1899 - (Jihai Year) born at Neijiang County,
Sichuan Province, on May 19th, 1899 (first day of the fourth month,
year twenty-five according to Emperor Guangxu, the Qing dynasty).
1908
-
(Wushen Year) started to learn drawing after his mother: outline
drawing of flowers and animals without color or shade.
1911 - (Xinhai Year) family conditions
improved with the opening of Yi Wei Li (profits from
righteousness), a grocery store; entered the American-Chinese
primary school at Neijiang run by Christians.
1914 -
(Jiayin Year) entered Qiujing Middle School, Chongqing; house
searched and property confiscated for Zhang Shanzi, his second elder
brother, having participated in anti-Yuan Shikai campaign; Shanzi
fled to Japan. 1916 - (Bingchen
Year) kidnapped by gangsters at Youtingpu, Sichuan, and forced to be
an advisor there until about 100 days later when he managed to
escape. 1917 - (Dingsi Year) went to Japan; learnt commercial
weaving and textile dyeing, and painting in Kyoto.
Zhang Daqian studying Shi Tao
1919
- (Jiwei Year) returned to Shanghai from
Japan to teach at a Christian school; began to study under Zeng Xi
(Tseng Hsi) and changed his Given name into \uan; became, in
the same year, a Buddhist believer at Songjiang with the Buddhist
monastic name of 璌aqian, but three months later resumed his
secular life; returned to Neijiang and got married to Zeng Zhengrong
before studying calligraphy under Li Ruiqing (Li Jui-ching) in
Shanghai, and also starting to study Shi Tao (Shih Tao) and copy Zhu
Da (Ba Da Shan Ren).
1920 -
(Gengshen Year) returned to Sichuan from Shanghai after Li
RuiqingY death. 1921 - (Xinyou
Year) presented inscriptions as a gift to Zisheng Temple, Neijiang,
and started to sell his paintings and calligraphy. 1922 - (Renxu
Year) got married to Huang Ningsu. 1923 - (Kuihai Year) moved to
Songjiang; and sold copies of Shi TaoY paintings in Shanghai.
1924
- (Jiazi Year) Father died, and his
poetry, paintings and calligraphy distinguished in the group of
Tiu Ying Society in Shanghai.
1925
-
(Yichou Year) the first one-man painting show held at Ningbo Guild
House, Shanghai. 1926 - (Bingyin Year) first time to admit pupils;
extravagantly gambled at 廍hi Zhong Society, Shanghai, but
disappeared from the gambling hall soon after. 1927 - (Dingmao Year)
traveled to Mount Huang the first time.
1928
- (Wuchen Year) shared 璌a Feng
House with Shanzi, and organized 岞ount Huang Society to
promote Mount Huang travel.
Self-portrait of Zhang Daqian.
Collection
of Zhang Daqian -
Zhang Dafeng's
painting, Ming Dynasty.
1929 - (Jisi Year) his two works of art
entered for the First National Art Exhibition, acted as a council
member for national exhibitions.
The catalogue of Zhang
Daqian's seal.
1930 - (Gengwu Year) second time to
Mount Huang; held an art show in Shanghai; death of Zeng Xi.
1931 - (Xingwei Year) accompanied the coffin
of Zeng Xi to Hengyang, Hunan province; climbed Mount Heng; went to
Japan as a representative for the 鏠hinese Art Show of the Tang,
Song, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties /font>
1932 -
(Renshen Year) moved to Wangshi Garden, Suzhou, with Shanzi;
traveled to Pyongan Mountains, Korea.
1933 -
(Kuiyou Year) art works shown at 岞odern Chinese Paintings in
Paris, France; The Lotus collected by a museum in Paris, and the
Scenery of Southern China collected by Moscow Museum; held art shows
in Shanghai and Nanjing.
1934 -
(Jiaxu Year) the one-man painting show in Peking (todayY
Beijing); traveled to Mount Hua, also to Japan and Korea; invited as
professor of Chinese paintings at the Department of Fine Arts, the
Central University, Nanjing; the one-man painting show held in
Nanjing; traveled to Mount Tai in August and held an art show in
Ji佋an.
