Three ways to learn Chinese traditional painting: Background, famous artists works, the unique tools and materials. by Jiali Zhang

Transcription

1 Three ways to learn Chinese traditional painting: Background, famous artists works, the unique tools and materials by Jiali Zhang IELP Independent Research Writing LING 153 Portland State University Instructor: Barbara A. Pijan 8 June 2012

2 Three ways to learn about Chinese traditional painting Zhang, page -2 When I studied in England, many British classmates who were really curious about Chinese culture and art works often had many discussions with me about Chinese traditional painting. One day, one of my classmates told me that she just saw a piece of news: a traditional Chinese painting, which had a starting price at 10 million yuan, was finally auctioned for 48 million yuan after several rounds of bidding. She kept pointing the picture of that painting, and asked that how this kind of painting can possibly valued at such a high price, she even did not understand what this painter wanted to paint and express. At that point, I totally understood her astonishment. A person without any background knowledge in Chinese culture certainly cannot understand Chinese traditional painting which is an ancient art with a complicated setup. However, as one of the treasures of human civilization, Chinese traditional painting has a milestone status in the art field. As a result, the significance of teaching non Chinese students about Chinese painting cannot be ignored. Basically, foreign students can understand Chinese traditional painting by studying historical background, typical artists works and the unique tools and unique artistic materials use to produce the works. When people attempt some new things, probably they want to uncover the mysterious veils surrounding the subject because of the nature. According to Stearn (2008), Getting familiarized with the background of the new things may help viewer to understand it. Studying history may promote the audience s understandings on how past concepts, ideas, and beliefs work and learn about the power of cause and effect. Teaching the background of Chinese traditional painting is one of the most effective ways to help foreigners to integrate with the

3 Three ways to learn about Chinese traditional painting Zhang, page -3 atmosphere of Chinese traditional painting in order to lay a solid foundation (Stearn, 2008). According to Au (2004) writes in his article The Characteristics and Spirit of Chinese Paintings, traditional Chinese painting plays an important role in Chinese culture. It originated from the Yellow River basin and finally extended to the Yangtze River areas. Starting around 4000 BCE, Chinese traditional painting has developed over a period of more than six thousand years. As a result, Chinese painting is one of the oldest arts in the world. The history of Chinese traditional painting is a basic course for many non Chinese students. Studying the brief historical development of Chinese painting can help students get in the door of understanding the culture of Chinese painting (Au, 2004). According to Ching (2012), the history of Chinese traditional paintings basically can be divided into five periods. In the Tang Dynasty ( ), figure painting flourished. Painters liked to use succinct black lines and brilliant colors to outline figures. However, in the later Tang Dynasty, landscape painting had evolved into an independent genre. During the Song Dynasty ( ), there were two streams of landscape painting. One group of Chinese artists pursued realism. However, in this period of time, Chinese paintings were affected by the concepts of Taoism and Buddhism. As the result, the other group wanted to create a new painting style in order to freely express their aesthetic standard. Literati painting were the mainstream in the Yuan Dynasty ( ).Most paintings used poems and calligraphy at this time; all had implied meaning. In addition, according to Ching (2012) there was a declining tendency of figure painting. During the Ming Dynasty ( ) more colors were adopted. Also, this was a

4 Three ways to learn about Chinese traditional painting Zhang, page -4 golden era in which calligraphy and poetry were much more perfectly combined. In the Qing Dynasty ( ) literati painting became the mainstream (Ching, 2012). According to AAM (2012), there is an intimate relationship among the Chinese religions, philosophies and the traditional paintings. In the other words, Chinese traditional painting is deeply affected by ancient philosophies and religions. Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism are the three main parts of Chinese philosophies. Taoism was a philosophy and religion founded in China. It was established by Laozi (sixth century BCE) and Zhuangzi (approx BCE). It general tends to emphasize wu wei (action through non-action), simplicity, spontaneity, harmony between the individual and the cosmos. The second one, Confucianism, is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teaching s process of the Chinese philosopher, Confucius ( BCE). It stresses the proper performance of interpersonal relation ship and moral cultivation. Last one, Buddhism was which founded in India was developed prosperously in China. It lays stress on self-enlightenment and the forsaking of worldly property, other people, and one s own desire (AAM, 2012). These three ancient Chinese philosophies and religions have created the special aesthetic standards and the ways of Chinese traditional paintings. People often compare and contrast Traditional Chinese paintings with Western classical paintings with attention to several conspicuous differences between the Western and Chinese aesthetic philosophies. According to Pan (2011), the beauty from the perspective of scientific vision is more appreciated by Western philosophers. They think about beauty as a rhythmic harmony based on numerical relationship. As the result, Western art focuses on formalistic regularity such as

