對話趙九杰（四）：蓮的母題與創作的精神性

荷 -白與紅|White and Red

布面油畫 |Oil on canvas

150×150cm

2024

參加“吾心歸處”妥木斯師生油畫作品展

話題一

問：“蓮”是您藝術世界中最重要的母題。批評家范迪安先生曾說，蓮是您“反觀自身、悟想佛理的寄托”。這引發了一個關于藝術創作本質的思考：是您先懷揣著一種禪意的心境，不自覺地選擇了蓮作為表達對象；還是在長年累月、日復一日地描繪蓮的過程中，蓮所承載的清凈、堅韌與智慧，逐漸滲透、重塑了您的生命狀態與藝術品格？

The "lotus" is the most important motif in your artistic world. Critic Fan Di'an once remarked that the lotus serves as a vehicle for you to "reflect on yourself and contemplate Buddhist principles." This raises a fundamental question about the nature of artistic creation: Did you, driven by a pre-existing Zen-like state of mind, unconsciously choose the lotus as your subject? Or, through years of daily, dedicated practice in painting the lotus, have its symbolic qualities of purity, resilience, and wisdom gradually permeated and reshaped your own life and artistic character?

答：我先闡述一個基本的概念?！吧彙笔欠鸾讨械囊粋€重要母題，蓮花在佛教中是一種表法的形式。在佛教理論里，蓮花象征著佛的境界。為什么如此？《妙法蓮華經》中便有關于蓮的論述。佛陀曾經清楚地開示，蓮的精神值得人們學習：蓮花出污泥而不染。它生長于淤泥之中，環境雖然污濁，但它所綻放的花朵與結出的種子卻晶瑩剔透、一塵不染。

為什么會這樣？就好比人一樣，我們會經歷諸多苦難。這些苦難就如同蓮藕所在池塘底部的淤泥。出污泥而不染，意味著我們在生活的五濁惡世之中，依然能夠保持清醒，內心保持安靜與清潔。這是一件非常不容易的事。佛陀讓大家學習蓮的精神，其意正在于此。

Let me first explain a basic concept. "Lotus" is an important motif in Buddhism, and the lotus flower is a form of Dharma expression in Buddhism. In Buddhist theory, the lotus symbolizes the realm of Buddhahood. Why is that? The Lotus Sutra (Saddharma Pu??arīka Sūtra) also discusses the lotus. The Buddha clearly taught that the spirit of the lotus is worth learning from: the lotus grows from mud but remains unstained. It lives in the mud, in a very defiled environment, yet the flowers and seeds it produces are crystal clear and pristine.

Why is this so? It is like human beings: we all experience many sufferings. These sufferings are like the mud at the bottom of a pond where lotus roots grow. "Emerging from mud but remaining unstained" means that even while living in the defiled world of the five turbidities, one can still remain clear-minded, with a heart that is calm, clean, and pure. This is no easy thing. The Buddha taught people to learn from the spirit of the lotus, and that is precisely the meaning.

荷 -清涼月|Lotus – Moon of Tranquility

布面油畫 |Oil on canvas

120×120cm

2024

參加“吾心歸處”妥木斯師生油畫作品展

答：在《妙法蓮華經》中，我讀到關于蓮的描繪：蓮如同佛的存在一般，具有金剛不壞的品質。在生長過程中，它將淤泥轉化為自身的養料。而當蓮花的花瓣凋落、蓮蓬與蓮子成熟之時，正是花敗落而種子成就的時刻。這一過程沒有漏洞，因而被稱為“金剛不敗之軀”。我們以此比喻人類生活在五濁惡世中，面對諸多煩惱與波折，依然能夠保持蓮一般高潔的品質。這正是我們應當學習的。

我記得師父曾說過一句話：“步步心酸淚，化作蓮花滿四海?！边@句話將生活的苦難比作蓮花生長的淤泥，而通過內心的轉化，苦難最終化作滿四海的蓮花。它所表達的是：愿你初心不改，盡管經歷重重苦難，依然能夠保持清醒、清潔與圓滿。這一點尤為不易，也正是蓮的品格所在。

In the Lotus Sutra, I read about the depiction of the lotus: the lotus exists like the Buddha himself, possessing an indestructible, diamond-like quality. During its growth, it transforms the mud into its own nourishment. And when the lotus petals fall and the seed pod and seeds mature, that is precisely the moment when the flower fades and the seeds are accomplished. This process has no flaw, and therefore it is called the "indestructible diamond body." We use this as a metaphor for human beings living in the defiled world of the five turbidities: though facing many afflictions and setbacks, we can still maintain a quality as noble and pure as the lotus. This is precisely what we should learn.

