Osvald Sirén - The Chinese on the Art of Painting: Texts by the Painter-Critics, from the Han through the Ching Dynasties

Tsung Ping, Ting Kuang.

The greatest marvels of painting are not easily explained in words. Its primary elements have been transmitted from antiquity, but the style has changed in accordance with the conditions of later times. The numberless images conceived in the mind of the painters were transmitted to future ages at the point of the brush. Fairies and spiritual beings were made manifest on high towers, and sages and immortals were represented in great compositions on the walls of the schools. In the YnKo (the Cloud Pavilion of Han Wu Ti) there were paintings which inspired reverence, and in the courts of the palaces there were pictures of tribute bearers from far-off countries. But all these ancient records of painting can hardly be discussed.

However, there are still pictures to-day by men who are gone and dead long ago, but only those who have acquired great learning can distinguish the coarse ones from the fine, avoid the traps and grasp their meaning. But as things grow worse and then mend, and as men pass through periods of flourishing and decay, some reach great fame in early age, some only when they have passed into middle age, and it would be a mistake to compare the genius of the former with the gifts of the latter.

As to the art of Ku Kai-chih, it has gained the highest fame in history. He was strong and independent and never had his equal in regard to spiritual expression. No ordinary man could reach him. It was as if he outshone the sun and the moon. How could such a man trouble himself with petty details? Hsn Hs, Wei Hsieh, Tsao Pu-hsing and Chang Mo were quite worthless in comparison with him. There was nobody who did not treat him with great respect. Hsieh Hos words that, his fame surpassed his merit, are really depressing, and it is most regrettable that he placed Ku in an inferior class. It was caused by the erratic feelings (of Hsieh Ho) rather than by the qualities or faults (of Ku Kai-chihs paintings). The saying, that he who sings well will have few in harmony with himself, is true not only in regard to ballad singers, and one may weep blood over false reports not only concerning the uncut gem. It seems to me that Hsieh Ho by his endeavour at classification has destroyed right principles and ruined them for ever.

I can present only a corner of the subject but it is almost like the three precious thing.

When the painters mix the ink and soak the brush their endeavour is to work out cautiously the shape of things, but there is also a response which is not of the shapes. They kindle the fire by turning the ink, and they keep on with their work without rest. Their eyes are dazed by bright colours on the silk, but the ideas are not accomplished. Forms which are vulgar and trivial may however be improved by some slight accents (changes in the light and the heavy parts), and expressions of joy and sadness may be brought out by altering minute details the smallest hair. Moreover, in recent times the manners and the modes of dress used to change three times in a month; they were hardly completed before they were uncouth and old. It is certainly not easy for painters who strive for perfection. How can a man who never crossed the stream say that he has passed over the sea? When he has seen some turtles and fishes, he says that he has discovered crocodiles and dragons. It is of no use to speak about painting to people of this kind.