Zhou Congming

      Zhou Congming, also known as Zhou Zongming, style name Jizhi, sobriquet "Lanling Fusheng," born in 1970, is a native of Lanling, Linyi, Shandong Province. He is a renowned master of poetry, calligraphy, painting, and seal carving in Linyi, and serves as Vice Chairman of the China Artists Network Cooperation Alliance.
      From childhood, he was deeply fascinated by sketching. His calligraphy began with Liu Gongquan, then traced back to the Wei and Jin dynasties, particularly devoting great effort to Wei stele inscriptions. He admires the art of the Ming and Qing dynasties and has developed profound insights into ink wash depictions of trees and rocks. His paintings primarily feature landscapes and flowers-and-birds; he is especially captivated by the Northern School of Song and Yuan dynasty landscape traditions, and more recently has studied the styles of masters such as Qin Lingyun, Wang Xuetao, and Fu Baoshi. He is also skilled in seal carving, passionate about epigraphy, and delights in the minute artistry of seals, striving to emulate antiquity—particularly drawn to official seals from the Qin and Han dynasties and private seals (xi) from the Warring States period. Drawing mutual nourishment from classical Chinese literature and poetry, he aspires to grasp even a drop of their essence, though wonders if such attainment may be beyond reach.
      For over ten years he worked in a factory, spending his spare time indoors without going out, diligently reading and practicing calligraphy and painting without pause. Later, he resigned to travel through mountains and rivers, visiting renowned artists across the country. He founded the Xiyue Xuan studio and has since devoted himself entirely to the study and creation of calligraphy and painting.
      In 2008, he was named by the Linyi Municipal Propaganda Department as one of the sixty most investment-worthy contemporary artists from Yimeng; Issue Thirteen of Linyi's major literary magazine *Cai Lian* featured his painting *Lotus* on the cover; several of his poems were published in the Autumn 2018 issue of the well-known domestic literary journal *Literary Heights*, which also displayed his calligraphy and paintings on the back cover; in December 2018, he participated as a member of the Linyi Calligraphy and Painting Delegation invited to Tianjin to celebrate the establishment of the Shandong Linyi Chamber of Commerce.
 
Selected Poems by Zhou Congming: One: Self-Reflection in the Year Guiwei       I began studying calligraphy, painting, and seal carving—I don’t recall exactly when, but probably during middle school. At first, I treated seal carving merely as a game. Around that time, I was close friends with Zhao Haibo from Changcheng. He also carved stone, and we shared similar views. Thus, I started grinding stones and wielding knives, using scarce印谱 (seal impression albums), randomly carving designs with little understanding, feeling utterly lost yet gazing around with knife in hand. Nevertheless, I immersed myself so deeply that I forgot meals and sleep, leaving my room splattered with paste.
My initial exposure to calligraphy came from art classes at school, where we merely practiced tracing large characters—a rudimentary beginning, but it sparked my interest. My first encounter was with the style of Liu Gongquan, whose boldness, strength, and structural tension impressed me deeply—the work of a true master. To this day, I remain greatly influenced and benefited by his style.
      Fifteen years have swiftly passed like flowing water eastward. Life is finite—how many fifteen-year spans can one have? Fortunately, though ordinary, I have not blindly followed the crowd. I refuse to participate in so-called “international calligraphy and painting exhibitions,” “famous figures dictionaries,” or titles like “Grade-* Artist.” Sharing Fan Dongjun’s sentiment, I look down upon such hollow fame. Let them enjoy their self-amusement, take pride in their names, hehe, alas and alack—they each find their own extraordinary joy. Don’t rashly criticize; haha, lest you draw angry retorts!
      Fame—“ming”—means clarity, or resonance: clarifying one’s skills, revealing inner depth. Like a pearl, its brilliance cannot be obscured by mud. One must avoid emptiness and restlessness, like a summer cicada clinging to a willow tip, fearing the world won’t know of its presence, shrieking hoarsely, exhausting every effort. Loud it may be, but once met with a stone or sticky pole, fortune will not last. Hehe, thus true fame comes from self-cultivation, not from loud proclamation. Stay calm and grounded, compensate clumsiness with diligence, nurture virtue, enrich your craft—reputation will naturally emerge. This is genuine scholarly fame! What we should truly fear is being empty within yet talkative—certainly inviting ridicule. Beware! Beware! This rant needs no shared agreement—merely serves as self-encouragement.
      Written in the small sunny season of the year Guiwei at Xiyue Xuan Studio.
  Two: Mountain Walk Morning mist closes in near, Flowing water sounds far away. A path slants upward into clouds, A lone bird flies off at ease. Sorrow comes, poetic thoughts thirst; I visit a monk, asking the green mountain. Deep among trees, no trace remains— Everywhere, I might as well retreat within.  
Three: Ode to the Lotus Fragrance drifts afar, pure and serene, dew glistening bright, Under willow shade I nap, lulled by lotus-scented breeze. In red gown and green robe leaning on the railing, Pale mist veils pink buds, faintly hiding graceful forms.