An Introduction to Traditional Chinese Paintings
As one of the oldest contentious traditions in the world, Chinese paintings have determined its character and development over thousands of years. Chinese painting shares many similarities with calligraphy, with both art forms judged on the same criteria of vitality, expressiveness of the brushstroke and harmonious rhythm of the whole composition. There was no concern with striving for originality or conveying a sense of reality and three-dimensional mass through aids of shading and perspective. Rather, they focused on using silk pr paper to transmit the rhythmic movement of the brushstroke.
During the early periods, Chinese art often served as a means to submit to the will of heaven through ritual and sacrifice. Archaic bronze vessels were made for sacrifices to the heaven and the spirits of clan ancestors who where believed to influence the living for good of the rites were properly and regularly performed. Chinese society has always laid great stress on understanding the pattern of nature and living. The world of nature was seen as the visible manifestation of the workings of a higher power through the generative interaction of the yin-yang dualism. As it developed, the purpose of Chinese art turned from propitiation and sacrifice, to the expression of human understanding of these forces in the form of paintings.
Common symbols found in traditional Chinese paintings
- Bamboo: the suggestion of the spirit, can be bent but never broken
- Jade: Purity and indestructibility
- Dragon: The wholly benevolent symbol of the emperor
- Crane: Long life
- Mandarin ducks: Wedded fidelity