Brief introduction

Wei Chuyu, who specializes in oil painting, Chinese painting and calligraphy, was born in 1945 in Wenshui, North China's Shanxi Province. After graduating from the oil painting department of Zhejiang Arts Academy in 1970, Wei joined the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and was stationed in Nanjing. In 1986, he was transferred to the Museum of the Chinese Revolution in Beijing.

Wei's works of Chinese painting and calligraphy were on display both in China and abroad many times and have garnered several prizes.

The painter was introduced by China Central Television, Bangladesh Television, the People's Daily, China Daily and the Dagong Daily in Hong Kong. Wei's name appeared in The Dictionary of the Names of Chinese Artists and The Dictionary of the Names of Chinese Calligraphers.

Major works

Huai-hai Battle

Some of Wei's best portraits, such as those of the mathematician Xiong Qinglai, architect Liang Sicheng, microbiologist Tang Feifan, physician Zhang Xiaoqian and military officer Luo Ronghuan, were chosen by the former Ministry of Post and Telecommunications to be printed in a commemorative stamp series called "Modern Chinese Scientists (third series)" and "The 90th Anniversary of the Birth of Comrade Luo Ronghuan," which were sold throughout China.

Wei collaborated with Chen Qi, Zhao Guangtao and Chen Jian on the painting of the Huai-Hai Battle and received a PLA arts prize in 1983 for their work.

His two oil paintings of Ma in Shaanxi and Zhongnanhai (1993), were chosen again by the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications and printed as commemorative stamps for the 100th anniversary of the birth of Mao Zedong, which was subsequently deemed "the best stamp" in the country.

In recent years, Wei has been invited to paint former British prime minister Winston Churchill and Daewoo Corp President Kim Woo Choong.

Immortalizing a great man

Chairman Mao

Back in 1992, 16 years after Mao's death, Wei was invited to visit the chairman's former bedroom, which had doubled as his study. In 1993 Wei was asked to design a series of stamps to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mao's birth.

"When I was standing in front of Chairman Mao's bed in his room, touching the desks he used to work on and seeing so many books on the shelves, I was really shocked," said an emotional Wei. "I realized that I was close to a great soul; close to an unknown, but touching part of history."

Wei said that although there have been some adverse remarks made about the man who led communist China to victory in the civil war of 1949, about which he was not willing to go into detail, he believes that Mao Zedong was a great man who worked for the Chinese people.

"I did not experience that time myself. The things in Chairman Mao's former bedroom -- the shabby blanket and ashtray, the piles of books -- they cannot speak, but they tell us how the chairman used to live and work. He worked hard but lived plainly."

Nobody forced Wei to paint Mao -- he was compelled to do it. The artist said he was so moved by the chairman's unadorned lifestyle and work ethic that he wanted to share it with others. "Ordinary people do not have the chance to visit Chairman Mao's former bedroom," he said, adding: "I went there and saw what it was like. I strongly feel that I have a responsibility to tell others what I've seen."

As an artist, Wei chooses the brush rather than words to articulate himself. "An artist doesn't speak. His paintings say everything," Wei explained.

With a deep feeling of respect and admiration, Wei began to work on his painting of Chairman Mao. He collected bundles of source materials from Mao's relatives and former assistants to make sure that everything was as accurate as possible. It took him seven years to complete the work.

The painting was greatly received by Mao's relatives and abroad. "There are quite a number of foreigners who like the painting and some of them want to buy it," said Wei, "but I promised not to sell it. I think it should be kept in China."

Asked if he has any plans to capture other Chinese leaders on canvas, Wei smiled: "You know, my energy is limited. If I decide to paint for someone, I want to learn about the person comprehensively. I just don't have much time and energy to do that."

Wei did say, however, that he would continue producing artworks of Chairman Mao.

(ChinaCulture.org October 29, 2004)