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Ma Xueling

Ma Xueling
Personal Profile

      Ma Xueling, born in November 1934, is a native of Linyi City’s Lanshan District. He graduated from Linyi Normal School in 1956, studying under masters Tian Yufeng and Wang Xiaogu, specializing in traditional Chinese bird-and-flower painting. After graduation, he worked in Lanling and was transferred to Tancheng Normal School in 1959, where he taught fine arts until retirement and was awarded the title of Associate Professor.

      Mr. Ma Xueling lived a relatively low-profile life, known for his humility, noble teaching ethics, and disinterest in worldly competition, while remaining diligent in study. He skillfully absorbed the strengths of various schools, developed his own unique academic insights and pedagogical methods, and educated numerous professional art talents across Tancheng, Cangshan, and Linshu. His notable students include the renowned overseas Chinese bird-and-flower and landscape painter Xu Qinjun; Ren Shizhong, former dean of the School of Fine Arts at Linyi University; Zhu Fan, a Jinan-based bird-and-flower and landscape painter; Du Tao, member of the China Artists Association, vice president of Beijing Peace Painting Academy, and landscape and bird-and-flower painter; and Wang Lihe, director of the Chinese Calligraphers and Painters Association, member of Shandong Artists Association, and creator of the “Lyrical Yimeng” ink-expression landscape system. He enjoys high social recognition and cultural influence in southern Shandong and northern Jiangsu.
      After retirement, Mr. Ma devoted himself to creating over 1,000 traditional bird-and-flower paintings, more than 60 albums, and over 50 self-composed inscriptive poems. His technique underwent significant evolution, gradually forming a distinctive personal style and methodology. His works are rich in everyday life, often depicting dozens of common flowers such as trumpet creeper, wisteria, loquat, peach blossom, plum blossom, crape myrtle, and rose—with plum blossoms being his particular specialty. His frequently used seals include “Not Seeking Fame or Recognition,” “Painting for Personal Enjoyment,” “Ma’s Evergreen Longevity,” and “Third Visit on Buddha’s Birthday in the Year of Jiǎxū.” His artworks have been disseminated to Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Xuzhou, Zaozhuang, Lianyungang, and other regions, receiving high acclaim from artists and art enthusiasts nationwide.
 
Selected Inscriptive Poems by Mr. Ma Xueling
  Inscribed on Narcissus, Twelfth Lunar Month of Xinwei Year
My home lies by the streams of Zhangzhou,
Washed clean by pure springs, rinsed of all grime.
Pure and self-loving, white as jade,
As an immortal, seated respectfully on desks.
Offered shallow bowls of clear water,
Accompanied by rain-flower stones, I remain.
In old age, lean yet spirited,
My fragrance arrives after the twelfth lunar month.
 
Inscribed on Lotus, Xinwei Year
Ten thousand qing of emerald waves float with fragrance,
Under the sun, lotus blooms glow uniquely red.
Green shade and cool breeze dispel summer heat,
I recite again Dun Yi’s celebrated verses.
Inscribed on Lotus, Xinwei Year
Green feathers watch intently, fish hide beneath,
Pure lotus and clear water mirror the sky.
 
Inscribed on Crab-and-Wine Painting, Second Lunar Month of Gengchen Year
In late autumn, climbing high brings vigor and spirit,
Leaves wither gradually, chrysanthemums glow brightly.
Bamboo baskets hold steaming river crabs,
Jade pots of fine wine invite guests to savor.
 
Inscribed on Banana Plant, Jiǎzǐ Year
Banana trees planted in courtyards,
Swaying gracefully, full of charm.
Noble and generous,
They possess the essence of a gentleman.
 
Inscribed on Plum Blossom and Dedicated to Zhang Feng, Fifth Lunar Month of Xinmao Year
With worn brush and leftover ink, I paint wildly,
Circling and dotting, a branch slants askew.
My ingrained habits remain unchanged,
My old friend, please laugh and correct this humble work.
Note: “偺” is equivalent to “咱” (zán, “we/us”).
 
Inscribed on Plum Blossom, Xin’si Year
Ancient branches twist like dragons, yet remain vigorous,
New shoots resemble serpents, flourishing abundantly.
Note: “廼” is equivalent to “乃” (nǎi, “thus”).
 
Inscribed on Ink Plum Blossom, Ninth Lunar Month of Bingxu Year
Thanks to a stone badger-hair brush,
I sketch lean bark and defiant bones.
East wind blows fully, awakening all,
Branch tips burst forth, spring surges like tides.
Note: “甦” is equivalent to “苏” (sū, “awaken”).
 
Inscribed on Plum Blossom, Bingxu Year
I paint plum blossoms for leisure,
A few pleasing branches become family heirlooms.
Though petals are round and full,
I keep them for appreciation, not for sale.
 
Inscribed on Plum Blossom, Bingxu Year
Stroking, rubbing, circling, and dotting,
I depict twisted branches each in their own way.
Ancient trunks display extraordinary grace,
Like snow-covered scales, fragrance fills the tree.
 
Inscribed on Plum Blossom, Bingxu Year
I paint an old plum branch hanging downward,
High-positioned, yet bowing low to extend.
Even at lofty heights, one should bow humbly,
Building harmony is the people’s hope.
 
Inscribed on Orchid, Reflecting, Bingxu Year
Life drawing forms the foundation,
Images derive from natural grace.
Composition requires careful planning,
Viewers will find it naturally pleasing.
 
Written on Huàn Huā Day, Agricultural Calendar, Dinghai Year
My scribbles never follow rigid rules,
Learning from nature, insights arise spontaneously.
Ink flows freely without hesitation,
Among discarded papers, one or two may be worth keeping.
 
