By WEN CHUNYAN

BEFORE I met Yang Xiaoyang, I had already seen his work "Huang Chao Entering Chang'an" at the Chinese Military Museum. There are many paintings depicting war scenes in this museum, but Yang's painting left me with the deepest impression.

On July 20, 1999, I went to interview Yang Xiaoyang. Although I had never met him before, I picked him out immediately among a group of people as I approached the appointed meeting place. He has a young, vigorous and distinctive look.

Yang has sharp wits and a clear mind. The interview went on very well, and the following day I wrote the article, "Yang Xiaoyang - the Youngest Academy of Fine Arts President in China." I then decided to write a report on the course of his life and work.

Although I am not proficient at painting, I love it nonetheless. Every time I see Yang's works, I study them closely, and try to understand the emotions he experienced when creating a particular painting. In works of his that I have seen, such as the 64-meter-long Silk Road (at the Badaling Great Wall Museum in Beijing), Epang Palace (at the Northwest Hotel), the Foolish Old Man's Family, the Song of the Yellow River, and In the Sunshine, I find the skillful way in which he depicts immense spectacles quite overwhelming. The important social and cultural themes that he conveys, his panoramic composition, and the heroic romanticism reflected in his works also move me greatly.

As a child, Yang Xiaoyang very much liked Chinese history and classical literature. Influenced by his family, he also showed a strong interest in Western paintings. Most of the sketches he created during his school days combined the merits of Chinese and Western paintings. Yang has visited more than 30 countries, and has an appreciation of famous works of different genres, created during various periods. Consequently, his works manifest a striking combination of Chinese and Western characteristics. However, his preference for traditional Chinese subjects, and his innovative spirit prevent him from falling into any kind of rut. Today, the integration of Chinese and Western painting styles in his works is something he now wishes to transcend.

Yang Xiaoyang is not only a painter but also an art educator. He advocates the idea of "broad art," having established the Studio of the Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts, as well as two branches of the academy in Shenzhen and Qingdao respectively since he assumed office in 1997. His plan to build the Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts into an international level, first-rate art school reflects his ambition and broad vision. Yang personally planned and directed the "Marching Across China" movement, which made the Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts renowned throughout the country. His latest innovations, including a campus expansion project, are still under way. Under Yang's leadership, the Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts has gained a high reputation.

Being devoted to his work, Yang tries his best to simplify his daily life. He eats simply and fast, and is not particular about what he wears. His favorite book is Laozi, which he puts beside his pillow and reads whenever he has time.

Yang Xiaoyang, born in December 1958, studied at the department of traditional Chinese painting at the Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts. In July 1983, he finished his undergraduate studies and embarked on graduate studies at the academy, and in 1986 he graduated and stayed on at the school as a teacher. He has worked successively as deputy director and director of the traditional Chinese painting department, and is also a member of the All-China Youth Federation. In October 1993, normal procedure was waived, and he was promoted to the position of assistant professor, and elected a middle-aged expert who had made outstanding contributions to Shaanxi Province. In 1994, he was appointed the vice-president of the academy, and in 1997, he became a professor, and was promoted to the position of president of the Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts. He has been named by the state an expert who has made outstanding contributions to China.

In 1999, he was elected one of the ten media personalities in Shaanxi educational circles.

In 2000, he was named "outstanding world figure" by the US Overseas Artists Association, and was awarded the golden "World Peace Award" by the Ministry of Culture.