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| 竹林七贤时尚版 |
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| 作者：栗宪庭 发布时间：
2007-06-28 10:14:15 |
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竹林七贤在中国，虽不像三国、水浒的英雄好汉那样家喻户晓，但为历代文人所尊崇。或许因为两种英雄和他们流传的模式各不相同，三国和水浒尤其是三国英雄，走的是世俗化渠道，关帝庙和关公戏在中国民间，可能比任何宗教和戏剧曲目更普及，所以如此，我以为重要的是一个“义”字，因为在侠客、商贾乃至街坊邻居的各种民间关系中，“义”可能是最重要的平衡杠杆。而竹林七贤以“雅”的文本形式，历来被文人所重视，因为文人忧患的是“天下”，面对的是统治集团，而不是民间关系，所以在乎“风骨”和“气节”。从这个角度说，竹林七贤在文人的心中，有点类似于三国英雄在老百姓心中的位置。
也许，三国英雄和竹林七贤后来的形象，一直是一种演绎和再创造，从《三国志》到《三国演义》，再到民间戏曲和关帝庙，其中演绎的性质也是明显的。关帝庙中被膜拜的关帝，大概已不是历史人物的蜀国大将关云长，而成为义薄云天的道德符号了。竹林七贤被冠以竹林七贤的名号，可能就不是七贤自己的宣言，而是稍后文人所为，因为竹林七贤不见魏晋之际的文献，而始见文献《魏氏春秋》，也是七转八拐，从《三国志·魏志·王粲传》所附《嵇康传》的裴松注解而来。而且七贤到底是哪几个人，是七个还是十个，向来说法也不尽相同。而历代文人认同七贤，多半像陈寅恪先生说的，套用了孔夫子“贤者七人” 的句子，在乎与孔夫子搭上了界。从这个角度说，“竹林七贤”的冠名，以及被历代文人重提，要的就是它“精神符号”的性质，这也是一种艺术形象的创造。
七贤都好老庄，尚清谈，《魏记》说他们：“皆豪尚虚无，轻蔑礼法，纵酒昏酣，遗落世事。”《世说新语·任诞篇》也说他们：“常集于竹林之下，肆意酣畅。”尽管他们七个人的遭遇和志趣不尽相同，阮咸、王戎、向秀和山涛后来都当了官，而且山涛因升迁让嵇康顶替自己原来的位置，被嵇康严辞拒绝，才有那封慷慨激昂的《与山巨源绝交书》，今天依然让我们读得回肠荡气。他们所以为历代文人尊崇，就是学者们大多认同的“风骨”。《晋书》卷49《阮籍传》称：“魏晋之际，天下多故，名士少有全者。”寥寥数笔，勾出了严酷和血腥的时代风貌。所以，魏晋易代之际，有良知的士人，面对社会动荡和统治集团的腐败专权，洁身自好，不与险恶而龌龊的官场为伍，尤其借酒消愁，旷达不羁，以发泄内心对“天下”的忧虑和苦闷，以及追求个性和自由放任的人格才是历代文人引为楷模的原因。据记载，东晋顾恺之、陆探微等人就曾怀着崇敬的心情画过竹林七贤，1960年江苏南京南朝墓葬出土的《竹林七贤和荣启期》砖印模画，更是把“七贤”和荣启期画在一起，而荣启期是春秋时代的名士，把不同时期的名士放在一起，是把他们都作为“风骨”“气节”的精神符号来崇尚，在意一种不合作的态度和独
立的人格以及洒脱倜傥的生存状态。所以我以为，七贤是作为一个整体的精神符号被沿用，就像关云长变成关帝爷，史实反而不重要了洪磊花了整整一年时间拍摄的《竹林七贤》，是用时尚的视角来转换竹林七贤的故事。尤其用时装女模特扮演七贤，看似荒唐，细看颇有深意。当然，越剧等剧种至今沿用女演男角，也是习以为常的事情。洪磊的朋友唐炜是中国时装界的先锋人物，得此便利条件，洪磊选择了在国际T形台走红的模特扮演七贤，成为此作品最大的看头。现存“砖印模画”，七贤都是坐姿，本来是饮酒清谈嘛。但洪磊的“时尚版”，除了弹琴的嵇康，都让模特采用站姿，模特嘛，走台和摆POSE，要的就是站姿，才显示出模特的时尚美丽，才突出一种“舞台感”， 这正是洪磊要的感觉。