Inscribed on Trumpet Creeper, Ninth Lunar Month of Bingxu Year
Known as Lingxiao flower, gazing toward Jiangnan,
It blooms vibrantly red during midsummer.
Naturally climbing upward,
Across the land, it glows like rosy clouds.
 
Inscribed on Trumpet Creeper 
Winding around trunks, vines stretch a hundred feet,
Several crimson blooms ascend to the heavens.
 
Inscribed on Pine and Cypress, Bingxu Year
Past seventy, adding three more years,
I paint an old cypress, comparing it to my age.
Next spring, shedding its cold-defying coat,
The crimson dragon still dons green robes.
 
Inscribed on Grapes, Minor Yang Month of Bingxu Year
Grapes ripen at the start of July,
Pearl-like clusters hang beneath trellises.
Farmers toil half the year,
Earning sweet praise from all who taste.
 
Inscribed on Grapes, Minor Yang Month of Bingxu Year
I grow “Ink Dragon Eye” grapes,
Each bead perfectly round and glossy.
No chemical fertilizers or pesticides used,
Purely natural, safe and healthy to eat.
 
Inscribed on Grapes, Minor Yang Month of Bingxu Year
I paint grapes as dark ink blobs,
Each bead perfectly round and glossy.
Ink varies in five shades, suggesting depth and distance,
Avoiding chaos, ensuring clear distinction.
 
Inscribed on Grapes, Minor Yang Month of Bingxu Year
“Horse Milk” grapes originate from the Western Regions,
Green jade gems, long and luminous.
I advise you to eat dozens daily,
Their crisp sweetness moistens and benefits health.
 
Inscribed on Ink Grapes, Snow Month of Bingxu Year
You urged me to paint ink grapes,
Sparking inspiration, my heart surged.
Contemplating day and night, I painted wildly,
Fulfilling your request with a single sheet.
 
Inscribed on Magnolia, Buddha’s Birthday, First Yang Month of Bingxu Year
Elegant and upright trees,
Begin blooming in early spring.
Flowers emerge without leaves,
Unfolding flawlessly against blue skies.
 
Bingxu Year, Autumn
Orchids flourish in rainforests,
Leaves lush, flowers large, truly captivating.
Among orchids, lotuses, plums, and narcissus,
The orchid, as “ancestor of fragrance,” ranks as divine. Appendix: Postscript by Li Gaolou for Mr. Ma Xueling’s Painting Album, 2008  
Master Ma Xueling, born in 1934,
Ancestral home in Langya, city of the Sage of Calligraphy.
Family scholarship runs deep, gifted since youth.
In young adulthood, became a normal school student.
Read widely in poetry and books, integrating all knowledge.
Studied under Master Xiaogu and Master Tian Yufeng.
Their artistry and virtue, silently engraved in heart.
Inspired and nurtured, attained their essence.
Deeply researched bird-and-flower painting, enlightened profoundly.
Began teaching career, stepping into Lanling.
At age thirty, moved to Tancheng.
Spent forty autumns and winters teaching in the educational field.
Not seeking fame or recognition, not chasing empty reputation.
Unmoved by fame, undisturbed by profit.
Southern flowers, northern fruits—all mastered effortlessly.
Painting for personal joy, naturally spontaneous.
Students spread across the land, fame and achievement fulfilled.
On the cultural front, truly a model soldier.
Virtue and artistry both exquisite, eyebrows and beard dignified.
Grandmaster’s demeanor, universally praised.
 
When Master paints, conception precedes brush.
Learns from nature, strokes flow effortlessly.
Brush descends with divine skill, stillness and motion thunderous.
Self-composed inscriptive poems greatly enhance artistic conception.
Iron plum blossoms under falling snow, deeply moving to read.
Spirit of Wei and Jin dynasties, resonates when struck.
Red plum blossoms, graceful and smiling.
Winter plum branches stretch calmly, colors serene.
Ink orchids exude elegant charm, chrysanthemums defy autumn winds.
Lingxiao vines climb skyward, gazing back to roots.
Crape myrtles bloom long, roses blush faintly.
Purple snow dances gracefully, noble hibiscus.
Pomegranates laugh joyfully, cuckoos sing mournfully.
Spring dawn at Wuling, golden loquats.
Pine and cypress, noble and pure, fearless of cold winds.
Emerald waves float with fragrance, dragonflies compete to alight.
Simple, elegant, concise—painting’s essence captured.
Poetry within paintings, masterful brushwork.
Technique exquisite, mastery perfected.
Artist and artistry both mature, honored throughout Yimeng.
 
Tancheng Normal School, entering his mentor’s door.
Humble gentleman, gentle Confucian air.
Outward appearance, simple and orderly.
Observing his painting skill, effortless mastery.
Listening to his teachings, gentle spring rain.
Guiding patiently, benefiting all students.
Moral and intellectual education, never relaxed.
Original aspiration unforgettable, forging ahead resolutely.
Encountering such a mentor, fortune of three lifetimes.
Master’s kindness, like a father’s affection.
Every drop, every moment, enlightens life.
Nourishes my heart, moistens my nature.
Now past forty, sudden awakening and clarity.
This filial bond, long overdue for action.
Grateful reflection, compiled into this album.
My brother Dayong, instrumental in its completion.
Plus renowned masters, adding fragrance and delight.
Held in hand, profoundly weighty.
Presented to my revered teacher, shared with friends.
To demonstrate my sincerity, forever remember master’s kindness.

 
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