Only an extraordinary character can create extraordinary works and achieve extraordinary things 唯非凡之人格，方成非凡之作、非凡之事

'Poetry expresses aspirations' is the foundational principle of Chinese poetry theory and even literary theory. Poetry, and all literary and artistic works, are reflections of the author’s inner world.

The kind of personality you have determines the kind of work you produce.

An exceptional piece of art exists because the creator first possesses an outstanding character.

 

The ideological content of an artwork is its spirit, while its artistic form is its shape.
The theme or idea always comes first; artistic techniques are always secondary.
A shallow,mediocre, materialistic, or vulgar theme, no matter how much you pile on or dress it up with technique, is still something that doesn’t really count.

The so-called art coming from life isn't primarily about drawing themes and materials from life, but about grasping a bit of 'truth' through life’s countless trials and experiences.

It’s that thought, that character, that spirit, that soul that can transcend and lead...

Expressing this through literary and artistic works is what the true meaning of these works should be.

The reason we admire Qu Yuan, proud and aloof, who didn’t follow the crowd; Ji Kang, who lamented that the "Guangling San" had been lost and faced death willingly; Tao Qian, who wouldn’t bend for five bushels of rice; Li Bai, confident that heaven had a use for his talent; Xin Qiji, ambitious and fierce yet sympathizing with white hair; Zhu Da, seeing the world with a detached gaze…

And not the more practical Shan Tao or the morally poor Song Zhiwen…

Isn’t it mainly because the works and deeds left behind by these extraordinary people are full of that kind of personality charm that inspires admiration and that kind of spiritual world that moves people?

The brilliance of human nature and the beauty of the spiritual world in such people reach realms far beyond what the average person can attain, and often go beyond the understanding of the masses, who typically resort to slander and belittling. 

Generation after generation, people keep admiring heroes and great figures who have passed away, while at the same time failing to understand or even persecuting extraordinary people who are still alive—this cycle repeats endlessly.

So, those with exceptional character who create remarkable works or achieve extraordinary deeds inevitably have a certain tragic heroic quality.
Like martyrs or Prometheus-like figures, their lives are magnificent and full of drama.
This grandeur is, to some extent, heroic amidst sorrow; the sadness doesn’t crush them, but rather fuels even greater strength.
Their relentless search for the ‘Truth’ shows that even through nine deaths, they never regret their path!

唯非凡之人格，方成非凡之作、非凡之事

李首之 

 

“诗言志”是中国诗论乃至文论的开山纲领，诗歌乃至所有的文艺作品都是作者精神世界的体现。

 

有什么样的人格，就有什么样的作品。

一部不同凡响的文艺作品，是因为作者先有卓尔不群的人格。

 

文艺作品的思想性是它的神，艺术性是它的形。

思想主题永远是第一位的，艺术技巧永远都是辅助的。

一个浅薄、庸碌、世侩、流俗的思想主题，无论在技巧上如何堆砌、化妆，它都是一件不入流的东西。

 

所谓艺术来源于生活，首要的并非从生活中汲取到了题材和素材，而是在生活的千锤百炼中领悟到了那么一点“道”。

就是能起到超越而引领作用的那一思想、那一人格、那一精神、那一灵魂……

通过文艺作品表达出来，这才是文艺作品应有的意义。

 

我们之所以推崇孤高自傲、不随波逐流的屈原，宁叹《广陵散》自从绝矣而甘愿临刑的嵇康，不为五斗米而折腰的陶潜，天生我材必有用的李白，气吞万里如虎却可怜白发生的辛弃疾，白眼看世界的朱耷……

而不是现实会混的山涛、人品拙劣的宋之问……

不就是主要因为那些神人流传下来的作品和事迹，充满了那种让人仰望的人格魅力、那种让人为之动容的精神世界吗？

 

这种人性的光辉，这种精神世界之美，有着远非大众所能达到的境界，甚至不为大众所能理解，常见的是诋毁和贬低。

世世代代的人们不断在推崇死去的英雄、伟人，同时又在不理解甚至迫害活着的非凡之人，如是周而复始。

 

所以，有着卓尔不群人格，能创造不同凡响作品、做出不平凡事迹的人，都有着一定的悲剧英雄色彩。

作为殉道者，普罗米修斯式的人物，他们的人生是精彩的，是波澜壮阔的。

这种壮或多或少是悲中有壮，悲没能压垮他们，反激发了他们的更大能量。

他们对“道”的上下求索，是“虽九死其犹未悔”！