而且，无论哪一个模特扮演七贤中的哪一个，都脱不掉模特自己的一些特征，就是说她都会与时尚有某种关联。同时，在七贤的角色与模特之间形成的那种似是而非的感觉，才构成作品的言外之意。洪磊特意在扮演七贤模特的服装、头饰、脸部化妆上，着意在国际流行款式和时装表演——如西班牙加里亚诺之后的怪异化妆走台秀，与中国古代服饰、七贤性格之间找出一种相互隐喻的关系，甚至连服饰面料也全部采用国际时装界时髦的法国和意大利面料来制作，突出了三宅一生式的布料褶皱质感，和现代混纺特有的金属般亮丽感，格外加强了舞台化和时尚气息。
我们先看模特和她们扮演的角色：
陈娟红，扮演抚琴者嵇康。陈娟红被誉为中国从T形台走向世界的第一人，多次获得国际国内大奖，至今引领中国模特活跃在T形台上，是中国模特界的大姐大。嵇康是七贤的主心骨，宁打铁为生，也不当官，言与行最能体现“风骨”与“气节”，39岁就被司马氏集团杀害，临刑前依然泰然自若地弹奏了一曲《广陵散》， 乐曲流传至今，文名亦盛。陈娟红的嵇康，面带愠色，由于模特手、臂、腿的修长超出常人许多，使弹琴的动作无论如何都会过于凸显，以及服饰特意加长，会让大面积布料的炫丽与陈娟红骨感修长的胳膊、腿和手指的动态产生一种相互衬托的感觉。考证说王戎“与康居山阳二十年，未尝见其喜愠之色”。虽然陈娟红面带愠色，但以她的稳重，在所有模特中，最显嵇康之“风骨”相。
朱琳，扮演阮籍。朱琳曾获2004年全国职业模特大赛总决赛十佳。一出场就被国际名牌ARMANI看重，成为意大利T形台上深受欢迎的模特。据《晋书?阮籍传》记载，曹爽辅政时，曾召阮籍为参军，阮籍以身体有病为借口，坚辞不就。司马懿秉持朝政后，阮籍又被迫出来做官，但因“属魏晋之际，天下多故，名士少有全者，籍由是不与世事，遂酣饮为常”。而且，在嵇康被杀的第二年，阮籍就病死了。阮籍在七贤里文名最大，著名的《咏怀》八十二首，借古讽今，隐喻情怀，诗风格外“悲愤哀怨，隐晦曲折”。站立在嵇康身后的是朱琳的阮籍，面部后期制作时做成青白眼，据说阮籍看朋友用青眼，对不喜欢的人就用白眼。头饰特意以卷曲的头发盖面，突出了哀伤感。在人物动态上，洪磊强调用没有任何动作来加强阮籍内心的苦闷和内向个性，但朱琳不自觉单腿着力的站姿，使人物动态产生意外的“模特效果”。
倪明曦，扮演酒徒刘伶。倪明曦是中国最具人气的模特之一，是2004年法国时尚周LAVIN发布会的开场模特，也是首位在法国时尚周走开场的华裔模特。刘伶，魏末当过参军一类的官，晋武帝时因强调无为而治被黜免，反对司马氏的黑暗统治和虚伪礼教，为避免政治迫害，嗜酒佯狂，任性放浪。最有名的记载是说他“常乘鹿车，揣一壶酒，使人荷锸随之，云：‘死便掘地以埋’”。七贤中，我以为刘伶带给历代文人的影响最大，“刘伶醉”成为一种姿态，多为历代文人诗词提及。刘伶也成为泼皮、“消极”不合作态度的符号人物，《世说新语?任诞篇》说：“刘伶恒纵酒放达，或脱衣裸形在屋中，人见讥之。伶曰：我以天地为栋宇，屋室为裤衣，诸君何为入我裤中？”倪明曦的刘伶，高举酒碗，动作夸张，服饰强调垂感。拍摄时，倪明曦身体不自觉略微侧对摄像机，身材线条自然突出，也属意外“模特效果”。
李君，扮演山涛。李君事业稳定，在竞争激烈、淘汰迅速的模特界，始终活跃在T形台上，是她气质成熟、稳定的标志。山涛在七贤中年纪最长，与嵇康、阮籍交往较早，《晋书?山涛传》说山涛“性好老庄，每隐身自晦。与嵇康、吕安善。后遇阮籍，便为竹林之游，着忘言之契”。看来在他“隐身自晦”时，与嵇康同道，但40岁后出仕，投靠司马师，历任司马氏政权的高官。据说嵇康尽管写了与山涛的绝交书，临终还是把孩子托付给山涛，山涛不怕得罪皇帝，极力举荐“罪臣”嵇康的儿子出来当官。尽管被嵇康痛斥，依然记挂老友，人性远比历史记载复杂得多。李君的山涛，服饰参考顾恺之《洛神赋图卷》和阎立本《历代帝王图》随行官员的服饰，动态似有向外走动之意，闪亮的纯黑布料，稳健中有活跃的光色感觉，可以和李君之于山涛的稳健相类比。在七个模特中，李君正侧面的造型，尤显模特身材大S曲线的美感。
