Lu Renjie – ChinESE CULTURIST
About Me
Lu Renjie, a cultural bearer of traditional Chinese culture, is an independent Chinese artist born on September 9, 1982, in Shanghai. He co-founded WIN Cultural Development Co., Ltd. and is the founder (Chairman) of Xiangwai (Shanghai) Cultural Communication Co., Ltd. Through oil painting, ceramics, sculpture, and installation art, he fuses traditional Chinese culture with modern aesthetics and technology—most notably in his “Shan Hai Jing” series. His work reflects personal creative excellence while advancing global cultural innovation.
ARTIST
About
Background
Lu Renjie was born in Shanghai and grew up in an artistic household, where he developed a keen interest in graffiti and clay figures. As a teenager, under the mentorship of Chen Zhaochi—father of renowned artist Chen Danqing—he began cultivating his unique artistic vision, excelling in oil painting, ceramics, sculpture, and installation art.
In his early career, to make a living, he founded an advertising company and worked as a magazine illustrator—serving as a regular columnist for Lehuo magazine for three years and contributing to publications such as Waibatan, Jinka, and Time and Art. He also taught for five years at the Animation Academy of the Shanghai Institute of Electronic Information Technology.
Despite his commercial endeavors, he never abandoned his passion for art. By a fortunate twist of fate, his talent was recognized by international superstar Jackie Chan, for whom he became a commissioned artist, creating works like the “Twelve Golden Hairpins” series, “Dragon Drunken Red,” and “Drunken Eight Immortals.” His artistic achievements have earned him the admiration of numerous celebrities.
His diverse artistic works have earned high acclaim from renowned figures including Jackie Chan, Li Ka-shing, Yang Shoucheng, Zhang Guoli, Feng Xiaogang, Chen Lihua, and Jiang Wen.
Focus
Achievements & Works
Lu Renjie excels in oil painting, ceramics, sculpture, and installation art. His works span various fields, with “The World of Shan Hai Jing” and “Intangible Cultural Heritage of China” standing out as his most iconic creations.
The World of Shan Hai Jing
This is the world’s first complete ceramic sand table series presenting the “Shan Hai Jing,” featuring characters, mythical beasts, plants, and geographical elements with grand scale and exquisite details. It includes 809 miniature sculptures, a 340-square-meter sand table, a 100-meter-long Shan Hai map, as well as immersive light-interactive and AR experiences that together form a systematic Chinese fantasy universe.
- Concept: Lu Renjie incorporates the dual meaning of “CHINA” – both the nation and ceramics – emphasizing that ceramics best convey the cultural essence of the “Shan Hai Jing.”
- Cultural Significance: He aims to create a Chinese Marvel/DC/Disney to revitalize traditional culture and present it globally.
- Exhibition Highlight: The “Shan Hai Mi Cang Art Exhibition” at Songjiang Guangfulin Ruins Park features three thematic spaces—”Shan Hai Yi,” “Shan Hai Xiang,” and “Shan Hai Jing”—combining interactive light displays and nearly ten thousand sculptures to showcase the grandeur of ancient civilization.
The World of Ten Thousand Blessings
- The entire artwork shows no trace of brush strokes; all patterns are naturally formed by the paint. Mr. Lu Renjie hopes to let nature paint nature—the earth, the ocean, everything—allowing the paint to flow freely and explore the unknown.
Twelve Golden Hairpins
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In “Dream of the Red Chamber,” the poem compares water plants: taken out of water they lose their charm, but immersed they flourish. In designing the Twelve Golden Hairpins series, I aimed to evoke that very ambiance. I abandoned individual forms—alone, each is merely a water plant out of its element—but together they create the “water.” Just as the novel interweaves countless threads of fate, where the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly, the virtuous, and the wicked coexist, the complete picture emerges.
“Full of absurd words, a handful of bitter tears. All say the author is mad; who truly understands its flavor?” This five-character quatrain, opening the novel, clearly sets out Cao Xueqin’s intent and sums up the work’s essence. In designing the objects and patterns for the Twelve Golden Hairpins, I sought to subtly reflect this meaning—making them more than mere decorative elements. I considered using conventional elements from the novel (like Daiyu depicted with a spade), but that would have been mere imitation. With my limited insight, I ask the scholars of Chinese culture for forgiveness; I interpret the quatrain as telling one’s own story, so I have used my style to express my story and my understanding of “Dream of the Red Chamber.”
