At 9:30 am on December 29, 2015, as part of the “Hundred Years of Glory · Masters of CAFA” series of activities, “Laying a Foundation: Wang Xun and Chinese Art History Discipline – To Commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Wang Xun Symposium and Academic Seminar” was held at the Building 5 Exhibition Hall of the School History in CAFA. The famous Chinese architect Wu Liangyong who is over 90 years of age and the former director of the Department of Art History in CAFA, Jin Weinuo who is over 85 years old and the former President of Central Academy of Craft Art Chang Shana braved the cold to attend the ceremony, friends and disciples taught or affected by Wang Xun attended the conference and seminar, together they memorized Wang Xun’s important contributions to the Chinese art history discipline.

Fan Di’an: Remembering when Wang Xun started the Art History Discipline

After Vice President of CAFA Su Xinping introduced the honored guests attending the conference, President of CAFA Fan Di’an gave a speech, through memorizing the life experiences and academic achievements of Wang Xun, President Fan expressed high respect for Wang Xun’s academic research and his contribution in establishing the Department of Art History and he said the event was named “Laying a Foundation” to express the pioneering contribution that Wang Xun had made and the basic construction of the Art History Discipline at CAFA and the teaching of Chinese art history, which was as thick as the cornerstone so very heavy and sends out an indelible glory.

Yin Jinan: Make Wang Xun No Longer a “Legendary Soul”

Dean of CAFA School of Humanities, Yin Jinan gave a speech and said he was influenced by Wang Xun’s “Thematic Exploration of the Mural Painting at Sanqing Temple of Yongle Palace” and other books, and he hoped the writings of Wang Xun and the research writings about Wang Xun were published, he hoped through the publication of relevant books to make Wang Xun not a “l(fā)egendary soul” any more but the “contemporary academic heart.”

Wang Han: Reminiscence of the Ancestors, Looking to the Future

As Wang Xun’s nephew, Wang Han has been committed to collecting and researching the academic achievements of Wang Xun for many years. Wang Han gave a speech and recalled Wang Xun’s life through social catastrophes and the volatilities in China and told the story of Wang Xun’s academic ideas and study experiences within the background of the times. Wang Xun absorbed and drew lessons from the modern research methods whose foundation had been laid by the “May 4th” academic pioneers, trying to apply a scientific spirit and attitude as well as method to finish and study artistic heritage, from this base he created the Chinese art history discipline system in the modern form. It was both his personal bright characteristic in pursuing the studies and his historical contribution to Chinese art historiography which established him.

“To Commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Birth of Wang Xun” Symposium

After Fan Di’an, Yin Jinan, Wang Han gave a speech, the Dean of CAFA School of Humanities, Yin Jinan presided over the following “To Commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Birth of Wang Xun” symposium. The academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering Wu Liangyong, former President of Central Academy of Craft Art Chang Shana, Prof. Bo Songnian from CAFA, the former directors of the Department of Art History in CAFA Xue Yongnian and Tang Chi, Prof. Li Shusheng and Prof. Wang Hongjian from CAFA, the researcher of the National Museum of China Shao Wenliang, Prof. Li Fushun from the Capital Normal University, the researcher at the Palace Museum Zhang Shufen, the editor of the Cultural Relics Publishing House Huang Wenkun, Associate Researcher Yang Gengxin from the Central Art Institute, Prof. Yuan Baolin from CAFA, a researcher at the Palace Museum Nie Chongzheng all gave a speech, to reminisce on the voice, appearance, earnest instruction of Wang Xun and expressed high respect for the academic achievements and the contribution to establish the Department of Art History and it also expressed great sadness for the untimely death of Wang Xun. Bo Songnian said he was helped and greatly influenced by Wang Xun and he even sobbed when talking about the unfair treatment to Wang Xun in the past.

It also launched the press conference for the publication of the new revisions of “Chinese Art History” and “Wang Xun’s Chronicle”, as well as the book donation ceremony. In the afternoon, a relevant academic seminar was held in the Auditorium Room of CAFA Art Museum.

Text by Zhang Chi, Photo by Zhang Wenzhi/CAFA ART INFO

Translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO