In October 1932, Li Xuying published the White Incense Design Collection. This work was not found among my grandmother’s possessions, nor was it mentioned in the biography my mother wrote about her. It was only through recent research that I was fortunate enough to come across the “Preface to White Incense Design Collection” by Ling Zhizhi, published in the World Daily on October 30, 1932, that I discovered the existence of this work.
Ling Zhizhi (1876–1944), also known as Ling Wenyuan, was a political figure during the late Qing dynasty and the Republic of China. He was a master of flower-and-bird painting, a calligrapher, and an economist. He served as a member of the Provisional Senate of the Provisional Government in Nanjing, advisor to the Ministry of Finance, acting Vice Minister of Finance, and acting Minister of Finance. He was known, along with Qi Baishi (1864-1957), Chen Banding (1876-1970), and Chen Shizeng (1876-1923), as one of the “Four Great Painters of Beiping.” He authored works like Chinese Economics, Finance and Economics, and My Sense of Beauty.
From 1925 to 1932, Ling Zhizhi taught in the Chinese Painting Department of the National Beiping Art Academy, where he had some association with Li Xuying. In his preface, Mr. Ling not only detailed the content of the collection but also highly praised its artistic value, providing us with the only clue today about this work. As an economist, Mr. Ling also commented on the socio-economic conditions of China at the time, giving us insight into the thoughts of intellectuals of that era.
According to a report in the North China Daily, in August 1946, Li Xuying held a solo exhibition at Zhongshan Hall in Beijing where this pattern collection was included, with a preface written by the renowned scholar Hu Shih (1891-1962). By that time, Mr. Ling had already passed away, so it’s possible that Hu Shih was invited to write the preface for a reprint. Unfortunately, both the book and this later preface have yet to be located, leaving the details unknown. Please find the transcript and the translation of the preface below.
1932年10月，李旭英出版了《白香图案集》。这部作品在姥姥的遗物中未曾见到，母亲为姥姥所著传记中也未提及。我在搜集材料中有幸查到凌直支发表于1932年10月30日于《世界日报》的《白香图案集序》，才知道这部作品的存在。
凌直支（1876－1944）又名凌文渊，是清朝及民国政治人物，中国花鸟画大家，书法家，经济学家。历任南京临时政府临时参议院议员、财政部参事、代理财政部次长、代理财政部总长等。曾与齐白石（1864-1957）、陈半丁（1876-1970）、陈师曾（1876-1923）并称“京师四大画家”。 著有《中国经济学》《财政金融学》《我的美感》等。
1925年至1932年期间，凌直支曾在北平艺专国画系任教，与李旭英有一段交集。凌先生这篇序言中不仅详尽介绍了《白香图案集》的内容，还高度评价了它的艺术价值，是我们今天唯一了解这部作品的线索。身为经济学家的凌先生也评论了当时中国的社会经济状况，让我们了解到那个时代知识分子的想法。
据《华北日报》的报道，1946年8月李旭英在北京中山堂举办个展时，这部图案集也在其中，而作序之人是著名学者胡适（1891-1962）。那时候凌先生已经过世，有可能是再版时重新请胡先生作的序。可惜目前这本书和这篇序言尚未找到，详情不得而知。
《白香图案集序》
凌直支
北平大学艺术学院图案讲师李旭英女士，编制《白香图案集》，请我作序。我对图案学没有多大的研究，不知从何序起，但是我对李女士富有文艺的天才和她思想的新颖及其技能的精工，皆为我所深知，又不愿一言不发，惟有随意的说一说罢。
大凡制成一物，无不先有图案。必须图案精美，而后才能制成精美之物。其最显著的，如建筑如机械皆是。一物既成，而图案连带的使命，就是对物怎么可以使它遗留很久，行销很广，标识很明，宣传很远。这皆是在物品的本质之外，发展图案的效能。所以物质文明的竞争愈激烈，争奇斗巧的图案愈有层出不穷的需要。无怪欧美日本的艺术教育立为专科，以助工商业和文化的进步，几几乎成为图案世界了。