I remember my master once saying: "Step by step, tears of bitterness transform into lotus flowers spreading across the four seas." This saying compares the sufferings of life to the mud in which the lotus grows. Through inner transformation, suffering ultimately turns into lotus flowers that fill the world. What it expresses is this: may your original aspiration remain unchanged. Though you experience countless hardships, you can still maintain clarity, purity, and perfection. This is especially difficult to achieve, and it is precisely the character of the lotus.

盛開 |Full Bloom

布面油畫 |Oil on canvas

150×150cm

2024

答：正因如此，我決定將蓮作為創作主題。最初，我的作品主要以大自然風景為主，花卉居多。但在后來的修行過程中，我逐漸意識到，應當反觀自身，向佛的境界靠近。在繪畫中，這一主題本身既具有普世價值，也蘊含著更深層的意義，同時又是極難表達的。在繪畫語言與形式上，我不斷探索，至今已創作近二十年。每一次創作蓮，感受都不盡相同，無論從色彩還是形象上，都更加接近蓮的本性與品格。

實際上，我是想借助蓮來抒發自己的情感，表達自己對藝術境界的追求。藝術的最終表達，還是要依靠藝術的語言——形象的本體語言、色彩，以及蓮本身的姿態與色調，來呈現我們對生命的內在狀態。歸根結底，藝術最終表達的是我們內心的狀態。

For this reason, I decided to make the lotus my central creative theme. In the beginning, my works primarily focused on natural landscapes, with flowers appearing most frequently. However, as I continued my spiritual practice, I gradually came to realize that I should turn my attention inward and draw closer to the realm of Buddhahood. As a subject in painting, the lotus carries universal value and profound meaning, yet it is also extremely difficult to express. In terms of pictorial language and form, I have been continuously exploring for nearly twenty years. With each creation of the lotus, my experience is different. Whether in color or in form, I feel myself drawing closer to the true nature and character of the lotus.

In essence, I seek to express my emotions and my pursuit of an artistic state through the lotus. The ultimate expression of art must rely on the language of art itself—the formal language of imagery, color, and the lotus's own posture and tones—to present our inner state of being. In the final analysis, what art ultimately expresses is the state of our inner heart.

清涼 |Coolness

布面油畫 |Oil on canvas

150×150cm

2024

參加中國油畫學會30周年慶學術邀請展

話題二

問：對您而言，繪畫的過程本身意味著什么？它是一個“通往”某種頓悟、某種澄明境地的“工具”或“通道”，還是說，當您沉浸于繪畫，與畫布、色彩和那個“蓮”的意象合而為一時，那個瞬間本身，就已經是您所追尋的“境地”？

What does the process of painting itself mean to you? Is it a "tool" or a "pathway" towards a moment of enlightenment, a state of clarity? Or, when you are fully immersed in painting, becoming one with the canvas, the colors, and the imagery of the lotus, does that very act, that instant of creation, become the state of clarity you seek?

答：我認為，蓮的表達與我們當下的生活心境密切相關。它只是借助了蓮這一“相”，即便描繪其他物象，同樣可以達到這樣的境界。蓮本身所呈現的境界，實際上正是你內心所尋求的境界——當下的景，恰好暗合了你內心的需求，或者說你希望追求的某種精神境界。

舉例來說，有一天清晨四五點鐘，我起身去看蓮花。那時天空呈現出魚肚白色，太陽尚未升起。蓮花的整個背景非常安靜、完整，只有蓮花晶瑩剔透地從淤泥中挺拔而出，花瓣是白色的，仿佛自身在發光。那種圣潔的感覺，與你內心所追求的境界產生了深刻的共鳴。就在那一刻、那一瞬間，它暗合了你內心的某種追求。

實際上，蓮正是你內心境界的外在顯化。繪畫的表達也是如此——借助色彩與形的語言，去呈現你內心深處的某種境界。

I believe that the expression of the lotus is closely related to our current state of mind and life. It merely makes use of the "appearance" of the lotus; even if one painted other subjects, the same state could still be achieved. The realm presented by the lotus is, in fact, precisely the realm you seek within your own heart. The scene before you happens to resonate with your inner needs, or with a certain spiritual state you wish to pursue.

