批評(píng)家金圣嘆、戲劇作家李玉等。尤其是明代中后期的吳門書畫，名家輩出，流緒不絕，其中有號(hào)稱“吳門四家”的沈周、文徵明、唐寅、仇英以及由沈、文創(chuàng)立的“吳派”諸家如文嘉、文伯仁、陸治、錢谷、周天球、陸師道等畫家；稱為書壇“吳中三大家”的祝允明、文徵明、王寵；影響所及，在明末清初，畫壇還形成了以董其昌為首的“松江派”，號(hào)稱“四王”畫派的王時(shí)敏、王鑒、王翚、王原祁，以及由他們所創(chuàng)立的“婁東派”“虞山派”諸家，流緒直至清末民初。

明代從成化至嘉靖年間（1465年-1566年）的明代中期，以蘇州為中心的江南地區(qū)，崛起了一批畫家，他們?nèi)〈髟缙诘摹霸后w”“浙派”而主盟畫壇近百年，代表人物有號(hào)稱“吳門四家”的沈周、文徵明、唐寅、仇英，以及由沈、文創(chuàng)立的“吳派”諸家，這些名家的弟子、傳人絡(luò)繹不絕，成員達(dá)百余人之多，為明代陣容最大的畫派。

其實(shí)，在吳門畫壇異軍突起之前，蘇州地區(qū)已經(jīng)聚集了一批頗有知名度的畫家，他們主要繼承“元四家”的文人畫傳統(tǒng)，代表畫家稍早的有徐賁、謝縉、王紱等人，為元明之際的傳承人物，稍后的杜瓊、劉玨、姚綬、沈貞吉、沈恒吉等人，則直接影響了“吳派”創(chuàng)立者沈周。這批文人畫家堪稱“吳派”前驅(qū)。

明代中期的“吳門四家”中，沈周年歲最高，文徵明師事之，唐寅也受其影響。沈周早年受伯父沈貞吉、父親沈恒吉的家庭熏染和老師杜瓊、劉玨的親自指授，最初即接受以“元四家”為主的文人畫傳統(tǒng)。40歲以前，沈周宗王蒙，兼取董、巨，作品景致繁復(fù)，結(jié)構(gòu)嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)，筆法工細(xì)銳利，風(fēng)格精謹(jǐn)縝密，史稱“細(xì)沈”。40歲以后至58歲，逐漸轉(zhuǎn)為“粗沈”風(fēng)格，泛學(xué)諸家，主宗黃公望，從精工的盈尺小景，漸拓為粗枝大葉的大幅，并形成集諸家大成、呈蒼潤(rùn)雄厚的自身風(fēng)格，他最傾心的是董源、巨然、李成和“元四家”，入選的《仿董巨山水軸》，繪于47歲，即反映了由細(xì)入粗的轉(zhuǎn)變階段風(fēng)貌。沈周58歲時(shí)自號(hào)“白石翁”，此后20余年可稱晚期，他醉心于吳鎮(zhèn)，用筆更為粗簡(jiǎn)，常常率意而為，下筆粗重，時(shí)出側(cè)鋒，于遒勁中見(jiàn)渾厚；墨色也趨酣暢，多濕筆渲染，富濃淡變化，于簡(jiǎn)率中見(jiàn)蒼茫，其粗筆山水已達(dá)爐火純青，如入選的《滄州趣圖卷》即為晚年代表作。