5 Three ways to learn about Chinese traditional painting Zhang, page -5 proportion, symmetry, balance, rhythm, cadence, completion, contrast, and unification (Pan, 2011). In China, the concept of art and beauty is linked more closely with ethics (Pan, 2011). By the influence of classical teachings in Chinese philosophy, the Chinese people s view of the universe, human beings, and moral code have developed into a unique system (Au, 2004). The Chinese traditional paintings were based on a semi - divine culture which symbolized the foundation of a building. If Chinese traditional paintings appeared without this culture there would not be a completed system of Chinese traditional paintings. The emphasis of semi divine culture was not the human surface. However, the spirit of the subjects and the inner meaning was the key point that painters wanted to express (Zhou, 2012). Western painters would like to focus on the physical, material, and realistic life. However, Chinese painters instead would like go out of it, and keep a certain distance to enjoy a spiritual detachment. Therefore, Western paintings are similar to drama, novel and tend to bring realism and re-creation, while Chinese paintings are similar to music and poetry. It has more symbolic and representative meaning (Pan, 2011). As we know, western painters are keen on painting figures. However, once people talk about Chinese paintings, they think of harmonious images of flowers, birds, water, mountains, trees and other natural objects firstly (Sajone, 2010). This is particularly true that the subject of Chinese traditional paintings is always about nature because the three Chinese philosophies and religions all identically show respect to nature. Understanding the relationship between ancient Chinese philosophies and traditional Chinese painting can help people to comprehend the

6 Three ways to learn about Chinese traditional painting Zhang, page -6 meanings of Chinese paintings subjects. Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism which three important Chinese philosophies and religions are giving a high position to natural world, by comparing with the individual, because nature world is unconquerable. Also, because of its purity and vibrancy, three ancient Chinese philosophies and religions believe that nature was powerful. As the result, the theme of Chinese traditional painting is always associated with nature (AAM, 2012). The symbolism of nature in Chinese traditional paintings was extremely influenced by Confucianism (AAM, 2012). Spiritualizing subjects and bring them in painting were advocated in the Confucian theory. In the other words, personification was popular in Chinese traditional painting; because it can reflect painters ethics and help painters to express humanistic spirits. For example, the bamboo, plum, pine, was called the three friends of winder because they can subsist in the harsh winter. Their strong vitality was admired by people. Consequently, they came to symbolize loyalty and fortitude for a long time. According to AAM (2012), there were many the other good examples of symbolism in nature of Chinese traditional painting. For instance, dragon symbolized imperial power, strength, Landscape which was regarded as a microcosm of the universe and can diffuse the purest form of energy. Lotus rose form the mud and bloomed very beautiful and like a virgin. Also by affecting by Buddhism, it can symbolize purity, sacredness, and perfection. Peaches which were affected by Taoism represented long life. The early blooming of flowers meant loneliness and pride. Therefore, when we see a mountain in a Chinese painting, we should not use eyes to see the figure of mountain, but use heart to feel the mood that painters want to

