Most foreigners who come to study in China know that there are many “painters’ villages” in China such as Songzhuang “painter’s village” in Beijing and Dafen “painters’ village” in Shenzhen and so on. In Yunnan, there is also a “painters’ village”, that is, Nuohei Village in Stone Forest County. As painters from many places go there in great numbers, it gradually becomes a village with strong artistic temperament and far away from the hustle and bustle of the world.
With the rapid process of the urbanization, many artists form a strong psychological resistance to the noisy city center. Therefore, they move to the quiet place to seek for inspiration. However, they are afraid of being lonely, so painters gathering together. Chinese teacher from summer program in China would tell you that the existence of the painters’ village in Stone Forest proves that the hearts of artists are moving closer to the nature.
This village is not far from Kunming city. The reason that attracts painters from all places in China even abroad is not only the beautiful original scenery in this village. If you go there when you study Chinese in the city of Kunming, you will feel the pure and simple folk and you will understand the life of the painters there.
The village is situated on a gradual slope and there is a large pond of dozens of Mu at the foot of the village, which is called “Monkey Pond” by the villagers. The houses in the village, living houses or barns even lairs are built with stones. Learners learn Mandarin in Yunnan may be told that this village is also known as “village piled up with stone”.
The village is surrounded by hills and the vegetation is dense everywhere. If you have the chance to go there when you learn Chinese in China, you will see the village is full of trees. The leaves of some trees are fallen but some are still luxuriant and green. The village becomes more beautiful with the decoration of the red leaves as dazzling as the blazing fire.
The sceneries are various in different season. Winter is coming, if the foreigners who come to Kunming to learn Mandarin Chinese go there now, the most attractive thing should be the persimmon. In winter, the leaves of persimmon trees are all fallen only the full golden fruit. The branches are weighed heavily with fruits. They are so close that you can reach just stretch your hands, but people don’t pick them. They are left especially for the painters to inspire their creative.
From the year of 2006 on, Nuohei Village has become the teaching practice base of students who major in Painting in the School of Art and Design in Yunnan University. A piece of news comes from students in Chinese learning programs that the famous painter Mao Xuhui brings the students there every year to help them create by merging with nature.
All painters here have their own stories. Mao Xuhui calls the younger generation of painters in Yunnan as “seeds of Yunnan”, including many students major in painting in Yunnan University. Tao Fa is going to bring some of his paintings in the village out to prepare the paintings exhibition in Taiwan. Foreigners who learn Chinese may not know that the villager Zu Laosan provides food and accommodation to the painters.
In the viewpoint of Liu Yawei, the reason that painters choose there is the special natural scenery and folk custom. The mountains surrounded village, the houses piled up with stones, the red earth and the kind and warm people here make them feel comfortable and natural to paint. Besides, if you study Mandarin Chinese in Kunming, you will be told that the colorful scenery can solve many coloring problems in painting.
It is known among those who have internships in China that the scenery in not just a beautiful scene in painters’ eyes, but a good painting after merging with the painter’s thought. Liu Yawei said: “painting contains the elements like history, philosophy, religion, art and so on. Therefore, it can praise life, record history, educate and guide people. The most important point is that we should combine the humanities spirit with the natural scenery”.
In this village, we can see the uniqueness of Yunnan characteristics. Under the circumstance of rapid urbanization in China, the Yunnan-styled “slow China” and “natural China” feature is a better appetite for culture and the art. Predictably, the artists appreciate the delicate culture and slow culture are intend to move to Yunnan.