文徵明與沈周共同創(chuàng)立“吳派”。他的山水畫也可分為三階段，早期從30歲到44歲以前，他原名“壁”，42歲改為“徵明”，44歲棄“壁”不用，故改名前可稱早期。此階段曾師事沈周，兼學(xué)趙孟頫、王蒙，無(wú)論青綠或水墨，均以工細(xì)為主，時(shí)稱“細(xì)文”。青綠山水主宗趙孟頫，兼取趙伯駒和趙伯骕，并融入“元四家”和“二米”筆墨，形成豐姿多彩、行利相兼的小青綠山水風(fēng)貌；水墨山水則取王蒙的縝密、黃公望的虛靈和趙孟頫的秀雅，構(gòu)成俊逸秀潤(rùn)的風(fēng)格，作于60歲的《漪蘭室圖卷》就反映了這類面貌。60余歲至90歲晚期，兼長(zhǎng)粗細(xì)兩種畫法，本色的細(xì)筆畫更見(jiàn)精工，粗筆畫又更趨蒼勁。在沈、文共創(chuàng)的“吳門畫派”中文徵明的影響更大，追隨者也更多。

唐寅和仇英與沈、文有所不同，兩人并非是純粹的文人畫家，故亦非“吳派”成員。唐寅出身商賈之家，少習(xí)詩(shī)文，負(fù)才氣，與文徵明、張靈、都穆、徐禎卿等文人為友，29歲鄉(xiāng)試曾得中第一名解元，是位典型的文人。后進(jìn)京會(huì)試，因受科場(chǎng)舞弊案牽連，斷絕了仕途，遂以賣畫為生，成為職業(yè)畫家，故而他的畫風(fēng)中兼容了文人畫和專業(yè)畫的特色。他的畫技藝全面，山水、人物、花鳥(niǎo)各科兼善，工筆、寫意、白描、水墨、設(shè)色諸法俱精，面貌多樣，行利相兼。就山水畫而論，30歲以前屬其早期，受沈、文等吳門文人畫家的影響，多宗元人傳統(tǒng)；30歲至40歲的中期，成為職業(yè)畫家后，曾師事老畫家周臣，主宗南宋“院體”，筆墨變?yōu)閯偨徘?，然也保留了早期?xì)秀清潤(rùn)的特點(diǎn)；40歲至54歲的晚期，逐步形成本色的細(xì)筆山水面貌，熔南北采于一爐，如盛大士《溪山臥游錄》所評(píng)：“伯虎參松雪之精華，其皴法雖似北宗，實(shí)得南宗之神髓者也?！钡湫惋L(fēng)格是：景色簡(jiǎn)約清朗，近景突出，遠(yuǎn)景簡(jiǎn)略；用筆多細(xì)勁中鋒，纖而不弱，力而有韻，剛?cè)嵯酀?jì)；皴法變化豐富，短斫、長(zhǎng)皴、順?shù)h、逆毫、方折、圓轉(zhuǎn)交替使用，不辨何種皴法，卻雜而不亂，穿插有序；墨色淋漓，又具層次，滿布全幅卻不顯迫促，具秀潤(rùn)和空靈感；總體風(fēng)格謹(jǐn)細(xì)綿密，平淡清遠(yuǎn)?！峨p鑒行窩圖冊(cè)》作于50歲，反映了其晚年細(xì)筆典型面貌；《事茗圖卷》則更多集大成技法，近景湖石、松樹(shù)仿北宋李郭畫派，遠(yuǎn)山渲涮又近南宋夏圭拖泥帶水皴，中央的屋宇、坡臺(tái)則似元人和文徵明，此圖當(dāng)屬中晚期過(guò)渡時(shí)期作品。

仇英出身貧寒，當(dāng)過(guò)漆工，后習(xí)畫，青年時(shí)代拜周臣為師，故他與唐寅是師兄弟。開(kāi)始主宗的當(dāng)是周臣專擅的南宋“院體”畫風(fēng)，后結(jié)識(shí)文徵明，又與吳中詩(shī)人、文人書畫家王守、王寵、文彭、文嘉、文伯仁、彭年、陸治、陸師道、周天球等人交往，深受“吳派”熏陶，風(fēng)格逐漸由剛勁嚴(yán)整轉(zhuǎn)為清逸秀潤(rùn)。中年時(shí)他還在大收藏家項(xiàng)元汴處館居十余年，后又至昆山收藏家周六觀家作畫，飽覽他們珍藏的大量宋元名家真跡，畫藝大進(jìn)，傳統(tǒng)功力精湛，尤其青綠山水和工筆人物，深得宋人三味?！杜R蕭照高宗瑞應(yīng)圖卷》即是他較忠實(shí)于原作的摹古作品，完整的六段場(chǎng)景可補(bǔ)已缺佚的肖照原作之失。仇英和唐寅堪稱職業(yè)畫與文人畫兼容的畫家，故雖未形成流派，卻雅俗共賞，士商皆宜，在當(dāng)時(shí)也有不少傳人，聲譽(yù)不遜于沈、文。

