On October 1, 1946, the inaugural issue of Women’s Voice Biweekly published an interview with Li Xuying, briefly reviewing her life story and encouraging female readers to learn from her resilience and perseverance in adversity.
1946年10月1日，《妇声半月刊》的创刊号上刊登了一篇李旭英访问记，简要回顾了李旭英的生平事迹，希望女性读者学习她在困境中的坚毅与坚持。
《从艰苦中奋斗出来的女画家 – 李旭英女士访问记》
《妇声半月刊》第一卷第一期，1946年10月1日
由一个天真的小女孩一跳一跳的领我走进八十号的后院，这就是李先生画室所在地，将要踏进画室时从房里迎出了一位中年妇人。真不敢相信这就是驰名古城的现代女画家李旭英女士，她朴素的服装和蔼的面孔，绝不像我所想象的，所谓女艺人的装饰，从谈话中渐渐的使我感到旭英女士的可钦和我所想象观念的庸俗。
旭英女士求学时代就曾打破了封建的家庭所给予女孩子的桎枯，在挣扎中算是冲过了第一关，当中学毕业后，又在职业圈里奋斗了三年，以剩余的收入作大学的学费才达到了升入北平艺术学院的愿望，当谈到她在小学及中学读书时的情形时说：“我在小孩子时就喜欢画小人，画同学，画先生，不过还是一个好学生，但是到了中学就尽情的向文学和绘画上发展，变成了不用功的学生。。。。。。”说至此脸上充满了童年时代的回忆。
李先生自艺专毕业后就留校工作，前后在艺专担任图案系教授二十年，在这二十年间，无一日不在与恶劣的环境奋斗，尝尽人生中的辛酸与痛苦，但是她是战胜了恶劣环境，从艰苦中奋斗出来的一个，李先生谦逊的说：“我很惭愧实在谈不到成功，不过能够有今日一些成绩，是因为我的环境不好，不得以而挤出来的。”
这些话实在是她的客气，我国一切都在新旧交替的过渡时代，不知有多少，意志薄弱的女性被这时代的巨浪打下去，更有许多想奋斗，有抱负的妇女，终因经不住挫折与打击而中途覆灭，不是消沉即趋堕落，所以能够估得起来，和一切恶势力作殊斗死，终能战胜环境而有所成就的女性，在今日的中国社会里实属难能可贵，因此特介绍李先生的奋斗经过，以给正在奋斗中的姊妹们加强自信力和斗争勇气。
在一个向与环境奋斗的人，得到了些安定的生活时，是多么可留恋的一刹那，何况又来了一个新的希望，并且不久就要实现这新希望。那正是旭英女士与王元奇先生结婚后。过着美满的共同生活，因为王元奇先生也是现代的艺人，他们相互除去夫妇关系外，另有共同的好尚与志趣是最理想的婚姻的生活。当他们第二个结晶尚未出世之前，王先生到中央实业部去任职，旭英女士也随同南下，生活环境有了改变，生活中的趣味也就更浓厚。谁知好梦总是不长的。“七七”抗战的头一声炮响于华北：“八一三”上海也响应了全面的抗战，当大场沦陷后国军因战策的关系退出上海时，于是南京的空气也一天天的紧张，在积极备战氛围中的首都便影响到这个快乐的小家庭。
中央下命令首先撤退妇孺，于是旭英女士便和她的丈夫分离，自己领着学语的女儿，和未出世的二女，在风声鹤唳之空气中随着大群的流亡者，踏上旅途开始过着流浪的生活，到武汉时她们母女暂居在一位慈惠的老太太家里，她是旭英女士朋友的母亲，一切多蒙她的照顾。当王元奇先生随部撤退武汉时他们曾会晤过一次，他又匆匆的走上征途。
在战乱的时候，那里有人去欣赏艺术，何况旭英女士又在临产的前夕，还要照顾大的女儿，元奇先生终因不放心她们母女的生活便又回到武汉来接她们一同入川，但是那时旭英女士因为身体不便，事实上已不能走那艰险的蜀道，于是他们听了那老人的建议，便男的随政府入川工作，女的暂尽抚养第二代国民之责留在武汉，等生产后再做打算。他们便毅然的分别，旭英女士生产后第十七天，因武汉的吃紧，又抱了不满一月的婴儿继续流浪，走过高山渡过河川，衣服被水浸湿了等它自己渐渐的再蒸干了，产后的失调这是妇女最大的不幸和痛苦，因此，终于留下了腰痛的宿疾。
实在没有力量再流浪的时候，她们又回到了已经沦陷的北平，因为这里有一点旧的关系，再加上自己的努力生活上遂不至有大问题，于是旭英女士作些商业广告籍以糊口，有时连二女的代乳粉都无着落时，只好用一些其它的代用品，这是多么刺痛母亲心的事啊！如果有力量给孩子买一盒美国的好乳粉时，她会比自己能够享受一次丰富的宴席还要快活万分。这样艰苦的生活加之于妇女的身上已经够不幸了，可是却又应了“祸不单行”的古谚，王元奇先生因积劳成疾而病殁，旭英女士几乎悲痛欲绝，但是为了自己前途和小孩，又继续更艰苦的和环境奋斗下去。
后来由友人的怂恿又回到艺专去授课，为了旭英女士不肯教学生画宣传“大东亚战争”的画，很受敌人的注意，那时她只教学生画工艺图案和商业广告，关起门来常给学生一点精神的灌输，因此很得青年人的拥戴。
旭英女士快活的说：“现在好了，我的画已渐渐趋于宣传性，我们可以大胆的说，大胆的作，不再受人的限制。”
