China News Service, Hohhot, September 5th. Title: After 30 years of hard work, a professor from Inner Mongolia looks for the true mark of national unity from the scrolls.
China News Service reporter Cui Boqun
The picture shows the New Year painting "Between Brothers and Nationalities" (1953), written by Guan Bu and Jin Gao.
Farmers and herdsmen work together. After busy work, people sit together to eat watermelon and drink milk tea... The 1953 New Year painting "Between Brothers and Nationalities" freezes a real life scene on the Tumo River in the picture. After more than 70 years, it still impresses people with its rich flavor of life and simple and vivid pictures.
"Many painters at that time showed national unity, not by preempting the theme or making it up out of thin air, but by real life itself providing rich themes and content." In Wang Pengrui's view, this painting provides a window for understanding the social life of Inner Mongolia in the early days of the founding of New China.
Wang Pengrui is a professor at Inner Mongolia Art Institute, an art theorist and critic. In 2026, his new book "Ode to One Heart—Theme of National Unity in Inner Mongolia Art Creation" (hereinafter referred to as "Ode to One Heart") was published. The book selects more than 170 works that express the theme of national unity from the artistic creations of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the past 80 years since its establishment, and sorts out and explains them from multiple dimensions such as real life, historical narratives, and allegorical symbols.
Recently, Wang Pengrui admitted in an exclusive interview with a reporter from China News Service that this book is his affectionate review of this land and this period of history after he has been engaged in art research in Inner Mongolia for more than 30 years.
Art grows out of fiery real life
Old picture albums, old pictorials, local newspapers and periodicals... For more than 30 years, Wang Pengrui would pay attention to, collect and reprint any information related to Inner Mongolia art. In the studio, there are mountains of materials in the two study rooms, which provided him with the confidence to study Inner Mongolia art. "These books and materials were not collected in a short time, but accumulated bit by bit over decades." Wang Pengrui said.
In these works from different eras, Wang Pengrui is constantly looking for the answer to a question: how can artists discover the content of national unity from life, and how can they leave the true state of multi-ethnic living together on the canvas.
In 1962, Chaolu created the New Year painting "Five Grains and Six Livestocks in Prosperity", which is such a work. In the picture, people of all ethnic groups gather together to celebrate the harvest, which also entrusts the children of the grassland with their beautiful vision of good fortune, happiness, unity and prosperity. The painter drew on folk art forms to create his works. The works have rich compositions, numerous characters, and rich national characteristics.
The picture shows the New Year painting "Five Grains and Six Livestocks in Prosperity" (1962), painted by Chaolu.
"This type of work does not directly tell a specific story of national unity, but through the meanings of harvest, happiness, auspiciousness, etc., it integrates the common life aspirations of people of all ethnic groups into artistic expression." In Wang Pengrui's view, it is these seemingly ordinary life scenes that constitute an ongoing thread in Inner Mongolia's art creation - all ethnic groups live together, work together, and create a better tomorrow together, and they have also become a common object of artistic expression.
A painting reflects an era
The 2020 oil painting "Celebration—The Establishment of the Oroqen, Ewenki, and Daur National Autonomous Banners" puts national unity into the historical narrative and condenses the development process of the Oroqen Autonomous Banner, the Ewenki Autonomous Banner, and the Molidawa Daur Autonomous Banner into a specific artistic image.
The picture shows the oil painting "Celebration-The Establishment of the Oroqen, Ewenki, and Daur National Autonomous Banners" (2020), painted by Sun Yuping.
Among the works sorted out in "Ode to One Heart", themes such as Zhaojun's departure from the fortress, three thousand orphans entering Inner Mongolia, and concerted efforts to build Baogang Steel were constantly re-expressed by artists in different eras.
In Wang Pengrui's view, the same historical theme has been repeatedly expressed by artists in different eras, and is not simply repeated. Times are changing, and historical themes will take on new life and meaning in the new era. At the same time, art forms and people's aesthetic understanding are constantly evolving, but those common and precious historical memories are always worthy of being retold.
“It is through rediscovery and expression that artists connect history with today,” said Wang Pengrui.
"Truth" can stand the test of time
Wang Pengrui was born in Inner Mongolia in 1958. From studying to working, to teaching and researching art history, his life trajectory has always been connected with this land. More than 30 years of teaching and research have made him increasingly convinced that literary and artistic creation cannot be divorced from real life.
"Works that are false, divorced from reality, and lack true feelings cannot impress people, let alone be passed down." Wang Pengrui said.
This is also a question he thought about repeatedly when compiling "Ode to One Heart": Today's literary and artistic creators should also enter life and find the source of creation from real society and fiery life.
In his view, what is truly worthy of expression in Inner Mongolia's art creation is not only the characteristics and cultural symbols of a certain nation, but also the reality that all ethnic groups have lived together, developed together, communicated, exchanged and blended for a long time.
"Times are developing and society is progressing, but the reality that all ethnic groups live and struggle together will always continue in Inner Mongolia," Wang Pengrui said. (over)