由沈、文創(chuàng)立的“吳派”，則代有傳人，陣營(yíng)強(qiáng)大。沈周已有較多追隨者，家傳子孫有沈豳、沈召、沈軫、沈絲、沈?yàn)o州、沈顥、沈湄等人，學(xué)生和傳人有文徵明、張復(fù)、項(xiàng)承恩、盛時(shí)泰、吳麟、周用、雷鯉、陳鐸、陳煥、陸文、喻希連、孫艾、宗周、謝時(shí)臣、陳天定、杜翼龍、朱南雍、李著、徐弘澤等人，其中佼佼者為文徵明，有“出蘭”之譽(yù)，謝時(shí)臣亦自具創(chuàng)意，享有時(shí)名。謝時(shí)臣擅畫山水，善作巨幛大幅，喜繪高俊雄偉的名山大川，運(yùn)筆縱橫，設(shè)色淺淡，頗得沈周蒼勁之力和磅礴之勢(shì)，唯過(guò)于外露，有“浙派”霸悍之弊?！断ひ菟紙D軸》即反映了他的典型風(fēng)格。

“吳派”自沈、文學(xué)生輩以后，許多作品陳陳相固，毫無(wú)新意，日趨衰微，如清方吉偶在《題杜瓊山水卷》中所評(píng)：“有明一代，高手出吳門，末流亦在吳門。”然在晚明，蘇州畫壇受董其昌影響，也出現(xiàn)了一批向“松江派”兼攏的畫家，如邵彌、卞文瑜等人，達(dá)到一定成就。還孕育出一些描繪城市世俗生活的人物畫家，如李士達(dá)、袁尚統(tǒng)、張宏等人，他們的風(fēng)俗畫也為蘇州畫壇重新注入了新風(fēng)和活力。

僅以繪畫領(lǐng)域這一門類，來(lái)縱觀蘇州五百年的歷史發(fā)展，就可領(lǐng)略其厚重深邃的文化底蘊(yùn)和豐富博大的文化內(nèi)涵。畫壇五百年來(lái)人才輩出，代現(xiàn)巨匠，一脈相承，傳緒不絕，正從一個(gè)側(cè)面反映了悠久而燦爛的吳地文化。傳布、總結(jié)、研究和繼承優(yōu)秀的吳地文化，推陳出新，古為今用，必將為新時(shí)期蘇州的文化建設(shè)作出有益貢獻(xiàn)。

