Taihe Law Firm’s Series of Analyses on Mr. Mou Keming’s 2021 Painting Exhibition “Harmony Between Heaven and Earth” (Part II)

Taihe Law Firm’s 2021 painting exhibition, “Harmony Between Heaven and Earth” by Mr. Mou Kemin, grandly opened.

Exhibiting Artist

Mou Keming

Exhibition Duration

Spring and Summer 2021

Exhibition Venue

No. 70, Qingjiangnan Road, Gulou District, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province

9th Floor, Hehai Science and Technology Building

Taihe Law Firm

Organizer

Jiangsu Provincial Association for Sino-Foreign Social and Cultural Exchanges, Jiangsu Taihe Law Firm

Handling

Nanjing Zhengyatang Art Co., Ltd.

Co-organized

Art Hundred Schools Magazine

Danqing World Magazine

Art News

China Jiangsu Net

Yihua.com, Toutiao

Baidu Number App

TikTok, Kuaishou

“In the world, countless masters of ink and brush—only when law and principle align can a painting truly take shape.” — A Curious Reflection: Associations Prompted by an Art Exhibition
Article by Wu Changxue (Physician, a practitioner of social and cultural traditions both at home and abroad)

Since its opening on May 16 at the Jiangsu Taihe Law Firm in Jinling Hexi, the “Harmony Between Heaven and Earth: A Landscape Painting Exhibition by Mou Kemin” has attracted a large audience and drawn widespread acclaim. A teacher‑friend of mine, upon receiving an invitation from the exhibition’s organizers, asked me: “Exhibitions are usually held in art museums, museums, or galleries. Why, then, is this landscape show by Mou Kemin—president of the Jiangsu Provincial Association for Sino‑Foreign Cultural Exchange, a national first‑class artist, and a member of the China Artists Association—being hosted and staged in a law firm?” I replied, “Why don’t you go take a look? You’ll understand once you see it.”

After visiting an art exhibition, he called me, brimming with enthusiasm, and said, “It was really impressive—entire floors of open-plan office space, thousands of square meters of roomy, bright interiors bathed in soft light. Dozens of paintings were hung along both walls and on the perforated partitions separating the workspaces, blending seamlessly with the surroundings. Visitors could stroll through at their leisure, savoring the pieces, or linger to discuss them in detail with friends. It truly was a fresh, one-of-a-kind artistic experience.” He even joked that if our school had such an elegant setting, we’d all feel far more relaxed and uplifted at work.

Then, this friend posed a very intriguing question: Is there an intrinsic connection between lawyers and painters?

First, I must begin with Attorney Ma Qun, director and managing partner of Jiangsu Taihe Law Firm, as well as the inaugural chairman of the Belt and Road International Legal Services Alliance. Attorney Ma graduated from East China University of Political Science and Law, earned a master’s degree in law from Nanjing University, and later pursued advanced studies at the Asian Law Institute in the United States. He subsequently worked at law firms in London and Hong Kong, and obtained a certificate in management from the University of South Australia. Judging from his academic and professional background, one might not expect any direct connection to the visual arts. Yet it is important to remember that during his years studying in the U.S., practicing in London, and undertaking official duties around the world, he frequently visited the great art museums and cultural institutions of various countries, where he had the opportunity to admire and fully absorb the timeless masterpieces of countless world‑renowned artists. Perhaps it was precisely these experiences that stirred within him a long‑held yearning for the arts.

This reminds me of two renowned French masters from the 19th and early 20th centuries: the Impressionist painter Henri d’Humières and the founder of Fauvism, Henri Matisse. These two painters, who achieved widespread fame in the early 20th century, were both originally trained as lawyers and even worked as attorneys and judges. Later, driven by their deep passion for the visual arts, they abandoned the legal profession to pursue painting, eventually becoming iconic figures of their era. (If readers are interested, I will provide a more detailed account of their lives at a later date.)

This demonstrates that lawyers and painters indeed share a certain intrinsic connection: both embody a “craftsman’s spirit.” When a painter creates, whether through the meticulous, painstaking detail of meticulous brushwork or the bold, free‑hand splashing of ink, there is always an underlying structure and unwavering rigor. Similarly, in handling cases, lawyers approach each matter with painstaking care, scrutinizing every word and revising it again and again, and ensuring that every piece of evidence is precise and well‑grounded.

So, both lawyers and painters are artists—people of culture.

Of course, whether Director Ma Qun will one day switch careers to become a painter is something I dare not speculate on. However, the artistic sensibility that runs deep in his bones will certainly never fade. A profound humanistic grounding and an abiding passion for the arts are precisely the well-rounded qualities that every outstanding lawyer should possess.

Note: The title of this essay is drawn from the last two lines of Tang poet Gao Chan’s poem “Evening View from Jinling,” with the final line slightly modified to better align with the text’s content. Here, “fa li” (legal principle) serves as a pun: painters must adhere to artistic principles and techniques to create their works, while lawyers, in handling cases, must even more so rely on the law and uphold justice.