7 Three ways to learn about Chinese traditional painting Zhang, page -7 express. What Chinese painters are trying to express is not what meets the eyes, but their attitude to the great nature. The admiration for nature is parts of Chinese ancient culture, religious practice (Au, 2004). Learning the famous and typical Chinese artists works is the second way to understand Chinese traditional painting. Showing artworks to students alongside readings and discussion helps highlight the essence of the art. In art particularly, there is such a heavily visual aspect that cannot be addressed without viewing works of art. The use of viewing images is necessary in the complete understanding of ideas and concepts (Gilbert, 2012). One of an influential Chinese painter Master Qi Baishi was extremely good at painting shrimps. His shrimps were vivid in appearance and sprit. According to CC (2012), Qi used five strokes for the head, five for the body, and three for the tail. Only 13 steps of using high quality ink shapes were enough to show the texture, elasticity, posture and transparency of the shrimp. After using light ink in the feet palpus and three pincers, and using thick ink in eyes and head, the shrimp became alive on paper. During his shrimp paintings, it is not difficult to find that the Chinese painting technology of lightness and heaviness, front and side, slowness and quickness, gathering and dispersion - everything has been controlled perfectly by him. Using sheep s hair to paint the long palpus of shrimps is the especially challenging. Because of his patience and numerous practices in brush and ink finally he got his success. (CC, 2012). Another famous painter is Xu Beihong. Like the shrimp paintings by the Qi Baishi, his horse paintings had same important remarkable status in the area of Chinese traditional paintings. In his horse painting, the subjects that he painted were totally footloose. According to

8 Three ways to learn about Chinese traditional painting Zhang, page -8 PDO (2010) Xu not only kept the simplicity and conciseness of the superiority of China's traditional freestyle paintings, but also used the light and shadow of Western paintings theory, so the horse's body looks very sturdy and well-rounded. When the observers appreciate this painting may feel the running. As a result, people can be refreshed by the expressive and unrestrained spirit of painter. (PDO, 2010) Wu Guanzhong also is one of the best known painters of Chinese traditional painting. Stewart (2012) writes in his book Launching the Imagination in Wu s painting, he used lots of calligraphic lines in this painting. Fluid ink lines created flowing and expressive movement and show an abstract landscape. This painting described the view of Huang Mountains. By the influence of the concept of yin and yang, a core of Taoism, he used black squiggle disturbed in front of the mountains. The yin and yang symbolized the balance between nature and opposing forces. In this painting, the nature symbolized by the Huang Mountains and the black squiggle represented the opposing force (Stewart, 2012). Studying the technique skills of using the tools and material of Chinese painting is also a good way to understand Chinese painting. The most valued property of Chinese artists and scholars are the brush, ink, ink-stone, and Xuan paper. They are highly respected; they are considered as the four treasures (AAM, 2012). The brush becomes the object that as artists soul. In the mind of the Chinese artists, the brush is the indispensable part of body (AAM, 2012). The brush is made of animal hairs. The workmanship of them is very fastidious. The hairs are strategically selected from different types of animal s body. Different brushes have different qualities. A small wolf hair brush is

9 Three ways to learn about Chinese traditional painting Zhang, page -9 responsible for delivering the thin line of ink. A large wool brush is used to deliver a graded swath of ink, because it can hold large volume of water and ink. The brush techniques so much emphasized in line drawing. Chinese painters prefer freestyle lines than mechanical lines. The calligraphy gave the original inspiration of them. Especially cursive writing plays a key role. For instance, according to Au (2004), There are four skills of using lines: shi means spreading a brush with a strong power like an eagle flying up, zhuan means switching direction like a crane dancing, zhe means turning around like a scared snake, and dun means suddenly spreading the brush like dropping a mountain. It is important to beginners to learn how to move brush quickly or slowly, lightly or heavily, and how you vary lifting or pressing the brush (Au, 2004). The liquid ink used by artist is made by the ink stone. Basically the theory of using ink stone is gently grinding the ink stick with few drops of water, until a smooth, black ink appear. The ink stone is consisted by clay, iron, jade, stone, roof-tiles, and porcelain. A quality ink stone must be abrasive enough to grind the ink stick. However, it should not have too much grain, because it will damage the brush (AAM, 2004). Ink occupies an extremely important element in traditional Chinese painting. Chinese black ink is cherished because of its permanence, strength and versatility. Black is the main color of traditional Chinese paintings. There are five tones of black: clear, pale, heavy, thick and burnt. In addition, ink can create an impression of subject s texture, weight and coloring. They can be prepared by depending on the amount of water used. (AAM, 2004). The last character is paper. The Xuan paper used by Chinese traditional painting was invented by Tsai Lun. Chinese paper is usually known as rice paper in English. In fact, it not