The Catalogue of "Zhang Daqian's Anthology"
by Xu
Beihong.
1935 -
(Yihai Year) work of art shown at a British gallery; traveled to
Mount Huang the third time; resigned as the professor at the Central
University; art show held at Peking and Hankou; in autumn, traveled
to Mount Huang and Longmen (the Dragon Gate) on Yellow River the
second time; The Art Work of Zhang Shanzi and Zhang Daqian (two
volumes) published in Shanghai; got married to Yang Wuanjun.
1936
-
(Bingzi Year) MotherY death; held Uecent Works By Zhang
Daqian in Nanjing; art shows also held in shanghai and Tianjin;
moved to the Summer Palace, Peking, and held paintings-on-fans show
in Peking; Zhang DaqianY Anthology published for the first time;
invited as adviser to Research Section under Ancient Relics
Exhibition Institute, Peking.
One page of the catalogue of Zhang
Daqian's Anthology.
Zhang Daqian travelling with
friends.
1937
- (Dingchou Year) held 孏he Joint Show
of Paintings, Calligraphy, and Inscriptions on Bronzes and Stones
with Fang Jiekan in Peking; Japanese aggressors entered Peking,
China, and there Zhang felt trapped.
1938
- (Wuying Year) left Peking in May; an
art show at YongGn (in sound) Restaurant, French leased
territory, Tianjin; arrived in Hong Kong via Shanghai by sea; an art
show in Hong Kong; in August, traveled to Guilin with Xu Beihong and
others; came to Chongqing and created patriotic works of art with
Shanzi to call on anti-Japanese action, and held 孏he Art Show on
the Move; besides, held 孏he Art Show for Contributions to
Anti-Japanese Activities; arrived in Chengdu via Neijiang; Shanzi
went to West Europe and North America, presented Works of Art by
Zhang Shanzi and Zhang Daqian for contributions to anti-Japanese
activities.
1939
- (Jimao Year) lived in Qingcheng
Mountain and traveled to Jiange, Sichuan; held art shows in Chengdu
and Chongqing respectively; twice went to Jiajiang for the trial
production of 璌a Feng paper.
1940
-
(Gengchen Year) visited Dunhuang (Tunhuang) the first time; learnt
that Shanzi died on the way back from abroad, went from Guangyuan to
Chongqing for mourning.
Zhang Daqian copying the Frescoes at Dun Huang.
1941
- (Xingsi Year) in spring, went
to Dunhuang the second time; held 孏he Art Show of Dunhuang
Outline Drawing in Chengdu; arrived in Lanzhou in winter.
1942 -
(Renwu Year) in spring, went to Qinghai to invite Tibetan Lamas;
went to Dunhuang the third time, and copied Frescoes there; as a
member of the preparatory committee for the 孏he National Dunhuang
Art Institute. /font>
1943 -
(Kuiwei Year) in summer, returned to Sichuan from Dunhuang; had
stayed there and copied Frescoes for two years and seven months,
with the total of over 200 copies, which were first shown in
Lanzhou; lived in Qingcheng Mountain; his drastically-changed
painting style resulted from the Frescoes of Dunhuang.
1944 -
(Jiashen Year) 孏he Art Show of Copies of Dunhuang Frescoes in
Chengdu in January, and, in March and May, the same show in
Chongqing; admitted as research member of Chinese Fine Art
Institute; An Special Anthology of Zhang DaqianY Copies of
Dunhuang Frescoes, and Outline Drawings Copied from Dunhuang
Frescoes published; traveled to Mount Emei.
1945 -
(Yiyou Year) completion of the four-screen Giant Lotus and the
eight-screen Scenes in the West Garden, which were exhibited in
Chengdu; many paintings of beautiful ancient women created with much
changed painting style; returned to his hometown after the victory
of the Anti-Japanese War.
1946 -
(Bingxu Year) collected ancient calligraphy and paintings in Peking;
art show in Shanghai; art work exhibited in a Paris museum, and also
shown in Modern Painting Show held at Musee national d'rt
Moderne by UNESCO; the Chinese section of the Show invited to be
exhibited in London, Geneva, and Prague.