我国近年来艺术教育，虽然也有设图案专科，但在教学两方，大都视图案的性质，不过限于欧美化的装饰而已。不知欧美工商业发达，对于人生的生活如日常衣服居室及一切器用的美观，无不踵事增华竞尚装饰，力求物质文明的发达，这本是资本国家应有的面目。我国以农立国。农业早经衰败，工商则更落伍。尤其是读书识字的人，不过仅有百分之五。在这样的民生利民智的状态之下，而欲仿效欧美化的艺术教育，提倡装饰图案，试问大家目不识丁，饿着肚皮能有几位需要它呢？所以图案两字在艺术教育立场上讲起来，应当接我国民生民智之需要，借着适当的图案，利用民族爱美的天性，在其日常生活中，使他们有所观感，而后图案的使命乃见重要。
本来构成图案的工具有二种：（一）是画法，（二）是书法。由画法构成的为图案画，由书法构成的名图案文字。在欧美日本教育发达的国家，所采用的图案多是属于图案画。其中纵使采用图案文字，亦是少数。例如日人十时柳红所著的《实用文字图案》（注1）文字非常简单，即可证明。因为他们的民族不识文字的很少，可不绝对需要图案文字做观感的工具。如有少数的图案文字，就足备广告的用途。所以图案画在他们国内活动的势力很大。而图案文字则较次一等。若论我国的图案，照《中国画学全史》（注2）所说的实用和礼教及宗教化三个时期中的画，以我看来，就有不少的可说是图案画。如能根据这种固有的国粹，改进以求实用，成为中国式的图案画，已是光荣于艺林。所以我国图案的需要，与欧美日本必须注重新发明的图案画不同。而惟一的应该注意之处，须在这欧美化的图案画外，发明图案文字，可把我们百分之九十五不识字的人民因有图案文字的宣传，让他们在不知不觉的美感中，多认识点文字。纵不能如欧美日本借着图案以助工业进步，也可稍稍补救我国的教育之穷。
李女士在艺术学院读书之前，本是受过师范教育而又当过教授多年，因此她所编的这部图案集，却系本诸艺术教育精神，剪除工商发达的资本国家之皮毛，成次中国式的图案集。不然的话，她的图案画曾在北平展览受过热烈的欢迎，何以这部图案集，专偏重于图案文字呢？并且所有的文字，是以《白香词谱》（注3）一百调为根据，计其字数多至七千有余。除去相同的字体，至少亦有四千余字，所以制成图案。想李女士必以为国人尽有不识字的，未有不爱美的，把美观运用在文字中，正好引起国人乐与文字接近兴趣。所以这部图案集的精神，特别创造多数图案文字，信有一种教育的意义含在其中。甚不愿世人徒以普通图案作品视之。仅有文字而全无画，又觉太少点缀。有画而无特色，又与无画相等。所以集中所附的图案画，因欲表示中国式的图案画，故在每一调的词句中择其一句可以代表整个的词意者，构成图案画，以期情景之毕肖，等于中国的自在画，贵在画中含有诗意。而这最终的目的，就是希望看过图案集中一张图案画的人，等于读过白香词谱一百调了。—这以上的话，都是足以表示李女士的图案思想之新颖。
即就李女士图案技能之精工而言，亦有高出寻常的价值。画的技能已详于前，不再说。仅说她图案文字技能优点：（一）她所构成的文字形态，除去出于理想的，或自然的，和动物的，以及几何的，大都是以篆隶真行的四体为根据。（二）她既以白香词谱所有的字数为范围，这就是比较随便采用字数者，自加极严的限制而不避难。（三）白香词谱共为一百调。她所构成的图案文字，每一调集有每一种的形态，但是自整个的组织上看起来，能使一百种的形态成为一体。（四）字数虽多，但无一字不可应用；而字形的内容，又无一字不参入词的画情，说它是字可，说它是画亦可，说它是字与画溶化一体，更无不可。至于她所应用美学上的原理和法则，如所谓反复渐层，对称均衡，调和对比，比例节奏，统调单纯，等条件，皆可视为她所创造的余事。但在这部集子的作品中，又自然的处处应用得纯熟。—这以上的话，又都足以表示李女士的图画技能之精工。
我看国内艺术界研究图画的诸作家，不是专趋于思想方面而荒于技能，就是专精于技能而忽于思想。若求双方兼顾，成绩优美，并不徒学欧美化的，在今日以前，我对李女士这部作品的总批评，可谓首屈一指。
注1: 十時 柳紅『その儘使へる繪と實用図案文字』弘文社, 1927年4月。
注2: 《中国画学全史》，郑午昌，1929年。郑午昌（1894-1952）是现代著名的书画家、美术史论家、出版家。本书被认为是现代中国画史研究的开山奠基之作。
注3: 《白香词谱》为清朝人舒梦兰（1759-1836）编选。词谱选录了由唐朝到清朝的词作品共一百篇，凡一百调。这些调式都是较为通用的，小令、中调、长调均有。为便于初学者，每调还详细列注平仄韵读，成为真正的词谱。
Ms. Li Xuying who teaches pattern design at the School of Arts at Beiping University, has compiled the White Incense Design Collection and invited me to write a preface. I have not extensively studied pattern design, so I am unsure how to begin this preface. However, I know well of Ms. Li’s artistic talent, her innovative ideas, and her skilled craftsmanship, and I am reluctant to remain silent. Thus, I will speak freely.
Generally, before anything is created, there must first be a design. The design must be exquisite for the item to be exquisite. The most notable examples are architecture and machinery. Once an item is created, the design’s role extends to ensuring the item endures over time, sells widely, is clearly identifiable, and is advertised extensively. This goes beyond the object’s inherent qualities, enhancing the effectiveness of the design. As competition in material civilization intensifies, there is an ever-growing need for novel and ingenious designs. Hence, it’s no wonder that in Europe, America, and Japan, art education focuses on pattern design as a specialized subject to boost industrial and cultural progress, almost creating a world of patterns.