10 Three ways to learn about Chinese traditional painting Zhang, page -10 made from rice but from a mixture of pulp, old fishing nets and bark. Artist can choose different types of Xuan paper depend on the purpose that they want to create with ink. Unsized paper is rough and absorb in quickly like a sponge. However, on the upsized paper, the ink takes a long time to dry. On the other hand, the sized paper has a smooth surface which resists ink because alum and glue are added in the making process. Here the ink does not run but dries quickly. As the result, sized paper is used to paint detailed art works (Briessen, 2003). In summary, non Chinese students can understand Chinese traditional painting by studying background, typical artists works and special tools and materials. Basically, these three steps can gradually establish the structure of Chinese traditional painting from abstract ideas to concrete subjects. The crucial element of traditional Chinese painting is not the subject of the work; but the impressive emotion of art. In addition, the beauty from the perspective of scientific vision is not highly concerned in Chinese traditional painting. In the other words, there are not too much rules in formalistic regularity. As a result, learning technical skills, studying the concepts, philosophy, which is the core of Chinese traditional painting, is more useful than studying the technical skills. Reading and traveling are two effective ways to study Chinese history and philosophy. The Analects of Confucius and Tao Te Ching as two famous fundamental works are extremely recommend. However, from my point of view, foreigners should travel to China instead of reading the historical books in the library or researching information on the Internet. Having personal experience has more practical importance rather than reading the boring theories. It can help non Chinese students have taste on the quintessence of Chinese traditional painting.

11 Three ways to learn about Chinese traditional painting Zhang, page -11 Secondly, knowing about Chinese famous artists works may help foreign students to build the concrete concept of Chinese traditional painting. It is an important step which can help all individual concepts and knowledge combine to an entirety in order to understand Chinese traditional painting. Students not only need to read the summary which is written by the experts in art area, but also should copy the artists works, as the trainings, over and over again. However, the purpose of using this way is taking the essence and discards the dregs. Foreign students should absorb the advantages of famous artists works and explore their own style at the same time. Last but not the least, hand skills still plays an important role in drawing Chinese traditional painting. Like the other kind of painting, countless training and practice are highly required. There are some recommendations about using brush. People should paint flexibly and do not mechanically copy the strokes. They should carefully pay attention on physical and spiritual changes in objects firstly. Then they should clearly arrange the conception that they want to paint. While using ink; they should pay attention to the following two tiny details. First, when grinding an ink stick, you should grind slowly rather thickly rather than quickly and thinly. Second, before painting, the painter should always remember to wash the brush and ink stick in order to prevent impurities in the ink. In addition, using good control of the relationship between water and ink helps painter to make a rhythmic balance between brightness and darkness, and density and lightness. Once on paper, brush strokes cannot be erased or corrected because of the specialty of the

12 Three ways to learn about Chinese traditional painting Zhang, page -12 four treasures. Therefore, a painter must have a complete mental concept of the painting before even lifting the brush. Also, the painter must work with speed, pitch, liveliness, confidence, and technical mastery, infusing spiritual energy. References Au, H. N. (2004). The characteristics and spirit of Chinese paintings. Retrieved April 22, 2012, from AAM (Asian Art Museum). (2012). Nature in program: Chinese brush painting. Retrieved April 22, 2012, from CC (China Culture). (2012). Shrimp by Qi Baishi Retrieved April 22, 2012, fromhttp://arts.cultural-china.com/en/64arts4488.html Ching, S. (2012). A quick introduction to Chinese painting. Retrieved April 23, 2012, from Briessen, F. (2003). The Way of Brush: Painting Techniques of China and Japan, Hong Kong, Tuttle Publishing. Gilbert, L. personal communication, May 14, Pan, G. K. (2011). Traditional Chinese and western painting: different soils, different plants. Retrieved April 21, 2012, from

13 Three ways to learn about Chinese traditional painting Zhang, page -13 PDO (People s Daily Online). (2010). Xu Beihong s galloping horse auctioned for 17 mln yuan. Retrieved April 24, 2012, from Stearn, P. (2008). Why study history. Retrieved April 22, 2012, from Sajone (2010). Difference between Chinese and western painting. Retrieved April 22, 2012, from Stewart, M. (2012). Launching the Imagination: A Guide to Two Dimension Design New York, The McGraw Hill Companies, Inc. Zhou, Z. (2012). Recognizing the difference between the Eastern and Western culture based on different ways of viewing things. Retrieved April 22, 2012 from