The Chinese language is a marvelous contribution of the Chinese nation to the world's array of arts, and among them, Chinese landscape painting stands as the most traditional, artistically accomplished, and master-rich category within Chinese art. The aesthetician and philosopher Mr. Li Zezhou once said, "Chinese landscape painting can be compared to the Western cross." I believe Mr. Li's meaning is that Chinese landscape painting is an outstanding representative of the Chinese cultural spirit, a symbol of that spirit. Mr. Lai Zhigang ink landscape painting excellently continues this great tradition of Chinese landscape painting—cultivating charm through form and embracing philosophical reflection. He has pushed this tradition to new heights. I think the greater the tradition, the more difficult it is to emerge from it, which requires tremendous courage, wisdom, and strength. Mr. Lai Zhigang has achieved this with his ink landscape art, creating environments from the heart and guiding the hand with the mind. His created realms are vast and powerful, aligning well with modern aesthetic sensibilities. In an era when many doubted whether Chinese brush and ink could progress further, and as early as the 1980s when it was said that Chinese painting had reached its end and belonged only in museums, Mr. Lai Zhigang proved through his art that Chinese painting has not met its end and can continually create new scenarios. Mr. Lai Zhigang practice demonstrates that the Chinese method of ink accumulation can reach new realms, pushing the technique of Chinese ink painting to new extremes. The reason Mr. Lai Zhigang art has caused such a significant reaction both domestically and internationally in recent years is the deep interest shown by numerous artists and critics, who have expressed insightful comments on his work. This shows that Mr. Lai Zhigang art is worthy of our closer examination and promotion, to help more people understand his contributions. Mr. Lai Zhigang provides an example of how our traditional culture can be transformed into contemporary relevance, and how it can stand firmly and move towards the future, which is a remarkable achievement. Mr. Lai Zhigang, now sixty years old, has been dedicated to his craft day in and day out for decades. His wife told me of his diligence; aside from painting, he does nothing else. The works in today's exhibition also prove this point, but due to time constraints, I will not elaborate further. After today's opening ceremony, there will be a seminar where many experts and scholars are invited to delve deeper into Mr. Lai Zhigang art. I wish Mr. Lai Zhigang exhibition great success. Thank you.

Mr. Lai Zhigang landscape painting art is a highly successful example of the development of traditional Chinese painting today. He has well preserved the excellent traditions of Chinese painting and landscape art, and he has pushed the tradition of Chinese painting forward. Specifically, his large-scale works are unprecedented in their grandeur and style, and his technique of accumulating ink, much like that used by Gong Xian and Li Keran to paint landscapes, is displayed on a grand scale by Mr. Lai. He follows the traditional Chinese approach of creating environments from the heart and guiding the hand with the mind, producing realms that are vast and robust, which express modern aesthetic emotions and ideals. I believe Mr. Lai Zhigang art is a noteworthy and worthy subject for deep study in the field of contemporary Chinese landscape painting.

Mr. Lai's art embodies the spirit of Eastern culture, which encompasses Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, with the philosophy of Laozi and Zhuangzi being integral components. I believe Mr. Lai's art goes beyond just this philosophy; it's not only about the unity of heaven and man or the veneration of nature but also includes a strong proactive component. As I mentioned, the spirit conveyed in his landscape paintings is uplifting, and the realms he creates are robust and expansive. Mr. Lai Zhigang, as an artist, draws profound nourishment from the philosophy of Laozi and Zhuangzi, primarily reflected in his unwavering fidelity to art. From what I understand, Mr. Lai is an artist who transcends material enjoyment, and his artistic achievements today are the result of decades of dedication to the creation of Chinese landscape painting. This is an important aspect of Mr. Lai's creative work, representing a peak in the traditional school in the current context.

Mr. Lai Zhigang has a deep understanding of the aesthetic character of landscape painting. His paintings, created from the heart and guided by the hand, form highly robust and expansive modern landscape realms. In my view, Mr. Lai Zhigang art is evidently significant in the current landscape painting field. Furthermore, he has significantly advanced the traditional Chinese landscape painting techniques, especially his method of accumulating ink, using it to paint clouds and water, creating an overall grand atmosphere, which is also unprecedented. Thus, I believe Mr. Lai Zhigang modernized landscape art represents another advancement in Chinese landscape painting following Mr. Li Keran. Mr. Lai Zhigang landscape painting art, inheriting this new tradition from Mr. Li Keran, also features characteristics that deeply resonate with modern viewers' aesthetic sensibilities and emotions. His grand and meticulous style is highly popular among contemporary audiences. From Mr. Lai Zhigang art, we see the future of traditional Chinese painting. There was a time when many doubted whether traditional Chinese painting could continue, but Mr. Lai Zhigang artistic practice has shown us that traditional Chinese painting can indeed continue to thrive and evolve towards the future.