In recent years, although China has also set up specialized pattern courses in art education, both teaching and learning often view patterns merely as decorative arts in European and American styles. They fail to recognize that in developed industrial nations of the West, the beauty in everyday life—such as in clothing, home decor, and all utensils—is continuously enhanced, competing for decorative excellence to further material civilization, which is characteristic of capitalist countries. China, being an agricultural nation whose agriculture has long declined and whose industry and commerce lag even further, has only 5% literacy rate. Under such socioeconomic conditions, trying to emulate Western art education to promote decorative patterns seems impractical. How many among the illiterate and hungry would need it? Therefore, in the context of art education, patterns should cater to the needs of the people’s livelihood and intelligence, utilizing the inherent love for beauty in our culture to influence daily life, only then the importance of patterns will show.
There are two types of tools used in creating patterns: (1) painting, and (2) calligraphy. Patterns created through painting are called patterned art, while those through calligraphy are termed patterned characters. In developed educational systems like those in Europe, America, and Japan, patterned art predominates, with patterned characters used sparingly. For example, in Practical Character Design by Juji Ryuko (note 1), the characters used are very simple, which proves the point. This is because their society has few illiterate people, reducing the necessity for patterned text as a visual tool. If there are a few patterned characters, they are sufficient for advertising purposes. Therefore, patterned art has a significant influence in their country, while patterned characters are of secondary importance. When considering the patterns of our country, according to the Complete History of Chinese Painting (note 2), in the periods of practical, ritual, and religious transformation, many could be considered pattern designs. If we can base ourselves on these traditional national treasures, improve them for practical use, and turn them into Chinese-style pattern design, it would be an achievement in the world of art. Hence, our need for patterns differs from that of Europe, America, and Japan, where there’s a necessity for newly invented patterns. The only point that should be noted is that, besides this Western-style patterned art, we should invent patterned characters. This could help educate the ninety-five percent of our population who are illiterate through the subtle beauty of these characters, allowing them to become more familiar with writing. Even if it cannot lead to industrial progress like in Europe, America, and Japan through the use of patterns, it could at least slightly alleviate the deficiencies in our educational system.
