Du Dabiao

      Du Dabiao, born in 1973, is a CPC member from Jinan, Shandong Province, with ancestral roots in Cao County. He is a National First-Class Artist and First-Class Arts and Crafts Artist, a member of the China Calligraphers and Painters Association, and a member of the Shandong Provincial Artists Association.
      Mr. Du has loved writing and painting since childhood. Through years of diligent study and practice, often painting under sunny skies and reading during rainy days, he immersed himself in the works of numerous renowned calligraphers and painters. In 1991, he was admitted to Shandong Light Industry Art School, where over four years of intensive study his artistic knowledge was comprehensively enhanced. Excelling academically, he was elected class monitor and student union president, and also honorably joined the Communist Party. During his studies, he systematically mastered professional disciplines including calligraphy, traditional Chinese painting, sculpture, ceramic arts, environmental design, watercolor, decorative art, photography, aesthetics theory, and industrial arts—laying a solid and comprehensive foundation in fine arts. Studying both ancient masters and modern aesthetics, his painting style preserves traditional Chinese ink techniques while embracing contemporary decorative aesthetic principles. Over the years, his artworks have evolved into a unique synthesis of poetry, calligraphy, painting, and seal carving. His diverse body of work includes large-scale ink-wash landscapes, small freehand-style flower-and-bird paintings, line drawings, ink sketches, and calligraphy. Particularly notable are his ink cartoons, rich in life philosophy and delivered with humorous, satirical language, which have been widely shared across modern social media platforms. His works have been exhibited in numerous national art exhibitions and collected by various institutions. Recently, his piece "Autumn Wind Drunkenly Tints the Wild Countryside" was selected for the 2020 "Rainflower Across the Sky" National Landscape Painting Exhibition, and "Clear and Serene Autumn Mountains" was included in the 2020 "Born Talent: National Art" Landscape Painting Exhibition.
      Sincere, simple, thoughtful, diligent, optimistic, and open-minded—these are the traits that define Mr. Du’s character. He is someone who refuses mediocrity; constantly challenging himself means enduring many hardships and setbacks. Experience is wealth, and character is capital. His bumpy journey and deeply reflective soul serve as endless sources of inspiration for his creations. His large landscape paintings are profound, restrained, solemn, vast, majestic, and awe-inspiring. His ink cartoons, drawn from everyday observations, capture life's essence with just a few strokes, brimming with love for life and deep understanding of existence. His sketch paintings often carry a teasing tone, expressed in plain, accessible language that is both thought-provoking and delightfully amusing. Though visually concise, his works carefully balance brushwork and composition, unifying expressive intensity with refined ink technique. He emphasizes the vitality and rhythm in his paintings, each stroke reflecting both mastery over the canvas and profound insights into life.
      In recent years, the calligraphy and painting market has become chaotic. Restless minds, eagerness for quick success, lack of patience for scholarly pursuits, and unwillingness to endure the hardships of genuine creation have led to an oversaturation of perfunctory, vulgar, plagiarized, mass-produced, and disconnected works. Meanwhile, authentic artworks rich in intellectual depth remain as rare oases in a cultural desert. Mr. Du’s art arrives like a refreshing spring breeze, revitalizing the art world with freshness and originality. Unrestricted by stylistic conventions, his diverse expressions draw content directly from life. A keen observer and deep thinker, he channels his passion for life through years of accumulated skill and cultivation, grounded in solid literary, philosophical, and historical knowledge, along with his deep affection for society and the people—ultimately shaping him into an artist with strong social responsibility. As the saying goes, “Every citizen bears responsibility for the nation’s rise and fall.” Faced with complex international situations and natural disasters—especially the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus—Mr. Du has taken up his brush as a weapon. He has created a large number of anti-pandemic artworks published across various media, using art to unite the public, strengthen collective resolve, inspire courage, and overcome difficulties together. Thus, his works not only provoke thought but also offer enlightenment.