Paintings | installation | Silkscreen prints |

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WEI Guangqing The Zhu Family Instructions 19-24 2006 146.0 * 114.0 cm (57" * 45") x 6 Pieces Painting | Acrylic on canvas | code: WGQU025 / id:8025

Zhu Family Instructions
In this series from 2006, Wei Guangqing uses colorful diagonal stripes and marks (extracted from bar codes) as the background upon which he places the illustrative images from the ancient book of morals titled Zhu Family Instructions. Though he uses totally different color combinations in every work, they all apparently point to the modern developing China that should pays attention to ethics, ideals, economics, and politics in the age of globalization. He thereby incorporates the ancient literature into contemporary time and context.
Zhu Family Instructions is a meritocracy about family ethics and cultures in ancient China which made people understand the standard of morality, decency and propriety. It was used by Zhu Bolu (A Chinese ancient philosopher 1627-1698) to educate his children. He taught them to content with their lot, to be diligence, thrift, to be friendly to others, and to respect the elders. He also told the ancient ideals to his children with simple words.

Detail pictures:

If others are experiencing good fortune, do not become jealous	If they are suffering misfortunes, do not become happy	If you hide your hatred and stab others in the back, then misfortune will extend to your children	family is in harmony and is obedient
If your taxes are already paid, then even if your pockets are empty, you can still have boundless happiness	The mind of an official must always think of king and country