Chapter 14 Chinese Calligraphy and Painting中国书画艺术
1.Chinese Calligraphy
1)Writing Medium
The“writing”of Chinese characters first requires a medium．As today's writings are mostly on paper，one may wonder:What came before that？
In the Shang Dynasty，characters were carved on oracle bones or bronze wares．The Spring and Autumn Period was a time when the amount of writings and characters increased in great number．Hence new mediums emerged．Before paper was invented，bamboo and wood slips were important writing mediums while silk was used by aristocrats for writing．
2)Writing Instruments
Knives were first used as carving tools in the early phases of Chinese script．With the emergence of other specialized tools like brushes，knives began to serve as“erasers”—to scratch off writing mistakes．
Among the various calligraphic tools，the writing brush is special to China．It represents one of the four treasures of the study，which also include paper，ink and ink stone．A writing brush comprises two parts:the head and shaft．The head is made of goat，wolf，rat or rabbit hair，which is softer than a quill pencil，or ballpoint pen．The shaft can be made of bamboo，wood and porcelain，as well as some precious materials such as ivory and jade．
“Four treasures of the study”are the key instruments for writing Chinese characters．When the inkstone is filled with water，it is used as a base to grind solid ink sticks into liquid ink．Inkstones are usually made of stone or bricks．As the brush hair is made of soft animal fur，this instrument is very flexible and adaptive in writing．
The Chinese writing brush boasts a long history．According to the Records of the History，the brush was invented by Meng Tian(？－210 B．C．)，a general under the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty，using rabbit hair．Therefore，Meng Tian has been regarded as the father of the writing brush．However，primitive painted pottery unearthed in Yangshao，Henan Province，contains decorative designs painted by tools resembling a brush．Clearly visible stains or brush marks remain in certain places on the pottery．This evidence suggests that the brush may have predated written language itself．
Brushes became the major writing instrument of Chinese characters in the Spring and Autumn period．Among the cultural relics unearthed in Zuojiagong Mountain of Changsha，Hunan Province in 1954 were different kinds of ancient writing brushes and relics related to writing．This is the first time that our imagination of the writing brushes before the Han Dynasty got proved．
3)Knife-carved Scripts:Seal Cutting
Seal cutting is，in other words，“writing”with knives on materials like stone，wood and metal．It is a traditional graphic，calligraphic and engraving art of China．Before the invention of paper，official documents were written on bamboo or wooden slips and sealed with clay．A lettered seal was then stamped on the clay envelope．
Before the Ming Dynasty，seals were generally made for practical uses such as identification．Since the Ming Dynasty，calligraphers and painters have begun to treat seals as artistic creations．Through deliberate choice of material and application of cutting and arranging，the inch-long seals became genuine art of interest．
4)The Art of Writing:Chinese Calligraphy
Chinese calligraphy is an art of self-cultivation and self-expression．It reflects the mindset and mood of the writer，and fully embodies the unique beauty of Chinese script．Today，Chinese calligraphy is enjoyed by people throughout the world．There are five writing styles of Chinese calligraphy:①Xiaozhuan(Lesser Seal)—with standardized shape，strokes and structure，this script established the basic formation for all Chinese characters created since;②Clerical script—simpler and more regular in shape，it established the basic structure of most Chinese characters;③Standard script—evolved from Clerical script，it is straight in line，square in shape，and easy to write;④Caoshu script—an easy-to-write form for greater efficiency;and⑤Xingshu script—a simple and smooth script between Standard script and Caoshu script．
