Paintings boost Korea-China cultural ties

Choi Chang-won, a Chinese studies professor at Chungwoon University, paints in a private exhibition in Beijing in January. / Courtesy of Choi Chang-won

By Park Jin-hai

Choi Chang-won, 57, professor of the Department of Chinese Studies, Chungwoon University is called in many names.

He is the one and only ink wash painter specialized in sea shrimps, popular professor in both Korea and China and now a father of 19 adopted Chinese students.

“Shrimps with the bent back are the symbol that shows the virtue of modesty. It is insignificant creatures in broad and blue water. But also, it means dynamics and abundance they leap actively and move in groups. Their long antennas symbolize good health and long life,” he said during the interview with The Korea Times.

Choi started learning ink wash painting in 1075, from a protégé of a most celebrated Joseon Kingdom calligrapher Kim Jeong-hui. He has been painting shrimps over 25 years now.

His pieces, with bright red shrimps and words of late poet Wang Ao’s poem on sea shrimps, have become his unique art of world, which famous China Artist Association chairman Lie Dawei praised that shrimps “dance freely in the boundless sea.”

Choi’s painting named Chang Hea Won Ha, which means jumbo shrimps in a vast blue sea / Courtesy of Choi Chang-won

While Chinese painters remain in the boundaries of traditional painting, his work has symbolized and portrayed sea shrimps in his own way.”

Choi’s works, however, don’t exist in the exhibition rooms.

They are sold through China’s national auction sites and all of the proceeds are used to return the kindness he has earned from China as well as contributing the cultural exchange of Korea and China.

“I couldn’t think of me today without all the help of Chinese people. They helped me a lot while I was studying in Taiwan and China, not to mention the poet Wang who consummated my work with his great words. Now I want to return what were given to me to the society,” he added.

Since 2013, he has been using the profits he earned from selling his picture to give scholarships to Chinese students studying in Korea and buying machines that make Korea fish shaped cookies and walnut cookies and providing them to the educational organizations in remote villages of China.

“Starting with six of today, I plan to expand the beneficiaries to 100 organizations in three years. With the machine that I provide, Chinese students could have their little Korean experiences. Although it might sound distant in the future, I hope those will strengthen the bilateral relation between Korea and China in the future,” Choi said.

He said it is only grateful that more Korean and Chinese wanted to be involved in his “talent sharing” activities. “Of late, the Toshiba’s Chinese office said they wanted to get involved, where they sell my works through in-house auction. I’m only too grateful for all these,” he said.

Choi and his wife also adopted 19 Chinese students so far, giving them full support, helping them study and get jobs here.