Zeng Li

In mid-August 2016, the Japan Asia-Pacific Art Exchange Center hosted the “Zeng Li Peony Ink Painting Exhibition” at its art museum in Osaka, Japan. Prior to her trip to Japan, Zeng Li was interviewed in Hangzhou by Asia Art, a publication of Japan’s Kansai Chinese Times. That same year, she was also invited to participate in an exhibition celebrating the 120th anniversary of her alma mater, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, and received a Special Contribution Award at the Jiangsu Alumni Association’s Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition. Additionally, she participated in the recording of CCTV’s “The Glorious Path” program. In early 2017, the Shandong alumni association of Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology specifically requested her artwork for a raffle prize, and she was formally accepted as a disciple by Niu Jingang, the third-generation disciple of the master painter Qi Baishi, thus becoming a fourth-generation disciple of Qi Baishi.

How did this female professor teaching architecture at university achieve such extraordinary accomplishments in artistic creation? Only after speaking with Zeng Li would you understand the experiences and stories behind her success—there is far more complexity than meets the eye!

Zeng Li’s mother is originally from Gaoyou City, Jiangsu Province—a historic ancient city over 2,000 years old, traversed by the Grand Canal, with Gaoyou Lake lying to its west. This region has produced numerous historical luminaries, including Qing Dynasty philologists Wang Niansun and his son Wang Yinzhi. Wang Niansun was hailed as a master scholar of his generation, and their scholarship was praised as “The Wang Family School of Gaoyou—unrivaled nationwide!” Zeng Li’s mother is a descendant of Wang Niansun, born in the grand Wang family compound in Gaoyou. As descendants of scholarly giants, Zeng Li’s mother and her ancestors had personal fates closely tied to the nation’s destiny; after 1949, due to family background issues, they relocated from Gaoyou to Yangzhou. Although her mother had limited formal education, she exerted significant influence on Zeng Li’s traditional cultural upbringing: at age four, Zeng Li began drawing various beautiful female figures with pencils and ballpoint pens; alternatively, she enjoyed immersing herself in calligraphy practice at home. Although she later did not primarily focus on calligraphy creation, her early practice greatly benefited her ink painting, especially in line rendering. Additionally, she developed an interest in musical instruments during childhood, practicing the accordion and harmonica, and later studied violin and piano in university. Starting in third grade, Zeng Li became a member of the school track and field team, receiving daily national athlete stipends, and once won the 100-meter sprint championship. She believes all these experiences are intrinsically connected to art. Of course, genuine passion is most crucial for artistic creation—and Zeng Li has been precisely that kind of person, deeply interested in art since childhood.
       In November 2017, she became an invited artist of the Sydney Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Network, Australia.
       In 2017, she participated in the recording of China Education Television’s “Ink and Wash” painting program and the “Splashing Ink for Chinese Sentiment” Spring Festival Gala program.
       In 2017, she became Vice Dean of the Liuzhou Branch of China Education Television’s Ink and Wash Calligraphy and Painting Academy.
      Participated in the Baishi Cup Art Competition and won an Excellence Award; participated in the First Art Competition and won an Excellence Award; participated in the 8th China Art Competition and won an Excellence Award