Chinese calligraphy dates from the earliest day in history，and has been widely practiced throughout China to the present day．Different from paintings，Chinese calligraphy uses Chinese characters as its vehicles of expression to communicate the spiritual world of the artist．One does not have to know Chinese to appreciate its beauty since calligraphy，in essence，is an abstract art．It is so abstract and sublime that in Chinese culture it is universally regarded to be the most enlightening art form．
Just as one person's appearance differs from others，so one person's handwriting differs from the others'．Through its unique word structures，writing styles and way of handling the brush，calligraphy，as work of art，conveys the moral integrity，character，emotions，esthetic feelings and culture of the artist to readers and charms them with appealing beauty．So it is believed among a lot of people that we can tell a person's character through his or her handwriting．
Chinese characters evolved from pictures and signs，and Chinese art of calligraphy developed naturally from its unique writing system．Great calligraphers developed representative calligraphic styles of their times through the ages．The love of calligraphy is deeply ingrained in Chinese scholars and has been handed down to the present day．
Just like Chinese qigong，the Chinese brush calligraphy can temper a person into a state in which one can apply intuition got from the daily practice to control the concentration of ink and the size of each stoke or word．Calligraphy is considered an active way of keeping oneself fit and healthy，for the practice is relaxing and selfentertaining．Historically，many calligraphers were well known for their longevity．
The modernization of writing tools has given rise to many types of calligraphy other than the traditional brush-writings．Some contemporary western artists also assimilated Chinese calligraphy into abstract art，yielding many excellent works．Today，Chinese calligraphy is still considered an elegant art form even in neighboring countries．As Chinese culture spread to Japan，Korea，Singapore and Vietnam，calligraphy has become a unique feature of Oriental art．
2.Chinese Painting
1)Ancient Chinese Painting
A．Painted pottery
Chinese traditional painting dates back to the Neolithic Age about 6，000 years ago．The excavated colored pottery with painted human faces，fish，animal and plants reflect various aspects of the life of primitive clan communities．The line patterns on unearthed pottery ware resemble ripples，fishing nets，teeth．The animal and human figures，succinct and vivid，are proofs to the innate sensitivity of the ancient artists to the nature．
B．Rock painting
Paintings or engravings found on precipitous cliffs in Sichuan，Yunnan and Guizhou in Southwest China，Fujian in East China，Mount Yinshan in Inner Mongolia，Heihe in the far north and Altai in China's extreme west are even more ancient．Strong visual effects characterize the bright red cliff paintings in southern China that depict scenes of sacrificial rites，production activities and daily life．In comparison，hunting，animal grazing，wars and dancing are the main themes of cliff paintings in northern China．
C．Silk painting
