Yuan Dynasty calligraphy and painting theory

Author: Pan Yungao, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-11-01
Features: The theory of painting in the Yuan Dynasty was most influenced by the theoretical views of Zhao Mengfu. Under the influence of the idea that painting should have ancient charm, the Four Masters of the Yuan Dynasty all aimed to restore the past, but they did not copy the ancients directly. Instead, they sought to align with the spirit of the ancients while expressing their own new ideas. This book collects the painting theories of Zhao Mengfu and Ni Zan, as well as Li Kan's Zhu Pu (Treatise on Bamboo), Huang Gongwang's Shui Shan Jue (Essentials of Landscape Painting), Tang Hou's Hua Lun (Painting Theory), Gujin Huajian (Ancient and Modern Painting Appreciation), Wang Yi's Xiang Xiang Miji (Secrets of Portraiture), Sheng Ximing's Tuhua Kao (Comprehensive Examination of Painting), and Xia Wenyan's Tuhua Baojian (Treasure Treasury of Painting).
Zhu Pu details the techniques of painting bamboo, covering everything from adhering frames, sizing silk, mixing colors, and using ink. It also includes descriptions of the ecological characteristics of various types of bamboo in different regions, making it a comprehensive encyclopedia for painting bamboo. Shui Shan Jue focuses on the techniques of painting water and mountains, concise yet profound in its explanations. It is a summary of Huang Gongwang's experience in creating landscape paintings, both for his predecessors and himself, and has had a deep influence on landscape painting creation and theory in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Hua Lun discusses painting techniques from the perspective of art, particularly capturing the essence of appreciation. Gujin Huajian is not known for its research and (scholarly), but rather emphasizes the brushwork, artistic spirit, and techniques, advocating for originality and stating that painting should prioritize expression over resemblance, considering resemblance as secondary. Tuhua Kao and Tuhua Baojian are both compilations of excerpts from the painting theories of predecessors, with little of the authors' own insights. Therefore, only a small portion of each is excerpted here to give a general idea of their content.