揭阳蔡君公衡，钟榕江之灵秀，禀冰雪之聪明。幼好丹青，挥毫傅彩，写生象物，咄咄逼真。年弱冠，负笈广州，毕业南中美术学院及岭南艺苑，山水承高刺父、黎葛民两名师之薪傅;花鸟虫兽，则得赵少昂，赵崇正两先生之指授，厥艺益进。加以专心一志，淬厉研磨，不特深探六法、六要、八格、十门、十三科、十二忌之奥，复将中西画法，冶于一炉，自作一格，独成一家。近二十年间，于香港、星、马、菲律宾等地，迭开个人画展，获当代名人学者如钱穆、苏二庵、管震民、蔡寰青诸先生之好评。于是价重鸡林，誉驰中外。乃频年以来，倦游侨港，埋首作画。且为嘉惠艺林，撰成画谱。一则以供欣赏，一则以资楷模。昔宋郭若虚评南齐谢赫所云：一曰气韵生动，二曰骨法用笔，三曰应物象形，四曰随类傅彩，五曰经营位置，六曰传模移写之六法，为至精之论，万古不移。但骨法用笔以下五法可学，而其气韵生动，固不可以巧密得，复不可以岁月到，默契神会，不知然而然之语，尤为古今画冢，奉为科律。夫画与文，道虽殊而理则一。清儒章学诚曰：学文之事，可授者规矩方圆，其不可授受者，心营意造。足与郭氏之言，互相发明。盖画之气韵，亦出于心营意造之中也。
兹者，蔡君画谱，系花鸟虫鱼梅兰竹菊，内容别类分门，丰富细密，示人以规矩方圆。余以国画，可表达我国民族性之特长，为世界人士所珍视。诚我国之琅宝，重要之国粹。而蔡君画谱，亦足为后学之津梁。行将付刊面世，爰不揣謭陋而为之序。
一九七〇年五月一日蒋醉六序于九龙之钻石山房
For years the public has been waiting for a truly fine handbook of drawing and painting designed mainly for beginners-students or leisure-time painters-interested in Chinese Painting.Such a book is Mr.Choy Kung-heng’s.
LESSONS IN CHINESE PAINTING
Specific subjects detailed include flowers,birds,insects,fish or poultry and these are illustrated by fine prints carefully selected from his not inconsiderable number of notable paintings.Eight months of enthusiastic designing with the student in mind have produced this practical book with its interesting variety of colour and subject.
ABOUT THE ARTIST-AUTHOR
At an early age,Mr.Choy Kung-heng,famed South-east Asian artist,now in his forties,studied at the Ling Nam School of Painting and with Kao Chien-fu and later with Phao-an.Developing his own technique he also explored the art of the Sung (960-1276) and Yuan masters and did numerous sketches of flowers and birds for research studies.
In 1947 because of political changes,he left South China for Hong Kong where he assiduously studied various painting techniques until 1959, designing and executing hundreds of paintings mainly of flowers, birds and landscapes, including traditional figures of men and women.
Becoming dissatisfied with following the Sung and Yuan masters exclusively, he went out into the parks, the hills and many places, carefully studied various birds and flowers and he tried and developed a more realistic new style.At this stage, he designed some of his best pictures in colours or in ink, executed either with incredible delicacy or,by contrast,rapidly with bolder brush strokes. Two examples of his masterly technique are “Hundred Butterflies”and “Seasonal Flowers”.
Since 1960, he has held numerous personal exhibitions of his Chinese Paintings in Hong Kong, Macau, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Subjects of these varied greatly—from a tiger to the Virgin Mary. Exhibition rewards were both lucrative and inspirational.
I have had the privilege to enjoy Mr Choy’s paintings and now confidently recommend his new book to all interested in this fine art.