1947 -
(Dinghai Year) color printing of Anthology of Zhang DaqianY
Copies of Dunhuang Frescoes published; returned to Chengdu from
Shanghai, and went to Xikang province for paintings from life;
孏he Show of Paintings from Life in Xikang held in Chengdu;
went to Shanghai, and published lithographic printing album of
Travels in Xikang, and published series of poems of the same title;
married to Xu Wenbo.
1948 -
(Wuzi Year) traveled to West Hills, Peking with Xu Beihong and Xie
Zhiliu; invited to be honorary professor of the Fine Arts College of
Peking; went to Taiwan for paintings from life with Lang
Jingshan.
1949 -
(Jichou Year) early this year, arrived from Taiwan in Hong Kong and
held an art show; painted a Lotus for Chairman Mao Zedong; returned
to Sichuan from Macao; near the end of the year, left Chengdu for
India via Taiwan under the invitation of the University of Darjeelin
to give lectures.
1950 -
(Gengyin Year) the one-man painting show at New Delhi; went to and
stayed in Ajanta Grottoes in Maharashtra State, India for three
months to make copies of frescoes, and studied the difference
between them and those in Dunhuang before going to Darjeeling to
live till the end of the year, when leaving for Hong Kong.
Catalogue of Zhang Daqian's Anthology, published in
Hong Kong
1951 -
(Xingmao Year) early this year, once again went to Darjeeling, and
returned to Hong Kong in the summer to hold a one-man painting show;
sold to the country three precious ancient paintings including Gu
HongzhongY The Banquet in Han XizaiY House.
1952 -
(Renchen Year) moved to South America, and stayed in Argentina; the
one-man show held in Buenos Aires.
1953
-
(Kuisi Year) purchased land in Sao Paulo, Brazil and planned Ba De
(Eight Virtues) Garden; moved into the Garden in March; an art
exhibition in Taipei; presented 12 pieces of work of art to the City
Hall of Paris.
1954
- (Jiawu Year) traveled in the United
States while holding art exhibitions.
1955
-
(Yiwei Year) completion of Ba De Garden; Famous Da Feng House
Paintings (four volumes) published in Japan; in December,
Hxhibition of Zhang DaqianY Paintings and Calligraphy held
and sponsored jointly by Japanese National Museum, Tokyo Museum, and
Yomiuri Shimbun.
Catalogue "The Famous paintings of the Da
Feng House (four volumes)".
Zhang Daqian's Exhibition of Reproductions of the Dunhuang
Fresco Mural Paintings held in Japan.
1956
- (Bingshen Year) in April, Zorks of
Art from Dunhuang held in Tokyo; traveled to Europe the first
time, and went to Rome; held in Paris the art show in the Louvre and
璌unhuang Paintings in the Oriental Museum; in July, met Pablo
Picasso and exchanged paintings with each other.
Zhang Daqian and Pablo Picasso in Nice,
France.
Pablo Piccaso presenting his painting to
Zhang Daqian.
1957 -
(Dingyou Year) his diabetes caused eye disease, and resulted in
gradual decline in eyesight.
Self-portrait of Zhang Daqian at sixty years of
age.
1958 -
(Wuxu Year) an art show in Sao Paulo; elected as 孏he Best
Contemporary Painter in the World by the International Fine Arts
Association in New York and gold medal granted.
1959 -
(Jihai Year) the permanent Chinese painting show established in the
Paris Museum with 12 paintings exhibited at the closing ceremony;
went to Taiwan before visiting the United States, Japan, Sweden,
Switzerland, West Germany, and Spain; received the Jold Medal for
Fine Arts by Mei Yiqi in Taipei; began to paint in the
splashed-ink-and-color technique, which marked his tremendous change
in painting style.
1960 -
(Gengzi Year) the show of recent paintings in Paris; 30 paintings
exhibited in Brussels, Athens, and Madrid; Zhang DaqianY
Paintings published in Hong Kong.
1961
-
(Xingchou Year) the show of recent paintings in Geneva; the special
exhibition of lotus paintings in Paris, and some of them collected
by Modern Museum of New York; an art show in Sao Paulo; Anthology of
Zhang DaqianY Paintings published by the Oriental Society,
Hong Kong; several treatises including On Paintings coming out.
