Wen Zhang Fan.
1. The influence of Dong Qichang and his "North-South Sectarian Theory".
Dong Qichang (February 10, 1555 - October 26, 1636), the name Xuanzai, the name Sibai, Xiangguang layman, Songjiang Huating (now Songjiang District, Shanghai), the minister of the late Ming Dynasty, a famous calligrapher and painter.
Dong Qichang is known for his landscape paintings, and his painting style integrates his own style and brush and ink skills on the basis of inheriting his predecessors, and is a family of his own. His landscape paintings are concise in composition, vivid in brushwork, and full of poetry, which had an important influence on the painting world in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Dong Qichang's calligraphy is also very distinctive, his regular script, line calligraphy, cursive script have a high level, especially his regular script, absorbing the calligraphy characteristics of Yan Zhenqing and Liu Gongquan in the Tang Dynasty, forming his own style. His calligraphy works were widely circulated and had a great influence on the development of calligraphy in later generations.
Dong Qichang was a famous calligrapher, painter and art theorist in the Ming Dynasty of China, and his theory of "Northern and Southern Sects" had a profound impact on the development of Chinese painting. His artworks and art theories occupy an important place in the history of Chinese art.
Dong Qichang's theory of "North and South Sects" has had a profound impact on the history of Chinese painting, which is mainly manifested in:
The first is the classification of painters' styles: Dong Qichang divides ancient Chinese painters into two sects, the north and the south, represented by Wang Wei, emphasizing the taste of brush and ink and the expression of artistic conception; Beizong is represented by Li Sixun, focusing on realism and the inheritance of techniques. This classification method provides an important frame of reference for later painters, helping to understand and grasp the stylistic characteristics of different painters.
The second is to promote the development of literati painting: Dong Qichang himself is a representative figure of literati painting, and his theory of "North and South Sects" emphasizes the status and value of literati painting, so that literati painting has been more widely recognized and developed in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Literati painting is characterized by the taste of brush and ink, artistic conception and personality expression, which has had a profound impact on the creation of Chinese painting in later generations.
"The Northern and Southern Sects" is a theoretical theory in the history of Chinese painting and calligraphy, and Dong Qichang used the works of Li Sixun and Wang Wei as the ancestors of the two landscape styles of "green and green" and "ink painting" respectively, so as to lay the foundation for the theory that Chinese landscape painting is divided into "Northern and Southern Sects". The Northern and Southern Sects originally referred to the sects in the history of Buddhism, the so-called "Nanton" and "Bei Chuan", and regarded "Wudun" and "Gradual Understanding" (painstaking cultivation) as the main differences between them. This division method advertises that "Nanzong paintings" (i.e., literati paintings) are out of "epiphany", so they are regarded as "superb" and "morale"; At the same time, he thought that "Northern Sect Painting" could only be produced from "gradual acquaintance", that is, from diligent practice, and was despised and denounced.
The theory of the division between the north and the south is one of the important ideas in the painting theory of the Ming and Qing dynasties, which profoundly influenced the creative activities of painters, their understanding of painting itself and their grasp of the history of Chinese landscape painting, and even affected the theoretical construction of calligraphy, poetry and other related art categories.
The Southern Sect is represented by Dong Ju and the Yuan Four Families, and the Northern Sect is represented by Li Tang and Ma Xia. Dong Qichang advocated landscape painting to express tranquility, reject irritability, worship the south and depreciate the north, admire the feminine and light Southern Sect, and depreciate the fierce and vigorous Northern Sect.
2. Dong Qichang's art theory.
1) The basis for the division of "North and South Sects".
The theory of north-south sects is one of the important ideas in the painting theory of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and it is the theory of north-south sects in landscape painting created by the Ming Dynasty painter Dong Qichang. Its division is mainly based on the following aspects:
1.Identity of painters: Most of the painters of the Northern Sect are royal family or court painters, and their paintings are mainly colored landscapes and boundary paintings. Most of the painters of the Southern Sect were literati and scholars, and most of their paintings were mainly ink landscapes.
2.Painting style: The upper part of the Northern Sect technique is rigid and strict, the body posture is still strange and abrupt, the multi-block surface structure, the splashing ink method is mostly used, and the operation of the brush and ink often needs to exert force and move quickly. The Northern Sect is suitable for expressing rocky and hard and stubborn mountains, and the method is mostly axe splitting or its variants. The painting method of Nanzong pays attention to the charm of brush and ink, and is still plain and naïve, sloppy and natural, and the composition mostly adopts the Pingyuan method.
3.Aesthetic taste: Beizong painting focuses on the expression of formal beauty and technique, emphasizing the momentum and power of the picture, and pursuing visual impact. Nanzong's paintings pay more attention to the inner spiritual expression, emphasizing the interest and charm of brush and ink, and pursuing emotional appeal.
