Between Worldly and Otherworldly: Li Yanshan’s A Land Untarnished

Li Yanshan (1898-1961), a renowned painter from Guangdong, started to learn Chinese painting from Pan He since he was young, and persisted in creating along traditional styles throughout his life. During the early years of his life, Li had been active in the Guangdong painting circle. He had joined “Guangdong Chinese Painting Research Society” and served as the president of “Guangzhou Municipal College of Fine Arts” between 1932 and 1936. After the civil war, he settled in Hong Kong and led the reclusive life of a scholar. By referencing Li Yanshan’s signature painting, A Land Untarnished, and the postscripts written by Hu Yisheng and Chen Rong, the writer attempts to shed light on the nature of Li’s relationship with Hu and Chen as well as to offer a glimpse into the ebb and flow of the Guangdong Chinese Painting Research Society. Both elders of the Kuomintang, Hu and Chan were versed in calligraphy and literature. The writer speculates that Li had wished to re-enter the Guangdong art circle as he was on friendly terms with Hu and Chen, to whom he showed A. Unfortunately, his effort was to no avail as Chen had retired from the politics and Hu had little de facto political power. The writer argues that, contrary to what later critiques believed, Li was not a dedicated and otherworldly artist who took little interest in worldly matters.