Confluence and Desolation: Reassessing Xu Beihong's Sojourn in South and Southeast Asia (1939-1942) Through a Comparative Lens

During the tumultuous years of World War II from 1939 to 1942, renowned Chinese painter Xu Beihong embarked on a journey through Singapore, India, and Malaya, leaving a significant mark on his artistic career.  Amidst the chaos, Xu produced a series of remarkable masterpieces and employed the sale of his paintings to support the war effort in China. Existing studies often refer to this period as Xu Beihong’s “Nanyang (Southeast Asia) period,” largely emphasizing his patriotic fundraising endeavors and notable contributions to the Sino-Japanese war. Yet, they often overlook his extensive time spent in India. Xu Beihong’s experiences in Southeast and South Asia manifest distinctive differences, unveiling his varied cultural stances and attitudes toward each region. By comparing his experiences in Southeast and South Asia, this study seeks to re-examine Xu Beihong’s three-year sojourn and reflect on the underlying power dynamics during the reconfiguration of the civilizational order in the early phases of Asia’s decolonization.  It explores neglected aspects such as his everyday linguistic practices, social networks, differing attitudes towards the cultures of these regions, and his influence on the local community, thereby highlighting the artist’s role in social movement and the limitations of a geographic approach in interpreting artistic interactions within twentieth-century Asia.