A leaflet from an exhibition in Hong Kong
1962
- (Renyin Year) visited
Yokohama, Japan in spring; an invitation exhibition held in Hong
Kong for the occasion of the inauguration ceremony for Hong Kong
City Hall, Hong Kong.
1963 - (Kuimao Year) a one-man
painting show in the Victoria Memorial Hall, Singapore; art shows
held in Kuala Lumpur, New York, and Hong Kong; in the United States,
six huge paintings of lotus on large screens sold for US$140,000,
setting the highest record of Chinese painting sale.
1964 - (Jiachen Year) an art show in Bangkok,
Thailand and Cologne, West Germany; Mayor of Cologne, after the
exhibition there, accompanied Zhang cruising on the Rhine, and the
German Commercial Bank and an airline company bought all his
exhibits to have a tour show in West Germany; presented paintings to
some officials in Chongqing, Sichuan.
1965 - (Yisi Year) an art show in London.
1966
-
(Bingwu Year) art shows in Hong Kong and Sao Paulo.
1967 - (Dingwei Year) art shows in Stanford
University Museum of the United States; the show of recent works in
National Museum of History, Taipei; presented 62 copies of
Dunhuang Frescoes to 幞ational Palace Museum, Taiwan; Anthology
of Zhang DaqianY Paintings (the new edition) published by the
Oriental Society, Hong Kong.
1968 -
(Wushen Year) honorary Ph.D. in philosophy granted by 懀he Chinese
Fine Arts College, Taiwan; completion of the huge 孏housands of
Miles on the Yangtze; the special exhibition in 幞ational
Museum of History, Taipei, museums in New York and Chicago;
lectures at the Princeton University on Chinese fine arts; according
to public opinion poll, The World Newspaper in Bangkok ranked Zhang
the 弎est contemporary Chinese painter; purchased some land in
Carmel, California, to build his future house.
1969 -
(Jiyou Year) 廍pecial Dunhuang Frescoes in 孏he National
Palace Museum, Taiwan; exhibition tour in museums and galleries
of Los Angeles, New York, and Boston.
1970 -
(Gengxu Year) an art show in San Francisco, and built a house (Huan
Bi Yan) to dwell in California.
The Cover of the catalogue of the exhibition held
in Hong Kong
1971 -
(Xinhai Year) the show of recent paintings held in the Hong Kong
City Hall, Hong Kong; frequently traveled between Ba De Garden,
Brazil and Carmel, the United States.
1972 -
(Renzi Year) death of Zhang Weixiu, his fourth elder brother; moved
from Ba De Garden, Sao Paulo to Carmel home in California; the
one-man painting show in Andrew Gallery, Los Angeles, earned the
title of honorary citizen of Los Angeles; ]hang DaqianY
Paintings in 40-Year Retrospection (1922-1970) in De Young Museum
of San Francisco; wrote his Autobiography.
1973 -
(Kuichou Year) exhibition of retrospection in National Museum of
History, Taipei, and the Museum set up a special hall for 孏he
World (DaqianY World); 孏he Art Exhibition by Zhang Daqian
and Xinyi (the twelfth nephew) in New York.
1974 -
(Jiayin Year) Saintings by Zhang Daqian in Hong Kong City
Hall, Hong Kong, which published another Anthology of Zhang
DaqianY Paintings; Saintings by Zhang Daqian jointly held
by 幞ational Museum of History, Taiwan and 鎽apanese-Chinese
Cultural Association, Japan at Central Gallery, Tokyo; honorary
Ph.D. in humanities granted by the Pacific University, California,
the United States.
1975 -
(Yimao Year) death of Zhang Licheng, his third elder brother;
Harly Works of Zhang Daqian and Saintings by Zhang
Daqian held at National Museum of History, Taiwan; in
September, 焅amous Chinese and Western Paintings also in the
Museum, with over 80 works of art in the previous 30 years by Zhang
Daqian on display; 岞odern Paintings of Republic of China with
ZhangY more than 60 paintings jointly held by the 幞ational
Museum of History, Taiwan and Norean-Chinese Fine Arts
Union, South Korea at the 唯National Modern Gallery,
Seoul.
