Memorial Hall of Gao Jianfu

Memorial Hall of Gao Jianfu

Located at No. 87 (originally 85-91) Zhuzi Street, Panfu Road, at the southern foot of Xianggang Mountain in Yuexiu District, this site consists of three ancient houses built in a row against the hillside. It was once the place where Gao Jianfu, one of the founders of the renowned Lingnan School of Painting, taught and mentored students. Originally, the building served as the Zhejiang Charitable Mortuary for people from Zhejiang residing in Guangzhou during the late Qing Dynasty, commonly referred to as the "Coffin Manor." In 1930, Gao Jianfu purchased the property and renovated it. The name "Chunshui Painting Academy" (Spring Sleep Painting Academy) was inspired by a line from Zhuge Liang’s poem: “After a full spring sleep in my thatched cottage.” The place enjoys tranquility amid the bustling surroundings, with swaying trees. The front section features a flush-gable roof structure, spanning three bays in width and two in depth, with the central bay serving as the entrance hall, and the side rooms functioning as administrative and instructional offices. The arched doors, glazed windows, stone-drum round pillars, courtyard well, planted phoenix trees, and corridors along the walls all contribute to its charm. The main hall was where Gao Jianfu painted and taught students. On the east side of the front section, the second floor served as his bedroom. The garden behind the house spans about half an acre, featuring a small gate, a pond with red railings, waterfowl swimming in the pond, and fragrant plants such as ginger lilies and purple herbs planted along the edges.

Gao Jianfu advocated for the reform of traditional Chinese painting to reflect the real lives of the people, emphasizing learning from nature and incorporating Western painting techniques from Japan. He pioneered and developed the distinctive Lingnan School of Painting. At its peak in 1933, the academy had over 120 students. However, in 1938, when Guangzhou fell to Japanese forces, part of the academy was destroyed in an air raid, leading to the dispersal of students. Gao Jianfu took refuge in the Puji Chan Monastery in Macau, marking the end of the academy.

In 1946, the academy was renamed the "South China Academy of Fine Arts," and the following year it became the "Municipal Academy of Arts." In recent years, to promote the cultural traditions of Lingnan and carry forward the fine painting style of the Lingnan School, provincial and municipal governments have placed great importance on the restoration of Chunshui Painting Academy, transforming it into an exhibition space for works and historical materials of the Lingnan School. Today, it is known as the "Memorial Hall of Gao Jianfu."

Gao Jianfu (1879–1951), given name Lun and courtesy name Jue Ting, was a native of Panyu, Guangzhou. Orphaned at a young age and raised in poverty, he began working as an apprentice at a small pharmacy owned by his uncle in Huangpu at the age of 12. In the 19th year of the Guangxu reign (1893), with the recommendation of his literati uncle Gao Ziyuan, a successful scholar, Gao Jianfu was admitted as a free student under the renowned painter Ju Lian, becoming his disciple.

With the help of his classmate Wu Yizhuang, Gao Jianfu stayed in a waterside pavilion within the garden of the Wu Family Ancestral Hall in Henan. The place housed many famous paintings and calligraphy works from various dynasties, and it often hosted gatherings of poets and painters, which greatly broadened his horizons. In 1903, Gao Jianfu transferred to... More details about Gao Jianfu ++