中国水墨画有二千多年历史，起初是以工笔人物画为主，到第八世纪自然主义山水画逐渐盛行，于两宋时代达到高峰。就在那时候又有写意文人画崛起，经元、明、清发展成为画坛主流，出了很多杰出画家。虽然他们都是从事写意画，也有人会取各地名胜风景为题材，如黄公望有「富春山图」、沈周有「庐山高」、渐江有「黄山松石」、萧云从有「云台山疏树图卷」等等。随着西洋写实画的影响，当今在中国的水墨画家，出外写生画中国风景的人很多，成就也相当可观。

　　旅居美国的水墨画家，包括本人和几位长居美国的朋友，也在眼所见、身所触、心所思的引导下，尝试以水墨画写美国风情，而且各有成就。著名旅美画家洪波先生在这方面的投入极深，成就盎然。洪先生身居洛杉矶，又游览美西各地风景区。美西多青山秀水，蓝天白云，时见烟云阳光映照，其地理风情与中国东南比较接近，这吸引洪先生完成很多精美的作品。

　　他的画不是一般画家常做的简笔写生，而是用水墨写意笔法，写出他个人对风景的印象和心灵感应，但所激发的又不是印象派画家对光、色的感受，而是像他的名字「波」的涵意，是一股「波动声韵」，可以是风静清波，也可以是风动浪起。这笔墨传出的「音波」是画家感情的表现，也是中国文人水墨画的灵魂。

　　洪波先生在这方面的开发相当深入，譬如他的「大瑟尔海滩拾稿」用淡笔轻描，写出海边一片淡远平静。「卡特琳娜岛观潮」就有多些明显的笔墨点线，画出的树草、屋宇和船只散放出温和的力道。「旧金山阿萨里托山谷远眺」则是云水一体，空灵中清波跌荡，深远无疆。

　　音律节奏在艺术中有如大宇宙，含无穷无尽的能量。洪先生的画除了这清淡面之外，还有浑厚的一面，譬如他的「凯瑟迪阿天使公园」、「旧金山阿萨里托山谷写生」、「圣盖博山谷水库」都用重笔勾画、皴刷、点苔、积染，有类似黄宾虹画法的浑厚音韵，激出他心中对那些特殊风景感到的振撼。

　　总结洪先生在水墨画世界中拓展美国风情的努力，不是精描细写画出美国山水的表相，而是以中国水墨画「写真」的理念，让笔墨音韵咏颂出画家与景物互动的心波，这也可以让水墨画更加国际化，走入更广阔的世界。

　　Chinese ink paintinghas a history of more than two thousand years. At first, the elaborated-stylefigure painting was the mainstream. Then in the eighth century landscapepainting of naturalism gradually became popular and reached its height in theSong Dynasty. It was at that time there was the rise of literati landscapepainting in the style of expressive brushwork. This type of art continued tostay in the mainstream through the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties for more thanseven hundred years, and produced many outstanding painters. Although they allpainted in the expressive style, some of them also use their expressivebrushwork to depict actual scenic spots. The famous examples are HuangGongwang's "House in Mt. Fuchun", Shen Zhou's "Mt. Lu", Jianjiang's "Mt. Huang", and Xiao Yunchong's "Mt.Yuntai". With the influence of Western art in modern times, many painters inChina today have accomplished wonderful works depicting the actual landscapes.

　　Thebrush-painting artists, including myself and my friends, who are living in theUnited States, also tried to depict American sceneries with the inspirations ofwhat they saw, touched and thought. All have their different achievements andMr. Hong Bo is a unique one.

　　Mr. Hong livesin Los Angeles and has travelled in many scenic spots of western America, wherehas beautiful ocean, green mountains and light winds, very similar to theatmosphere of Southeast China. This attractive environment has led Mr. Hong tocreate many wonderful paintings. He, unlike many painters who depict thedetails of sceneries by realistic sketches, set out his impressions of thescenic spots. Yet the impressions, unlike that of Impressionism which are tiedto colors and light, are like what his name "Bo" means, the "waves" in his mindchurn up by the scenes. The "waves" come from the sound rhythm of brushwork;they could be quiet and peaceful or stirring with wind-squalls. The rhythmicwaves are the artist's emotional feelings and the soul of Chinese literatipainting.

　　Mr. Hong Bo hasa deep exploration into this field. In his painting "Big Sur Sketch" forexample, he uses light ink and brush strokes to present a peaceful open beach.In the "Catalina Island" he uses more conspicuous dots and strokes to depicttrees, grass, houses and boats, giving the brushwork bonhomie energy. Anotherpainting "Sausalito Valley" presents a scene of clouds and water comingtogether to give a boundless space of spiritual consonance.

　　The wave rhythmin art is like a great universe which is full of energy. Mr. Hong's painting,other than the above-mentioned light rhythm there are many examples thatexplore grave and spectacular "waves." His "Angel Park", "Sausalito ValleySketch" and "San Gabriel Lake", for instance, are done with heavier and darkerbrush strokes, dots and ink-wash, somewhat like the brush work of HuangBinhong, a modern Chinese painter, evoking his mind's strong response to thescenery.

　　In conclusion,about Mr. Hong's efforts to explore America vista in the world of ink painting,we may say he is not depicting the appearances of American landscapes; instead,he follow Chinese traditional aesthetics of painting, presenting the mind songsfrom the interactions of the painter and sceneries. This is also a way for theinternationalization of ink painting.

作者：高木森