旭英女士的图案集的很多，题材新颖，构图函美，并且富于充分的创造力，她预备出个画集，的确在中国图案画集中也没有如此精彩的作品，我们希望她的画集早日问世以给学习图案画者一个明确的指南。
她不但是个很好的教授，艺术家，她还是个标准的母亲，能对孩子施以优良的家庭教育，她的宝宝都是活泼天真并且见人有礼，这不能不赖以良好的母教所至。
由于旭英女士的艰苦奋斗经过，给我们一个明确的启示，即妇女要从重重艰苦和恶势力中奋斗出来，虽然是件不易的事，但是，如果有毅力有勇气，和百挫不回的精神，胜利还是属于我们的，因此中途失败的妇女，使她失败的主力不是任何恶势力和坏环境，而是她自己。
“A Female Painter Who Rose from Hardship – An Interview with Ms. Li Xuying”
Women’s Voice Biweekly, vol 1, issue 1, October. 1, 1946
A bouncing little girl led me to the backyard of No. 80, where Ms. Li’s studio was located. As we were about to enter the studio, a middle-aged woman came out to greet us. It was hard to believe that this was Ms. Li Xuying, the famous modern female painter in this ancient city. Her simple attire and amiable face were nothing like the image of a so-called “female artist” I had imagined. Through our conversation, I gradually grew to admire Ms. Xuying and realized the vulgarity of my own preconceptions.
Ms. Xuying had already broken free from the shackles imposed on girls by feudal families during her school days, passing her first hurdle in the struggle for independence. After graduating from secondary school, she worked for three years, saving up to pay for university tuition, finally fulfilling her dream of enrolling in the National Beiping Art Academy. When she spoke about her school days, she said, “As a child, I liked drawing little figures such as classmates and teachers, but I was still a good student. However, by middle school, I fully indulged in literature and painting, becoming a less diligent student…” Her face was filled with memories of childhood.
After graduating from the National Beiping Art Academy, Ms. Li stayed on to teach there, serving as a professor in the Decorative Arts Department for twenty years. During these two decades, she fought against adversity every day, experiencing all the bitterness and pain. Nevertheless, she overcame these harsh environments through perseverance. Ms. Li humbly said, “I am embarrassed to say I’ve succeeded; any small achievements I have now are due to my tough circumstances, and I had no choice but to push through.”
