Gu Benjian: A Master Calligrapher of China's Traditional Culture

     顾本建的书法作品多以篆书和隶书为主，风格古朴、刚劲有力，具有浓郁的中国文化气息。岁末，全球500余家媒体刊登了顾本建的艺术成就。

    Gu Benjian is a renowned contemporary Chinese calligrapher, known for his works primarily in seal and clerical scripts. His style is simple yet powerful, embodying a rich essence of Chinese culture.At the end of the year, more than 500 media outlets around the world published Gu Benjian's artistic achievements.

 

 

     顾本建师从刘小晴和高式熊老师，现任上海八埭头书画院院长、凝云翰书画艺术馆馆长、上海中西美协副主席、上海书法家协会会员、上国家一级书法师。先后获得上海“杰出书法家“、中日文化交流特使”、“当代杰出艺术家”、“中国传统文化最高成就奖”等奖项，还曾受陈云纪念馆邀请为纪念陈云同志诞辰110周年诗词楹联获奖作品全文书写。

    Trained under Liu Xiaoqing and Gao Shixiong, Gu currently holds prestigious positions including Head of the Shanghai Badaitou Painting and Calligraphy Institute, Director of Ningyun Han Painting and Calligraphy Art Museum, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Chinese and Western Art Association, Member of the Shanghai Calligraphers Association, and a National First-Class Calligrapher of China. He has been honored with awards such as "Outstanding Calligrapher of Shanghai," "Sino-Japanese Cultural Exchange Envoy," "Contemporary Outstanding Artist," and the "Highest Achievement Award in Chinese Traditional Culture." He was also invited by the Chen Yun Memorial to write the full text of an award-winning poem and couplet commemorating the 110th anniversary of Comrade Chen Yun's birth.

 

 

     为了追求书法本道，顾本建一直行走在拜师求学的路上，潜心书艺，超然心境，可谓学海无涯，艺无止境。前受书法名家任政、席云鹏的书风影响，读帖习字，苦中有乐，乐在其中。后有著名书法大师高式熊先生亲自指点，天命之年更成为了恩师刘小晴的得意门生，言传身教，细心指点，不仅让他的书艺有了长足进取，字里行间慢慢形成了自身的特点。

     In his pursuit of the essence of calligraphy, Gu Benjian has continually sought mentorship and dedicated himself to the art, embodying the belief that learning is boundless and art is limitless. Initially influenced by the styles of renowned calligraphers Ren Zheng and Xi Yunpeng, he found joy in the challenges of learning and practicing. Later, he received personal guidance from the famous calligrapher Gao Shixiong and became a proud disciple of Liu Xiaoqing, his mentor. His careful instruction not only significantly advanced Gu's calligraphic skills but also helped him develop his unique style.

 

 

 

     顾本建书法行笔刚健潇洒，笔法精湛，疾中有滞，或飘逸或凝练，一派古朴典雅的盛唐气象。行书如行云流水，韵味纯厚，自成一体，楷书端庄秀雅，功力颇厚。顾本建亦擅长山水和花卉，作品受到海内外收藏家的追捧。

     Gu Benjian's calligraphy is characterized by strong and free-flowing strokes, demonstrating exquisite skill, sometimes rapid and sometimes steady, either ethereal or concise, all reflecting the simple elegance of the Tang Dynasty. His running script flows like clouds and water, rich in charm and distinctive in style, while his regular script is dignified and graceful, showcasing profound skill. Gu is also adept in landscapes and floral themes, with his works highly sought after by collectors both in China and abroad.

 

 

 

     顾本建认为，书法创作要展示出自己的修养、格调、气质。他要求自己的字里行间出现正大气象，还要有书卷气。慢慢形成了以主观情调为轨迹，注重线条的内蕴，在行笔中求灵动，求字势，求精致，形成了在规矩中驰骋，收放自如而不失法度的艺术风格。

     Gu Benjian believes that calligraphy should reflect the artist's cultivation, style, and temperament. He strives to infuse his works with dignity and the essence of scholarly refinement. Gradually, he developed an artistic style that follows subjective emotions, emphasizing the inner depth of lines. In his stroke execution, he seeks liveliness, momentum, and delicacy, achieving a style that gallops within the rules, flexible yet disciplined.

 

 

     这几年，教书育人，传承创新成了顾本建时下最重要的工作。他除了专心培养“小书画大家”外，还身兼上海师大客座教授，让中国书法落地有声。他把人生最好的黄金时光无怨无悔地奉献了中国书法，多次公益举办书法普及讲座，让书法走近社区，让百姓认识书法，提升鉴赏水平。   

     In recent years, teaching and nurturing talent, along with innovating and passing on the tradition, have become Gu Benjian's most important work. In addition to diligently cultivating young talents in painting and calligraphy, he also serves as a visiting professor at Shanghai Normal University, bringing Chinese calligraphy to life. He has dedicated the best years of his life to Chinese calligraphy without regret, frequently organizing public lectures to popularize calligraphy, bringing it closer to the community, and enhancing people's appreciation and understanding of the art.

 

 

     天道酬勤。三十多年来，顾本建黄卷青灯，积衷叠愫，打下了扎实的书法功夫。顾本建的作品屡次远渡重洋，亮相欧美和东南亚，在戛纳中国文化艺术节上展出被当地华人收藏，日中文化交流中心、以色列私人博物馆、中国最高学府北京大学和清华大学也收藏了他多幅作品。在香港的一次拍卖会上，顾本建的一套“福禄寿”被拍到了60万港元的高价，成了一字难求的珍品。（Pierce)

    Heaven rewards the diligent. For over thirty years, Gu Benjian has devoted himself to mastering calligraphy, a journey marked by continuous learning and practice. His works have traveled far and wide, showcased in Europe, America, and Southeast Asia. They have been exhibited at the Cannes Chinese Culture and Arts Festival and collected by local Chinese communities, the Sino-Japanese Cultural Exchange Center, a private museum in Israel, and top Chinese universities such as Peking University and Tsinghua University. At an auction in Hong Kong, a set of Gu's "Fu Lu Shou" (Fortune, Prosperity, Longevity) calligraphy fetched a high price of 600,000 Hong Kong dollars, making it a highly sought-after treasure.