The proposal of the North-South Sect has profoundly influenced the creative activities of painters, their understanding of painting itself and their grasp of the history of Chinese landscape painting, and even affected the theoretical construction of calligraphy, poetry and other related art categories.
2) Comparison of the characteristics of the Southern Sect and the Northern Sect.
The characteristics of the Northern and Southern Sects can be compared from the following aspects:
1.Painting style: Nanzong mainly uses ink and wash landscapes, pays attention to the charm of brush and ink in the technique, and is still plain and innocent, sloppy and natural, and the composition mostly adopts the Pingyuan method. Beizong's paintings are mostly based on coloring landscapes and boundary paintings, and the techniques are rigid and strict, the body posture is still strange and abrupt, and the multi-block surface structure is mostly used to splash ink.
2.Aesthetic taste: Nanzong painting pays more attention to the inner spiritual expression, emphasizes the interest and charm of brush and ink, and pursues emotional appeal. Beizong painting focuses on the expression of formal beauty and technique, emphasizing the momentum and power of the picture, and pursuing visual impact.
3.Painting techniques: Nanzong's drape is elastic, subtle and connotative, chic and graceful. Beizong's axe is fierce and powerful, crisp and neat, and the ink is vigorous and masculine.
4.Artistic value: Nanzong's paintings have the characteristics of literati expressing elegant feelings, which is consistent with Lao Zhuang's idea of overcoming rigidity with softness. Although Beizong painting also has advantages, the disadvantages are also obvious, such as the carving of strokes, less connotation; The lines are too rigid, tense, and less charming.
3) Dong Qichang's evaluation and influence on the Northern and Southern Sects.
Dong Qichang was a famous calligrapher, painter and theorist of calligraphy and painting in the Ming Dynasty, and the "theory of the north and the south" put forward by him is indeed unprecedented in the history of Chinese painting, and has had a far-reaching impact in the history of Chinese painting.
Dong Qichang used "Zen Buddhism in the north and south" as a metaphor for painting in the north and south, put abstract feelings in concrete objects, and discovered two different artistic styles and aesthetic orientations of landscape painting by distinguishing the painters of the north and south schools in the use of brush, ink, water and color. In Dong Qichang's view, Nanzong painting is a literati painting, similar to Nanzong Zen, focusing on natural interest, similar to Huineng's epiphany; The Northern Sect painting is a courtyard painting, similar to the Northern Zen, focusing on skill, similar to the gradual cultivation of Shenxiu.
Dong Qichang's evaluation and influence on the Northern and Southern Sects have both positive and negative sides. In a positive sense, his theory used the theory of "pause" and "gradual" of the northern and southern schools of Zen Buddhism to allude to and explain the style, genre and creative concept of landscape painting, which had a great influence on Chinese painting at that time and later. On the negative side, his successors also admired the south and suppressed the north, and the sectarian dispute caused closure and limitation to the artist's mentality and creative vision, and caused a certain obstacle to the further development of painting art.
3. The differences between the northern and southern sects in terms of painting style.
1.Nanzong: Mainly literati paintings, emphasizing the taste of brush and ink and the expression of artistic conception.
The Southern Sect and the Northern Sect are two different painting styles and aesthetic concepts. Nanzong's paintings are mainly ink landscapes, and the technique pays attention to the charm of brush and ink, with plain and innocent, sparse and natural nature, and the composition mostly adopts the Pingyuan method. Nanzong's paintings pay more attention to the inner spiritual expression, emphasizing the interest and charm of brush and ink, and pursuing emotional appeal. Nanzong's drape is elastic, subtle and connotative, chic and graceful. It is suitable for literati to express elegant feelings, and at the same time coincides with Lao Zhuang's idea of overcoming rigidity with softness.
2.Beizong: Focusing on courtyard painting, focusing on realism and the inheritance of techniques.
Beizong's paintings are mostly based on coloring landscapes and boundary paintings, and the techniques are rigid and strict, the body posture is still strange and abrupt, and the multi-block surface structure is mostly used to splash ink. Beizong painting focuses on the expression of formal beauty and technique, emphasizing the momentum and power of the picture, and pursuing visual impact. Beizong's axe is fierce and powerful, crisp and neat, and the ink is vigorous and masculine. However, the shortcomings of Beizong painting are also obvious, the strokes are dewed, and there is little connotation; The lines are too rigid, tense, and less charming.
Fourth, the historical origin and development of the Northern and Southern Sects.
1) The background and reasons for the formation of the Northern and Southern Sects.
Dong Qichang put forward the theory of the north-south sect at the end of the Ming Dynasty, and the historical background at that time was the decline of the Wumen school and the rise of the Songjiang school. In this context, Dong Qichang, as the leader of the Songjiang School of Painting, has unique thinking in the field of painting theory in addition to the appraisal of painting and calligraphy. His theory used the theory of "pause" and "gradual" of the northern and southern schools of Zen Buddhism to allude to and explain the style, school and creative concept of landscape painting, which had a great influence on Chinese painting at that time and later.
