Ma Yongzhong

Old horses by the stall still dream of galloping a thousand miles. —An Interview with Ma Yongzhong, Member of the China Democratic League and Director of Jia De Art Museum Author: Jin Lichun The blood of writers and artists is always hot, no matter the season. —Author’s Note He is an old hand in the ink and brush world, yet remains just an ordinary person; his ambitions have been fulfilled, yet he is plagued by illness… Yet he never surrenders, for he carries a heart full of fervent love. This is Ma Yongzhong, member of the China Democratic League and director of Jia De Art Museum. When it comes to the famous Ma Yongzhong, I’d like to say a few more words. I first met Ma Yongzhong in my youth, when I was a beginner in writing, often seeing his excellent works and name in newspapers and magazines. Heaven blessed me—I later worked alongside Teacher Ma Yongzhong for a time. It was in 1999 that I was invited to participate in editing the large-scale academic series “Century Literary Classic” (Gansu Volume). Teacher Ma Yongzhong served as chief editor and director. He was warm and respectful, frequently guiding me on editorial errors, helping this young man complete the task successfully. Later, due to work demands, I moved on to other jobs—a separation of over a decade. But I often thought of him. Upon inquiry, someone told me that Teacher Ma was still passionately engaged in the literary and cultural work he loved. In the second month of the Gengzi year, I saw on WeChat Moments a message that deeply saddened me—Ma Teacher had right lung squamous cell carcinoma metastasized to the left lung. I wanted to visit him immediately, but since I was in Shanghai, thousands of miles away, and busy running my business, I couldn’t leave. It wasn’t until December 16th of the same year that the Dongzhi Town Cultural Association was established, and I was elected chairman of the Writers’ Association. While filling out the membership registration form, I again saw the name—Ma Yongzhong. Learning that Teacher Ma could attend the event despite his illness filled me with admiration and respect. After the meeting, I arranged to interview him and meet up a few days later. Dongzhi Plateau’s winter is blanketed in ice and snow everywhere; most people, like others in Northwest China, stay indoors, warming themselves by fireplaces while playing on their phones. I stepped into Jia De Art Museum located at Nanjie Street, Dongzhi Town, Xifeng District, Qingyang City, Gansu Province. As I lifted the curtain, Mrs. Ma warmly informed me: “Teacher Ma is upstairs entertaining guests—please go up quickly.” Following the eastern staircase, I entered the east parlor where many people were discussing creative insights with Teacher Ma. His answers satisfied all the writers and artists, who laughed heartily within the room.   I didn’t dare interrupt the writers and artists, so I focused instead on the museum’s introduction posted on the wall: Jia De Art Museum is located at Nanjie Street, Dongzhi Town, Xifeng District, Qingyang City, one kilometer from the city center, serving as the southern gateway to Qingyang. The vast and magnificent Dongzhi Plateau, rich in resources, has nurtured generations of hardworking, wise, and virtuous people. The shining gem of the plateau—the town of Dongzhi—is known as “a hub of four directions, bustling with trade,” inseparably linked to the plateau itself, experiencing its glorious past, beautiful present, and hopeful future. High-speed highways and railways encircle the town, with exits and stations nearby. Urban buses, Century Avenue, Changqing Pedestrian Street, and West Ring Road connect directly to the city center. Qingyang Petrochemical Plant, Xifeng Oil Field, Longdong Oil Field, Xifeng Vocational Secondary School, Qingyang Thousand-Mu Cultural Park, Qingyang Thousand-Mu Forest Park, South Lake Ecological Park, and the landmark Rainbow Bridge are all located in Dongzhi. North Stone Temple and Xiao Kongtong, two major tourist attractions, lie in Dongzhi. Qingyang Airport, Changqing Bridge Railway Station, Longdong College, Qingyang Polytechnic College, and Qingyang High-Speed Railway Station are all near Dongzhi. Jia De Art Museum began planning in 2001 (registered under business license), followed by the establishment of Western Poetry & Calligraphy Magazine (publishing the magazine “Western Poetry & Calligraphy,” approved in July 16, 2014), Du Yunxuan Cultural Research Center (registered February 22, 2017), Qunxing Farmers’ Painting