History of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties Painting (Series of Divided-Historical-Period Chinese Painting)

Author: Chen Shouxiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-12-01
Features: The changes in art during the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties period were more evident in calligraphy, where regular script truly emerged. While the changes in painting art were not as pronounced as in calligraphy, the shifts in social customs and the rise of Buddhist thought led to the further elaboration of originally simple and clear paintings. Cao Bu'xing pioneered Buddhist painting, and his disciple Wei Xie further developed it. As one of the signs of painting maturing, famous painters such as Gu Kaizhi, Dai Qiu, Lu Tanwei, and Zhang Songyao emerged in the south, while in the north, prominent figures like Yang Zihua, Cao Zhongda, and Tian Sengliang appeared. The identity of painters gradually entered historical records, playing an increasingly important role in social life. During this period, the most outstanding development was in figure painting (including Buddhist figure painting) and animal painting, while other genres in Chinese painting were far from mature. In the famous surviving work The Legend of the River Goddess by Gu Kaizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the landscape was merely used as a backdrop for the human story. The gradual independence of landscape painting was only fully achieved in the late Southern and Northern Dynasties period. This was also determined by the main task of painting at that time—serving politics and religion, as stated, "Painting is where reflection and caution reside." This was also a key characteristic of painting during that era. The scope of painting themes during the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties period expanded, Buddhist art flourished, and landscape painting began to develop as an independent genre. Prominent painters like Gu Kaizhi and Lu Tanwei emerged, exerting a significant influence on later generations. Enduring masterpieces such as The Admonitions to the Palace Ladies and The Legend of the River Goddess were created, inspiring endless imitation by later artists. Classic theoretical works like On Painting and Record of Ancient Paintings also emerged. This book discusses the history of painting during this period.