李芳，扮演向秀。李芳是1998年新丝路奖中国超级模特大赛十佳之一，平时性情温和，但一上T形台就像换了一个人，舞台感觉极好，为国际时装界欢迎，现在巴黎发展。向秀与嵇康交往时间最早，辞官后曾和嵇康一起打铁为生。在著名学者王晓毅对竹林七贤的研究中，说向秀于
“嵇康被害之后，在强大的政治暴力面前，向秀不得不结束‘隐士’生活，出来做官，成为最后一个向政治强权妥协投降的竹林名士。在回家准备赴任的途中，向秀有意绕道去了嵇康故居，创作了千古绝唱的《思旧赋》，在那躲躲闪闪的文字后面，可以感到魏末凛冽的政治严寒与向秀近乎心死的悲哀”。现存最早的《庄子注》，为向秀始著，郭象续著。在我的感觉里，向秀既不是嵇康那样的慷慨悲歌之士，也不像阮籍那样的苦闷内向，更不似刘伶那样的癫狂之士，官也不像山涛做的那样大，那样得心应手。也许属于比较温和正常的那种性格。李芳的向秀，帽子和服饰参考汉俑的造型，头和上半身趋大，下半身细小，表情木纳，动作呆板，强调一种雕塑的感觉。
丁琳，扮演阮咸。丁琳是模特界的新秀，刚出现在T形台上，就被国际时装界的大师们启用。阮咸为阮籍的侄子，与他的叔叔并称为“大小阮”。为人旷放，不拘礼法，精通音律，制作并善于弹奏类似“琵琶”的一种乐器，此乐器以“阮”命名，至今仍在使用。阮咸入晋曾为散骑侍郎，但不为司马炎所重。丁琳的阮咸，一脸迷惘中带着忧伤的表情，作弹阮状，身体动态和服饰有汉俑感觉。
乔琪，扮演王戎。乔琪是模特新秀，长相有日本古典舞台剧角色的美感，所以极为日本时装界欢迎，曾在日本发展。王戎与七贤交游时，还只是个少年，记载说他“幼颖悟，神采秀彻，善清谈”，可能因为聪明伶俐，反应快，经常说些让大人们想不到，或者有趣而别开机锋的话题，而成为竹林清谈中的活跃因素。但当竹林七贤死的死，散的散，他也长大成熟，入晋后成为司马氏集团的心腹，长期为侍中、吏部尚书、司徒等高官。记载说他功名心盛，为人鄙吝。乔琪的王戎，一脸稚嫩的表情，一副中国戏曲中小生式的打扮，手持丝质团扇，潇洒飘逸。道具团扇让我们看到洪磊特意精工制造的传统把玩器具，尺寸比古代团扇夸大，红木框，丝质面，内绣《世说新语》选句。
七贤时尚版，舞台气氛的营造很重要，画面制造出一个沼泽地的环境，氤氲环绕的远山，缥缈而孤立。月晕和鱼鳞般的云彩布满天空，预示着第二天大风将至。以染成虚假绿色的七根竹子，代表竹林，也隐喻七贤，
零落而萧疏。漆成恶俗蓝色的假山石，铜制的枯枝假梅花，以及把嵇康的古琴染成粉紫色，使象征文人气息的器物和摆件，形成一种虚假、恶俗和矫揉造作的感觉，像今天城市里到处堆积的虚假景观。地上的血迹，死的蛇，露出的水洼，把时装模特制造的时尚气氛，置于一派危机四伏的景象之中，成为重新解读竹林七贤的点睛之笔。
七贤脸部化妆的头像系列，是另一“点睛之笔”。七贤脸部化妆，总体上参考中国戏曲脸谱的化妆法，眼部突出红色，但是又不像戏曲化妆那样，用金碧辉煌的头饰和脸部化妆相呼应，突出一种整体的华丽效果，而七贤眼部的红色化妆，在没有了华丽头饰的衬托之后，红眼圈化妆在白色脸部底色上，显出一种恐怖和不祥之感。刘伶嗜酒佯狂，应该是历史上第一个“HI者”，脸部用似“火”的图案来象征。山涛内心复杂，化妆成倒眉，坏的感觉中夹杂着忧伤。正面的向秀头像，着意在干干净净的儒生扮相上。阮咸的化妆，眼睛下面点了两个点，有种神秘感。王戎突出其漂亮和一种捉摸不定的感觉。这些头像系列照片，都使用了洪磊照片、装置作品惯用的悬挂和放置苍蝇的手法，增添一点恶心的调味品，这是一种态度，不是针对七贤，不是针对模特，是对消费时代的一种心理表达。这些头像大多在脸部都有出血的化妆，或头顶，或眼角，或耳朵，或嘴角，那是七贤心理的血，也是借用七贤隐喻艺术家自己，乃至当代所有敏感者的心灵之血。