Ms. Li, before her studies at the art college, had teacher training and years of experience of teaching. The design collection she has compiled embodies the spirit of art education, eschewing the superficial trends of industrialized capitalist countries to create a uniquely Chinese pattern design collection. Otherwise, why she focuses on patterned character rather than patterned art when her art was warmly received at exhibitions in Beiping? All the characters in the collection are based on the one hundred tunes in The Lyrics of White Incense, (note 3) totaling over seven thousand characters. After excluding the duplicates, there are still at least four thousand unique characters, which are then transformed into patterns. Ms. Li must believe that while there are many in the country who are illiterate, there is no one who does not appreciate beauty, so by integrating beauty into characters, she can spark the public’s interest in engaging with text. Therefore, the essence of this collection of patterns particularly focuses on creating numerous patterned characters, which inherently carry an educational significance. She would not like for people to consider this merely as an ordinary pattern work. With only characters and no illustrations, it feels too plain; with illustrations lacking uniqueness, it’s as if there were none at all. Thus, in an effort to exemplify Chinese-style pattern design, she selects a sentence from each tune that can represent the whole lyrics’ sentiment to form the patterned art included in the collection, aiming for a perfect depiction of the scene, akin to Chinese spontaneous paintings, valuing the poetic essence within the art. The ultimate goal is that anyone who has seen one piece of art from this collection would be like having read through the one hundred tunes of The Lyrics of White Incense—All these comments serve to illustrate the innovative thinking of Ms. Li’s approach to patterns.
When discussing Ms. Li’s pattern design, there is evident superior value. Her painting skills have been discussed in details before, so I won’t mention them again. Let’s only talk about the merits of her patterned characters: 1) The forms of characters she designs, excluding those derived from imagination, nature, animals, or geometry, are mostly based on the four classical writing styles: seal, clerical, regular, and running scripts. 2) She confines herself to the characters found in The Lyrics of White Incense, which means she imposes upon herself a strict limitation, not avoiding the difficulty, compared to those who casually select characters. 3) The Lyrics of White Incense contains one hundred tunes. Her patterned characters for each tune include various forms, but when viewed as a whole, these hundred forms coalesce into a unified entity. 4) Despite the many characters, each one is applicable, and the content of each character’s form also incorporates the emotional essence of the lyric. One could say they are characters, or they could be considered paintings, or even better, they are where characters and paintings merge seamlessly. As for the principles and rules of aesthetics she applies, such as repetition, gradation, symmetry, balance, harmony, contrast, proportion, rhythm, and unity in variety, all can be seen as supplementary to her creative process. Yet, in the works of this collection, these elements are naturally and skillfully applied everywhere. —All these remarks further demonstrate the exquisite skill of Ms. Li in her artwork.
From what I observe in the domestic art scene, creators either focus too much on the intellectual aspect while neglecting technique, or they concentrate solely on technique while overlooking intellectual depth. In seeking excellence in both aspects while avoiding mere imitation of Western styles, I must say that, up to now, Ms. Li’s work stands unparalleled.
Note 1: Kōbunsha, April 1927
Note 2: Written by Zheng Wuchang (1894-1952), first published in 1929. Zheng was a famous calligrapher, painter, art historian, and publisher. This book is considered the pioneering work in the study of Chinese painting history.
Note 3: Compiled by Shu Menglan (1759-1836) of the Qing Dynasty. It includes a selection of 100 lyric poems from the Tang to the Qing dynasties, covering one hundred tunes. These tunes are all relatively common, including short, medium, and long forms. To aid beginners, each tune comes with detailed annotations on level and oblique tones, making it a true manual for practicing lyric poems.