2) Representative painters and works of the Northern and Southern Sects in the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.
1.Tang Dynasty: Northern Sect: Li Sixun "Jiangfan Pavilion Map", Li Zhaodao "Ming Emperor Xingshu Map".
Nanzong: Wang Wei's "Snow Creek Picture", Zhang Qi's "Turquoise Stone Picture".
2.Song Dynasty:
Beizong: Li Cheng's "Reading the Stone Tablet", Fan Kuan's "Snow Scene and Cold Forest".
Nanzong: Mi Fu "Spring Mountain Ruisong Map", Juran "Autumn Mountain Asking Dao Map".
3.Yuan Dynasty:
Beizong: Wu Zhen's "Fisherman's Picture".
Nanzong: Ni Zhan's "Rong Knee Zhai Map", Wang Meng's "Qing Bian Seclusion Map".
4.Ming Dynasty:
Beizong: Dai Jin's "Spring Mountain Cucui Map", Wu Wei's "Treading Snow and Looking for Plum Blossoms".
Nanzong: Shen Zhou's "Lushan High Map", Wen Zhengming's "True Appreciation of Zhai Map".
5.Qing Dynasty:
Northern Sect: Wang Yuanqi's "Imitation of Huang Gongwang's Landscape Map", Wang Shimin's "Nanshan Cui Map".
Nanzong: Shi Tao's "Searching for the Strange Peaks and Sketching Pictures", and the Bada Shanren's "Lotus and Waterfowl Pictures".
The north-south sect divides the development of Chinese landscape painting into two stages, which has certain positive significance for the study of the history of Chinese landscape painting.
3) The enlightenment of the Northern and Southern Sects on contemporary painting art.
1.Focus on personal style: The North-South Sect emphasizes the importance of the painter's personal style. Contemporary painting art should also pay attention to the development of the artist's personality and unique style, and encourage the artist to show his own characteristics and innovation in creation.
2.Inheritance and Innovation: The North-South Sect mentions the relationship between traditional inheritance and innovation. Contemporary painting art should innovate on the basis of inheriting tradition, combining traditional elements with modern concepts, and creating works with the characteristics of the times.
3.Diversified development: The North-South sect reflects different regions and different styles of painting. Contemporary painting art should encourage the development of diversification, accommodate art forms of different styles and media, and promote the exchange and integration of art.
4.The relationship between art and culture: The North-South sect deals with the relationship between painting and culture and philosophy. Contemporary painting art should also pay attention to the cultural connotation and ideological concepts conveyed by the works, so that the works of art have deeper meaning and value.
5.Cultivating Aesthetic Literacy: The North-South Sect emphasizes the aesthetics and appreciation of art. Contemporary painting art should focus on cultivating the audience's aesthetic literacy and improving their ability to appreciate and understand works of art.
6.Pushing the boundaries of tradition: The North-South sect emphasizes the importance of tradition, but also encourages artists to push the boundaries of tradition. Contemporary painting can draw inspiration from the traditions of the Northern and Southern sects, while having the courage to experiment with new forms of expression, mediums, and themes to promote the development and innovation of art.
7.Local Characteristics and Globalization: The North-South Sect reflects the artistic characteristics of different regions. In contemporary painting, artists can pay attention to their local culture and environment, and discover unique forms of artistic expression. At the same time, the trend of globalization also provides artists with a wider range of opportunities for exchange and cooperation, and promotes dialogue and integration between different cultures.
8.The spiritual connotation of art: The North-South sect emphasizes the spiritual connotation and artistic conception of the work of art. Contemporary painting art should pay attention to the emotions, thoughts and concepts conveyed by the works, not only pursue the beauty of form, but also pay attention to the inner meaning and depth of the works.
9.Individual Expression and Social Responsibility: The North-South Sect encourages artists to develop their own individuality and unique style. In contemporary painting art, individual expression is still important, but artists should also be aware of their social responsibility, convey positive messages through their works, pay attention to social issues, and contribute to the development and progress of society.
10.Education and inheritance: The development of North-South sectarianism is inseparable from art education and inheritance. Contemporary painting art should pay attention to the importance of art education, cultivate the creativity and aesthetic literacy of young artists, and ensure the inheritance and development of artistic traditions.
In short, the North-South Sect provides a rich inspiration for contemporary painting art, from which artists can draw wisdom and combine with the contemporary social and cultural background to create works with the characteristics and spiritual connotations of the times.
