The ETHOS and AESTHETICS of CHINESE CULTURE

In this episode of the Crossroads Psychology Podcast I discuss with Yang Haiying, what CHINESE ART is all about and how to embrace POSITIVITY.

Haiying Yang is a California-based teacher, artist, podcaster, YouTuber, and an amazing person full of talent and positivity.

Topics discussed:

1. I would like to begin with a short explanation from you with regards to your name. Can you pls explain to our viewers and listeners the structure of Chinese names? Is the character for Yang in your name the same as the character in Yin-Yang? yang = light

2. How I discovered you on YouTube. Searching for Chinese inkwash painting tutorials – how to paint a bamboo. I want the first part of our talk to focus on Chinese art. As an artist, how did Chinese inkwash painting influence you?

3. And from the first bamboo tutorials, I discovered your other painting tutorials. I also went through with my teacher over the four gentlemen of Chinese painting. Could you talk a bit about the ethos and the meaning of Chinese painting as seen from the perspective of these four gentlemen?

The four gentlemen Chinese Painting

The Four Gentlemen (Sì Jūnzǐ ), also called the Four Noble Ones, in Chinese art refer to four plants: the plum (méi), the orchid (lán), the bamboo (Zhú), and the chrysanthemum (Jú). The term matches the four plants with junzi, or "gentlemen" in Confucianism. bl

4. Then I found your calligraphy tutorials. As a student of Chinese calligraphy, these again fascinated me too. Could you pls refer to the connection between calligraphy and inkwash painting in Chinese tradition?

The four arts (siyi): qin (a seven-string instrument), qi (the strategy game of Go), shu (Chinese calligraphy) and hua (Chinese painting).

5. Do you play the game of go? How about guqin?

Do you think these days one can become a master of the four arts – the ancient Chinese scholar?

6. Then I discovered your seal videos. I recently got mine with my Chinese artist name Mò Yuǎn (silent-quiet-don’t speak much / deep thinking - far away). What’s your favourite Chinese artists? Mine is Qi Baishi – both for his paintings and seals.

7. Your videos have a calming effect. Where does this calmness come from?

8. You talk about “internal peace, of overcoming, overcoming myself.” Could you pls elaborate.

9. “I love myself so much.” Such an important statement, especially these days…

10. “Life without challenge, life without risk, live without sorrow, life without pain is not fun, is not worthwhile, is not deep, is not interesting.”

11. “YouTube is part of my life now… It helps me to adjust my mindset.”

★ FOLLOW YANG HAIYING

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/yanghaiying/videos
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/haiying-yang
Skillshare: https://www.skillshare.com/user/yanghaiying
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/yanghaiying

Watch the video-podcast below: