Introduction To Chinese Painting

Chinese Painting (國畫 {guó huà}) remains one of the oldest unbroken cultural traditions in the world. The Chinese distinguish their traditional painting, national or native painting, from Western style painting which became popular in China in the 20th century. Traditionally, the Chinese painted on bamboo paper and silk. It’s interesting to note that bamboo paper is known in English as “rice paper,” but in reality has nothing to do with rice. The artists typically use a brush to add inks and various paint pigments to the substrate.

Four Chinese Painting Themes

This long tradition tends to have four main categories of painted subjects:

1. Portrait (人物) — Chinese portraiture almost always shows the whole body of people. A beautiful lady (仕女) is by far the most popular subject. Regardless of contemporary clothing and hair styles, Chinese paint people in traditional styles dating back thousands of years.
2. Landscape (山水) — Landscape is about mountains, water, trees and pavilions, basically the macrocosm of our world.
3. Flower-And-Bird (花鳥) — Flowers, birds, fish and insects (花鳥魚蟲 {hua, niao, yú, chóng}) are the little creatures of the air and water. This theme details the interplay among the beautiful, but humbler microcosm of our world, including plants, flowers, birds, fish, insects and pets.
4. Beast (禽獣) — The larger animals in our world, such as horses, tigers, eagles and, in modern times, panda bears, are respected subjects commanding a theme between microcosm and macrocosm.

Two Chinese Painting Styles

This long tradition tends to have four main categories of painted subjects:

1. Elaborate & Meticulous (工筆 {Gong-bi}) — “Gong (工)” means tidy and neat, and “bi (筆)” means pen, and is often referred to as “court-style” painting. GongBi style began over 2000 years ago during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE.) Traditional Gong-bi requires the artists’ life long commitment to these techniques. These paintings were preferred and collected by Chinese Royal families and the style peaked between the Tang and Song Dynasties (618-1279 CE.) Only the wealthy could afford Gong-bi artists.
   
   In general, Gong-bi is far more descriptive than interpretive. Gong-bi painting is recognizable by precise brushstrokes resulting in exquisite details. Look for narrative subjects and detailed figures in a colorful setting, almost photographic realism.
2. Liberal & Freehand-style (寫意 {Xie-yi}) — “Xie (寫)” means writing or sketching, and “yi (意)” means mind or thought; so, Xie-yi means “sketching [one’s] thought”. Xie-yi is often referred to as “Shui-mo (水墨)”. “Shui (水)” means water, and “mo (墨)” means black ink; so, Shui-mo is translated as “Ink and wash painting”. This wash painting technique formed in China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE,) and was further developed into a polished style in the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE.)
   
   Xie-yi is more interpretive than descriptive. Xie-yi uses only black ink, the same used in calligraphy, in various concentrations. The technique is done by dipping the brush in black or colored ink in various dilutions of water. Quite distinct from Gong-bi, Xie-yi is accomplished with quick, freely sketched strokes, more to do with independent and expressive variation than realistic detail. A stroke once painted cannot be changed or erased. Such ink and wash painting requires great skill, concentration and years of training.

Chinese Painting Is Venerable Today

Chinese Painting remains one of the oldest unbroken cultural traditions in the world. This tradition continues today and looks to have inherited the finest traits from the past and has evolved into a remarkable modern art of its own. Traditional bamboo paper and silk remain the preferred substrates and the subjects, too, are traditional. Look for contemporary nuances of expression to see how Chinese painters evolve and continue to grow this fine art. Chinese painting is a refreshing and remarkable art form as venerable today as ever.