It's my pleasure to present in this thread images of some of my favourite Chinese artists.

Please join me in exploration of all aspects of Chinese art, from antiquities to contemporary work.

- Poet



Zhu Da called Bada Shanren
(Qing Dynasty painter, poet, sealmaker, born 1626, Nanchang, Jiangxi province; died 1705)

Chinese painter and poet. A descendant of the imperial Zhu family of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and a leading artist of the early Qing period (1644–1911), Zhu Da painted flowers, birds and landscapes in a distinctive and highly dramatic calligraphic style.


Bada Shanren, Landscape

His connections with the previous dynasty led him to flee Nanchang after the Manchu conquest of China in 1644. Adopting the sobriquet Chuanqi, Zhu Da became a Buddhist priest and soon a respected Buddhist master, quickly attaining the position of abbot. He also became an accomplished poet and painter; his earliest extant work is an album of 15 leaves (1659; Taipei, National Palace Museum).


Bada Shanren, Self-Portrait

In 1672, after the death of his Buddhist master, Abbot Hong min, Zhu Da relinquished his solitary monastic existence to pursue his fortune as an itinerant monk-artist. He joined the coterie of Hu Yitang, magistrate of Linchuan County, and participated in the splendid poetry parties held in 1679 and 1680. Zhu Da was thwarted in his attempts to take up an official career because of his imperial lineage and in 1680 was devastated by the departure of his patron Hu Yitang.


Bada Shanren, The Melon and the Moon

Bada Shanren, Fish

Reportedly, Zhu Da went mad; one day, laughing and crying uncontrollably, he tore off his priest’s robe and set it on fire. The burning of the robe signaled the end of Zhu Da’slife as a Buddhist monk, and from then on he lived as an itinerant painter. Between 1681 and 1684 he called himself Lu (‘donkey’ or ‘***’), a derogatory name for monks, or Lu hu (‘donkey house’); from 1684 onwards he called himself Bada Shanren (‘Mountain man of eight greatnesses’). Zhu Da adopted other names throughout his life, many reflecting his state of mind or his loyalty to the Ming dynasty. Of these, only a few (such as Chuanqi, which identifies his earliest extant work) were used as signatures, the most common being Bada Shanren.
[Poet's note: the four Chinese characters which make up Ba Da Shan Ren--when written closely together--actually mimic the Chinese phrase for "Laughing and crying at the same time."]


Bada Shanren, Flower, Rock and Two Fish

Zhu Da developed a school of freehand brushwork in traditional Chinese painting and became an outstanding painter and Taoism believer. The individualism of his ink paintings of flowers, birds, fish, and landscapes appealed to the Japanese, and his style has become synonymous with Zen painting in Japan. There is an Art Gallery of Bada Shanren in a southern suburb of Nanchang. The gallery was once a Taoist temple called Qingyunpu and legend says that 2,500 years ago Qiao, son of Emperor Ling of the Zhou dynasty (1100-221BC) came here to seek a way to produce pills that would make him immortal.


Bada Shanren, Lotus


Bada Shanren, Birds


source of text: chinapage.com

wow.. interesting chinese art..

I'm glad you like it, General.

I must admit I'm a little obsessed with Bada's art and, luckily, I've found another person who was just as crazy about his work. That person was Prof. Wang Fangyu (born 1913, Beijin, died 1997, New York City) whom I met about ten years ago while I was still at university. Prof. Wang was a lecturer at Yale University and his field of study was the work of Bada Sharen and other late Ming-early Qing painters. In his spare time, Prof. Wang also practiced calligraphy--and what amazing calligraphy!




It's been almost eight years since Prof. Wang passed away; and I still remember our discussions in the humble New York City apartment he shared with his wife Sum Wai. I guess I was just lucky to be so obsessed with Bada Shanren, and luckier still to have met another kindred soul.

Poet,

Just some question about chinese art. Why is the majority of traditional chinese painting in black & white ink, instead of using more bright colors?

Chinese art seems to rely less on 'fine arts' and were a form of abstract representation and conveying a certain philosophical meaning. I haven't studied indepth into chinese art and hope you can enlighten me more about it.

Regardless of fine arts (gong bi 工笔) or abstract arts (xie yi 写意), black ink must be used in traditional chinese painting. Painting that used only black ink is known as “shui mo hua 水墨画”, while painting that used black ink and colours is known as “cai mo hua 彩墨画”.

Most artists would like to use water and black ink only because the black ink itself will bring out the “yun wei” in the painting. When you are drawing a bamboo leaf or stem, you don’t have to draw the outline but with only one stroke. You can see the colour of the bamboo stem, showing from light to dark, making it looked like 3 dimension. This is the “yun wei 韵味” of the painting.




While drawing waterfalls and clouds, light black ink and water are used in “certain parts” on the white paper. The area left alone will form waterfall and cloud without using white ink. (Actually the waterfall and cloud are only white paper without any colour.)







Below is an example of “gong bi hua” :




Below is an example of “xie yi hua” :

Thanks everybody for your replies




Lin Duanwen's post is most astute in explicating the various styles of traditional Chinese art. Bravo!

Actually, one can trace Gong Bi paintings all the way back to the courts in the 8th Century and among academic painters of the Song and Ming Dynasties; many contemporary Chinese artists continue to work in this style which delineates objects with fine, sharp lines, meticulous shadings using, yes, very colourful inks. You can view Gong Bi paintings in most museums in Beijing, Shanghai and Taipei as well as those in Europe and the U.S.

Here are some well known Gong Bi style paintings:


Ma Lin, 1246 [Ma Lin was the son of the famous Song Dynasty painter Ma Yuan.]

http://www-viz.tamu.edu/students/clara/the...ages/gongbi.jpg
A copy of Emperor Zhao Zhe's painting. The First Lady of Guo State on a Sprint Excursion by Cai Xiaoli [Southern Song Dynasty].

"Beginning in the Tang dynasty (618-907 C.E.)," as stated in Wikipedia,"the primary subject matter of painting was the landscape, known as shanshui (mountain-water) painting. In these landscapes, usually monochromatic and sparse, the purpose was not to reproduce exactly the appearance of nature but rather to grasp an emotion or atmosphere so as to catch the "rhythm" of nature. In Song dynasty (960-1279) times, landscapes of more subtle expression appeared; immeasurable distances were conveyed through the use of blurred outlines, mountain contours disappearing into the mist, and impressionistic treatment of natural phenomena. Emphasis was placed on the spiritual qualities of the painting and on the ability of the artist to reveal the inner harmony of man and nature, as perceived according to Taoist and Buddhist concepts."

This movement reached its peak in late Ming/early Qing Dynasties as artists expressed sentiments of the loss of their emperor and homeland using art as metaphor. These paintings contradicted the Gong Bi style and the overall composition was largely depicted in various shades of black ink with little or no colours applied. The objects were loosely, freely or abstractly delineated, and, unlike Gong Bi paintings, there were few fine lines or definitive shades to render the subject realistically. Actually the painters' objectives were not to be "realistic," but to be "suggestive" of a certain state of mind.

In fact, the spontaneous and "freestyle" minimalist aspects of these paintings also inspired European artists, from the 17th Century Dutch and Flemish landscapies to 18th Century English Romanticists to 19th Century French Impressionists to the New York Abstract Expressionists of the 1950s.



Liang Kai (Chinese, active first half of 13th century)
Poet Strolling by a Marshy Bank, Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279)
Fan mounted as an album leaf; ink on silk; 22.9 x 24.3 cm; colln Metropolitan Museum, New York.


To me, both Gong Bi and Xie Yi have their purpose and place in our history, not to mention our daily existence. Without the loudness of bright-coloured objects, how can one search for the subtleties and precious dreams of minimalist art?

Besides Bada Shanren, my personal favourite are the works of Liang Kai, Shi Tao and other late Ming and Qing painters ... I will post more images soon.

However, importantly, there's an enormous amount of "traditional" Chinese art going back hundreds of years that uses strong, vibrant color. Reviewing any comprehensive artbook on traditional Chinese art with color plates immediately reveals this.

Two points.

1. I know of no way to determine that the above statement is true for "most artists".

2. More importantly, many traditional artists used plenty of color.

The above paragraph makes some valid points. However, I think the notion that "traditional" Chinese painting doesn't use color or uses it very sparingly is an old-fashioned view that says more about the critic's values than what artists actually did. Ditto, the notion that paintings with color are in some way inferior.

Often in the past critics (whether Chinese or Western) have felt that the use of vibrant color was typical of "court" or "professional" art, and such art was frequently disesteemed, especially by literati and intellectuals. On the other hand, the use of black ink only (with perhaps occasional slight color) was typical of "amateur" artists and such art was esteemed, especially by literati and intellectuals.

Nevertheless, I see no reason to conclude or imply that Chinese art with vibrant color is untraditional or inferior, or vibrant color was unpopular amongst artists.

For example take a good look at the following paintings. They are not only traditional but colorful. In addition, I see no reason to disesteem them simply because they use color.



Yen Li-pen (7th century)



Unknown artist (9th century [?])



Anonymous artist (mid-10th century)



Wang Hsi-meng (c. 1020-90)

For “gongbi” paintings, “shu xuan” paper is used. This type of paper is much more easy to paint because water will not spread out on it. We can draw fine outlines and even cover up our mistake with colours. A “gongbi” painting usually needs to use different type of brushes and it normally takes more than one day to complete.

For “xieyi” paintings, “sheng xuan” paper is used. This type of paper is much more difficult to paint because water easily spread out on it. Every leaf or stem is drawn by one stroke without outline. We can afford to make a mistake because it can never be cover up. A “xieyi” painting sometimes needs only one brush and it normally takes less than one day (sometimes less than an hour) to complete.

Most ancient paintings are “gongbi” paintings which looked very “flat” and without any “sheng qi”(live energy). The skills of Chinese painting greatly improved during the Ming and Qing Dynasties where “xieyi” paintings began to appear. We could see that the waterfalls and clouds in “xie yi” paintings looked like they were real. Today, the price for “xieyi” painting is much more higher than “gongbi” painting.

As for “cai mo”(black ink and colour) and “shui mo”(water and black ink) paintings, if you want to sell your paintings and make more money, than you would’ve to paint “cai mo”paintings. Most common people prefer colourful paintings than “black and white” paintings. Only certain people(most probably Chinese painting artists) know how to appreciate the beauty of water and black ink.

Appreciated your posts, jwrevak and Lin Duanwen. Both of you have contributed valuable information. Again, may I stress that this is an art appreciation thread, not a debate. I'd would very much like to see us sharing our knowledge on artists and their history. There is no need to compete as "we are all correct," to some degree, no?

Right. Let's hear more about your favourite Chinese artists--from ancient to modern to post-modern.

I shall continue ... with the Literati Paintings (Wenren Hua) --

During the Ming dynasty, when native Chinese rule was restored, court artists produced conservative images that revived the Song metaphor for the state as a well-ordered imperial garden, while literati painters pursued self-expressive goals through the stylistic language of Yuan scholar-artists. Shen Zhou (1427–1509), the patriarch of the Wu school of painting centered in the cosmopolitan city of Suzhou, and his preeminent follower Wen Zhengming (1470–1559) exemplified Ming literati ideals. Both men chose to reside at home rather than follow official careers, devoting themselves to self-cultivation through a lifetime spent reinterpreting the styles of Yuan scholar-painters. (source: Metropolitan Museum, New York)

There's something very precious about the following painting. It's almost "modern," much like a leaf from an Impressionist painter's journal, no? Again, the river exists because it is not indicated. This technique (or rather this philosophy) of utilizing the negative space was greatly admired by western artists (the Dutch, British, German, French) from the 17th through 19th centuries.

I put together a collection of my favorite Chinese paintings. To see it click here.

Thanks jwrevak for sharing your picture collection which is exquisite and reflects your affinity for music and philosophy.

I am also pleasantly surprised that we have in common the interest of Liang K'ai and his painting of a standing man.

In his 1960 volume "Chinese Painting," James Cahill indicated that Liang's painting paid hommage to Tang poet Li Bai (ref pp. 90). I was especially touched by this image as it was the first work of art I had encountered when I was 5 years old.

Speaking of images, here are more favourites ...

From an album of eight paintings from the Ming Dynasty.





I like this painting for its sparseness. Note the banana leaves behind the rock which are deliberately left "blank" while the roof and rock have been shaded to make the leaves appear almost several shades brighter than the paper itself. The 18th century British printmakers copied this method in their engravings and etchings.

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

It is one of my favorites. It is extraordinary, how he uses such quick, economical strokes to to depict the poet and his mood. It is stunningly simple yet especially moving.

Poet, I don't know what I like best, the exquisite paintings you have chosen to display or your refined commentaries.

Your mentioning of Chinese influence on European artist reminds me of the 17th and 18th century tiles, painted in the Chinese fashion, that covered a wall in my grand parents house. There were small boats and pagodas drawn with a few single dark blue or ochre strokes, almost lost on the white tiles; the overall effect was extremely delicate. Every Dutch and Flemish person is familiar to this style introduced in Europe centuries after it was originally invented in China.

Please continue with your gentle discourse for the sake of your silent admirers.

Thanks for your words of encouragement, ChiangAP, and do pardon me for the late reply as I have been literally "buried" in research work.