As a globally-renowned ancient city of history and culture,Suzhou, since the foundation during the Wu Dynasty in the Spring and Autumn Period, has a history of over 2,500 years with profound cultural heritage. The city has even become the national center of agriculture, industrial and commercial economy, culture and art Over a period of nearly five centuries during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and the main features of its cultural and artistic prosperity lie in the aspects of strong comprehensive strength, complete categories and continuous development. Suzhou is mostly famous as a city of arts and crafts, showcasing the magnificent fine embroidery,one of China’s most famous four embroideries, jade carving reputed for the Extraordinary Skills, Taohuawu woodcut New Year painting, one of the three major folk schools of its kind,unparalleled picture mounting, the changing Suzhou fans, lively Huqiu clay figurines, elegant Suzhou-styled furniture, exquisitelycarved small pieces of mahogany and tapestry, properties,folk musical instruments etc. It also earns the reputation of garden city, "Half City Covered by Gardens", showing over 270 gardens in the Ming dynasty and more than 130 during the Qing dynasty according to the statistics. Suzhou is also the homeland of China’s best academicians, with 26 scholars in the Qing dynasty, accounting for 22.8% of the country’s total number.More importantly, Suzhou is a great city of poetry, literature,calligraphy and painting, with Four Great Men of Wu during the Ming dynasty, GAO Qi, YANG Ji, ZHANG Yu and XU Ben, Four Talents of Wu, WEN Zhengiming, TANG Yin, ZHU Yunming and XU Zhenqing, light literature writer, FENG Menglong, literary critic,JIN Shengtan, dramatist LI Yu amongst others. Famous experts of painting and calligraphy of Wu School emerged continuously during the middle and later period of the Ming dynasty, including SHEN Zhou, WEN Zhengiming, TANG Yin and QIU Ying, Rwown as Four Great Figures of Wu School as well as WEN Jia, WEN Boren,LU Zhi, QIAN GU, ZHOU Tianqiu, LU Shidao and other painters of Wu School created by SHEN Zhou and WEN Zhengming,Three Great Calligraphers of Wu School ZHU Yunming, WEN Zhiming and WANG Pang, the Songjiang School of painting circle headed by DONG Qichang emerged during the late Ming and early Qing dynasty, WANG Shimin, WANG Jian, WANG Hui and WANG Yuanqi, the Four WANGs School, and the Loudong School,Yushan School and others created by them have enjoyed much popularity until late Qing dynasty and the early Republic of China.A group of painters from southern China centered around Suzhou emerged from the year of Chenghua to Jiajing (1465-1566)during the middle Ming dynasty. Replacing the Yuan School and Zhe School of early Ming dynasty, they dominated the painting circle for nearly a century, represented by the Four Great Figures of Wu School, SHEN Zhou, WEN Zhengiming, TANG Yin and QIU Ying, and other painters of Wu School created by SHEN Zhou and WEN Zhengming. The disciples and followers of these famous painters have reached over a hundred, creating the largest school of painting in the Ming dynasty.

Suzhou area had already gathered a number of well-known painters before the sudden rise of Wu School. They had mostly inherited the tradition of the literati painting of the Four Painters of Yuan Dynasty, represented by XU Ben, XIE Jin and WANG Fu at earlier time as the transitional figures between Yuan and Ming dynasties, and DU Qiong, LIU Jue, YAO Shou, SHEN Zhenji, SHEN Hengji and others following later cast direct influence towards SHEN Zhou, founder of Wu School. Hence, this group of literati painters was known as the predecessor of Wu School.

Of the Four Great Figures of Wu School, SHEN Zhou was the oldest, WEN Zhiming as his student, with his influence to TANG Yin. Under the family influence by his uncle SHEN Zhenji and his father SHEN Hengji and personal instruction by his teacher DU Qiong and LIU Jue at early years, SHEN Zhou had initially accepted the tradition of literati painting dominated by the Four Great Painters of Yuan dynasty. At early days before the age of 40, he mainly studied from WANG Meng while absorbed knowledge from DONG Yuan and JU Ran, with his artworks showing complex landscape and rigorous structure, sharp drawing technique and refined and meticulous style, earning him the reputation of XI SHEN in history. From the age of 40 to 58,he generally turned to the style of CU SHEN by studying from all painters with main model of HUANG Gongwang, transforming from the exquisite and refined small scenery to the crude large extension while integrating all the advantages of other great painters. His most favorite was DONG Yuan, JU Ran, LI Cheng and four great painters in Yuan dynasty. The selectedLandscape Scroll by Imitation of DONG Yuan and JU Ran, drawn at the age of 47, reflects the phase of XI to CU transition. SHEN Zhou called himself Bai Shi Weng. Hence, the 20 years after this period can be considered the later period, during which he was obsessed with WU Zhen with rough and heavy style, hearty use of ink with rendering by wet brush and changes of shade, creating vastness from simplicity and reaching the perfection in landscape painting by thick brush, such as the selectedScroll of Cangzhou Landscape, the representative work of his old age.