For example, one morning around four or five o'clock, I got up and went to see the lotus flowers. At that time, the sky was showing the pale white of dawn, and the sun had not yet risen. The entire setting around the lotus was very quiet and complete, with only the lotus flowers emerging straight and crystal clear from the mud. Their petals were white, as if glowing on their own. That sacred feeling created a deep resonance with the state I was seeking in my heart. In that moment, in that instant, it resonated with something I was pursuing inwardly.

In fact, the lotus is precisely the external manifestation of your inner state. The same is true of painting: through the language of color and form, it presents a certain state deep within your heart.

荷 -吉祥|Lotus – Auspicious

布面油畫 |Oil on canvas

120×120cm

2024

參加“東方意蘊時代精神”中國寫意油畫大展

話題三

問：范迪安先生曾提到您的畫能將觀者帶入“一方身心俱潔的澄明世界”。但在當代藝術接受中，觀者的解讀是開放的、多元的。面對不同的觀眾，您是否期待他們以一種特定的路徑（例如，安靜地凝視）進入您的作品？還是說，您更愿意讓作品成為一個完全開放的場域，任由每位觀者基于自身的情感與閱歷，去發現屬于他們自己的“澄明世界”？

Mr. Fan Di'an once remarked that your paintings can bring viewers into "a tranquil and lucid world where both mind and body are utterly pure." However, in the contemporary reception of art, viewers' interpretations are open and pluralistic. Faced with different audiences, do you expect them to enter your work through a specific path—such as quiet contemplation? Or do you prefer your work to be a completely open field, allowing each viewer to discover their own "lucid world" based on their own emotions and life experiences?

答：一方身心俱靜的澄明世界，在當代觀眾的解讀中呈現出開放與多元的特征。面對不同觀眾，我們是否仍存在特定的表達意圖？我想就此說明，為何要借助“五色”與“五行”來解讀繪畫中所蘊含的不同情緒。

每個人都有著喜怒哀樂、悲憫、恐懼、失落等傳統意義上的情感體驗，而這些情緒始終處于變化之中。某種色彩所具有的情緒傾向性，恰恰契合了每個人內在的情感表達。通過引入不同的色彩，我們可以以開放的方式，解讀不同個體在欣賞繪畫過程中的多元感受。從這個角度看，這一體系既是開放的，也是包容的。

A tranquil and lucid world, where both mind and body are at rest, presents itself as open and pluralistic in the interpretation of contemporary viewers. Faced with different audiences, do we still have a specific expressive intention? I would like to take this opportunity to explain why we turn to the "Five Colors" and the "Five Elements" to interpret the different emotions embedded in painting.

Every individual experiences emotional states in the traditional sense—joy, anger, sorrow, happiness, compassion, fear, loss, and so on—and these emotions are constantly in flux. The emotional inclination inherent in a particular color happens to resonate with each person's inner emotional expression. By introducing different colors, we can openly interpret the diverse feelings that different individuals experience while appreciating a painting. From this perspective, this system is both open and inclusive.

荷 - 陽光明媚 |Lotus - Sunny and Bright

布面油畫 |Oil on canvas

120×120cm

2025

答：那么，為什么說“五色學說”所構建的色彩境界，既是開放的、包容的，同時又蘊含著智慧與普世價值？我認為，當我在發現并建構這一色彩學理論，將中國傳統文化與繪畫語言相結合進行創作時，它恰恰能夠更加包容地接納觀眾對作品的感受，也更能將創作者不同的狀態與精神境界有效傳遞給觀眾。這正是多元開放的一種體現。

因此，我認為，通過色調與色相，便足以涵蓋每個人不同的情緒變化。不同的色彩確實呈現出不同的狀態。即使是在“和”的整體基調之下，這種“和”也包含多樣狀態。清晨、夜晚、黃昏，不同的紅色、白色、綠色、紫色，皆表達著不同的境界。這一切，不過是借由外在的“象”，來表達我們內在的“心象”而已。

So why is it said that the realm of color constructed by the "Five Colors" theory is not only open and inclusive, but also imbued with wisdom and universal value? I believe that when I discovered and developed this theory of color, integrating traditional Chinese culture with the language of painting in my creative process, it became precisely capable of embracing the diverse responses of viewers to the work, while also effectively conveying the artist's different states and spiritual realms to the audience. This is precisely an embodiment of pluralistic openness.

