What is Chinese painting
author：Yu An editor：Shuang Lin
I. The History of Chinese Painting
In ancient China, Chinese painting was called "Danqing". At first, the ancients had not yet invented a variety of colors. The types of pigments they had at hand were limited, mainly including lead powder, realgar, ochre, azurite, cinnabar, etc. Among them, "Dan" (that is, red cinnabar, representing warm colors) and "Qing" (that is, blue azurite, representing cool colors) because of their bright colors and strong contrast, became the commonly used colors in ancient paintings. Therefore, the ancients used "Danqing" to refer to pictures.
(left:Purple Cinnabar,right:Jiangxi Azurite)
The origin of Chinese painting can be traced back to the rock paintings and pottery patterns of the primitive society. In the dry northern area ,people prefer to use carve technique on the rocks, in the southern area people use more natural pigment. In ancient times, the ancestors used simple lines and patterns to record life and express emotions. These primitive painting elements laid the foundation for the subsequent development of Chinese painting. With the progress of society, Chinese painting gradually separated from the original painting forms and formed an independent art system.
During the Warring States Period (476 BC - 221 BC), the emergence of silk paintings marked the initial maturity of Chinese painting. Silk paintings were created on silk and featured a rich variety of subjects, including mythological tales and real-life scenes. The painting techniques also became more refined.Representative artwork are “People with dragon and phoenix”and“Lady and phoenix”.
During the Qin and Han Dynasties (221 BC - 220 AD), murals and lacquer paintings were popular, and the subjects of paintings expanded further. Elements such as figures, landscapes, and flowers and birds began to appear in large numbers. The painting techniques also became more mature, with smooth lines and bright colors, laying an important foundation for the development of Chinese painting in later generations.
The Tang Dynasty (618 AD-907 AD) was the golden age of Chinese painting, when the art form reached a new height. Painters of the Tang Dynasty constantly innovated in painting techniques and artistic expression, and many outstanding painters and classic works emerged in various fields such as figure painting, landscape painting, and flower-and-bird painting. For instance, Wu Daozi's "The God and Goddess send a son to the emperor" demonstrated the superb skills of Tang figure painting with its exquisite line drawing and vivid figures. Wang Wei's "The Wangchuan Scroll" depicted a serene and distant landscape with its elegant ink-wash technique, pioneering the way for literati painting and exerting a profound influence on the development of Chinese painting in later generations.
The Song Dynasty (960 AD-1279 AD) was the peak period of scholar painting in China. Scholar painters paid more attention to the artistic conception and emotional expression in their paintings, pursuing the artistic realm of "capturing the spirit through form". In terms of techniques, Song Dynasty paintings were more meticulous, emphasizing the depiction of details and the handling of light and shadow. For instance, Fan Kuan's "Xi mountain travel" uses delicate brushstrokes to depict the grandeur and magnificence of the mountains and rivers, showcasing the rigor and refinement of Song Dynasty landscape paintings. Zhao Mengfu's "gorgeous autumn"presents the beautiful scenery of the water towns in the south of the Yangtze River with a fresh and elegant style, reflecting the unique perspective of scholar painters towards nature and life.
During the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties (1271 AD-1912 AD), Chinese painting, on the basis of inheriting traditions, continuously absorbed and integrated new artistic elements, presenting a diversified development trend. Huang Gongwang's "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains" of the Yuan Dynasty, with its elegant ink-wash technique, depicted the landscape on both banks of the Fuchun River, demonstrating the ethereal and profound nature of Yuan Dynasty landscape painting; Xu Wei's "Ink drop Grapes" of the Ming Dynasty, with its bold brushstrokes, expressed the painter's sentiments and reflections on life, embodying the individuality and emotionalism of Ming Dynasty painting; Lang Shining's "Hundreds of Horses" of the Qing Dynasty, by integrating Chinese and Western painting techniques, depicted the vivid images of a hundred horses with meticulous brushwork and realistic style, showcasing the openness and inclusiveness of Qing Dynasty painting.
II. Artistic Characteristics of Chinese Painting
(1) Pursuing the "Poetic Ideal Realm" - the Realm of ImaginationChinese painting emphasizes the creation of the realm of imagination, aiming for an artistic realm where "the intention precedes the brushstroke, and the meaning remains after the painting is completed." Painters often use techniques such as leaving blank spaces and contrasting the real and the illusory to create a profound artistic atmosphere that transcends the physical boundaries of the painting, evoking boundless imagination in the viewer. For instance, in Ma Yuan's "Fishing alone in a Cold River" from the Song Dynasty, the painting features only a small boat, an old fisherman, and a few faint ripples on the water. However, through extensive blank spaces, it creates an atmosphere of vastness and tranquility on the river surface, making the viewer feel as if they are in a secluded and ethereal world, experiencing a sense of detachment from the mundane.
(2) The Artistic Techniques of "Brush and Ink" with Rich Flavors
The brush and ink techniques in Chinese painting are its unique artistic language, including the outlining of lines, the application of ink tones, and the dotting and staining. Through different brushstrokes and variations in ink tones, painters can achieve a wide range of artistic effects. For instance, the outlining of lines can be as forceful and vigorous as the iron wire stroke or as soft and smooth as the orchid leaf stroke, with different lines depicting the texture and artistic style of various objects. The application of ink tones can be as bold and rich as the splash ink technique or as delicate and fresh as the light ink technique, with the variations in ink tones presenting the layering and spatial depth of the painting.
