I received the manuscript of Ten Thousand Miles of River from Fang Cheng on 16th September, 2015. Opening the package, I find China’s first panoramic picture scroll of the Yellow River, named “The Yellow River View Spreads”. The messages passing from the manuscript are full of surprise, and the artistic standard of it goes far beyond my expectation, which can be called one of the greatest work in modern art history.

　　 Scroll painting is a very unique art style in Chinese painting. During the painting, the conversion of the scene, cohesion of the structure, and the change of ink are all more complicated and challenging than other art forms. This Yellow River scroll is 4000cm long, and 40cm high, of which the size in the art field can be reviewed as a rare masterpiece. For content of the picture, it puts the main lakes of the Yellow River, the hydropower projects, and the natural scenery and cultural monuments into one frame with structural integrity and rich imagination. In terms of technique using, it is a perfect blend of 20 different painting styles of landscape Cunca method and 10 different water form expressions; the perfect combination of generalization and concretization, plus different shades of color, create a dynamic artistic effect to variously show the shapes of different geological features and river segments. Fang fully committed herself to the art work creation for 7 years, and has overcame many unbearable difficulties and pressures. Therefore, it is also the most important painting in her artistic career.

　　 Mr. Hai Zhang, who is the president of Chinese Calligraphers Association, entitled the picture. Mr. Guoji Xie, who is the Chief Editor of Xinhua Daily Telegraph, wrote the poem Ode to the Yellow River for the scroll. Meanwhile, the scroll also has got affirmed by experts from the Yellow River Conservancy Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources. It not only enriches the artistic meaning of “The Yellow River View Spreads” from the aspect of poetry, calligraphy, painting and seal, but also makes this work become more scientific. I therefore, believe that this scroll is the crystallization of both the inheritance and development of Chinese painting, which is also full of strong sense of times. Besides to provide audience with a rich artistic aroma, this painting also can be a graphic resource to give reference for humanities and historical study about the Yellow River.

　　 One’s life experiences and growing environment often determine his/her future path of development. Fang’s parents are both respectable employees of the Yellow River Conservancy Commission, who had been working there for a long time. They discovered her talent in painting, and provided all the support they can offer to further develop her artistic ability. The leaders of Yellow River Conservancy Commission also thought that Fang was a promising kid, and help to created good conditions for her. When Fang was 17, she was apprenticed to Mr.Ruijie Xie who is the greatest master of painting the Yellow River. Just like the old saying, the best way to learn is to learn from the best.

　　 What’s more important is that Fang chose the Yellow River as the life scene. Her love and passion for the Yellow River has become the worship and awe from the sons and daughters of the Mother River. She hugs it, and loves it, just like the Mother River is breast-feeding “Yellow River View Spreads”, which is the root cause that making China’s first panoramic picture of the Yellow River.

　　 Fang, daughter of our greatest Mother River, has used her persistence and intelligence to make the magnificent art work of the Yellow River.

　　 Wish Fang can create more great works for our Mother River.

July 17th, 2015 in Wuhan