The original poem is appended below:

“Evening View from Jinling”
Once I lingered with drifting clouds as evening hues faded; Still I linger, as the setting sun stirs autumn’s murmurs. In this world, countless hands wield brush and ink, Yet no painting can capture this heart‑rending sorrow.
Early summer of the Xin-Chou year, by the Xicheng River in Shicheng.

(Some images are sourced from the internet; please contact us for removal if there is any infringement.)

About the Painter

Mou Keming is the former deputy director of the Art Research Institute of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture, president of the Jiangsu Association for Sino‑Foreign Cultural and Social Exchanges, a member of the expert panel of the National Arts Science Expert Database under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, deputy director of the Office of the Leading Group for the Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Celebrities Database, a member of the pool of senior‑level art‑title reviewers in Jiangsu Province, editor‑in‑chief of the editorial board of the journal “Danqing World,” a member of the China Artists Association, and a national first‑class artist.

With more than forty years of experience in the creation and study of traditional Chinese painting, he has held two solo exhibitions and had his works featured in numerous national, provincial, and municipal shows, where they have received awards. He is the author of several acclaimed volumes, including “Collection of Landscape Paintings by Mou Kemin,” “Magnificent Rivers and Mountains: Landscape Paintings by Mou Kemin,” and “Harmony Between Heaven and Earth: A Collection of Chinese Landscape Paintings by Mou Kemin.” In addition, he has published over twenty scholarly essays and critical articles. His work has been extensively covered by prominent media outlets such as CCTV’s Calligraphy and Painting Channel, Jiangsu Television, Nanjing Television, Jiangsu Longhu Net, as well as leading art publications including the Art News, China Calligraphy and Painting News, Ink China, Calligraphy and Painting Art, and Danqing World. More than two hundred of his paintings are now part of private and institutional collections across various sectors of society.

Some say, “The greater the inner tolerance of a landscape painter, the more grandeur his works can convey.” Mou Kemin’s landscape paintings embody a humanistic spirit and the philosophical unity of heaven and humanity. Through his masterful use of brush and ink, he seamlessly integrates the natural landscapes of both northern and southern China, imbuing his work with a distinct contemporary ethos and artistic character that illuminates the profound spiritual essence of nature.

He said that landscape painting is both an act of contemplating nature and a reflection on life. What matters most is that mountains embody a character that serves humanity without seeking anything in return, while water, with its gentle resilience, exudes a spirit rich in vitality and grace. It is precisely these qualities of landscapes that he has come to appreciate, coupled with his commitment to cultivating personal refinement, that have shaped the literati‑inspired, freehand style of his landscapes and given rise to a distinctive aesthetic marked by the harmonious fusion of diverse artistic traditions.

Past Exhibitions: [Thaihe Art Exhibition] Preview: “Melodies of Harmony” – An Exhibition of Fine Calligraphy and Painting from Thaihe
[Thaihe Gallery] Journey into Dunhuang—Thaihe “Mottled Rich Colors” Art Exhibition (Preview)
[Thaihe Art Exhibition] Spring Mountains on the Verge of Rain — The Thaihe “Mottled Rich Colors” Art Exhibition (Preview)
[Thaihe Updates] The Thaihe Spring Art Exhibition Opens with Great Fanfare
[Thaihe Gallery] Thaihe Law Firm’s 2019 Spring Art Exhibition (Preview)
[Thaihe Art Exhibition] The Thaihe 2019 Spring Art Exhibition Grandly Opens
[Thaihe Updates] Chen Guohuan, Vice Chairman of the Jiangsu Provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles, visits the Thaihe New Year Painting Exhibition. Thaihe Gallery | Thaihe Autumn 2019 Painting Exhibition (Preview) Thaihe Updates | The Grand Opening of the 2019 Thaihe Autumn Painting Exhibition
Taihe Gallery | Zen Realm — Taihe Autumn 2020 Art Exhibition (Preview)
Taihe Updates | The 2020 Taihe Autumn Art Exhibition Grandly Opens Taihe Updates | Taihe (Taizhou) Law Firm Successfully Hosts the 2020 Autumn Art Exhibition Taihe Gallery | Harmony Between Heaven and Earth — Mou Kemin’s 2021 Spring Art Exhibition (Preview Edition)
Taihe Gallery | Supreme Harmony Between Heaven and Earth — Mou Kemin’s Spring 2021 Exhibition
Taihe Gallery | “Landscape Painter, Unity of Heaven and Man” — The Taihe Law Firm’s 2021 exhibition, “Supreme Harmony of Heaven and Earth” by Mr. Mou Kemin, grandly opened.
Taihe Gallery | Taihe Law Firm’s 2021 Exhibition Series: Mr. Mou Keming’s “Supreme Harmony of Heaven and Earth” — Critical Commentary (I)