Located on the banks of Shuzhou Lake, the Yangzhou Eight Ghosts Memorial Hall is a thematic museum characterized by the Qing Dynasty Yangzhou painting school. The hall uses “ghosts” as its soul, presenting over 300 exquisite works of calligraphy and paintings, demonstrating the eight ghosts artists’ innovation and breakthrough against traditional literati painting. The building is modeled after Ming and Qing garden styles, with a “Ink Rhythm Corridor” set in secluded, winding paths, allowing visitors to experience the fusion of art and nature through a layout resembling a landscape painting. The core exhibition area, “Eight Ghosts’ Achievements,” presents multi-media interactive displays. Zheng Banqiao’s [Qing Dynasty Calligrapher/Painter] Bamboo and Stone Diagram and Jin Nong’s [Qing Dynasty Calligrapher/Painter] Lacquer Script are displayed here in juxtaposition. Gao Fenghan’s [Qing Dynasty Calligrapher/Painter] Fragmentary Stele and Broken Writings and Li Fangying’s [Qing Dynasty Painter] Plum, Orchid, Bamboo, and Chrysanthemum Four Screens tell the truth of art through their mottled textures. The thematic area, “Yangzhou Spirit,” recreates the creative process of the eight ghosts breaking through the traditional painting circle under the nourishment of salt merchant culture. This memorial hall is not only an art hall but also a place for the inheritance of cultural spirit. The eight ghosts, with their courage of “not following the ink,” integrated poetry, calligraphy, painting, and seals, creating a unique chapter in Chinese art history. Every piece in the collection seems to whisper: true art is like the Yangzhou Eight Ghosts, rooted in tradition but also daring to break through.
