| Mr. Shang Chi-ti is an outstanding Chinese painter and educator of fine arts. He is now residing in California. A native of Chingchiang County, Kiangsu Province, Shang has served as professor at Soochow Academy of Fine Arts, Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, and the Department of Fine Arts of National Taiwan Normal University. Shang showed a keen interest in painting and decided to choose painting as his lifelong career when studying at the First Primary School and the Teachers' School of Chingchiang County. Shang passed the entrance examination and became a full-time student of western painting at Soochow Academy of Fine Arts after graduation from the teachers' school in 1931. At that time, President of the Academy Yen Wen-liang told us, "Our academy is a professional school of fine arts which requires all students to fully dedicate themselves. In learning to paint, you must make every effort to reach the standards of purity in thought, accuracy in facts and beauty in artistry." Shang is one of a few students who have been sticking to these guidelines mapped out by Mr. Yen. In the summer of 1933, |  |
Shang returned to China in 1937 after completing his study in Japan and accepted an invitation to teach at Mr. Yen's academy. The War of Resistance Against Japan broke out shortly after Shang began his teaching career. Out of indignance, Shang and I paid out of our own pocket and cooperated with each other in drawing a huge oil painting dubbed "Recovery of Our Lost Territories." The painting was hung at the square of the Confucius' Temple as a reminder of the importance to resist the Japanese invasion. The painting, reflecting Shang's strong sense of patriotism, attracted much attention and successfully mobilized the public for a sacred war against Japan to protect our national territories. In October 1937, Shang and some 30 faculty members removed important facilities of the academy to Yuhang County, Chekiang Province, a quiet and beautiful countryside suitable for relocation of the academy during the wartime. Unfortunately, Japanese troops advanced rapidly toward the county shortly after the preparatory work was completed, thus forcing the academy to suspend operations.
Many of Shang's colleagues left the academy as gunfire drawed near, but Shang decided to stay with Mr. Yen to help him cope with challenges. Shang fell sick because of exhaustion and was sent by his colleagues to a hospital in Ningpo City. Shortly after he recovered from illness, Shang's hometown-Chingchiang County - fell into the hands of Japanese troops. Shang went to Shanghai after paying a secret visit to his hometown. In the fall of 1938, Mr. Yen rented the seventh floor of a building in Shanghai and invited Shang to assist in restoring the academy. Because of the lack of funds, all faculty members agreed to work for free and use the tuition fees to pay the rents, electricty and water rates and other expenditures necessary to maintain the normal functioning of the academy. During that time, Shang also served as concurrent professor at Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts. One year later, Shang returned to his hometown to get away from the continued harrassment of some followers of Chinese traitor Wang Ching-wei.
In 1945, Shang returned to Shanghai to take part in the preparations to celebrate China's victory over Japan after eight years of struggles. In October 1945, Soochow Academy of Fine Arts was reestablished at its original site in Kiangsu Province under the assistance of Shang. Later, Shang was engaged by Mr. Yen and Mr. Wu Tzu-shen, chairman of the board of the academy, as professor and concurrent dean of students because of his contributions to the academy. During that time, Shang also founded a high school at his hometown, but its operations was forced to suspend as a result of Communist rebellion. Shang then went to Amoy with his friends and took a vessel to Taiwan in January 1949. He took part in the founding of the Chiang Shu High School in Taipei City in early 1950 and taught there for 25 years. Since 1951, he has also served as concurrent professor of fine arts at National Taiwan Normal University. He was also a member on the screening board for the first national exhibition of f~ne arts in Taiwin.
Shang retired in 1975 and accompanied his wife to California to live with their son and daughter-inlaw who have been studying and working in the U.S. While in the U.S., Shang never stopped searching for a new painting style and improving his works. He once said, "We should never lose our vigor or think that we are too old to express our feelings. Although my physical condition cannot return to that of the 30s when I was young and full of passion, I will do my best to keep a young heart." "We should never let ourselves decay as plants and grasses, but should find a practical way to continue enriching our life," Shang said. I have always been very interested in Chinese landscapes, and how to create my own style as Shang does has become one of my aims in days to come. I must said that I have learned a lot from Shang's philosophy and attitude toward life. In August 1985, Shang and his wife, Mrs. Shang Chu Ming-hui, went to Europe for a sight-seeing tour which has greatly expanded his vision as an artist. Shang told me how he felt about Europe after the visit. He said, "Paris and the Louvre are the places I have been longing to visit for a long time. Ever since I saw Mr. Yen's landscapes of Paris over half a century ago, I have been dreaming of touring the place one day. Now my dream has come true. I have visited dozens of cities in ten European countries, including Paris of France and Rome of Italy, where have been recognized as the origin of the world civilization and the treasurehouse of many finest art pieces in the world. I am deeply impressed by the genuine works of those old masters and the magnificent palaces and churches of the European style. The natural beauty of the Alps and the reflection of the Eiffel Tower in the Seine River in the evening are all unique sceneries of Europe."
As Shang's classmate and old friend, I am very glad to learn that a collection of Shang's paintings of roses has been published. I have always been very fond of his oil and Chinese paintings. His oil paintings are brilliant and colorful, revealing strong vitality even in a standstill composition. Shang is no longer young, but his works give the impression that he is still a young man full of vigor. Most people will undoubtedly feel refreshed by watching his works. Shang's Chinese paintings fully reflect his creativity, originality and mature painting skills. He successfully applies the theory of optics in his works, thus upgrading the value and level of Chinese paintings. Shang's paintings of roses combine the flavors of both oil painting and water color, revealing the delicacy and charm of roses in an elegant way. I am very impressed by his efforts to preserve and promote the Chinese legacy of fine arts and to seek a way to improve traditional Chinese paintings.
Shang made up his mind to select painting as his lifelong career when he was a child. Over the past 60 years, he has walked on this road prudently and.smoothly, and has never changed his determination to be a professional artist. His dedication is one of the reasons he has made so many achievements in this field. It is no exaggeration to say that his works are as beautiful as his thought. The publication of the collection of his paintings of roses also proves that scholarly work and professional knowledge can be enhanced only by constant learning and preservance. Those who give up their ideals halfway are doomed to failure. Our life will become meaningful only when we are determined to perpetuate the heritage of the past and pave the way for the future. For this reason, I am delighted to write this article to introduce Shang and his works.
