YELLOW MOUNTAIN FROM THE COLLECTION OF MR. ZHOU YUNJIAN Zhou Yunjian is a Chinese patriot who lives in Brazil. He is also a successful businessman and a connoisseur of Chinese ink painting and calligraphy. During his time returning to China, he met and befriended several Chinese ink painting masters including Qi Gong, Zhao Puchu, Huang Zhou, Wu Zuoren, Liu Haisu and Huang Yongyu, hence Zhou's collections are mainly gifts given by the ink painting artists. Liu Haisu's "Yellow Mountain" is Mister Zhou Yunjian's old collection. Majestic brush strokes rides the cloud up to the city in heaven. From the 1970s, based on his solid foundation of the Bone Method, Liu launched a bold attempt to depict the lotus and Yellow Mountain through the splashing technique of watercolor. In addition, he also applied his research and studies of modern art, such as the works by Matisse, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Renoir and Monet, onto the depiction of landscapes, lotus and red plums in his later years. Color and ink appear in perfect harmony in his art. Water, ink and color convey his passion and feelings through the splashing of watercolor. Such kind of unexpected change introduces a novelty within a traditional idea, ink is regarded as the main focus; colour, as a complement in literati paintings. Liu selects attractively scenic Yellow Mountain as a significant object in his colour-ink changes and also as a topic conveying his artistic feeling-thus transforming the mountain into a landscape with vast and magnificent scenery. Liu uses Chinese painting skills and comparison in portraying mountains and rivers, and he connects tradition to actual life. In his coloured-ink work, Yellow Mountain, sea of clouds and mountains are toweringly erected and magnificently overlapping. Their imposing manner is thrilling and vibrating. Clouds and mists float among them. Looking like a fairy land, this picture represents a powerful force resulting from the creation of nature. This work is so breathtaking. Shadows of mountains are made by using the mercury ore called cinnabar. The rocky mountains in the foreground are made by using water and ink and splash-colour method. With coloured ink's free permeation, the painter applies many layers of ink and also plays up azurite in this painting. Marvelous pines in the front are outlined using forceful brush strokes. Large patches are made by combining ink colours with water and thus an effect of rich texture is left on the rice paper. The blank areas and coloured areas make an interesting contrast. Red and blue connected to each other are strong and also make a good match. Thus an aloof and ancient realm of stable, heavy, spiritual and graceful feeling is achieved. Yellow Mountain was greatly appealing to Liu, and was also his favorite theme. Liu visited Yellow Mountain ten times. In 1988, he even held a show titled "Ten Visits to Yellow Mountain" at the Shanghai Art Museum. He once said, "Yellow Mountain is a truly beautiful place and a veritable natural museum of sculpture—I never grow tired of its scenery. There is stillness in moving things and a sense of movement in still objects. Gorgeous peaks, unusual stones, and lush pines seem still, but are instantly brought to life as a bank of wandering clouds rolls in. Yellow Mountain is magnificent and steadfast. Yellow Mountain has an almost indescribable aura of mystery surrounding it. Each time I visit, I am inspired in a different way. The subject matter for painting scenes of Yellow Mountain is inexhaustible. Yellow Mountain is my teacher, and its beauty inspires me to create many artistic works. When I gaze out at the everchanging clouds and interplay of light at Yellow Mountain, I see ink and color splashing across white paper. Yellow Mountain taught me the splashing ink and color painting method."