Handcrafted entirely by hand, the process has a high failure rate—sometimes a single piece cracks, or a kiln accident may ruin an entire set. Yet I insist on pure craftsmanship, for only then does each work remain fresh and truly unique. Finally, I hope you enjoy them.
This series has been collected by many renowned figures, including Jackie Chan, Li Ka-shing, Yang Shoucheng, Zhang Guoli, Feng Xiaogang, Chen Lihua, and Jiang Wen.
Feiyi China
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Also known as “Chinese Dragon”
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Dimensions and Characteristics:
The artwork measures 12.8 meters long and 2.6 meters high. Inspired by the Yangtze River, its background uses satellite cloud images to showcase a panorama of 11 provinces along the basin. It ingeniously incorporates 1,800 elements of Chinese intangible cultural heritage, spanning festivals, handicrafts, scripts, and legends from 56 ethnic groups. -
Significance:
Continuously refined since 2012, this picture-in-picture masterpiece, also called the Chinese Dragon, is the only artwork that aggregates such a vast range of intangible cultural heritage elements. It is part of collections such as the Jackie Chan Film Art Museum, reflecting the artist’s steadfast commitment to cultural preservation.
Dragon Drunken Red
“Dragon Drunken Red” draws inspiration from Jackie Chan’s iconic “Drunken Fist” series, capturing its essential form and a distinctive martial arts charm. On the occasion of his 60th birthday, the piece was unveiled as a birthday gift at the Shanghai Jackie Chan Film Art Museum and personally collected by him. Jackie Chan’s endorsement renders the artwork even more precious and unique.
Untitled
The original work “Untitled” is in the collection of Mr. Huang Zhenyu, Chairman of Daxinhong and Guanmen.com. The piece is composed of metal, resin, ceramics, jade, and a natural antelope skull.
Drunken Eight Immortals
The “Drunken Eight Immortals” series was created at the invitation of Jackie Chan and is inspired by the iconic movements in his classic “Drunken Fist” films. This series distills the essential motion of the Drunken Eight Immortals and comprises three sets of works in Red Enamel, Bold Colors, and Blue-and-White styles. It forgoes intricate details to faithfully capture Jackie Chan’s distinctive, inebriated posture—a heartfelt tribute from Mr. Lu Renjie.
Cabin Series
Cabin Series: Each artwork corresponds to a real, uniquely styled cabin—be it a café, bar, or personal workspace.
Initially commissioned by Lehuo magazine as a column with accompanying text, the series later expanded through invitations from various passionate shop owners. Before long, he had painted over 100 distinctive cabins, including “Cat’s Sky City,” “Dragon Court Club,” “Zen Edge,” “New Unit,” “Lohasly Workshop,” “Lost,” “Pure Coffee,” “Unique Tea House,” “NAP Café,” “Beijing Hutong,” “HAN,” and many more.
My World
This is Mr. Lu Renjie’s world.
Buddha Man
Footprints: Those Youthful Footprints
In those youthful days, spent lying on the ground playing counting games, Mr. Lu Renjie’s works, though admittedly raw, were brimming with imaginative brilliance.
IMPACT
Social Impact
Lu Renjie’s works, celebrated for their cultural depth and innovation, have been collected by renowned figures such as Jackie Chan, Li Ka-shing, Jack Ma, Andy Lau, and Zhang Yimou. He has also received honors like the Florence Literature and Visual Arts Award and has been featured on CCTV and Dragon TV. His private museum in Songjiang, Shanghai—the Shan Hai Jing Museum—houses thousands of sculptures and hundreds of paintings, serving as an important cultural showcase. In 2023, his alma mater’s School of Art and Design visited him to explore deeper industry-academic collaboration and the integration of art with craftsmanship.
Lu Renjie firmly believes that China’s millennia-old culture will rise again on the global stage. He continues to explore the fusion of technology and culture, planning to extend the Shan Hai Jing IP to venues such as the Songjiang Guangfulin Ruins Park and Jinzhong Square to create immersive experiences. At the same time, he aims to revitalize traditional culture with youth-friendly language and modern visual expressions.
By bridging art and technology, Lu Renjie continuously connects tradition with modernity. His Shan Hai Jing series is not only an artistic creation but also a profound tribute and innovative expression of Chinese culture, writing a magnificent chapter in its history and striving to make the “Shan Hai Jing World” a dazzling presence on the global stage.
Recognition
Awards
Florence Literature and Visual Arts Award
2018