and Calligraphy Art Museum (registered March 20, 2017), Northwest Calligraphy Research Institute of China University of Fine Arts (approved in 2016), Han Bo Calligraphy Academy (approved April 28, 2018), Chinese Hard Pen Calligraphy Association’s Gansu branch (approved September 2019), and Chinese Calligraphers Association Youth Art Evaluation Base (approved August 2019). Now it operates as a group-style enterprise (one team, eight banners). The museum spans over 6,000 square meters, featuring a main hall, eight exhibition halls, guest rooms, parking lots, and a training school. Since its founding, it has continuously hosted calligraphy and painting gatherings, regularly organizing exhibitions, competitions, and youth art training. Annually, it receives over 4,000 artists, trains more than 200 children, and welcomes over 20,000 visitors and exchange participants. It houses nearly 40,000 pieces (sets) of calligraphy and paintings, over 100 scrolls (40 already mounted), more than 100 albums, over 500 other artworks, over 1,000 books, and published 16 formal book categories totaling over 20,000 copies (in-house collection), along with 400 artist monographs. Besides daily exchanges among artists, the museum also publishes the official journal “Western Poetry & Calligraphy” quarterly, plus special issues and anthologies (jointly produced with the Northwest Calligraphy Research Institute, headquartered in Shuyuanmen, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, with Jia De Art Museum as its branch).   “Lichun, you’ve come! Please wait a moment,” said Teacher Ma, smiling. I shifted my gaze and thoughts from the wall to him—he looked much thinner due to illness, yet remained as approachable as ever. He then introduced me to others: “This is my old colleague and partner, also a writer. Today he’s here for an interview with me.” Everyone turned their eyes toward me. I clasped my hands in greeting and asked everyone to continue their discussion. One hour later, after seeing off the guests, old friends met again with great warmth. After exchanging greetings, I conducted a formal, private interview with Teacher Ma. Below is the transcript of my interview with Ma Yongzhong: Q: Teacher Ma, how is your health now? I heard you’re still conducting public welfare activities despite being ill—can your body handle it? A: I’m still undergoing medication. You know, literature and art have been my lifelong passion and goal. As long as I can contribute even a little to cultural work, I feel it’s worth it. Q: You’ve worked in various news organizations—what inspired you to start the museum? A: I previously worked at People’s Daily, Xifeng Municipal Committee of the Propaganda Department, Xifeng County Propaganda Department, Jintian Xifeng Newspaper, Longdong Vocational Middle School, and Xifeng Vocational Middle School. I also served as station chief for 21 local bureaus of newspapers and magazines—including Western Development News, Financial Times Gansu Bureau—and held leadership roles in 36 associations such as Vice President of China National Academy of Painting, Honorary President of China Artists Association, Vice Chairman of China Contemporary Art Association, Chairman of the Gansu Branch of the Chinese Hard Pen Calligraphy Association, and member of the China Calligraphy Collectors Association. Later, I registered private entities including Qingyang Cross-Century Cultural Communication Center, Qingyang Jia De Art Museum, Qingyang Qunxing Farmers’ Painting and Calligraphy Art Museum, and Qingyang Du Yunxuan Cultural Research Center. I also secured approval for the Northwest Calligraphy Research Institute of China University of Fine Arts (Qingyang Creative Base), Chinese Hard Pen Calligraphy Association Member Unit, Chinese Calligraphers Association Youth Art Evaluation Base (Calligraphy and Painting), and Western Poetry & Calligraphy Magazine, establishing branches like Han Bo Calligraphy Academy, etc. I believe talent revitalization is foundational to comprehensive rural revitalization and aligns with national calls. For years, rural youth and quality talent have continued to leave, resulting in insufficient total numbers, unbalanced structures, low quality, severe aging, and significant gaps between current talent levels and rural revitalization needs. In the new development stage, we must accelerate rural revitalization and modernize agriculture and rural areas—rural talent supply-demand contradictions will intensify. Therefore, I started the museum to address these issues—to cultivate young talents using my own advantages.   