If I remember correctly, you like porcelain (Qing Dynasty work in particular, no?) I thought you may be interested to check out the these images from an exhibition of export porcelain (early 16th Century through late 19th Century) at the NY Metropolitan Museum in 2003.

I will post several favourite photos of Ming porcelain as soon as I have some free time to scan my clippings. In the interim, feel free to share with us your choice images.

Cheers

Indeed!


And here's more Liang K'ai. Note the fluid brushwork ... and the humour within.



Liang K'ai (Southern Song), The Sixth Patriach Cutting the Bamboo

Looking forward to seing your favourite photographs and exchanging commentaries.
I do like Ming blue porcelain and actually bought some pieces in London (cheaper than Hong Kong and Taipei!). I also collected or inherited quite a few 清朝 代's "Famille rose" (you can still find a lot of these in Europe, as a distant reminder of XVIII century China's mass production), unfortunately some of them are chipped or have haircracks.
My favourite porcelain are 雍 正's although I have hardly any.
I know next to nothing about Chinese painting, not very well highlighted in my opinion at the amazing Taipei National Museum, but among your images, I enjoyed very much Jwrevak's standing man and your choice of Wang Fangyu's untitled 1989 calligraphy. Of course, yours and Jwrevak's explanations are of the utmost importance to help understanding.

It's been ages since my last visit to the forum and, despite work and travels, this thread has always been on my mind. So -- I'm stopping by long enough to post a few images that have captured my attention for the last several years.

Liao pottery



Song Dynasty porcelain: cracked glaze



A new technique of Song porcelain is the craquelée (kaipian ?? or wenpian ??), making the glazing cracked all over as if it had been destroyed by temperature or water.

Originally the Chinese developed the technique during the Sung dynasty and the process was later perfected by the Thais. The green color is so prevalent in China that many call it greenware.


Yixing pottery


Yixing ( pronounced Yee-shing ) is a small city that became famous due to a unique type of clay that is only found there. This unique clay is called Zisha. Zisha Clay is found in five different colors...red, yellow, green, black and purple. It has been used in pottery for over 3,000 years. The properties of the clay make it the perfect vessel for brewing tea. With use, the teapot absorbs the flavors of the tea which enhances future batches. Zisha Clay Teapot should never be washed with soap and water; just rinsed with water and allowed to drip dry.




A teapot in the form of a gourd, tied with a bow, on a stand, imitating wood, with a scrolling top and three cloud-form feet. The upper section is inscribed: A gourd made gladly wishing you [an object of] friendly badinage over the New Year. The reverse bears a raised seal reading Pengnian. The pottery has a mellow patina.

Yang Pengnian came from a family of potters and carried out many commissions for patrons. According to K. S. Lo in The Stonewares of Yixing: From the Ming Period to the Present Day, “Yang Pengnian was without doubt the finest potter of Yixing ware of the nineteenth century” (p. 118). For examples of his teapots, see pls. 34, 36–7 and 39–42. Further examples of Yang’s teapots are illustrated in Bartholomew, I-Hsing Ware, nos. 14–18, pp. 36–43.




Chinese porecelain and pottery are somewhat outside my field of studies but I do enjoy their graceful shapes as well as the complexity of formation and glazing.

Time again to burrow into my books and papers. Cheers.

Many thanks for your short stop over; come back soon!

Greetings!

The seventh day of the Lunar New Year is recognised in China as Ren Ri, or the Day of Human Beings and, on this day, all of us mortals is one year older.

This year, Ren Ri falls on Saturday, 4 February. Happy Birthday, fellow forumers!





... and may the Year of the Puppy bring all of us joy, health and peace of mind. Woof!

Wow, very exquisite and wonderful. I have really enjoyed these drawings and thanks for sharing them. Does everyone agree wholeheartedly.
Hopefully, one day I might try to have a go at Chinese paintings with a brush and calligraphy.
Also, I have now passed the passport level 2 in Chinese mandarin in the University and have transferred from the Creative Writing department for studying Local and Regional History - rather exciting!

nice! I really enjoyed these chinese artworks! my family is a really big fan of Chinese art. (after all, we are Chinese) LOL. keep up the good work!!!

Outstanding, simply outstanding, truly stunning.

I am rather late, but this is a wonderful thread. I agree with Master Ghost Valley.
I am also fond of the Bada Shanren Landscape, and the Wang Hsi-Meng blue mountain piece.
Your descriptions are a great addition. My thanks, Poet =)