These words were just her modesty. During this transitional period from old to new in China, countless women with weak wills were swept away by the tides of the era. Many women with ambitions and the desire to fight often succumbed to setbacks and frustration, either sinking into despair or decadence. Therefore, a woman like Ms. Li, who could stand up against all adversities and achieve something, is truly rare and commendable in contemporary Chinese society. Hence, I introduce her story to inspire other women still in the fight, reinforcing their confidence and courage.
For someone who has been fighting against their environment, the moment of achieving some stability is so precious, let alone when a new hope emerges, soon to be realized. This was when Ms. Xuying married Mr. Wang Yuanyi. They enjoyed a blissful life together because Mr. Wang was also a modern artist, sharing not only marital bonds but also common interests and aspirations, making their marriage ideal. Before their second child was born, Mr. Wang took up a position at the Central Ministry of Industry, and Ms. Xuying followed him south, where their life became even more enriched. Little did they know, good times don’t last. The first cannon of the “July 7th” Incident echoed in North China, followed by the “August 13th” response in Shanghai, leading to a full-scale war. When Dachang fell and the Nationalist army retreated from Shanghai due to strategic considerations, the atmosphere in Nanjing became increasingly tense, affecting this once happy family.
With orders from the central government to evacuate women and children first, Ms. Xuying was separated from her husband. She led her toddler daughter and her unborn second child into a life of refugees, starting their journey in an atmosphere of panic. In Wuhan, they temporarily stayed with the kind-hearted mother of one of Ms. Xuying’s friends, who took good care of them. They met once when Mr. Wang came to Wuhan during his retreat, but he soon left again for his duty.
During wartime, who had time for art? Especially with Ms. Xuying nearing childbirth while caring for her older daughter, Mr. Wang, worried about their well-being, returned to Wuhan to take them to Sichuan. However, due to her condition, she couldn’t travel the arduous roads. They followed the advice of their host: Mr. Wang went with the government to Sichuan to work while Xuying stayed in Wuhan to care for their children. After giving birth, just 17 days later, as Wuhan became increasingly perilous, she continued their journey with an infant barely a month old, crossing mountains and rivers. Her clothes were soaked and dried repeatedly. Postpartum complications were the greatest misfortune and pain for a woman, leaving her with chronic back pain.
When they could no longer afford to wander, they returned to the occupied Beiping, where they had some old connections, and through her efforts, managed to make ends meet. Ms. Xuying did some commercial illustrations to make a living, and at times, when there wasn’t even any milk powder for her children, she had to use substitutes – heart-wrenching for any mother. If she could afford a tin of good American milk powder, it would bring her more joy than a lavish feast for herself. Such hardships on a woman were already unfortunate enough, but as the saying goes, “misfortunes never come singly”; Mr. Wang succumbed to illness from overwork. Ms. Xuying was nearly devastated but for the sake of her future and her children, she continued to fight against an even harsher environment.
Later, encouraged by friends, she returned to teach at the art school. Because she refused to have her students paint propaganda for the “Great East Asia War,” she attracted the enemy’s attention. She only taught industrial designs and commercial advertisements, and in private, she instilled some spirit into her students, thus earning their respect.
Ms. Xuying cheerfully said, “Now things are better; my paintings are gradually becoming more expressive. We can speak and act boldly, no longer bound by restrictions.”
Ms. Xuying has created a vast collection of decorative art designs, with innovative themes, beautiful compositions, and rich creativity. She intends to publish a collection, which would be unmatched among Chinese decorative art books. We look forward to its early publication to serve as a clear guide for those studying pattern design.
She is not only an excellent professor and artist but also a model mother providing exemplary education at home. Her children are lively, innocent, and polite, thanks to her excellent upbringing.
Ms. Xuying’s struggles offer us a clear lesson: for women to emerge from layers of hardship and adversity is not easy, but with perseverance, courage, and unyielding spirit, victory can be ours. Therefore, the primary reason for a woman’s failure is not external forces or environments but herself.