True Sea

 Zhen Hai,a painter and calligrapher, originally named Jia Zhenhai, was born in 1965 in Luoyang, Henan Province. He holds a senior professional title and is a member of the Henan Provincial Calligraphers Association, the Henan Photographers Association, the Luoyang Artists Association, and the Luoyang Calligraphers and Painters Association (all official national associations). He graduated from the China Correspondence University of Traditional Chinese Painting and Calligraphy (now known as the China International University of Calligraphy and Painting). He has won the Excellence Award in the Su Dongpo Cup National Calligraphy and Painting Competition, the First Prize in the Chinalco Creativity Cup Calligraphy and Painting Competition organized by China Nonferrous Metals Industry Group, and Excellence Awards in the 21st and 22nd Henan Calligraphers Association Exhibitions. He has also received multiple excellence awards in Luoyang City calligraphy and painting competitions. His works have been published in newspapers such as China Aluminum News, Luoyang Daily, and Luoyang Evening News, and have been selected for exhibitions including the 20th Henan Calligraphers Association Exhibition and the 24th Henan Artists Association Painting Exhibition. Mr. Zhen Hai began studying traditional Chinese painting, sketching, gouache, watercolor, and other Chinese and Western painting styles at an early age. In recent years, he has focused on researching peony paintings in traditional Chinese style, studying works by Ming, Qing, and contemporary artists. Under the guidance of several renowned masters and through direct observation in nature, he integrates artistic elements from Chinese painting, photography, and calligraphy. Taking advantage of his geographical location, he frequently immerses himself in peony gardens, carefully observing their postures and capturing their essence. Through sketching and photographic studies, he incorporates diverse artistic elements into his creations, gradually developing a unique painting style—innovative yet rooted in tradition, but distinct from conventional approaches. His creative works, praised by experts and beloved by the public, stand apart from vulgar or clichéd peony paintings commonly seen today. Achieving broad aesthetic appeal, many of his works are collected by institutions and individuals both within China and overseas.
Influenced by his family background, he began learning calligraphy at the age of twelve under the tutelage of his grandfather. Later, he studied under Li Jinxue, Chairman of the Luoyang Calligraphers Association, Vice-Chairman Zhang Heling, and renowned calligraphers Dai Cangqi and Wang Huaying, specializing in the study of Han dynasty clerical script. Having grasped the essence of Han clerical script, he gradually developed a simple, archaic, and rustic calligraphic style, earning high praise from his teachers. A diligent and serious scholar, Mr. Zhen Hai is a calligrapher of genuine artistic strength.