Title
Tenured Associate Professor and Doctoral Supervisor
Educational Background
2005 Graduated with a Doctoral Degree from the Department of Art History, School of Humanities, Central Academy of Fine Arts.
2011-2012 Visiting Scholar at the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, Harvard University, USA.
Work Experience
2005-present Teach at the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University
Academic Services
Council Member of China Calligraphers Association
Researcher at the China Calligraphy Research Institute
Research Interests
History of Chinese Calligraphy and Painting, and Authentication Studies of Calligraphy and Painting
Academic Claims
In the ancient cultural and artistic traditions, calligraphy and painting were tightly integrated. However, modern academic classifications have separated them into two distinct fields of specialization. Consequently, it is imperative to revisit their inherent unity and conduct a comprehensive study of them within their historical context. Calligraphy, being the more core and essential element, serves as a vital foundation and reference for the study of Chinese painting. Furthermore, the study of the history of calligraphy and painting should not be divorced from creative practice, especially the practice of calligraphy, which significantly enhances research into the history of calligraphy and the theories of painting. The ability to appreciate and authenticate calligraphy and painting is a vital prerequisite for both intrinsic and extrinsic studies of these arts. In recent years, there has been a tendency to prioritize extrinsic studies over intrinsic ones, which warrants caution. Additionally, it is advisable to draw upon effective methodologies from the humanities and social sciences to advance the interpretation of traditional calligraphy and painting, thereby making contributions in terms of academic depth and popularization.
In the realm of calligraphy history, recent endeavors have centered on the history of concepts and ideas in early Chinese calligraphy, as well as research on classic works and the formation of knowledge. In the field of painting history, research has emphasized the study of regional painting history during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Regarding the appreciation, authentication, and connoisseurship history of calligraphy and painting, significant attention has been devoted to the modern transformation and popularization of appreciation practices. Furthermore, there has been an in-depth exploration of the relationships among connoisseurs, authentication methods, and connoisseurship concepts, tracing their evolution from the Ming and Qing dynasties to the present within the broader history of calligraphy and painting.
Academic Achievements
Awards:
Main Awards2009 Theoretical Award of the “China Calligraphy Lanting Awards”, the highest governmental honor hosted by the China Calligraphers Association
2009 The First Prize at the “8th National Calligraphy Scholarly Symposium”, the top honor in calligraphy history and theory sponsored by the China Calligraphers Association
2012 The Third Prize for a paper presented at the “9th National Calligraphy Scholarly Symposium”, organized by the China Calligraphers Association
2013 The Third Prize at the “International Symposium on Academic Papers on Lu Ji’s Pingfu Tie Scroll”, hosted by the Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Shanghai Calligraphers Association
2020 The First Prize for Excellent Textbooks at Tsinghua University
2008 The Second Prize for Excellent Textbooks at Tsinghua University
2017 The Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis Advisor at the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University
2017 The Award for Outstanding Master’s Thesis Advisor at the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University
2009 The Second Prize for Excellent Class Advisor at Tsinghua University
2006 The First Prize for Excellent Class Advisor at Tsinghua University
The textbook Appreciation of Calligraphy, published by Higher Education Press in 2004, was honored with the Second Prize for Excellent Textbooks at Tsinghua University, and its revised edition (2017) received the First Prize for Excellent Textbooks at Tsinghua University.
Calligraphy Creation and Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
Dedicated to integrating teaching, research, and practical application; conducted extensive research on the history of calligraphy and painting while actively pursuing calligraphic creation; organized seven solo calligraphy exhibitions across Beijing, Shandong, Jiangxi, Guangdong, and other regions.
01/2013 “Spring Hope - Qiu Caizhen’s Fine Calligraphy Exhibition”, Guo Weiqu Art Museum, hosted by the Weifang Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Shandong Province
02/2014 “The Brilliance of Linchuan’s Brush - Qiu Caizhen’s Calligraphy Exhibition”, Jiangxi Art Museum organized by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and Jiangxi Federation of Literary and Art Circles
03/2014 “The Brilliance of Linchuan’s Brush - Qiu Caizhen’s Calligraphy Exhibition”, Fuzhou Museum, Jiangxi Province organized by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and Fuzhou Municipal Government,
07/2014 “Ink Wandering - Qiu Caizhen’s Calligraphy Exhibition”, hosted by the Baotou Calligraphers Association, Inner Mongolia.
