Liu Yong (writer)

Liu Yong (Chinese: 劉墉; pinyin: Liú Yǒng; Wade–Giles: Yung Liu; born February 1949) is a writer, painter, and educator. He is also the founder of Shui Yun Zhai Cultural Enterprises and a philanthropist who has built over 40 schools in rural China.

Liu Yong
Native name
劉墉
BornFebruary 1949
NationalityRepublic of China
CitizenshipUnited States of America
Alma materNational Taiwan Normal University
St. John's University
Columbia University
SpouseBi Wei Wei

Having written over 100 books that range from non-fiction essays to novels, Liu is a best-selling author in Mainland China and Taiwan. His books have been translated into English, Korean, Vietnamese, and Thai. Liu has toured Mainland China, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore to speak on educational topics before audiences of thousands. A chapter from one of Liu's many motivational books for adolescents is included as a potential reading-aloud test topic on the Putonghua Proficiency Test.[1]

Liu has held over 30 solo exhibitions, and his paintings have been collected by museums across Asia and Europe. Sotheby’s, which regularly auctions his works, describes his unique style as the combination of utilizing ancient techniques, developing a contemporary manner, and contemplating philosophical thoughts. He commonly uses fine lines and delicate yet powerful brushstrokes to depict landscapes, birds, and flowers. Art critics have especially praised his “boneless” style as one of the highest achievements in Chinese fine arts history.

Snowy Mountains in Moonlit Night (2014)
Night Hunt (2015)
The Setting Sun Shines on the Mountain Village (2019)


Early Life and Career

Liu Yong was born and raised in Taipei. His father passed away when he was 9, and his house was destroyed in a fire when he was 13. He graduated from Cheng Kung Senior High School, obtained a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from National Taiwan Normal University, obtained a Master's degree in East Asian Studies from St. John's University (Jamaica, NY), and pursued a Doctorate degree in Art Education from Columbia University.

Liu won first place in the fine arts department exhibition at National Taiwan Normal University, and became an art teacher at Cheng Kung Senior High School upon graduation in 1972. He was invited to participate in the Asia Contemporary Art Exhibition at age 23 and the National Art Exhibition at age 25.

From November 30, 1971 to April 5, 1974, Liu hosted the prime-time China Television quiz show "Seconds Count Down.". From 1973 to 1977, he worked as a reporter and producer for China Television in Taipei. In 1978, he represented China Television in the U.S. and became artist-in-residence at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History in Virginia. In 1980, he became artist-in-residence at St. John's University (Jamaica, NY). In 1991, Taiwan’s public television station commissioned Liu to produce the documentary series, “The Spirit of Chinese Culture.” At the same time, he founded Shui Yun Zhai Cultural Enterprises in Taipei, which he continues to manage, in addition to working as a professional writer and artist.

Family
  • Wife：Bi Wei Wei
  • Son：Liu Shiuan（1972—）
  • Daughter：Liu Yvonne（1989—）

Artistic Style

Liu was an apprentice of Huang Jun-Bi and Lin Yushan, Taiwan’s masters of landscape, bird, and flower painting. He also solidified his technique by imitating classical masterpieces in the National Palace Museum. Such a foundation--in combination with education in Western painting from studying in the U.S., clear sketching technique, and background in literature--has led to the development of his extraordinary style.

Liu’s landscape paintings have been described as “Dreamscape” by American media for their three-dimensional fantastical quality. The style merges his self-invented technique of spraying ink onto wrinkled paper collages, the boneless strokes of bird and flower painting, innovative texture strokes inspired by old Chinese masters, and sometimes his own form of Pointillism inspired by Impressionism.

Liu’s bird and flower paintings not only present the subjects with scientific accuracy, but the artist even seems to paint his own soul into the subjects. Liu hopes that viewers can “live, play, and listen” in his paintings because every work has a story, just like in literature. Liu’s painting and writing are very much interconnected, and critics often praise his art for embodying the essence of poetry.