恶搞是这个时代的世界性风气，尤其成为网络上表达个人意见的一种方式，这种方式源于当代，而 “扮演摆拍”的摄影媒介成为一种艺术方式，在20世纪八九十年代，风靡当代艺术界，著名的有辛迪?舍曼和杰夫?沃尔。中国当代艺术在20世纪90年代中期以来，多人涉足此种媒介和方式，赵半狄、洪磊、王庆松、伊德尔等人都是佼佼者。时尚界受其影响，开始使用这种方式，这里附上1995年10月《George》杂志创刊号的封面，Cindy Crawford（辛迪?克劳馥）被化妆成George Washington（乔治?华盛顿）的模样，也是用时装模特扮演历史人物，使该杂志一炮打响，但滑稽有余，意味不足。不是所有恶搞都有意思，区别在能否更独特、更深入地把一个时间段的独立心理表达出来。洪磊的《竹林七贤》时尚版，重新演绎七贤，针对的是消费社会，还有待每一个生活在消费社会里的观众继续解读。
2007年3月于常州、无锡
Seven Worthies of the Bamboo Grove-Fashion Edition
Li Xianting
In China the seven worthies of the bamboo grove are not as commonly known as the heroes of the Three Kingdoms or Outlaws of the Marsh, but they were respected by past scholars. Perhaps because the two types of heroes and their mode of transmission are different, the heroes of Three Kingdoms and Outlaws of the Marsh, especially the former, take a secular path. Guandi shrines and Guangong drama in the Chinese folk tradition are perhaps more common than any other religious or operatic phenomenon. Because of this, I think the most important term is "righteousness" ? among all the secular relationships between rebels, merchants or even among neighbors, "righteousness" seems to be the most important measurement. On the other hand, Seven Worthies of the Bamboo Grove uses an "elegant" form and has always been thought of highly by scholars. This is because scholars worry most about "all under heaven", and they face a ruling class, not secular relationships. Thus, they care mostly about "strength of character" and "moral integrity". From this angle, the seven worthies in the minds of scholars resemble the heroes of the Three Kingdoms in the minds of commoners.