Silk painting is the work painted on silk．The painting unearthed in 1949 from a tomb of Chu of the Warring States Period in the southern suburb of Changsha，Hunan Province，was painted on silk with human figures，dragons and phoenixes．It is the earliest work on silk ever discovered in China and measures about 30 centimeters long by 20 centimeters wide．From this and other early paintings on silk showing vigour and elegance，it can be seen that the ancients were already familiar with the art of the writing or painting on silk with brush．Silk painting kept developing before the invention of paper and reached its artistic peak in the Western Han Dynasty．
D．Paper painting
Paintings on paper appeared much later than those on silk for the simple reason that the invention of silk preceded that of paper by a long historical period．In 1964，when a tomb dating to the Jin Dynasty was excavated at Astana in Turpan，Xingjiang，a coloured painting on paper was discovered．It shows on the upper the sun，the moon and the Big Dipper and at the lower a man with a fan in his hand．The portrayal，106．5 centimeters long and 47 centimeters wide，is the only known painting on paper of such antiquity in China．
2)Famous Painters of Different Dynasties
A．Painter of Northern and Southern Dynasties
Northern and Southern Dynasties were an important period in the history of painting．China plunged into a situation of divided states from the third to the sixth century，where incessant wars and successions of dynasties sharpened the thinking of Chinese artists which，in turn，promoted the development of art．Grotto murals，wall murals in tomb chambers，stone carvings，brick carvings and lacquer paintings flourished in a period deemed very important to the development of traditional Chinese painting．The scroll paintings of Gu Kaizhi，known as the founder of traditional Chinese painting，represented the painting style of the period．
B．Court Painters of Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty witnessed the prosperity of figure painting，where the most outstanding painters were Zhang Xuan and Zhou Fang．Their paintings，depicting the life of noble women and court ladies，exerted an eternal influence on the development of shi nühua(painting of beautiful women)，which comprise an important branch of traditional Chinese painting．
C．Four great painters of Yuan Dynasty
During the Yuan Dynasty the“Four Great Painters”—Huang Gongwang，Wu Zhen，Ni Zan and Wang Meng—represented the highest level of landscape painting．Their works immensely influenced landscape painting of the Ming and Qing Dynasties．
D．Wumen Painting School of Ming Dynasty
Suzhou in south China is called“Wumen”in history．Many well-known painters gathered in Suzhou in the Ming Dynasty which saw the rise of the Wumen Painting School．Keen to carry on the traditions of Chinese painting，the four Wumen masters Shen Zhou，Wen Zhengming，Tang Ying and Qiu Ying blazed new trails and developed their own unique styles．The technique and way of expression exerted great influence on later generations．
E．Four Monk Masters of Qing Dynasty
When the Manchus came to power in 1644，the then-best painters showed their resentment to the Qing court in many ways．The“Four Monk Masters”—Zhu Da，Shi Tao，Kun Can and Hong Ren—had their heads shaved to demonstrate their determination not to serve the new dynasty，and they soothed their sadness by painting tranquil nature scenes and traditional art．
F．Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou
The eight painters of Yangzhou were all with strong characters．They refused to follow orthodoxy．They were proud，aloof and unrestrained，hence their name．They used freehand brushwork in their paintings with the main subjects of flowers and birds，bringing a pleasant change in painting style．Although they were not well accepted and even criticized for being heterodox，they broadened the horizon of flower-and-bird painting and expanded the future for flower-bird paintings．
G．Shanghai Painting School
By the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China，Shanghai，which gave birth to the Shanghai Painting School，had become the most prosperous commercial city and a gathering place for numerous painters．Following the spirit of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou，the Shanghai School played a vital role in the transition of Chinese traditional painting from a classical art form to a modern one．
3)Founders of Chinese Painting
A．Gu Kaizhi—Originator of Painting
Gu Kaizhi，a painter of Eastern Jin Dynasty，was born into an official family in Wuxi，Jiangsu Province，and served as a government officer at a young age．Having toured many beautiful places，Gu was proficient in writing poetry and essay．Chinese art history abounds in anecdotes about him with the following being one of them．
At 20，he was already a well-known painter，When the construction of Waguan Temple was built on the outskirt of for Jiankang(Nanjing)，the monks and abbot could not collect enough money for the decoration．One day，a monk saw Gu Kaizhi and asked him to donate some money for decorating the figure of Buddha．Gu offered to donate a large sum of money．He suggested he would draw a picture of the Buddha on the wall and，in the process，collect donations from curious passersby．For three consecutive days，thousands of people flocked to see the young man at work．By adding the final touches to the picture，the Buddha seemed to come alive，and the viewers cheered and applauded the young man's artistry．Hence，the money needed for the consummate construction of the temple was obtained．
The young man who paid great attention to the details that revealed the characteristics of his subjects was none other than Gu Kaizhi．He was once asked to paint Pei Kai's portrait，a man with three，long，fine hairs on his face that had been ignored by other painters．Gu laid great emphasis on the three hairs to depict his unique feature and Pei was very satisfied．
Another time，Gu painted a man named Xie Kun standing in the midst of mountains and rocks．When asked the reason for the setting，Gu explained that Xie loved to travel and see beautiful mountains and rivers．Such stories demonstrate Gu's skill of creating atmospheres that enhanced the characteristics of his subjects．
The theme of the Luoshen Appraisal Painting was drawn from the article，Luoshen Appraisal(Luoshen Fu)，written by Cao Zhi，son of Cao Cao．The painting depicts with wild imagination the meeting between Cao Zhi and the Goddess Luoshen at Luoshui River，vividly capturing the mood of their first meeting and eventual separation．Gu emphasized his subjects'facial expressions，with the stones，mountains and trees having an ornamental purpose．Gu's paintings，which greatly influenced later traditional Chinese paintings，are similar in style to the Dunhuang murals．
Gu also made great advances in summarizing painting theories．His theoretical works included Painting Thesis and Notes on Painting Yuntai Mountain．Gu paid considerable attention to the vivid expressions of his subjects to expose their spirit．His Graphic Theory later became a basic theory for traditional Chinese painting．According to historical records，Gu created more than 70 paintings based on historical stories，Buddha，human figures，birds，animals，mountains and rivers．His three existing scroll paintings include the NüShi Zhen Painting，Luoshen Appraisal Painting and LienüRenzhi Painting—the earliest examples of scroll paintings．