Liu has become one of the few living Chinese painters to be included in Sotheby’s and Christie’s auctions in Hong Kong, Beijing, and New York. Numerous books have been published about his artwork, theory, and techniques. Notably, People's Fine Arts Publishing House published a book on Liu Yong in their prestigious “Chinese Contemporary Famous Artists” series.

Selected Solo Exhibitions
  • 2019: Baoku Jiangxin Art Center, Shanghai, China
  • 2018: Liaoning Provincial Museum, Liaoning, China
  • 2017: Zhejiang Art Museum, Zhejiang, China
  • 2015: Art Museum of Beijing Fine Art Academy, Beijing, China
  • 2015: Silicon Valley Asian Art Center, Santa Clara, CA
  • 2011: Gallery at National Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, Taipei, Taiwan ROC
  • 2010: Xi Zhi Tang Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan ROC
  • 1990: Taipei Arts Center, Taipei, Taiwan ROC
  • 1989: Xin Sheng Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan ROC
  • 1982: Long-Men Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan ROC
  • 1982: Today Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan ROC
  • 1981: Chung-Cheng Art Gallery at St. John’s University, Queens, NY
  • 1980: Print Gallery, Blacksburg, VA
  • 1979: Washington and Lee University Gallery, Lexington VA
  • 1978: Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, Danville, VA
  • 1978: Rechenbach’s Gallery, Knoxville, TN
  • 1978: People’s Market Art Gallery, Greenville, SC
  • 1978: Mall Art Gallery, Norfolk, VA
  • 1978: Quayside Gallery, Norfolk, VA
  • 1977: National Taiwan Museum, Taipei, Taiwan ROC

Selected Group Exhibitions
  • 2019: Cross-Strait Art Exhibition, National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Taipei, Taiwan ROC
  • 2016: Chinese Contemporary Famous Artists, Silicon Valley Asian Art Center, Santa Clara, CA
  • 2016: 100 Years of Chinese Art, Shandong Art Museum, Shandong, China
  • 2014: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), International Conference Center, Beijing, China
  • 2013: The Pacific—Innovation of Chinese Ink Paintings in America, Zhejiang Art Museum, Zhejiang, China
  • 2013: Beautiful Taiwan—Classic Works of Taiwan’s Contemporary Artists, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
  • 2013: Beautiful Taiwan—Classic Works of Taiwan’s Contemporary Artists, China Art Museum, Shanghai, China
  • 2011: 100 Years 100 Paintings—Taiwanese Contemporary Artists Exhibition, General Association of Chinese Culture, Taipei, Taiwan ROC
  • 2009: Open Flexibility—Innovative Contemporary Ink Art, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan ROC
  • 2007: The Third Chengdu Biennale: New Trend of Contemporary Ink Painting—Ink Works from Taiwan, Chengdu Contemporary Art Museum, Chengdu, China
  • 1993: Chinese Modern Colour-and-Ink Painting Exhibition, Russian Museum of Ethnography, St. Petersburg, Russia
  • 1993: Great Contemporary Art Exhibition, Gallery at National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Taipei, Taiwan ROC
  • 1986: 21st Annual Sumi-e Society of America Exhibition, Salmagundi Club, New York, NY
  • 1984: Overseas Chinese Artists, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan ROC
  • 1978: Chinese Paintings, Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Cologne, Germany
  • 1977: Chinese Modern Art Exhibition, Museum of Science and Industry, Los Angeles, CA

Selected Public and Private Collections

TV Shows
  • China Television quiz show "Seconds Count Down" (Show time: November 30, 1971 ~ April 5, 1974)
  • China Television politics show "Current Event Forum" (1976), received the Golden Bell Award of TV
  • China Television cultural show "Window of Music" (1976), won Best Music Program at the International Film and Television Festival in New York
  • Phoenix Television talk show "Speaking of the World from the Heart" (2008)
  • Taiwan Public Television educational show "Chinese Characters Are Fun" (2015)

See also

References
  1. 普通话水平测试实施纲要. Putonghua Shuiping Ceshi Gangyao. 北京. Beijing: 商务印书馆. The Commercial Press. 2004. p. 378-379. ISBN 7-100-03996-7.
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