Perhaps, the images of the heroes of the Three Kingdoms and the seven worthies of the bamboo grove have undergone creation and recreation, from History of the Three Kingdoms to Romance of the Three Kingdoms, to folk operas and Guandi shrines, the transformations are very obvious. The Guandi worshiped in Guandi shrines is almost entirely distinct from the historical commander of the state of Shu, Guan Yuntang. He has become a moral symbol of righteousness. The name of the seven worthies of the bamboo grove was not something they did themselves, but was done by later scholars. There are no records
of the seven worthies in the Wei and Jin dynasties. They were first recorded in Spring
and Autumn of the Wei. This was followed by more twists and turns, from History of the Three Kingdoms to History of the Wei to the Records of Wang Can attached to the Record of Ji Kang annotated by Pei Song. There is also the question of which seven worthies they were. The question of whether they were seven or ten has also been debated. Fur
thermore, scholars of the past have affirmed that the Seven Worthies, as Mr. Chen Yinge
said, appropriated Confucius' verse about "the righteous ones are seven". This was a way of establishing a relationship with Confucius. From this perspective, the name given to the Seven Worthies of the Bamboo Grove and the attention received by generations of scholars is due to the nature of its "spiritual symbolism". This is also the creation of an artistic image.
The Seven Worthies are fond of Zhuangzi, and enjoy conversation. Record of the Wei notes, "all are fond of nihilistic thoughts, they treat rites and rules very lightly, indulge on wine until their hearts' content, and are not concerned with worldly affairs." The "Ren Dan" chapter of New Collections of Anecdotes of Famous Personages claims that they, "often gathered in the bamboo grove, liberal and free to their hearts' content." Even though their pasts and interests were different, Ruan Xian,
Wang Rong, Xiang Xiu and Shan Tao all took official posts; Shan Tao asked Ji Kang to
replace him at his former post when he was promoted, but Ji Kang vehemently refused. This was the source of the impassioned "Letter to Shan Juyuan to Break our Friendship." Even reading it today, we feel our souls stirred. The reason generations of scholars
respected them was that they commonly affirmed "strength of character". In the Book
of Jin, chapter , "The Biography of Ruan Jin" records that "in the time of Wei and Jin, there were many affairs in the world, among the most famous people, there were few who were competent in all." These few strokes served to portray the cruel and bloody outlook of that time. Therefore, during the time of Wei and Jin, when scholars with a conscience were confronted with social instability and the ruling class's decadence and hegemony, they keep away from immorality and did not get involved with dangerous and filthy officialdom. They were especially fond of using wine to dilute their worries. They broad-mindedly released their inner worries and sadness towards the "world", pursuing individuality and liberal integrity. These are the reasons that they became models for generations of scholars. It is recorded that the Eastern Jin's Gu Kaizhi, Lu Tanwei and others made respectful drawings of the seven worthies of the bamboo grove. In 0, in Jiangsu Province, a southern dynasty tomb was excavated revealing stone engravings of the seven worthies and Rong Qiqi. The "seven worthies" were drawn together with Rong Qiqi, although Rong Qiqi was a famous scholar of the Spring and Autumn period. Juxtaposing famous scholars of different periods was a way of respecting them as spiritual symbols of "strength in character" and "moral integrity". They embodied an attitude of non-cooperation, independent character, free and eccentric lifestyle. Therefore, in my opinion, the seven worthies have been continuously used as spiritual symbols, just like Guan Yunchang became Guandi, the historical facts became unimportant.
Hong Lei has spent an entire year shooting his Seven Worthies of the Bamboo Grove. He has used a fashion perspective to transform the story of the Seven Worthies. In particular, he has used fashionable female models to act as the seven worthies. It seems ridiculous, but looking closely, there is an interesting depth. Of course, Yue and other types of opera continue to use actresses to play male roles. Hong Lei's friend
Tang Wei is a pioneering figure in Chinese fashion performance. This made it convenient
for Hong Lei to select popular models from the international catwalk to play the seven worthies. This becomes the most attractive point of this work: the currently extant stone engravings of the seven worthies all show them in sitting poses, in accord with the original descriptions of drinking and conversing. But in Hong Lei's "fashion edition", except for Ji Kang on the zither, all the other models are standing up. For models, walking on the stage and posing in a standing position is demanded, this is how their beauty and fashion are demonstrated. It also highlights a "sense of the stage" -precisely the sense which Hong Lei tries to achieve in this work. Moreover, no matter which model plays any one of the seven worthies, there is no breaking away from the characteristics of models, that is, there will always be a certain relation to fashion. At the same time, the ambiguity between the roles of the seven worthies and the models forms allusions that extend beyond this work. Hong Lei paid special attention to international trends in making up the models playing the seven worthies-clothing, headwear and make up. There are mutually allusive relationships among the bizarre showcasing of the Spanish Galliano, Chinese ancient clothing, characters of the seven worthies, and even the fabric chosen from France and Italy (the most fashionable in the international arena). The work highlights the Issey Miyake's folded texture of the fabric, as well as the metallic glow unique to the present blended fabric. This emphasizes the fashion sense of the stage. Let's have a look at the models and the roles assigned:
Chen Juanhong, plays the zither player Ji Kang. Chen Juanhong is honored as the first
Chinese who modeled on the international stage. She has been rewarded numerous times nationally and internationally, and continues to be the leading Chinese model on stage,
and the top beauty of the Chinese modeling field. Ji Kang is the most important of the seven worthies, he chose to be a goldsmith rather than an official, and his speech and
actions are representative of his "character in strength" and "moral integrity". He was murdered at the age of thirty nine by the Sima clique, but before his execution he
played with great composure a verse of Guangling san . The song has remained well-known to the present day. Chen Juanhong's Ji Kang has a kind of warmth in her face. Because a model's hands, arms and legs are slender and longer than the average, making the motion of playing the zither exceptionally poignant; there is also an elongation of the dress, providing more a greater surface for the glittering fabric. There is a mutual
reflection between this and Chen Juanhong's bone structure-slim arms, legs and fingers.
