Qi Baishi was one of China's most famous painters, renowned for his exquisite depictions of small animals such as shrimp and insects. In addition to his mastery of painting, he also made significant contributions to the art of seal carving.
In his youth, Qi Baishi developed a deep passion for seal carving. One day, while visiting an elderly master engraver, the old man said, "You go fetch a basket of foundation stones and bring them home. Only when these stones have turned into mud will your seals be perfected." Many thought the old man was mocking him and advised him not to pay attention to him, but Qi Baishi actually brought a basket of stones home. He worked day and night, carving while studying ancient seal carvings. He carved and smoothed, smoothed and carved again; even when blisters formed on his hands, he paid them no mind. Day after day, year after year, as the stones were consumed, the layer of mud on the ground grew thicker. Eventually, when the entire basket of stones had turned to mud, Qi Baishi had mastered the art of seal carving. His carvings were powerful and concise, standing unique and reaching a state of perfection.
Once, it was his birthday. As a grandmaster, he was surrounded by an endless stream of students and friends from morning until night. He greeted everyone with a warm smile, and only after seeing off the last guests late at night did he finally collapse into a deep sleep from exhaustion.
The next morning, Qi Baishi rose early and went straight to his studio to paint, ignoring his hunger. His family urged him to eat and rest, but he refused to stop. Once he finished five paintings, his family breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to serve him a meal. To their surprise, he spread out his paper and began to paint again. Fearing he might overexert himself, his family asked, "Haven't you already painted enough five paintings? Why are you still painting?"
The old man lifted his head gently and said, "Yesterday was my birthday, and with so many guests, I had no time to paint. I must catch up today to make up for yesterday's 'wasted' time." Having said this, he immediately returned to his work.
It was through this relentless spirit of diligence that Qi Baishi's paintings became increasingly exquisite, winning the admiration of people all over the world.