B．Wu Daozi—Sage in Chinese Painting
In Chinese ancient art history，three people are revered as sages:the calligrapher Wang Xizhi of the Eestern Jin Dynasty，the poet Du Fu of the Tang Dynasty and the painter Wu Daozi，also of the Tang Dynasty．
Wu's most prolific period was during the Kaiyuan and Tianbao eras(713-755)in the Tang Dynasty．Born in Yangzhai(Yu County in Henan Province now)，Wu lost both his parents at a young age and lived a hard life in his early years．He learned how to make a living from folk painters and sculptors．Because his diligence and talent in art，Wu earned himself a good reputation as a painter by the time he was 20 years old．Emperor Xuanzong invited Wu as an imperial painter in the court，naming him Daoxuan．As an imperial painter，Wu only painted at the emperor's request，which was a big restriction for a civilian painter．On the other hand，the court provided the best living conditions and was an outlet for artistic creativity．
Wu's character was unrestrained，direct and indifferent to trivial matters，and it is known that he always drank while painting．It is also said that when Wu drew the halo around Buddha's head in a mural，he used his brushes without drafting the measurements first;when he was painting at Longxing Temple，the temple was always packed with observers．Wu moved his brush quickly，and most of his works were accomplished in a single session．Chang'an(present day Xi'an)，capital of the Tang Dynasty，was the cultural center of the time where many famous men of letters and artists lived．Wu had many opportunities to stay with them，which helped improve his painting skills．
Wu mainly created religious murals and his abundant works had a wide range of subjects．According to records，Wu painted over 300 murals and more than 100 scrolls．While many of them involved Buddhism and Taoism，Wu also drew pictures of mountains，rivers，flowers and birds and animals．The Presentation of Buddha is his most representative work．Unlike his predecessor Gu Kaizhi，whose line strokes were slender and forceful but lacked variety，Wu's strokes were full of change and vigor，expressing the internal world of his subjects．Wu was always in great ferment when he was painting，and his works exhibit an expressionist style．
C．Zhang Yanyuan—Art Historian
Zhang Yanyuan，styling himself Aibin，was the art historian of the Tang Dynasty．Born into a chancellor family in Yishi of Puzhou(present Linyi County of Shanxi Province)，Zhang once took office．He was a learned scholar and excellent painter and calligrapher．
Zhang's works include Fashu Yaolu，Collection of Poems on Color Paper and the first general history of art—Records of Historical Famous Paintings which gave a summation of achievements in ancient painting history．Following the tradition of combining historical facts and painting critics，Zhang initiated the style of general art history．By using abundant materials，Zhang's research focused on the development and internal relations of art history，using systematic historical painting materials to support his theories．The book extensively covered the development and significant theories of Chinese painting history．The biography section consisted of comprehensive records of painters'lives，thoughts and works．Zhang passed equitable judgments on painters by quoting predecessors，yet still developed his own ideas．From the point of view of the whole process of art creation and appreciation，Zhang brought recording，appraising，collecting，circulating and even mounting to the list of indispensable components，which gave rise to the integral research system of Chinese painting history．For a long time，the book was regarded as China's first publication on the general painting history and an encyclopedia of painting of the period．It had a unique position in the development of Chinese painting as a link between the past and the future．