It is said that Wang Rong, "lived with Kang at Shanyang for twenty years and never saw the color of happiness and warmth." Even though Chen Juanhong has this facial warmth, her composure, of all the models, best represents the look of Jikang's "strength in character".
Zhu Lin, plays Ruan Ji. Zhu Lin placed among the top ten in 00's China Professional Model Competition. She was spotted by the international brand of ARMANI, and became one of the most popular models on the Italian catwalk. According to the biography of Ruan
Ji in the History of Jin, when Cao Shuang was in office, he once called on Ruan Ji to be
the can commander. Ruan Ji used the excuse of being unwell to turn down the position.
After Sima Yi took over governance, Ruan Ji was forced into an official position. But,
as the history points out, "in the time of Wei and Jin, there were many worries in the
world, it is rare to find a famous scholar who's competent in all, Ji especially is not
involved with worldly matters, and often drinks." Moreover, in the second year of Ji Kang's murder, Ruan Ji died of sickness. Ruan Ji is best known for his literary talent among the seven worthies. The famous eighty two verses of Hymn of Nostalgia use the ancient to criticize the present and analogize emotions. The style of the poem is especially "grieved, indignant and plaintive, ambiguous and indirect." Standing behind Ji Kang is Zhu Lin's Ruan Ji. In post-production, the face was given blue and white eyes. It is said that Ruan Ji used to look at friends with blue eyes, and with white eyes at those he didn't like. Her hair is purposefully decorated with curly strands covering her face, emphasizing the sense of sadness. In the figure's movement, Hong Lei emphasizes a lack of action, enforcing Ruan Ji's internal bitterness and introverted character.
Zhu Lin's unconscious one-leg-forward stance has given the figure's motion an unexpected
"model effect".
Ni Mingxi plays the drunkard Liu Ling. Ni Mingxi is among the most popular models in China and was the model who opened Lavin's show in France's 00 fashion week. She also
became the first Asian model to walk on the catwalk for the opening of France's fashion week. Liu Ling, an official in the Can army of the later Wei during the rule of king
Wu of Jin, emphasized non-action in governance. As a result, he was removed from his position. He was opposed to Sima's dark rule and pretentious rites. In order to avoid political persecution he would often drink and pretend to be mad, living a dissolute life. The most famous record of his life says that he "often rode a carriage pulled by deer, carrying a bottle of wine, and asking others to lead him with a hoe." He once
said, "when I am dead, dig a hole in the floor and bury me." Among the seven worthies, I think Liu Ling was the most influential among ancient scholars, "Liu Ling's drunkenness" became a way of life for some, and he was often mentioned in scholars' poems and
verses. Liu Ling also became the symbolic figure of naughtiness, "passivity" and non
cooperation. In the "Ren Dan" chapter of New Collections of Anecdotes of Famous Personages, we read that "Liu Ling drank wine at will and acted without restraint, taking off his clothes in his room, when people saw him, they laughed at him. Ling said, 'I consider the world to be my limit, the house to be my clothes, for what reason should others come into my clothes?" Ni Mingxi's Liu Ling holds high a wine glass, poses with exaggerated gestures, her clothing appears to hang. In shooting, Ni Mingxi's body subconsciously faced the camera from an angle, this naturally revealed the lines of her
figure, another unexpected "model effect".
