Ma Zhiping, born in June 1954, is a native of Hebei Xingtai City.
He is currently a state-gift calligrapher, member of the Chinese Calligraphers Association (Hebei Branch), Vice President of the China Quality March Calligraphy and Painting Academy, Director of the Red Flag Fluttering Calligraphy and Painting Academy, Vice President of the China Traditional Culture Exchange Association, Honorary Vice President of the Shengshi Lanting Calligraphy and Painting Academy, and a contracted calligrapher of the Shengshi Lanting Calligraphy and Painting Academy. “His calligraphic style is distinguished by its ‘qi’ (vital energy) and ‘shi’ (momentum), exuding vivid spirit and forming a unique personal style.”
Ma Zhiping has loved practicing calligraphy since childhood, writing at least one hundred characters daily without fail, vowing never to cease his practice. For over sixty years, he has persisted with unwavering dedication. He initially studied regular script through Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan, later focusing intensively on the essence of the Two Wangs and Mi Fu, while also studying regular script styles of Tang masters such as Ouyang Xun and Chu Suiliang. In his spare time, he tirelessly practiced at his inkstone, striving for an ancient, vigorous, and simple aesthetic, excelling particularly in Wang Xizhi’s running script. While learning classical brush techniques, he carefully studied the compositional essence of masterpieces throughout history, emphasizing distinctive innovation; his works embody a harmonious beauty that appears naturally integrated.
“Mr. Ma Zhiping’s running script is grand and fluid, complex yet never redundant, transforming freely and naturally inspired by nature. Though traces of past masters are discernible, he has truly established his own unique style—open-minded, fluent, and natural—achieving ‘novelty in easy characters, spirit in difficult scripts.’” — Comment by Zhang Hai, Chairman of the Chinese Calligraphers Association.
Mr. Ma Zhiping’s regular-running script is dignified and ancient, solemn and composed, with elegant, firm strokes conveying inner strength. His seal script is deeply imbued with simplicity and vigor, fresh and powerful, with smooth, lively lines, evenly symmetrical strokes, and gracefully structured compositions—robust yet beautiful, free-spirited yet spiritually profound, exuding a wholly natural aura. — Comment by Feng Yuan, Vice Chairman of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles
In recent years, building upon his foundation and guided by his artistic philosophy, Ma Zhiping has pursued study, creation, and competition, earning recognition and acclaim from experts and peers. His works have been frequently published in national newspapers and magazines and have repeatedly received high honors in nationwide competitions. Alongside winning numerous awards, his works have also been included in historically significant publications.
◇October 1996, won the National First Prize at the Brush Calligraphy Exchange Conference held at the Beijing Great Hall of the People.
◇November 1996, awarded the First Prize in the 1996 Annual Review and Exchange of Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Talents by the Talent Research Center of the Ministry of Personnel.
◇June 1997, his monumental running script work “Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection” won the Gold Prize at the Hong Kong Reunification Calligraphy and Painting Competition; in October of the same year, he received the Silver Prize at the 2nd China-Japan Elite Calligraphy and Painting Invitational.
◇March 1998, won the Gold Prize in the National Brush Calligraphy Competition.
◇October 1998, at the Advanced Calligraphy and Painting Talent Seminar and 1998 National Calligraphy and Painting Talent Exchange Conference hosted by the Calligraphy and Painting Talent Qualification Review Committee of the Talent Research Center of the Ministry of Personnel, he was awarded the “China Art Talent Gold Prize.”
◇July 1999, was rated by the Calligraphy and Painting Talent Qualification Review Committee of the Talent Research Center of the Ministry of Personnel as a “Senior Art Lecturer at the China Calligraphy and Painting Talent Research Center.”
◇September 2005, attended as an invited guest the celebration of the 56th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China at the Beijing Great Hall of the People, and was honored with the title “Long Live the Motherland — Outstanding Patriotic Figures at Home and Abroad.”
◇October 2007, won the First Prize at the Nanchang Golden Autumn Pen Conference and “Tengwang Pavilion Cup” National Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition.
◇October 2007, awarded the Silver Prize in the 3rd “Zhonghua Cup” National New Beijing New Olympics Calligraphy and Painting Competition.
◇October 2008, won the “Zhuangyuan Prize” at the “Zhuangyuan Cup” International Calligraphy and Painting Grand Prix, and was simultaneously rated as a First-Class Calligrapher and Painter.
◇June 2010, won First Prize in calligraphy at the 1st “Lushan Cup” National Literary and Art Grand Prix.
◇July 2010, three calligraphy and painting works won Gold Prizes at the “National Senior Calligraphy and Painting Artists Outstanding Works Beijing-Hong Kong Touring Exhibition.”
◇August 2010, awarded the Silver Prize in calligraphy at the 2nd “Asia-Europe Cup” International Calligraphy and Painting Art Grand Prix.
◇September 2010, Ma Zhiping’s calligraphy works were included in the Dictionary of Internationally Renowned Literary and Art Figures, and he was conferred the honorary title of “Internationally Renowned Literary and Art Figure.”
◇December 2013, Ma Zhiping’s calligraphy was awarded the “Highest Achievement Award in Chinese Red Art Creation · Gold Prize” at the “Ink Ode to Great Leaders — Commemorating the 120th Anniversary of Chairman Mao Zedong’s Birth” Invitational Competition for Contemporary Chinese Poetry, Calligraphy, and Painting Masters.
◇January 2014, Ma Zhiping’s calligraphy works were selected for auction at the “Celebrating the Successful Convening of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee — Special Auction of Contemporary Chinese Powerhouse Calligraphers and Painters,” and he was conferred the honorary title “Contemporary Chinese Powerhouse Calligrapher and Painter — Auction Sensation Figure.”
◇June 2014, Hebei TV Station interviewed Ma Zhiping and conducted on-site filming of his monumental running script work “Preface to the Orchid Pavilion.”
◇June 2014, the China Traditional Aesthetics Research Association and China Calligraphy and Painting Academy conferred upon Ma Zhiping the “Qinghua Cup — First China Traditional Culture Highest Achievement Award.”
◇August 2015, won the First Prize in calligraphy at the 11th “Tengwang Pavilion Cup” National Literary and Art Grand Prix.
◇December 2015, recommended by the People’s Daily, Ma Zhiping was rated by the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the CPC as a “Chinese Outstanding Figure.”
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