François Cheng is a French academician, writer, poet and calligrapher. He is the author of essays, novels, collections of poetry and books on art written in the French language, and the translator of some of the great French poets into Chinese.
Born in China and taking French citizenship in 1973, he was elected to the Académie française in 2002, and was the first person of Asian origin to be a member of the Academy. He was the winner of the 1998 Prix Femina for Le Dit de Tianyi ("The saying of Tianyi")
When Cheng arrived in France in 1948, on a study grant, he did not speak a word of the language. He subsequently adapted quickly and profoundly. In his speech to the Académie française, he explained, "I became a Frenchman in law, mind and heart more than thirty years ago [...] especially from that moment when I resolutely went over to the French language, making it the weapon, or the soul, of my creative work. This language, how can I say everything that I owe to it? It is so intimately bound up with the way I live and my inner life that it has proved to be the emblem of my destiny." It took many years before he became a novelist. His first works were on Chinese poetry and painting. Later he began to write works of poetry himself, before finally turning to the writing of novels.
The interest of the exhibition on Han empire it's to discover the beginning of chinese writing. I like François Cheng. He makes a bridge between french and chinese culture. He belongs to the prestigious Académie Française. I bought this morning the new edition just published. He shares his immense knowledge with a kind of humility las if he excused him to be simply brilliant. His book about death is always on my night table. He initiates us with this art of calligraphy. For each calligram, a short text for explanation. He speaks about on his life, a singular beauty. And always a short poem.
Joy is everywhere under the sky; seeks that which answers to your heart.
François Cheng nous invite dans son monde intérieur, imprégné de culture chinoise et de calligraphie. Plus qu'un art: une discipline. Plus qu'une discipline: un véritable mode de vie. Cette édition est cartonnée et le papier ainsi que l'impression sont de grandes qualité.