Li Jun plays Shan Tao. Li Jun's career has been stable. In the modeling world, where
competition is fierce and overturn is rapid, she has always been a lively presence on
the catwalk. This is a sign of her mature and stable disposition. Shan Tao was the eldest of the seven worthies; he became friends with Ji Kang and Ruan Ji very early on. The biography of Shen Tao in the Jin History records that Shan Tao "resembled Zhuangzi by nature, when secluded he liked to instruct himself. With Ji Kang and Lu Anshan, he later met Ruan Ji. They roamed together in the Bamboo Grove and became good friends without saying many words." It seems that when he secluded himself to express his admonition he was following the same path as Ji Kang. However, after the age of 0 he became
an official, following Sima Shi, and was assigned to a high position in the Ma clan.
Apparently, even though Ji Kang had written a letter to Shan Tao to end their friendship, he entrusted his child to Shan Tao before his death. It is also said that Shan
was not afraid to offend the emperor, and strongly recommended Ji Kang for official
position. Even though he was scolded by Ji Kang, he still cared for this old friend. The human character is certainly more complex than it has been recorded in history. Li
Jun's Shan Tao references the official clothing in Gu Kaizhi's Nymph of the Luo River
and Yan Liben's Emperors of the Successive Dynasties. Her motions convey the sense of walking out, the gleaming pure black fabric has a lively sense of light even while being composed. This can be compared to the composure of Li Jun's Shan Tao. Among the
seven models, Li Jun's figure best reveals a model's beautiful S-shape.
Li Fang, plays Xiang Xiu. Li Fang was in the top ten of 's New Silk Road-China Super Model Competition. She warm-natured, but when she steps onto the catwalk she seems to change into someone else. She has a great stage sense and has been welcomed by the international fashion industry. She's now working in Paris. Xiang Xiu was the earliest to become friends with Ji Kang. After resigning his post he lived as a goldsmith with Ji Kang. In the famous scholar Wang Xiaoyi's research on the seven worthies he discovered that, "after the murder of Ji Kang, in a time of great political violence,
Xiang Xiu was forced to end his life as a recluse, and take office. He became the last
Bamboo Grove scholar to compromise and give into political hegemony. On his way home,
as he prepared to take office, Xiang Xiu purposefully took a long winding road to visit
Ji Kang's old dwelling where he composed the long Song of Remembering the Past. Behind the words, designed to avoid trouble, one can sense the chilling political weather at the end of the Wei and Xiang Xiu's sadly dying heart." The earliest extant Commentary on Zhuangzi includes writing about Xiang Xiu, and Guo Xiang later wrote more. To me, Xiang Xiu is neither like Ji Kang, generous and somber, nor like Ruan Ji, depressed
and introverted, nor does he match Liu Ling's madness. Furthermore, the official post he took was not as significant as that of Shan Tao, nor was he as comfortable with it.
Perhaps he can be considered a relatively temperate and normal sort of character. Li
Fang's Xiang Xiu, hat and dress making reference to Han figurines, head and upper body
appearing large and lower body slender, is numb in expression and rigid in character, emphasizing a sense of sculpture.
Ding Lin plays the role of Ruan Xian. Ding Lin is a newcomer to the modeling industry. As soon as she appeared on the catwalk, she was immediately hired by masters of the international fashion industry. Ruan Xian was Ruan Ji's nephew. He and his uncle were named "elder and younger Ruan". The younger Ruan was big hearted and unconcerned with petty rituals, an expert in music and rhythms who was good at playing a kind of instrument that resembles the pipa. In fact, this instrument was named after Ruan and is still played. When Ruan Xian entered Jin, he was assigned as the emperor's advisor, but he did not receive the attention of Sima Yan. Ding Lin's Ruan Xian shows sadness in her confused expression. She plays the Ruan, her body language and clothing show the influence of Han figurines.
