The symbiosis between man and nature in François Cheng

Conference at 18:00 p.m., by Guochuan ZHANG, associate professor of Chinese at INALCO.

This lecture will focus on the place of nature in François Cheng's poems, where it becomes a true interlocutor of man. In terms of language, heir to the Chinese poetic tradition, François Cheng willingly eliminates empty words, thus creating a direct intimacy between man and landscape. In terms of images, his choices recall those of classical Chinese poets, in particular Wang Wei, a great poet of Chan, as well as painters such as Shitao. Two motifs recur insistently in his work: rocks and trees. Anchored in the aesthetics of Chinese painting, where they embody primitive beauty, harmony, and independence, they reflect the deep connection that Cheng maintains with nature. Western influences, notably Cézanne and the Orphic tradition, reinforce this vision: nature conceals a mystery that the artist's mission is to probe. Through this dialogue, the poet invites us to meditate on the Way of Life.