In general，there are several features to Zhang's artistic theory．Apart from confirming Xie He's theory that painting had moral and political functions，Zhang put more emphasis on the meaning of painting itself．Opposing dull and stereotyped painting styles，Zhang stressed that painting needs ingenious creation and that the basic skill of painting lay in conception and stroke．He also emphasized that a painter's cultural taste and personality were also very important to painting．Zhang was the first to forward the theory that painting was a career of moral scholars who had knowledge and unique personalities．As one of the earliest art theorists and critics，Zhang contributed many achievements to the theory of ancient painting history．
3.Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Share the Same Origin
Since similar tools and lines were used for the earliest painting and writing，painting is said to have the same origin as calligraphy．Chinese paintings usually integrated poetry and calligraphy with themes that include figures，landscapes，flowers，birds and other animals，offering more profound aesthetic connotations．Many Chinese painters are poets and calligraphers at the same time．A painter often adds a poem to the painting，which invariably carries an impression of his or her seal．The resulting piece of work is usually an integrated whole of four branches of Chinese art—poetry，calligraphy，painting and seal-carving．
Like Chinese writing brushes，Chinese paintbrushes are mainly made of animal hairs glued into a bamboo handle．New brushes are stiffened with glue，which must be soaked before their first use to remove the glue．Once they are soaked，the brushes swell．Most brushes have loops at the end of the handle，which can be used to hang the brushes with their bristles downwards．To hang the brushes like this allows them to dry without letting the water from the bristles affect the brush handles．
There are two main types of brushes:hard brushes made from brown wolf hairs and soft brushes made from white goat hairs．Chinese brushes tend to be larger than typical European watercolour brushes．One reason for this is that the brushes can be loaded with several colours at the same time(usually with darker colours towards the tip of the brush)，so that leaves or petals may be painted in a single stoke with a blend of colours by using the side of the brush instead of just the tip．
Different from western painting，traditional Chinese painting has its unique way of expression．As an important part of Chinese cultural heritage，traditional Chinese painting is distinguished from Western paintings in that it is executed on xuan paper or silk with the Chinese brush，Chinese ink and mineral and vegetable pigments．Xuan paper is the most suitable for Chinese painting．It is of the right texture to allow the writing brush wet with Chinese ink and held in a trained hand，to move freely on it， making stokes varying from dark to light，from solid to hollow．These soon turn out to be vivid human figures，plants and flowers，birds，fish and insects．
Word Bank
oracle bone卜骨
stele石柱，石碑
shaft杆子
quill鹅毛笔
mindset思想形式
clerical办公室工作的，誊抄工作的
sublime庄严的
assimilate吸收，同化
innate与生俱来的，天生的
the Big Dipper北斗七星
mural墙壁上的
abbot(大寺院的)住持
consummate圆满的，巧妙的
outlet机会，途经
chancellor宰相，大臣
equitable公平的，公正的
conception思想的形成，概念
bristle(刷子等的)毛
pigment颜料
参考译文
1.中国书法
1)汉字的书写材料
汉字是“写”出来的。今天，我们的文字大都写在纸上。但在发明纸张之前，汉字是写在什么材料上面的呢？