(3) Integration of Poetry, Calligraphy, Painting and Seal (Concentrated Presentation of Artistic Forms)
Chinese painting often combines with poetry, calligraphy and seals, forming a unique artistic expression form. The combination of poetry and painting conveys poetic sentiment through painting and supplements the meaning of the painting with poetry, making the picture more poetic and profound; calligraphy and painting complement each other, the ink and brushwork charm of calligraphy and the line drawing of painting enhance the artistic expression of the picture; seals are not only the signature and certification of the painter for the work, but also the embellishment of the picture composition, adding interest and artistry to the picture. For example, in the "Dead wood and Strange Rock" by the Song Dynasty painter Su Shi, in addition to the depiction of the bare tree and strange rock, there are also Su Shi's self-composed poems and calligraphy, as well as the embellishment of seals, making the entire work a perfect integration of poetry, calligraphy, painting and seal, presenting a unique artistic charm.
III. Classification of Chinese Painting
Chinese painting can be classified into several major categories based on subject matter, including figure painting, landscape painting, and flower-and-bird painting.
(1) Figure Painting
Figure painting mainly depicts human figures, emphasizing the portrayal of their expressions, movements, and inner emotions. Ancient figure paintings include both subjects of historical figures and mythological tales, as well as depictions of real-life scenes and portraits. For instance, the " Goddess Luo " by the Eastern Jin Dynasty painter Gu Kaizhi, through meticulous line drawing and vivid color application, portrays the beauty and grace of the Goddess of the Luo River, demonstrating the superb skills of figure painting; while "The Water Margin Leaves" by the Ming Dynasty painter Chen Hongshou, uses exaggerated and deformed techniques to depict the distinct personalities and heroic spirits of the characters.
(2) Landscape Painting
Landscape painting mainly depicts natural landscapes, emphasizing the momentum, artistic conception and charm of mountains and waters. Painters often create a serene, distant and magnificent landscape atmosphere by depicting natural elements such as mountains, rocks, trees, clouds, mists and flowing water. For instance, Jing Hao, a painter of the Five Dynasties period, in his "Edge of mountain Lu", uses powerful brushwork techniques to depict the majestic and magnificent appearance of Mount Lu and the scene of misty clouds, demonstrating the grandeur of landscape painting. Ni Zan, a painter of the Yuan Dynasty, in his "Harvest Fishing Village", uses elegant ink-wash techniques to depict the tranquility and beauty of the water towns in the south of the Yangtze River, reflecting the profound artistic conception of landscape painting.
(3) Flower-and-bird Painting
Flower-and-bird painting mainly depicts natural scenes such as flowers, birds, insects and fish, emphasizing the vividness, vitality and harmony of the natural world. Through meticulous depiction and artistic expression of flowers and birds, painters convey their love for nature and insights into life. For instance, Cui Bai of the Song Dynasty's " Sparrows in cool weather" uses delicate brushstrokes to vividly portray the lively and dynamic postures of sparrows on a winter branch, demonstrating the expressive power of flower-and-bird painting. Xu Wei of the Ming Dynasty's "Ink Bamboo" employs simple brushwork to depict the tall and resilient bamboo, highlighting the unique charm of flower-and-bird painting in expressing the spiritual essence of natural scenes.
IV. Comparison between Chinese Painting and Western Painting
(1) Different Emphases in Painting
Chinese painting emphasizes "depicting the spirit through form", pursuing the charm and artistic conception, and stressing the painter's subjective feelings and emotional expression. In contrast, Western painting focuses more on realism, aiming for likeness, and emphasizing the precise depiction of the objective world. For instance, in Chinese landscape paintings, the use of blank space and the contrast between the real and the illusory often create an ethereal and profound artistic conception, allowing viewers to sense the painter's emotions and spiritual aspirations; while in Western landscape paintings, such as Turner's "The Fighting Temeraire", the meticulous handling of light and shadow and the use of color create a vivid and realistic portrayal of the warship under the setting sun, demonstrating a high degree of realism in depicting the objective world.
(2) Different Uses of Lines
Chinese painting makes extensive use of lines, with rich variations in thickness, length, and curvature, capable of expressing the texture and spirit of objects. In Western painting, lines are mostly used to define contours and less for shaping, with more emphasis on expressing the texture of objects through the handling of light and shadow and the use of planes. For example, in the Yuan Dynasty painter Huang Gongwang's "The water pavilion", the use of lines highlights the diverse forms of mountains, trees, and houses, making the distant view have a clear and distinct trend and the near view simple and neat, conveying a serene and quiet mood; while in Rembrandt's "De Nachtwacht", the contrast of light and shadow and the handling of light create a strong sense of three-dimensionality and depth in the figures and the scene.
(3) Different Perspective Techniques
Chinese painting does not focus on perspective techniques, using the scattered perspective method, allowing objects in the painting to be placed freely, breaking the limitations of time and space, creating a broad and expansive view, and a flexible and free composition. Western painting, on the other hand, places great emphasis on perspective techniques, striving for likeness to reality, and using the focal perspective method to give the painting a strong sense of three-dimensionality and depth. For instance, in Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper", the focus is concentrated on Jesus, creating a focal point in the composition.