Therefore, I believe that through tonalities and hues alone, we can sufficiently encompass the emotional variations of each individual. Different colors indeed present different states. Even under the overall keynote of "harmony" (He), this harmony contains multiple conditions. Dawn, night, and dusk—different shades of red, white, green, and purple—each express different realms. All of this is nothing other than using the external "image" to express the "image of the heart" within us.

吉祥鳥 |Auspicious Bird

布面油畫 |Oil on canvas

120×120cm

2024

藝術家簡介

趙九杰

1963 年出生于內蒙古烏蘭浩特。1986 年畢業于內蒙古師范大學美術系油畫 專業。1990—1992 年結業于內蒙古師范大學美術系油畫研究生班，（師承著名油畫家、教育家妥木斯教授）?，F執教于廈門大學建筑學院，副教授，中國美術家協會會員，中國油畫學會理事。福建油畫學會.廈門油畫學會顧問。

獲獎作品：

1998年 《風景 ——廈門大學》油畫入選中國國際美術年系列大展 ——當代山水畫、油畫風景大展，被選評為向全國媒體重點推薦作品，并收入精品集和全集。 （北京 中國美術館）

1999 年 《假日海濱》油畫 ，入選第九屆全國美展并獲第三屆福建省藝術節銀獎。

2004 年 第三屆中國油畫精選展，獲優秀作品獎。（中國美術館）

2008年 獲CCTV中國中央電視臺中國優秀油畫展播優秀獎。

2014年作品《供養》參加第十二屆中國美展榮獲提名獎。

主要參展活動：

1998年 中國國際美術年系列大展 —中國當代山水畫、油畫風景大展。（中國美術館）

1999年 第九屆全國美展、福建省第三屆藝術節銀獎。（上海美術館）

2000年 “亞熱帶風”—趙九杰油畫作品巡回展。（廈門 福州）

2003年 第三屆中國油畫精選展，獲優秀作品獎。（中國美術館）

2004年 參加第十屆全國美展。

2004 年 9月赴俄羅斯參加“中俄藝術家采風活動”并在上海參加“金色吉雅 河”中俄藝術家油畫作品展。

2004年 “風景與表情 —趙九杰、朱進油畫展”。（北京）

2007年11月策劃《藝術與環境》中德文化藝術交流活動。

2008年《中國風》《拓展與融合》入選中國當代油畫展。

2008年赴瑞典參加中國藝術節。

2008年獲CCTV中國中央電視臺中國優秀油畫展播優秀獎。

2009年參加第十一屆中國美展、當代油畫展。

2010年參加中國美術館和臺北市立美術館《此情此景：大陸油畫名家寫生展》。

2014年參加第十二屆中國美展作品《供養》。

2025年 參加巍巍者華—中國油畫學會三十年藝術展。

2025年參加文化和旅游部2025年全國美術館館藏精品展出季入選項目“吾心歸處—內蒙古美術館藏妥木斯師生油畫作品展。

2025年參加東方意蘊 時代精神.中國寫意油畫大展。

個人展覽：

2004年9月10日 “趙九杰、朱進‘風景與表情’油畫展”。（北京國際藝苑美術館）

2006年 “尋找家園”—趙九杰油畫作品展。（上海劉海粟美術館）

2009年 “ 青春與夢想”—趙九杰油畫作品展。（廈門）

2016年赴法國南部考察，寫生。

2018年，2019年赴意大利，希臘考察，寫生。

2017年《觀蓮》趙九杰油畫作品巡展，上海油畫雕塑院美術館（上海），鳳凰藝都美術館（無錫），大連美術館（大連）。

2019年“彩韻”趙九杰油畫作品展（諸暨市水彩畫博物館）。

2021年中國油畫學會年展。

出版物：

2000年出版《趙九杰油畫作品集》翰林出版公司

2006年出版《尋找家園——九杰油畫紀程》天津人民美術出版社

2013年出版《人文武夷：麻粟星空》廈門大學出版社

2017年出版《觀蓮：趙九杰油畫作品集》慧觀書院

2018年出版《風景：趙九杰油畫作品集》大連美術館

2018年出版《觀蓮：趙九杰油畫作品集》鳳凰藝都美術館