洛陽(yáng)春色圖卷 陳道復(fù) Scroll of Spring in Luoyang CHEN Daofu

WEN Zhengming and SHEN Zhou jointly created the Wu School.Wen's landscape paintings are divided into three phases, the early phase was from the age of 30 to 44, as his original given name was Bi, changing to Zhengiming at 42 and eventually giving up the Bi. Hence, it could be the early phase before the name change. During this period, he acknowledged SHEN Zhou as his teacher, while learning from ZHAO Mengfu and WANG Meng with exquisite style in both green landscape painting and water landscape painting, namely Xiwen. He learned the green landscape painting primarily from ZHAO Mengfu, combining ZHAO Boju and ZHAO Bosu and integrating with styles of four great painters of Yuan dynasty, MI Youren and MI Fu, forming the colorful and charming green landscape style of small size. His water landscape painting, on the other hand, borrowed WANG Meng’s deliberation, HUANG Gongwang’s imagination and ZHAO Mengfu’s refinement, constituting the pretty and smooth genre.The Scroll of Yilanshicreated at age of 60 is a reflection of such appearance. Moreover, being skillful in both thick and thin styles at his late period between the age of 60 to 90, he showed more vigorous efforts in thin style and harsh taste in thick strokes. Due to the greater influence in the Painting Style of Wu School, WEN Zhengiming possessed more followers.

Quite different from SHEN Zhou and WEN Zhiming, TANG Yin and QIU Ying were not pure literati painters and members of Wu School accordingly. Born in a family of merchant, TANG Yin studied poems at his youth with great talent and made friends with WEN Zhengiming, ZHANG Ling, DU Mu, XU Zhenqing and other literati. Having claimed the first place in the imperial exam at the provincial level at the age of 29, he was a typical scholar.Influenced by the fraud in the metropolitan examination in the capital, he started to sell paintings for a living after giving up his official career and became a professional painter afterwards.Hence, his style is compatible with the features of literati and professional paintings. Having showed comprehensive skills in painting, he was accomplished in landscapes, figures, flowers and birds in style, and traditional Chinese realistic painting,freehand painting, line drawing, ink painting with consummate skills by diversified colors in techniques. Concerning the landscape painting, under the influence of SHEN Zhou and WEN Zhiming and other literati painters of Wu School during the early period before the age of 30, TANG Yin followed the traditions of artists of Yuan Dynasty. After becoming a professional painter during the middle period from age of 30-40, he once learned from ZHOU Chen, an elder painter focusing on the Imperial-Court Painting School of Southern Song dynasty with vigorous style amid characteristics of delicacy and exquisiteness of the early period. During the late period from age of 40-54, he gradually formed the genuine style of refined natural landscape,integrating characteristics of both northern and southern parts of the country, as commented by SHENG Dashi in hisAdmiring Mountain Scenery by Springs: TANG Yin had true spiritual style learning from the south, but not north. His classic style: simple scenery, highlighting the close shot and brief distant view;combining vigor and suppleness in strokes power; the changing Cunfa featuring miscellaneous and orderly lines in a number of diversified strokes; the dripping ink showing different levels, full coverage in frame with sense of smoothness and intangibility.The Scroll of Double Rockscreated at the age of 50 reflects his typical image of refined style during the late period.The Volume of Shimingshows comprehensive techniques, lake, stone and pines in close range by imitation of LIGUO School of the Northern Song dynasty, the distant mountains adopt strokes of XIA Gui of Southern Song dynasty, and the house and slopes centering the frame follow the style of painters of Yuan dynasty and WEN Zhiming, resulting the frame categorized from the transitional phase of middle and later period.

