How are you? Have you started a good new week?

This is 5:12am, Oct 11, Beijing time. It is the 5th day I have started my start in Chinese National Academy of Arts. I get up early because I felt too moist to sleep in the bed ? since the landlord printed the walls of my new room the day before yesterday, I have felt it for two nights, I need to discuss it with the landlord and tried to resolve this problem.

The biggest and the most difficult thing that I did after I came here was to find a place to live. In the totally new environment (Instead of troubling anyone in Beijing since it was in the Chinese National Holiday, I worked with the the agent), after seeing 6 places, I have settled down in one of them. Even though the condition is not good as usual, I will also not be able to cook, it is a little bit cheap (but it is still expensive one time more than I lived in before July when I studied in China Central Academy of Fine Arts for its geographical position) and it is the nearest the teaching building -- I need only to walk for 3 minutes from my room to the classroom. However, I had to jump out of the window of the teaching building at 10:00pm in the first day for I did not know the building is clocked at 9:00pm or 9:30pm. :-)

Also, before I came here, I did not know that the Teaching Department of Chinese Painting School/Graduate School of Chinese National Academy of Arts had been moved into a new place, now they are working in a hired building, its student apartment cannot cook and there is no any student canteen, even, there is no library, there is no any art or stationery stores or artistic atmosphere around of it as I had imagined. So that in the first night I came here, I thought of quitting school.

However, when I met the tutors in the classroom first time and saw the products of my classmates, listened to their work plan ? to paint from the nature since Oct 14 in the garden, I decided to stay here to complete my study.

The good feelings in the new school are:

-- They divided students into 3 different classes: flower and bird painting class, landscape class and portrait painting class, there are special tutors or professors for different students, students can listen to the others’ lessons. Students can focus on their own direction while to make a wide knowledge foundation.

-- There are fewer students in my class -- flower and bird painting class. We have more opportunities to communicate with the tutors or professors directly.

-- The lessons are arranged tight, I have attended 3 lessons by the vice president of Chinese National Academy of Arts -- Professor Liu Wanming, and the vice president of China Art Academy -- Mr. Cao Daren in the past 4 days already, then, after having another 2 lessons today and tomorrow, we will go to paint from the nature.

-- The place to paint from the nature is in Beijing or somewhere near Beijing, there will no too much inconvenience.

-- They pay more attention to the creative practice. The homework is quite much, many students work in the classrooms in the weekend.

-- The tutors and the professors are working responsibly and carefully. After seeing my birds in Chinese Gongbi style: Mr. Lu Wenqing -- my tutor has specially come to the classroom to correct my way to paint the feather and made the demonstration for me. Mr. Wu Dong ? the director of the 3 classes of us has appointed me to read some book and to do some special practice. Mr. Cao Daren ? Vice president of China Art Academy has commented my recent works and pointed out the problems in them and how to correct them.

I have found a little restaurant that was run by a sister and a brother who are from South of China, I will eat there for a long time.

I have also met a good landlord: my room has been printed, put some new carpet, plus something I have bought, now I have had a little but comfortable home. In case the humid problem is resolved, I should be able to study here with a good heart.

Yesterday, a friend responded my last letter and said“Looks like heaven has put all the good things in one body.” I would like to say, every one meets same thing in the world. If we choose to see something good, beautiful and positive, then, in our hearts there are something good, beautiful and positive. Luck always belongs to those people who have a positive, optimistic and grateful hearts.

Do you agree with me? Do you have anything special to share?

This letter will be sent to you from my computer system automatically. If you would not like to get it, please write to me, I will delete your email address from my mail list.


I am just a student on Art of Painting, Music, English and Management, to work on the web site in my free time. I would really like to do a few things with what I have learned to make this little web site to be an Electronic Bridge of Inter-Art & Cross - Culture Exchange, Chinese Language Learning & Friendship Making. To help the others while to improve myself.

I would like to appreciate you for your understanding, directions, supports and help.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, you are welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn or leave your message on Message Board.

Shirley Yiping Zhang
Oct 11, 2011(Chinese Time)