Q: What do you consider your greatest achievement? A: My greatest achievement is publishing the officially recognized magazine “Western Poetry & Calligraphy,” and independently publishing 14 monographs, including “Essays on News Writing.” In recent years, I’ve received numerous honors: in March 2013, awarded “Outstanding Member of the Qingyang Municipal Committee of the China Democratic League” by the Qingyang Municipal Committee of the China Democratic League; in April 2014, “Outstanding Member of the Xifeng District Committee of the China Democratic League”; in August 2015, invited to Lanzhou to attend the provincial China Democratic League members’ experience-sharing conference at the Gansu Provincial CPPCC; in December 2016, awarded “Chinese Literary Celebrity” by Beijing Tongyi Culture and Art Museum; in May 2018, awarded “Most Beautiful Worker in Chinese Industry” by the China Communist Party History and Construction Network; in October 2018, awarded “Outstanding Tutor” by the Chinese Hard Pen Calligraphy Association; in December 2018, awarded “Ten Outstanding Artists of the People” by the China Calligraphy Yellow Pages Network; in December 2019, awarded “New Era Outstanding Builder” by the China International Reportage Literature Research Association; in September 2020, organized a巡回 exhibition of collected calligraphy and paintings across Qingyang’s eight counties, receiving over 200 members of the Qingyang Municipal Committee of the China Democratic League and over 40,000 domestic and foreign artists and enthusiasts. Q: Given all these achievements, what economic benefits have you gained? I hear you had to borrow money for medical treatment—people say, “the poorest in the world are scholars.” Have you regretted giving so much? A: Yes, I did need to raise funds during my illness—but many people donated to help me. The world is still full of sunlight and boundless love. I’ll keep pursuing cultural work—I’ll never regret anything I do. I only want to do what I should do—to make culture serve the masses, and let the masses enjoy culture. Q: I heard you’ve retired and still work while sick—do you plan to stop writing? A: Though I work while ill, I recently still intend to write and complete my personal anthology. Though tired, I find joy in the labor. Q: I’d like to ask you an academic question—you joined the China Reportage Literature Association in 2004 and are a seasoned writer. Is it acceptable to use literary techniques in reportage literature? A: Reportage literature must uphold journalistic truthfulness, but we can certainly employ some literary techniques—like describing scenery. We may also add commentary, explain principles, and convey positive messages. Ultimately, reportage literature relies on facts—it’s the author’s comments that act like the finishing touch on a dragon’s eye. Q: One last question—what are your plans for 2021? A: 2021 is a crucial year for the “14th Five-Year Plan.” The Central Rural Work Conference emphasized that national rejuvenation requires rural revitalization. I plan to further train more children, preparing them to become pillars of the nation. Organize more artists and writers for discussions and exchanges, utilizing “Western Poetry & Calligraphy” and Jia De Art Museum to promote emerging talent and new works. Organize artists and writers to conduct cultural research in rural areas, bringing culture to villages—ensuring farmers truly feel the warmth of cultural support. Using Jia De Art Museum, I aim to nurture talent, provide solid human capital support for comprehensive rural revitalization, and bring vitality to vast countryside, ushering in a brighter future. “Thank you, Teacher Ma, for taking time to be interviewed. Wishing you a swift recovery and fulfillment of all your dreams in the coming year. It’s late now—I shouldn’t trouble you longer. I have matters to attend to. Goodbye!” I knew Teacher Ma was unwell and wouldn’t want prolonged interruptions, so after each question, I found excuses to leave. Leaving Jia De Art Museum, I watched Teacher Ma turn back inside. The weather was still cold, but my heart felt warm. I thought: No matter how grand history may be, it’s propelled forward by ordinary people like Teacher Ma—generation after generation. The blood of writers and artists is always hot, no matter the season. (Author: Famous Poet, Certified Writer of “China Rural” Magazine, Chairman of Dongzhi Writers’ Association)