商代的汉字，刻写在甲骨、青铜器上。春秋战国时期，随着汉字不断增多，书写内容不断丰富，新的书写材料不断出现。竹、木简是纸发明前最主要的书写材料。贵族们还会把字写在丝制品上。
2)汉字的书写工具
最早的汉字是用刀刻的。毛笔等专门的书写工具出现后，刀不再用于写字，而是用于刮掉人们写在竹、木简上的错字，其作用就像今天的橡皮。
在林林总总的笔类制品中，毛笔可算是中国独有的品类了。毛笔是文房四宝之一，另外三宝是墨、纸、砚。文房四宝是书写汉字的主要传统工具。毛笔由两部分组成:笔头和笔杆。笔头用羊毛、狼毛、鼠毛或兔毛等动物毛加工制成，相当柔软。制作笔杆可用竹、木和陶瓷以及象牙和玉等贵重材料。
“文房四宝”是书写汉字的主要工具。用毛笔写字时，先在砚中放入清水，然后用墨条研成黑色的墨汁，再用毛笔蘸上墨汁来写字。砚台通常由石或砖制成。因为毛笔笔头由动物的软毛制成，运笔可轻可重，线条可粗可细，相当灵活。
毛笔历史悠久，据《史记》记载，毛笔由秦始皇手下的大将军蒙恬取兔毛造之。因此，我们通常称蒙恬为毛笔的史祖。但是根据对河南省已出土的仰韶彩陶花纹的研究，发现这些花纹可能是由类似毛笔的工具绘制而成，可见当时已有毛笔的存在。
毛笔在春秋时便已成为主要的书写工具。1954年在湖南长沙郊外的左家公山出土的文物中，已有多种古毛笔及与其相关的书写文物，第一次印证了我们对汉朝以前的毛笔形象的想象。
3)用刀“写”的汉字:篆刻
篆刻，就是镌刻印章，也就是用刀在石头、木材和金属等硬质材料上写汉字，是中国传统的汉字造型艺术。纸发明前，人们用竹木简牍书写公文信件，然后用泥封缄，在泥上加盖印章，叫作“封泥”。
明代以前，印章只是人们在交往中表明身份的凭信工具。明代以后，专供艺术欣赏用的印章出现了，其用料考究，刀工细腻，布局精致。小小印章所呈现的篆刻艺术从此大放异彩。
4)汉字的书写艺术:书法
书法，是借助文字的书写来陶冶性灵、抒发情感的艺术，是汉字独有的艺术，也是深受中国和世界人民喜爱的艺术。书法根据书写风格分为五类:①篆书(小篆)——笔画粗细匀称，确立了当时所有汉字的基本构成部分;②隶书——更简洁，形状规整，确定了大部分汉字的结构;③楷书——由隶书演变而成，书体规整方正，笔画平直，书写简易;④草书——一种笔画简省、字形连绵的书体;⑤行书——介于楷书和草书间的一种书写简洁、流畅的书体。
中国书法这种艺术形式历史悠久，直到今天仍在广泛运用。因为从本质上讲，书法是一种抽象的艺术，不像画画，它用汉字来传达艺术家的精神世界。虽然书法以汉字为表达工具，但欣赏书法并非必须懂得中文。在中国文化中，书法因其抽象和庄严，被公认为是最具有启迪性力量的。
正如千人千面，各人的笔迹各不相同。书法作为艺术作品，通过字的独特结构、字体和运笔的方法，表达了艺术家的道德、性格、感情、审美和文化观，给读者以美的享受。因此，许多中国人认为“字如其人”。
中国汉字是从图画、符号逐渐演变而来的，汉字独特的书写方式发展成了后来的书法艺术。中国历代都有大书法家，其书法艺术和风格成为所在朝代书法的典型代表。人们对书法的喜爱一直流传到今天。
书法和中国气功一样，可以调节人的性情，让人在写字时不自觉地运用平日的练习来控制墨的深浅、笔画粗细和字体大小。书法被认为是一种保持健康的有效方法，因为它可以使人放松，也可以让人自娱自乐。历史上，很多大书法家都非常长寿。
随着书写工具的更新，除传统毛笔书法之外，硬笔书法及其他书法艺术蓬勃兴起。当代西方艺术家将中国书法与西方艺术相结合，创造出许多杰出的艺术品。中国书法作为一种高雅的艺术形式已随着中国文化传播到日本、韩国、新加坡和越南等周边国家，成为东方艺术独有的特点。
2.中国绘画
1)古代中国绘画
A．彩陶
中国传统绘画可追溯到6 000年前的新石器时代。现已出土的彩陶之上的人面、鱼类、动物和植物反映了原始氏族社会生活的方方面面。出土彩陶器皿上描绘着水波纹、网纹或锯齿纹等抽象的图案。而那些动物纹和人物纹线条简练，形象生动，显示了远古艺术家对大自然质朴的敏感。
B．岩画
中国岩画分布很广，见于西南部的四川省、云南省和贵州省，东部的福建省，北部内蒙古的阴山、黑河以及西部的阿尔泰山等。南部地区岩画普遍用炽热的血红色调表现人们的祭祖及生产生活场面，具有强烈的视觉效果;北部地区岩画多表现狩猎、游牧、战争、舞蹈等题材。
C．帛画
帛画是一种在丝布上创作的绘画作品。1949年出土于湖南省长沙南郊一座战国时期的楚墓中的帛画《人物龙凤图》是中国迄今发现的最早的帛画作品。该画长约30厘米，宽约20厘米。从中国出土的早期帛画可以看出，这个时期的绘画生动优美，人们已经能充分运用毛笔在丝帛上写字作画。在纸张出现之前，帛画不断发展，到西汉时，技法纯熟，达到高峰。
D．纸画
纸画的出现晚于帛画，这是因为纸的发明晚于丝绸的缘故。1964年在新疆吐鲁番市阿斯塔一座晋代的古墓中，发现了一幅彩绘纸画，画面上部是日、月、北斗七星，下部的正中是墓主人安闲地坐在上，手执团扇。这幅画长106．5厘米、宽47厘米，是中国迄今发现的最早的纸画。
2)历代代表画家
A．南北朝画家
南北朝是中国绘画史上一个十分重要的时期。从公元3世纪到公元6世纪，中国当时许多地方各自为政，连年的战乱与频繁的朝代更替，使当时的学术思想分外活跃，促进了艺术的发展。这一时期石窟壁画、墓室壁画、石刻、砖刻及漆画均具有相当规模，对中国传统绘画的发展起了很重要作用。被尊为画祖的顾恺之和他的卷轴画极具这一时期的代表性。
B．唐朝宫廷画家
唐朝是人物画的繁盛时期。擅长描绘宫廷女性的张萱和周昉是这个画派的代表人物，他们是贵族女性风俗画的先驱，对此后中国仕女画的创作具有重大影响，仕女画成为了中国传统绘画中的重要部分。
C．元朝四大画家
元代山水画四大家黄公望、吴镇、倪瓒和王蒙代表了山水画的最高水平，他们的作品对明代和清代的山水画家影响很大。
D．明代吴门四家
江南苏州，史称“吴门”，这里人杰地灵，文人荟萃，明朝时许多著名画家在这聚会，形成了一个强大的画派，人称“吴门画派”。吴门画派领袖沈周、文征明、唐寅和仇英，统称“吴门四家”。他们开拓了新的绘画风格，并形成了自己独特的一面。吴门画派的笔墨技巧和表现手法，对后代影响很大。
E．清代高僧画家
清朝初年，作为明朝遗民的朱耷、石涛、髡残和弘仁，为反抗清朝政府先后削发当僧人，被后人称为四大高僧画家。他们利用传统艺术形式，创作山水风景画作，来平息自身的伤感情绪。
F．扬州八怪
著名的“扬州八怪”之所以被人称为“怪”，是因为这些画家作画不墨守成规。他们大都很有个性，孤傲清高，行为狂放，所以被人称为“八怪”。他们的作品很多取材花鸟，以写意为主要表现方式，作品令人耳目一新。尽管当时并不完全被人理解，甚至被认为旁门左道遭到非议。事实上，正是他们开创了画坛新局面，为中国花鸟画的发展拓展了前途。
G．上海画派
清代末年民国早期，上海成为中国最繁荣的商业城市，因而吸引了当时很多的绘画高手的到来，形成了在“扬州八怪”之后中国近代绘画史上最后一个画派——上海画派。海派画家既吸收传统，又贴近现实生活，是中国古典绘画向现代绘画过渡的一个重要环节。
3)中国绘画奠基者
A．画祖——顾恺之
顾恺之是东晋时期的画家，江苏无锡人。出生在一个官僚家庭，年轻时做过官，有机会游览各地的风景。他精通诗文，历史上记载了不少关于他的轶事。
顾恺之20岁即蜚声画坛，成为远近闻名的画家。当时，建康(南京)城郊的瓦官寺刚落成，寺里的住持与和尚们募捐不到足够的银两用以寺庙的装修。一次，寺院里的和尚碰到顾恺之，请这位年轻的画家多少捐些银两，装点佛像。顾恺之认捐一大笔银两，提出在寺庙的墙上画一幅佛像，让驻足观看的过往行人募捐。三天内，有数千个行人观看他作画，在画上添上最后几笔后，整个佛像栩栩如生，围观者顿时欢呼鼓掌，而寺庙也募集到了所需的银两。
顾恺之还特别注意表现人物的特点。有一次，他为一个叫裴楷的人画像。此人脸颊上有三根长汗毛，别人为他画像时，都不画出来，顾恺之却把这三根汗毛画得特别突出来强调对象的特征，裴楷对此十分满意。
还有一次他为谢昆画像时，衬以山岩为背景，并解释这样更能体现人的神韵，因为谢昆爱好旅游，钟情山水。这两个例子，都是以形来传达人物的神，以氛围烘托主题，加强表现人物的特征。
《洛神赋图》是根据三国时期曹操的儿子曹植所写的《洛神赋》来创作的。《洛神赋图》描绘了曹植与洛神在洛水上相逢又相别的情节，发挥了高度的艺术想象力。顾恺之注重对人物情态的刻画，山石、树木都富有装饰性。他的作品与同一时期的敦煌壁画风格相近，对后世中国画产生了深远的影响。
顾恺之在绘画理论方面也很有成就，他留下来的论著有《论画》《画云台山记》等。他主张作画要形神兼备，他提出的“传神论”成为中国绘画的基本理论之一。根据记载，顾恺之的作品有七十余件，他画过历史故事、神佛、人物、飞禽走兽、山水等题材。可惜，现在能看到的只有《女史箴图》、《洛神赋图》和《列女仁智图》三幅卷轴画摹本了，它们是现在所知道最早的卷轴画。