1976
-
(Bingchen Year) Saintings in Honor of Zhang DaqianY Return
at 幞ational Museum of History, Taiwan; Taiwan Education
Administration awarded Zhang the plaque inscribed with 懀he great
master in fine arts; Selected Works, Zhang DaqianY Anthology
(the First Volume), and the Scroll on Jiu Ge published in Taiwan;
the documentary of the Techniques of Zhang DaqianY Paintings
completed.
Seals carved by Zhang Daqian in a book of Chen Julai.
"Selected Works of Zhang Daqian"and "The Paintings
and Calligraphy of Chang Dai-Chien (the first volume)",
published in Taiwan.
1977
- (Dingsi Year) made appraisal on
genuine or fake ancient Chinese paintings and calligraphy in Taiwan
before going back to America; invited to hold the show of recent
works in Taichung in June; the five-year-compiled Paintings by Zeng
Xi, the Best Hunanese Painter in Chronological Order published in
Hong Kong.
1978
- (Xuwu Year) went from the United
States to Kao-hsiung for the one-man painting exhibition in March;
in August; his family moved from the California to the so-called the
Dbode of Maya-Painter at the suburb of Taipei; art shows in
Tainan and Seoul; Paintings by Zhang Daqian published; Zhang
DaqianY Anthology (the Second Volume) published in Taiwan.
1979
-
(Jiwei Year) more and more articles on ZhangY paintings and life
in Chinese Mainland; Saintings by Three Masters in Contemporary
China-Zhang Daqian, Pu Xinshe, and Huang Junbi held by Chinese
Cultural Association, Hong Kong; four volumes of Photo Album of
Zhang DaqianY Unattended Ba De Garden in Brazil coming out in
Taiwan.
Self-portrait of Zhang Daqian at the age of eighty
two.
1980
- (Gengshen Year) had correspondence and exchanged
paintings with his relatives and friends in Chinese Mainland;
Saintings by Three Masters in Contemporary China-Zhang Daqian, Pu
Xinshe, and Huang Junbi with his 25 paintings on show at the
National Gallery in the National Museum, Singapore; Saintings and
Calligraphy by Zhang Daqian held by 幞ational Museum of
History, Taiwan; jointly created 尞ongevity of the Precious
Island a long scroll of landscape.
1981
- (Xinyou
Year) five volumes of Collections of Zhang DaqianY Paintings
published in Sichuan; a wall calendar entitled Paintings by Zhang
Daqian coming out in Tianjin; presented autograph to his home city
and home county; the exhibition of recent works in 幞ational
Museum of History, Taiwan; participated in Saintings and
Calligraphy by Famous Chinese Artists in Hong Kong; invited and
took part in the 幞ew Trend of Chinese Painting held in the
Oriental Museum, Paris; in July, started his creation of Lushan Tu
(The Panorama of Mount Lu)-a monumental work.
1982
- (Renxu Year) Zhang Daqian-A Master of
Chinese Painting, a color documentary, shot jointly by Sichuan and
Gansu television stations; Lnk and Color Paintings by Fu Baoshi,
Xu Beihong, and Zhang Daqian in Taipei in January; in April,
Jiang Jingguo awarded Zhang the medal; invited and participated in
岞odern Chinese Paintings in Kuala Lumpur; Zhang DaqianY
Anthology (the Third Volume) published in Taiwan; resumed his work
on The Panorama of Mount Lu.
1983
- (Kuihai Year) The Panorama of Mount Lu
almost completed; in January, participated in Saintings and
Calligraphy by Zhang Daqian held by 幞ational Museum of
History, Taiwan; Zhang DaqianY Anthology (the Fourth Volume)
published in Taiwan; hospitalized on March 8th; passed away in
Rongmin (in sound) General Hospital, Taipei on April 2nd, at the age
of 84; funeral held on April 16th, and ashes buried on the hill in
front of his residence - 孏he Abode of Maya-Painter, Taipei;
Saintings by Zhang Daqian exhibited in Beijing, Shanghai, and
Chengdu.