Honored guests, good afternoon. I am delighted that today's exhibition of Mr. Lai's work at the Guangdong Museum of Art meets with our vast audience in Guangzhou. I find this exhibition to be very meaningful. As you know, our Chinese ink painting is a fantastic art form contributed by our Chinese nation to the world of art. Landscape painting is a very representative branch within Chinese ink painting. The art of Chinese landscape painting has a long history and represents the spirit of our Chinese culture, or rather, it symbolizes the cultural spirit of our people. The art of landscape painting had already developed mature artistic theories by the Jin Dynasty. According to Zong Bing, landscape painting charms through form and delights the benevolent. Landscape painting leads us to explore the relationship between people and nature, the exploration of the natural way. Thus, the function of our landscape painting has always been to refresh the spirit and to contemplate the way. From the Jin through the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing, and up to the present day, our landscape painting art has reached peak after peak, with masters emerging one after another. Mr. Lai Zhigang has a deep understanding and profound comprehension of the tradition of Chinese landscape painting and classical Chinese painting. This is why his landscape painting creations exhibit a different character from other artists. I think the most important aspect of Mr. Lai Zhigang landscape painting art is his deep grasp of the tradition of contemplating and embodying the landscape's essence and way. I have noticed that Mr. Lai Zhigang works have caused a broad reaction in mainland China and Taiwan in recent years. I have noted that some of my friends in Taiwan highly rate Mr. Lai Zhigang landscape paintings, which I believe is no coincidence. Mr. Lai's landscape painting art involves his exploration, advancement, and discoveries in artistic language, which many experts and veteran artists, including some art historians, fully acknowledge, particularly his use of accumulated ink. As everyone knows, the primary language of Chinese landscape painting is the brush and ink. Mr. Lai Zhigang has significantly advanced this traditional technique of ink diffusion, creating a personal ink language different from his predecessors. It is also worth mentioning that Mr. Lai Zhigang landscape painting art responds to the aesthetic spirit and demands of the times. As an artist, he is sensitive, so his landscape paintings, like the one we see now, feel both traditional and contemporary, expressing the aesthetic demands of our times, which seek momentum and a vibrant, upward force. This is evident in Mr. Lai's works, both large and small. I think Mr. Lai Zhigang art represents an excellent example of traditional artists in the realm of Chinese ink painting.

His use of landscape painting techniques, particularly his development of the accumulated ink method, builds significantly on the foundations set by ancient masters. His paintings feature another characteristic; based on technical traditions, he successfully combines modern aesthetic demands with the artistic spirit of traditional Chinese landscape paintings. I find his large paintings particularly interesting and moving. He has a unique creation in his use of the accumulated ink technique. Mr. Lai Zhigang landscape painting art can be considered a representative of the traditional school within Chinese ink painting art. I have always believed that contemporary Chinese ink art comprises the traditional, academic, and experimental schools. Thus, Mr. Lai represents the traditional school with a spirit of exploration, a deep understanding of tradition, and a profound perception of contemporary aesthetics. He excellently combines these aspects, creating a new era's visual representation of landscape art. This, I believe, is commendable. I trust that Mr. Lai Zhigang landscape painting art will achieve even richer results in future explorations.

Landscape painting reflects the cultural spirit of the Chinese people's harmony between heaven and humanity, embodying our reverence for nature and the interaction between humans and nature. From ancient times to the present, many excellent works of landscape painting have been passed down. I think Mr. Lai Zhigang has a profound understanding of the traditions of Chinese landscape painting. Therefore, he excellently continues the humanistic spirit of our traditional landscape paintings in his work. His works also offer the aesthetic experiences and feelings of modern people, blending tradition and contemporaneity well. This is evident in the artistic forms of his landscape painting creations, which do not merely repeat the achievements of historical artists. Although he is connected to the traditional lineage, he has his own creations and artistic language in the art forms he uses. His language is primarily an art language of accumulated ink. He has developed this traditional art language of Chinese landscape painting's ink diffusion into a contemporary form, creating a distinctive and temperamental landscape painting language. He also excellently combines modern aesthetic perceptions with the cultural spirit of traditional landscape paintings. I believe this aspect of Mr. Lai Zhigang landscape painting art is particularly commendable. I am confident that Mr. Lai Zhigang landscape painting art will continue to explore and expand in new and broader artistic directions. I feel that Mr. Lai Zhigang landscape painting art represents the future of traditional Chinese landscape painting's modern transformation.

Mr. Lai Zhigang art, particularly his focus on accumulated ink, is a highlight of our appreciation. He continues the tradition while also adding his own creations. I believe his main innovation lies in the development of the accumulated ink technique, applying it intensively and enhancedly, continuing the ancient Chinese method of creating environments from the heart and guiding the hand with the mind. Therefore, his works are richly imbued with the artist's own profound life experiences and are filled with emotion. In terms of composition, he does not adhere to the traditional landscape painting structure of leaving space for sky above and land below. Instead, he opts for a modern aesthetic approach akin to a cinematic wide shot. Thus, he handles the relationships between reality and abstraction, density and sparsity, and black and white very well within his paintings. To the extent he has applied himself in this aspect, I have yet to see among contemporary painters, as using light ink to achieve deep accumulation presents significant technical challenges. He manages to vividly portray clouds and waves, marking a significant achievement in his artistic career. Mr. Lai Zhigang has a deep understanding of traditional Chinese painting and a keen sensitivity to the current cultural context. Thus, I feel he excellently combines traditional and contemporary visual experiences and perceptions. As a result, he has developed a unique artistic language and form of expression. The ancients said that art which seems unlayered yet is layered is mediocre, but art that appears layered without seeming so is excellent. I believe Mr. Lai Zhigang paintings exemplify this, appearing as many bouncing ink spots without clear layers, yet one can actually perceive their rich layers.