B．画圣——吴道子
在中国古代艺术史上，有三位艺术家被称作“圣”人:一位是东晋王羲之，被称为“书圣”;一位是唐代杜甫，被称为“诗圣”;还有一位被誉为“画圣”，那就是唐代的吴道子。
吴道子一生主要活动在唐朝开元、天宝年间(713年-755年)。吴道子出生在阳翟(今河南禹州)，自幼失去双亲，生活贫困，为了生计向民间画工和雕匠学习。由于他刻苦好学，才华出众，20岁时就已经很有名气。唐玄宗把他召入宫中担任宫廷画师，为他改名道玄。成了御用画家的他，没有皇帝的命令，不能擅自作画。这样，一方面，对他这样一个平民意识很强的艺术家是一种约束和限制;另一方面，他得到了最优厚的生活条件，不再到处流浪，可以施展自己的艺术才华。
吴道子性格豪爽，不拘小节，喜欢在酒醉时作画。传说他在描绘壁画中佛头顶上的圆光时，不用尺规，挥笔而成。在龙兴寺作画的时候，观看者水泄不通。他绘画时速度很快，像一阵旋风，一气呵成。当时的都城长安是中国的文化中心，汇集了许多著名的文人和书画家。吴道子经常和这些人在一起，相互促进、提高技艺。
吴道子主要从事宗教壁画的创作，他创作的作品题材广泛，数量很大。据说寺廊壁画有三百余件，有记录的卷轴画有一百余件。其中以佛教、道教题材为多，还有山水、花鸟、走兽等。《送子天王图》这幅画反映了吴道子的基本画风，他打破了长期以来历代沿袭顾恺之的那种游丝线描法。吴道子用笔讲究起伏变化，富有生气，表现出内在的精神力量。他在创作的时候，处于一种高度兴奋与紧张状态，很有点表现主义的味道。
C．美术史论家——张彦远
唐代时期的张彦远，字爱宾，蒲州猗氏(今山西省临猗县)人，是一位美术史论家。他出生在宰相家庭，学问渊博，擅长书画，曾任官职。
张彦远编写的著作有《法书要录》《彩笺诗集》和中国第一部绘画通史《历代名画记》。《历代名画记》总结了古人有关绘画的成果，继承发展了史和论相结合的传统，开创了编写绘画通史的体例。作者运用丰富资料，探讨绘画史的发展和内在联系，并以系统的绘画史料来支持自己的理论认识。全书用大量的篇幅阐述绘画史的进程，讨论重大的理论问题。传记部分比较全面地汇集了画家生平、思想和作品，充分引证古人的评价，但又不受前人的局限，有分寸地评价画家的得失。此外，他从绘画创作与欣赏的全过程着眼，把著录、鉴藏、流传，以至装裱也纳入研究画史的必要组成部分。这本书长期以来被认为是中国第一部系统完整的绘画通史，具有当时绘画“百科全书”的性质，在中国绘画史学的发展中，具有独特的地位和承先启后的里程碑的意义。
张彦远的艺术观点主要有几项特征。他除了肯定谢赫等人关于绘画具有道德、政治功能的观点以外，更重视绘画本身的意义。张彦远强调绘画是灵巧创作，反对呆板的死画，他强调绘画技巧的根本在于立意和用笔。他还强调绘画艺术的文化品位。他最早提出绘画是有学问和有独立人格的读书人的事业。作为最早的美术理论家和批评家之一，张彦远对古代绘画史理论贡献重大。
3.书画同源
由于最早的绘画和写字均使用同样的工具，故有“书画同源”之说。中国绘画作品在描绘人物、山水、花鸟与走兽时，通常将诗、书、画汇合成一个艺术整体，予以更加丰富的美学内涵。不少中国画家，既是诗人又是书法家。他们常常在作品上写上一首诗，盖上印章，使诗、书、画、印融为一体，这就是中国画的“四绝”。
与书法用的毛笔一样，中国画笔主要是用动物的毛黏在竹竿上制成的。新笔的笔头用胶水或糨糊黏住，第一次使用前，必须浸泡笔头以去除糨糊。一旦浸水，笔头就会张开。毛笔的笔杆上一般都有一个挂笔的环，可以将毛笔笔尖向下挂起晾干，并防止水把黏笔头和笔杆的胶水泡坏。
中国画笔主要有两种类型——硬毫和软毫。硬毫主要以棕狼毛制成，软毫以白山羊毛为主。中国的毛笔比典型的欧洲水彩画笔大一些，一次可蘸多种颜色(通常越接近笔尖颜色越深)，这样像树叶或花瓣之类可以用笔的侧面而非单用笔尖一笔挥就，且混合了多种色彩。
不同于西方绘画，中国绘画有其独特的表现形式。作为中国文化遗产的一个重要组成部分，传统的中国画与西方作品的不同之处在于:中国画运用毛笔、墨汁以及从矿石植物中提炼出的色素，在宣纸或丝帛上进行创作。宣纸最适合画中国画，它有吸墨的特性，正适合一个老练的画家，握一支饱蘸墨汁的毛笔，在纸上任意游走，画出深浅不一、虚虚实实的线条，组成的人物、树木和花鸟鱼虫栩栩如生，意趣无穷。
Exercises
Section A Thought-provoking questions
1．What are the four main tools for Chinese painting and calligraphy？What are they consideredas by Chinese people？
2．What do you know about figure painting in the Tang Dynasty？
3．What are the main themes of traditional Chinese painting？
Section B Decide whether the following statements are true or false
1．Gongbi style is characterized by simple and bold stokes to represent the exaggerated likeness of the objects．
2．To attain proficiency in Chinese painting calls for assiduous exercises and a good control of the brush．
3．Chinese paint brushes are the same as European watercolor brushes．
4．The May 4th Movement of 1919，or the New Culture Movement，inspired the Chinese to learn from western art and introduce it to China．
5．According to painting techniques，Chinese painting can be divided into two styles:xieyi (freehand brushwork)and gongbi(detailed brush work)．
6．Gongbi is marked by exaggerated forms and freehand brushwork．
7．Inscriptions and seal cuttings have stopped since the invention of papers．
8．The Hu Writing Brush produced in Huzhou City，Jiangau Province，is regarded as the bestquality brush and the most exquisite handicraft．
9．Without the writing brush，Chinese painting and calligraphy could not have achieved such distinct features．
10．“Painting in poetry and poetry in painting”has been a criterion for excellent works．
※A person who is not benevolent cannot live long in hardship.Nor can he be happy for long.A benevolent person takes refuge in benevolence.A wise person sees benevolence as advantageous.
From Analects of Confucius
(不仁者，不可以久处约，不可以长处乐。仁者安仁，智者利仁。)
——《论语》
※Only a benevolent person is able to like people who deserve to be liked and dislike people who deserve to be disliked.
From Analects of Confucius
(唯仁者，能好人，能恶人。)
——《论语》