Born poor, QIU Ying pursued painting during after lacquering work his youth by considering ZHOU Chen as teacher, hence,he is the fellow apprentice of TANG Yin. Initially in the style of Yuan School of Southern Song dynasty specialized by years of ZHOU Chen, he then got acquainted with WEN Zhiming, poets of Wu and literati painters WANG Shou, WANG Chong, WEN Peng, WEN Jia, WEN Boren, PENG Nian, LU Zhi, LU Shidao, ZHOU Tianqiu and others, and was deeply influenced by the Wu School,changing style from vigorousness to exquisiteness in a gradual manner. During his middle age, he once lived in the mansion of XIANG Yuanbian, a great collector, for over a decade followed by painting at ZHOU Liuguan’s residence, a collector in Kunshan,enjoying their large collection of a number of famous artworks of Song and Yuan painters, improving his painting technique especially in green mountains and waters, and Chinese realistic painting personage.Copy of Xiaozhao's Painting in Praise of Emperor Gaozong's Glory in Song Dynastyis his artwork, faithful to the original ancient style, as the complete six scenes are capable of complementing the missing original works of XIAO Zhao, a famous painter of Song dynasty. QIU Ying and TANG Yin are called the painters of integration of both professional painting and literati painting. Having not formed a school, yet they have enjoyed the same reputation as that of SHEN Zhou and WEN Zhengiming with many followers, as their artworks were most popular amongst all people.

The Wu School, created by SHEN Zhou and WEN Zhengiming,has followers of many generations. SHEN Zhou possessed a large number, including his offspring SHEN Bin, SHEN Zhao, SHEN Zhen, SHEN Si, SHEN Luzhou, SHEN Hao, SHEN Mei amongst others,apprentices and followers WEN Zhengiming, ZHANG Fu, XIANG Cheng’en, SHENG Shitai, WU Qi,ZHOU Yong, LEI Li, CHEN Duo, CHEN Huan, LU Wen, YU Xilian, SUN Ai, ZONG Zhou, XIE Shichen, CHEN Tianding, DU Yilong, ZHU Nanyong, LI Zhu, XU Hongze etc. Of all, WEN Zhengiming was the best with favorable reputation of "Outstanding Painter of Orchids", while XIE Shichen, also famous for his own creativity, was skilled in landscape painting on giant frame, showcasing magnificent and well-known mountains and rivers with free strokes and shallow colors borrowed from SHEN Zhou’s vigorous force and boundless potential, featuring great exposure as that of Zhejiang School.The Scroll of Thinking by Spring and Pavilionreflects his typical style accordingly.

After the pupils of SHEN Zhou and WEN Zhengiming, the Wu School witnessed a gradual declination as the following artworks remained unchanged without much creativity, as it was commented inScroll of Mountain and Water of DU Qiongby FANG Jiou of Qing dynasty: both great masters and poor hands were from the Wu School in the Ming dynasty. However, during the late Ming, a group of painters closing to the Songjiang School, by the influence of DONG Qichang in painting circle in Suzhou, have claimed certain achievement, including SHAO Mi, BIAN Wenyu amongst others. It also cradled some portrayed painters who depicted the secular life of the city, such as LI Shida, YUAN Shangtong and ZHANG Hong, whose style has again injected fresh air and vitality into the Suzhou painting circle.

We can appreciate its profound cultural background and abundant cultural connotation only through the field of painting to observe the historical development of Suzhou in the past five hundred years,showing successive generations of great masters, a reflection of the long and splendid culture of the former Wu state. Adapting the ancient forms for the present-day use, the spread, summary,research and inheritance of Wu culture shall undoubtedly make a useful contribution to the cultural construction of Suzhou in the new period.

北海 （油畫）顏文樑 North Sea (Oil Painting) YAN Wenliang