Yijin Academy
In the Ming and Qing dynasties, Bazhou produced many court painters. After Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, famous calligraphers included Cui Tingshou, Cui Xun, Li Jun, Wu Kai, Cai Zhenxian, etc. Among them, Emperor Qianlong praised Cui Tingshou's calligraphy: "Its shape is like a ghost, its spirit is like iron, it is unprecedented and difficult for later generations to learn." Later generations regarded it as a treasure when they got a piece of paper or a word from him. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Bazhou's calligraphy and painting circles were full of talents. A large number of calligraphers and painters such as Shi Wentong, Wang Kerang, and Mi Chunmao stood out. The famous Chinese painter Xu Hongbin was taught by Li Kuchan and other masters of the Qi School, and later became his own school. He often took small rural scenes into his paintings, such as corn pods, beans, crickets and dragonflies. The katydid he painted was unique. The thorns on its claws, the antennae on its head, and the texture on its wings were all depicted in great detail, so he was known as "Katydid Xu". Calligrapher Ma Wenluan follows the styles of Ouyang Xiu and Liu Zongyuan, and his cursive script follows the styles of the "Two Wangs". His regular script is pure and elegant, as if it came naturally, and his cursive script is well-proportioned, with a combination of softness and strength. He is praised by domestic calligraphy masters as "Zhou Zhao in the south and Ma Wenluan in the north". Today, there are nearly two thousand calligraphy and painting enthusiasts in Bazhou, of which more than 50 are members of calligraphy and painting associations at the provincial level and above. After the completion of the academy, it will be used as a basis to hold regular calligraphy and painting meetings, organize regular auctions of famous products, conduct regular art exchanges, and invite regular lectures by famous artists to promote exchanges in the calligraphy and painting art circles in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Bazhou Yijin Academy is a good place for people to go on holidays, and the cultural square makes people linger after dinner.