Mural brings raging waters of Yellow River to Great Hall

Full of vigor and raw emotion, the paintings of Wang Xijing are representative of the artistic styles of Shaanxi, critics say.

The master of Chinese painting was invited by the managing bureau of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to produce a massive oil painting depicting the Yellow River, known as the mother river in China.

The landscape painting titled Yellow River / The Mother River completed in nine months depicts a magnificent scene of Hukou waterfall, part of the Yellow River.

The work is so lifelike that it looks as if the surging waves are ready to spurt forth from the picture frame.

"The Great Hall of the People hosts many important Chinese and international events to show the national image, so it is a great honor to have my painting hung on a wall of the grand building," Wang said.

One of Wang's favorite subjects, the Yellow River holds a special place in the artist's heart. He grew up in the city of Lintong, which is very close to the river's largest branch, the Weihe River.

The 67-square-meter painting has impressed many of the artist's peers and critics of Chinese contemporary art.

Shao Dazhen, art theorist and professor of Central Institute of Fine Arts.

This painting can be considered a milestone in Wang's artistic creation. It blends well with the solemn atmosphere that prevails in the central hall of the Great Hall of the People, bringing a strong and distinct artistic appeal to visitors.

Li Shusheng, professor of Central Institute of Fine Arts.

Choosing the Hukou waterfall to show the splendor of the Yellow River demonstrates his deliberation, because I think the waterfall is the most representative part of the river. The water he painted is surging forward with great momentum, which is in line with the spirit of our time.

Lu Yushun, vice-president of China National Academy of Painting.

Wang is one of the most acclaimed artists of Chinese contemporary art. His early works and this Yellow River-themed landscape painting all stand in the forefront of the times in the field of mainstream art. His works embody the esteem and confidence to the Chinese culture and spirit.

Xu Hong, senior researcher of the China National Art Museum.

Wang has drawn an overpowering picture. It has added some sense of musicality and fluidity to the central hall, which is filled with rigid structure. This piece is a typical landscape painting that is suited to aesthetic modernity.