[Explanation] Recently, Major General Gu, a Xi'an calligraphy teacher, became popular online with a video of painting on toilet paper.
In the face of millions of clicks and a constant stream of visitors, Major General Gu said in an interview with reporters that painting on toilet paper is a bit "not doing business" for him, and being liked by people is also "unintentional."
His goal is to make more people pay attention to calligraphy and fall in love with calligraphy by means of entertaining and entertaining.
Major General Gu, who was in his 30s, is the founder of a calligraphy training institution in Xi'an and a senior calligraphy teacher.
The reporter saw in Major General Gu’s study that there were calligraphy works by him and his students hanging on the wall, and the roll of toilet paper that was watched by netizens was placed on the desk in the middle.
Major General Gu told reporters that he liked writing and drawing since he was a child. Although his work is mainly calligraphy, painting is still a leisure way for him to relax.
During the epidemic this year, Major General Gu was idle in his hometown and tried to paint on toilet paper with a gel pen.
[Concurrent] Xi'an Calligraphy Teacher Major General Gu
In the process of painting, it was found to be very difficult. The toilet paper is very soft. If you use too much force, the toilet paper will puncture.
If it is too light, the line will not be coherent, and the intermittent will be drawn.
If you don’t have a certain level of writing skills, the ability to control the pen is not enough, or you don’t have a certain level of aesthetics, it may still be difficult to make it.
In the end, I finished painting and drew eight or nine figures of Journey to the West in a row, and then posted it on the Internet. In the end, it attracted a crowd of 4 to 5 million people.
[Explanation] The reporter learned that most of the students who follow Major General Gu to learn calligraphy are nearby primary and middle school students. For many children, practicing calligraphy is a boring thing.
In order to increase the interest of the students, Master Gu will teach the children to draw some simple strokes in the classroom, or add illustrations to ancient poems. Painting on toilet paper is also an attempt of his teaching.
For some beginners, the visual impact brought by "toilet paper painting" gives them the motivation to learn calligraphy.
This change is what Major General Gu, who loves calligraphy, is most willing to see.
[Concurrent] Xi'an Calligraphy Teacher Major General Gu
Now with the popularity of this electronic product, people usually use voice and typewriting, so they rarely use handwriting to do some work.
So the cause is everyone. Most people forget to write, except for bad writing.
But calligraphy is our traditional culture and an art form unique to China, so I think it should continue to be carried forward, and someone should continue to pass it on.
[Explanation] Major General Gu said that he does not want to be remembered by people because of a roll of toilet paper, but if this can better promote calligraphy teaching, he will continue to paint on toilet paper.
Party Field Report from Xi'an, Shaanxi
Editor in charge: 【Luo Pan】