This article is from WeChat official account:one (ID: yitiaotv), author: a, editor: Ye Li, head Figure from: vision China
On the first day of 1944, the Dunhuang Art Institute was formally established, and Chang Shuhong was the first director. Zhao Puchu inscribed five characters for him “Patron saint of Dunhuang”.
Chang Shuhong was one of the first Chinese artists to study in France. One day he saw the “Dunhuang Grottoes Catalogue” compiled by the French and was deeply stung. It took him 6 years to bring his whole family back to the desert of Northwest Gansu from France. He arrived in Dunhuang in 1934 and stayed for nearly 50 years.
When he was critically ill, he asked his daughter Chang Shana: My ashes will be buried in Dunhuang.
Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes
Chang Shuhong took a pair of children at the entrance of Dunhuang Caves, 1940s
Chang Shuhong and his daughter Chang Shana
In July of this year, the new book “This Life Is Only to Guard Dunhuang-Chang Shu Hong Chuan” was published. The author of the book, Ye Wenling, has focused on studying Chang Shu Hong for 20 years, and Chang Shana is also an old friend. One went to her home in Hangzhou Visit and conduct a video interview.
And Shana Chang turned 89 in March this year and now lives in Beijing. She lives alone and her son often visits and takes care of her. Because of the epidemic, it was not convenient for her to accept interviews. With the help of her son, we conducted a video interview. We talked about the passion and protection of father Chang Shuhong, and his regret and helplessness.
“The Painter’s Family” Chang Shuhong Oil Painting
In the summer of 2020, Ye Wenling, a writer who focuses on the study of Chang Shuhong, published a new book “This Life Is Only to Guard Dunhuang-Chang Shuhong Chuan”, 300,000 words, writing Chang Shuhong’s life.
Previously, the most praised biography of Chang Shuhong on the market was “The Guardian of Dunhuang” written by Ye Wenling 20 years ago. It was almost out of print, and second-hand books have also been sold at high prices.
In 1984, Ye Wenling ( Third from left) and Chang Shuhong (fourth from left) take a photo at Mogao Grottoes
At her home in Hangzhou, Ye Wenling, who was nearly eighty years old, mentioned Chang Shuhong, a native of Hangzhou, with endless stories, and she even turned out a few stacks of albums. “I met with Mr. Chang Shuhong for the first time in 1983. He was leaning on a red cane and was full of Hangzhou dialect, “You must go to Dunhuang”. This sentence was carved into my heart.”
She went to Dunhuang 6 times to recall with her old friend Chang Shana, Chang Shuhong’s daughter, how to write Chang Lao well, “Many people don’t know about his own regrets, Shana told me .”
Before connecting to a video, Chang Shana was in the study room, July 2020
Affected by the epidemic, Chang Shana, who lives alone in Beijing, did not go out and declined various interviews. Every few daysGod, her son will come to visit. Taking this opportunity, we were fortunate to have an online video interview with her with the help of her son.
Q: One item A: Chang Shana
Q: How did you feel after reading this new book by Ms. Ye Wenling?
A: Wen Ling, my old friend, has done research and exploration on my old father’s life and wrote three books. The first book was “The Guardian of Dunhuang” published 10 years ago. Four years later, the second book was published called “Chang Shuhong: The Five-character Stele from Dunhuang”, which has been left in the bookcase of my study.
The last one is “This Life Is Only To Keep Dunhuang”. She has put in more effort, the meaning is deep, and the content is richer and more comprehensive. There are many things I don’t know, such as telling that my father was a teenager born on the edge of the West Lake. For instance, she said that the “golden belt” in front of the Thousand Buddha Caves was the wall that Chang Shuhong built to protect the grottoes with the people. Especially good. After reading the book, I was very moved. So I kept two of this book, and the other one for my cousin.
A blink of an eye passed in July this year. Although she is in Hangzhou, it is difficult for me to move around in Beijing, but I am very grateful to her. Through these books, to promote the understanding of Dunhuang art by the next generation, and pass it on from generation to generation.
Our Chinese culture, Chinese art, and our beliefs cannot be changed.
Q: You mentioned that a lot of the book about your father’s background when he was a child did not even you know?
A: When I saw Wen Ling write about my old father’s childhood, I was very moved. As his daughter, I didn’t understand many things. I only know that our family is a Manchu, but I don’t know that it’s a bannerman. I don’t know that my father was originally called Lingguan. After school, my grandfather gave him this name: Chang Shuhong.
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