The continuation of the spirit of traditional Chinese literati in the 20th century -- A study on Huang Zixia’s art of poetry and painting

Abstract

As a significant figure of the painting circle of Quanzhou, Fujian Province during the period of the Republic of China, Huang Zixia, under the backdrop of the social transformation between the old and the new, was versatile in artistic practices and lived as an all-rounder in business and industrial sectors, which is a reflection of the positive and active endeavors made by intellectuals amidst social upheaval. However, as a direct inheritor of Chinese traditional culture spirits, Huang Zixia still preserved the spiritual characteristics of traditional literati, mainly in terms of his pursuit of personal identities and values as well as his artistic practices in poetry and painting. This article studies Huang Zixia’s paintings, poems, social activities, and life experience, and explores the unwavering literati spirit that ran through his artistic career.