Qiao Qi plays Wang Rong. Qiao Qi is a newcomer in modeling, with the beauty of an actress in Japanese traditional drama. Given her appearance, she was welcomed by the Japanese fashion industry, and has spent time working in Japan. Wang Rong was still a young man when he roamed with the seven worthies. It is recorded that, "he was clever and quick witted as a child, with a bright spirit and a joy for conversation." Because of his cleverness and quick wit, he often said things his elders didn't expect, or raised interesting and new topics. He became a lively element of casual conversation in the bamboo grove. However, when some of the seven worthies passed away or scattered, he also grew up. When the Jin was founded, he became the heart of the Sima clique
and worked in high positions of emperor's attendant, editor of official records and ministry official. The record claims that he was eager for power and fame, and showed
contempt for others. Qiao Qi's Wang Rong has a na?ve expression, like a young man in
Chinese opera. She holds a round silk fan in her hand, unconventional and flowing. The
use of a round fan as a prop shows Hong Lei's meticulous reproduction of traditional leisure goods. It is larger than a traditional round fan, with a red wood frame, silk face, and embroidered verses selected from New Collections of Anecdotes of Famous Personages.
In Seven Worthies-Fashion Edition, the creation of a stage impression is very important. The image reproduces a set of the marsh, the far mountains are shrouded with
mist, dimly discernable and desolate. A lunar halo and fish-scale-clouds decorate the
sky, predicting the arrival of the next day's wind. The seven green-colored fake bamboo trunks, representing the bamboo grove, also allude to the seven worthies, scattered and bleak. The faux mountains painted in demonic blue, fake plum branches made of copper, and Ji Kang's old qin colored in fuscia. Scholarly objects and ambiance are relocated into a fictional, vulgar and artificial setting, like the artificial scenes that proliferate in today's urban settings. Blood traces on the floor, a dead snake, an exposed
ditch. The fashion sense produced by the models is located in a scenario of imminent danger, becoming a highlighted stroke re-explaining the Seven Worthies of the Bamboo Groves.
The make up for the seven worthies of the portrait series is another "highlight". The face make up makes an overall reference to Chinese operatic make up, and the eyes are bolded in red. At the same time, it's unlike opera's use of garish head pieces to match the made up faces for an overall glamorous effect. The red make up of the seven worthies, without the accompaniment of glamorous headpieces, red eye circles on white faces show a sense of fear and inauspiciousness. Liu Ling's over indulgence in wine and his madness might make him the first historical character to get 'high'. This is symbolized by the fire-like pattern on his face. Shan Tao has a complex mind, the make up that
creates his eyebrows is painted upside down, a sense of evil mixed with sadness. The frontal view of Xiang Xiu's face offers the clean look of a Confucian scholar. Two dots under Ruan Xian's eyes add a kind of mysteriousness. Wang Rong's beauty and unpredictability are highlighted. These series of head portraits, all using Hong Lei's photo
graphs, installation works hung using the methods usually used for flies, adding a bit of grotesque flavor. This is a type of attitude, it's not towards the seven worthies,
nor towards the models, but a psychological expression of fashion consumption. Most of these portraits have bleeding on the face, either on the head, the eyes, ears or mouth. This is the psychological bloodshed of the seven worthies; it is also using the seven worthies to allude to the artist himself, as well as to all sensitive souls of contemporary times.
The grotesque is a global trend, and is especially a channel for expressing one’s opinion on the internet. This path originates from the modern, but the "acting/posed" photographic medium has become a kind of artistic form. From 0-0 it was in vogue in the artistic world, the famous Cindy Sherman and Jeff Wall are good examples. Contemporary Chinese art in the mid 0’s also adopted such a medium and method. Zhao Bandi, Hong Lei, Wang Qingsong, Yin De’er and others became leaders in this domain. The fash
ion industry was influenced by them, and began to use similar methods. On the cover of
the inaugural issue of George published in October , Cindy Crawford was made into George Washington-the use of fashion model’s to play historical figures gave the magazine instant fame, even if the image was comical and lacking in meaning. Not all grotesque has meaning, the difference is its uniqueness, whether or not it expresses the independent thinking of a given period. Hong Lei’s Seven Worthies of the Bamboo Grove-Fashion Edition, has recreated the images of the seven worthies vis-a`-vis a consumer society. It waits for every individual living in this consumer society to continue their own reading.
Li Xianting Jan nd, 00 Changzou and Wu Xi |
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