V. Conclusions. 1) The significance and value of Dong Qichang's theory of the Northern and Southern Sects.
Dong Qichang's theory of the North and South Sects is of great significance and value in the history of Chinese painting, mainly including the following aspects:
1.Classification of landscape painting schools: Dong Qichang divided landscape painting into two sects: north and south, and northern landscape painting was represented by Li Sixun and Li Zhaodao, and the painting style was relatively rigid; Southern landscape paintings are represented by Wang Wei and Dong Yuan, and the painting style is relatively soft. This classification method provided an important framework for later research on landscape painting.
2.Emphasizing the painter's personal style: The theory of the Northern and Southern Sects highlights the importance of the painter's personal style, believing that the painter should form his own unique style on the basis of inheriting the tradition. This view encouraged the painter's innovative spirit and promoted the development of Chinese painting.
3.Influenced the evaluation of paintings in later generations: Dong Qichang's theory of the Northern and Southern Sects had a profound impact on the evaluation of paintings in later generations, making people pay more attention to the inheritance, style and technique of painters, and becoming one of the important criteria for the evaluation of Chinese paintings.
4.Promoting the development of literati painting: Dong Qichang himself was a representative of literati painting in the Ming Dynasty, and his theory of the Northern and Southern Sects emphasized the status and value of literati painting, which further promoted the development of literati painting in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
5.Influence on East Asian art: The theory of the North-South sect has had a certain influence on the painting of East Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea, and has become an important link for East Asian art exchanges.
In short, Dong Qichang's theory of the Northern and Southern Sects is of great significance and value to the study of the history of Chinese painting, the creation of painters, and the evaluation of paintings, and is an important part of Chinese painting theory.
2) Influence and enlightenment on contemporary painting art.
Dong Qichang's theory of the North-South sect has had a certain influence on contemporary painting art and provides some enlightenment, mainly including the following aspects:
1.The Relationship Between Tradition and Innovation: The North-South Sect emphasizes the importance of tradition, but also encourages artists to innovate on the basis of tradition. This reminds contemporary painting artists to respect tradition, and at the same time have the courage to explore new forms of expression and artistic languages to promote the development of painting art.
2.Cultivation of personal style: Dong Qichang believes that painters should form their own unique personal style. This means that contemporary painting artists need to gradually discover and cultivate their own unique artistic language and style on the basis of extensively learning and absorbing various artistic genres.
3.Diverse artistic perspectives: The North-South sect reflects different regions and different styles of painting. This inspires contemporary painting artists to keep an open mind and appreciate and learn from artworks of different styles and cultural backgrounds in order to broaden their artistic horizons.
4.The relationship between art and culture: The North-South sect deals with the relationship between painting and culture and philosophy. This suggests that contemporary painting artists should pay attention to the cultural connotation and ideological concepts conveyed by their works, so that the works of art have deeper meaning and value.
5.The Importance of Aesthetic Criticism: Dong Qichang's North-South Sect Theory has had a profound impact on painting criticism, making people pay more attention to the inheritance, style and technique of painters. This means that contemporary painting artists need to pay attention to the aesthetic quality and artistic value of their works in order to improve their own artistic level.
In short, Dong Qichang's theory of the North-South sect provides valuable ideological resources and inspiration for contemporary painting art, from which artists can draw inspiration and combine the contemporary social and cultural background to create works with the characteristics of the times and personal style.
About author:Zhang Fan is a famous contemporary Chinese painter and Zen scholar. He is currently the president of Suqian Painting Academy of Jiangsu Province, a member of the sixth and fifth standing committee of Suqian City of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a member of the Suqian Grassroots Committee of the China Democratic Construction Association, a member of the Art Committee of the Jiangsu Artists Association, a member of the China Guqin Society, and a standing director of the Jiangsu Chinese Painting Society.
It is the main promoter and participant of the "Suqian phenomenon of calligraphy art" in Jiangsu Province.
"Zhang Fan's Painting Exhibition" has been in Nanjing, Xuzhou and Suqian in Jiangsu Province; Lanzhou City, Dingxi City, Zhangye City, Tianshui City, Dunhuang City, Pingliang City, Longnan, Longxi, Wuwei, Qingyang in Gansu Province; Qingdao City, Yantai City, Weifang City, Laiwu City, Qingzhou City, Shandong; It was exhibited in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Fuzhou and other places in Guangdong Province, and was widely praised by the industry.
Mr. Fan Yang, vice president of the Chinese Painting Academy of the China National Academy of Painting, once wrote an article with the title of "Looking at Zhang Fan's Works and Talking about the Current Situation of Chinese Painting", commenting on the artistic ideas and value of his works. One of the promoters of Chinese New Literati Painting, Zhang Fan's landscape paintings and plum blossom series works have a unique style, profound skills, and high artistic attainments, and he is a well-known and powerful painter in the contemporary Chinese painting circle. He has published many personal monographs and edited a series of professional albums. ）