09/2014 “Viewing the Boundless - Qiu Caizhen’s Fine Calligraphy Appreciation Event”, hosted by the Shouguang Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Shandong Province
01/2015 “Aspiring to Virtue and Excellence - Qiu Caizhen’s Fine Calligraphy Appreciation Event”, organized by the Qingzhou Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Shandong Province
04/2015 “Comprehensive View - Qiu Caizhen’s Fine Calligraphy Appreciation Event”, Boyuantang Art Museum, Zibo, Shandong Province
Participated in over 20 joint exhibitions; showcased calligraphy works numerous times in exhibitions hosted by the China Calligraphers Association; notably, took part in nine collaborative calligraphy exhibitions
12/2014 “The Elegance of Jiangyou (Representing Jiangxi’s Cultural Splendor) - An Nominated Exhibition of Middle-aged and Young Calligraphers from Jiangxi”, hosted by the Publicity Department of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Publicity Department of Bao’an District Committee of the Communist Party of China, Bao’an District Public Culture and Art Center
10/2014 “Ink Rhythms in Five Colors: An Invitational Exhibition of Five Contemporary Chinese Youth Calligraphers”, organized by the Publicity Department of the Weifang Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Weifang Gallery Association, Shandong Province
12/2015 “The Sound of Rivers - The 15th National Nomination Exhibition of Calligraphers from the 1970s Generation”, hosted by the Publicity Department of the Yiyang Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, Hunan Province
01/2016 “Academic Spirit and Style - An Invitation Exhibition of Doctoral Works in Contemporary Calligraphy” in Liu Haisu Art Museum, Changzhou, organized by Nanjing University of the Arts and Jiangsu Calligraphy Creation Research Center
02/2016 “Hometown Accent and Emotion: An Invitation Exhibition of Calligraphers from Jiangxi Returning to Their Hometown” in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, hosted by the Jiangxi Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Jiangxi Calligraphers Association.
12/2017 “Cultural Insight-An Invitation Exhibition of Calligraphy by Middle-aged and Young Scholars in Contemporary Calligraphy Circles”, organized by the Putuo District Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Shanghai, and the Liu Haisu Art Museum Branch
07/2018 “New Era, New Youth - An Invitation Exhibition of Leading Calligraphers of the 1970s Generation from China” hosted by the Fujian Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Fujian Calligraphers Association.
10/2018 “Autumn View of Pingcheng - The 18th National Nomination Exhibition of Calligraphers from the 1970s Generation”, organized by the Publicity Department of the Datong Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, Shanxi Province
06/2019 “Grand Flight Over Liaohai Region - The 19th National Nomination Exhibition of Representative Calligraphers of the 1970s” hosted by the Liaoning Calligraphers Association and the Publicity Department of the Huludao Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, Liaoning Province
Publications and Other Contributions
By the end of 2020: published over 50 academic papers in CSSCI-indexed, Chinese core, & specialized journals (e.g., “Literary & Art Studies”, “Art Research”, “ZHUANGSHI”), including 15 in core journals.
Authored the following books: Huangshan Paintings: Images and Ideas in 17th-Century Landscape Art (Culture and Art Press, 2013); The Morphology of Writing: Classic Moments in the History of Chinese Calligraphy(Peking University Press, 2019); Appreciation of Calligraphy (Higher Education Press, first edition 2004, second edition 2017); Calligraphy of the Ming Dynasty (Cultural Relics Press, 2006); served as editor-in-chief for Xu Beihong’s Complete Works - Calligraphy (China Youth Press, 2020), etc.
Undertook and completed the Humanities and Social Sciences Project of the Ministry of Education, entitled “A Study of Sutra Copying Calligraphy During the Sui-Tang Dynasties in Dunhuang” as well as the National Social Science and Art Project titled “A Research Guide to the History of Paintings and Calligraphy in the Song and Yuan Dynasties”, etc.
Participated in and delivered keynote speeches at more than 20 significant domestic and international academic seminars hosted by institutions such as the China Calligraphers Association, Central Academy of Fine Arts, and the Palace Museum
Scientific Research Projects
Led the Humanities and Social Sciences Project of the Ministry of Education, titled “A Study of Sutra Copying Calligraphy During the Sui-Tang Dynasties in Dunhuang”; participated in the National “10th Five-Year Arts and Sciences Planning Project,” specifically the research titled “Research on Authentication Methods for Ancient Chinese Calligraphy and Painting”.
International Cooperation and Exchanges
2006-2008 Invited by the British Museum, conducted the Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Project, involving comprehensive identification, documentation, and organization of the museum’s collection of Chinese calligraphy and painting. This endeavor marked the British Museum’s first-ever comprehensive review and reorganization of its Chinese calligraphy and painting collection.
Teaching
Cultivate talents capable of deep interpretation and research of traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting in the new era by integrating teaching philosophy, structure, content, and methodologies. Offer a wide array of courses at various levels across the Department of Art History, the Academy of Arts & Design, and the university at large, Including courses such as History of Chinese Calligraphy, Ancient Chinese Painting, Appreciation of Calligraphy, Calligraphy and Seal Engraving Practice, Ancient Chinese Painting Theory, and History of Chinese Art, as well as graduate-level courses like Research on History of Chinese Calligraphy Core Courses: History of Chinese Calligraphy and Ancient Chinese Painting; focus on integrating traditional calligraphy and painting style methodologies with modern visual art’s formal composition techniques; delve into classic works within the history of calligraphy and painting, placing them within the contexts of both social and cultural history; explore the multifaceted dimensions of the development of calligraphy and painting history; achieve excellent teaching outcomes Course evaluation scores consistently ranking among the top 5% of comparable undergraduate courses across the university.
The textbook Appreciation of Calligraphy (published by Higher Education Press, 2004) has been widely adopted as a professional textbook by various calligraphy schools nationwide, and designated as a Humanities Quality textbook by numerous comprehensive universities. History of the Study of Chinese Calligraphy has been listed as a “National 11th Five-Year Plan Textbook”. Supervised 11 master’s degree candidates and 5 doctoral candidates in the past three years, with 7 master’s degree candidates graduated to date.
