Summary:
As an important part of traditional Chinese culture, Chinese painting integrates rich literary connotations and artistic expressions. From the perspective of epics to picture scrolls, this paper discusses how Chinese painting draws on ancient literary works and integrates literary emotions with the artistic conception of pictures to form a unique artistic style. First of all, as a witness and recorder of history, Chinese painting has drawn a rich and colorful historical picture scroll through the reference of ancient epics and historical literary works. Secondly, through the expression of literary emotions and artistic conceptions, Chinese painting makes the picture more emotionally resonant and aesthetically enjoyable.
I. Introduction
As an important part of traditional Chinese art, Chinese painting has been carrying rich cultural connotations and artistic emotions since ancient times. The literary connotation contained in it is one of the unique features of Chinese painting. With the changes of the times and cultural exchanges, Chinese painting has not only continuously absorbed and borrowed from classical literature, but also presented a unique development path in artistic expression. Therefore, it is of great practical significance and academic value to deeply explore the literary meaning and artistic expression in Chinese painting to understand the deep connotation of traditional Chinese culture and promote the development of Chinese painting art.
II. The Historical Origins of Chinese Painting and Classical Literature
A. The Origin and Development of Chinese Painting
As an important part of traditional Chinese art, the origin of Chinese painting can be traced back to ancient rock paintings and seal carving art. In the long river of Chinese culture, Chinese painting has undergone a long and rich development process, and has gradually formed a unique artistic style and expression.
Early Chinese paintings were mainly represented by petroglyphs and patterns on artifacts, which often had strong decorative and mystical themes, reflecting the ancient man's worship and exploration of nature and mystical forces. With the development of society and cultural exchanges, Chinese painting has gradually matured, forming a painting form with ink and pigment as the main materials, and gradually forming painting techniques and aesthetic concepts with Chinese characteristics.
In the development of Chinese painting, ancient literature played a crucial role. Ancient literature not only provided rich themes and inspiration for Chinese painting, but also provided an important reference for the aesthetic concept and artistic expression of Chinese painting. For example, the depiction of natural scenery and the expression of human conditions in ancient poems provide rich themes and emotional expressions for Chinese painting, while the historical stories and legends in ancient classics provide rich imagination and inspiration for Chinese painting.
B. The status and role of classical literature in Chinese art
Classical literature plays a pivotal and irreplaceable role in Chinese art. First of all, classical literature is an important part of Chinese culture, carrying rich historical, philosophical, moral and other cultural connotations, and has played an important role in the formation and development of traditional Chinese culture. Therefore, Chinese art often uses classical literature to express and inherit the essence of traditional Chinese culture, reflecting the cultural identity and spiritual pursuit of the Chinese people.
Second, classical literature provides Chinese art with a wealth of themes and ways to express emotions. The description of nature and the expression of emotions in ancient poems provide rich creative materials and expressions for Chinese painting, while the historical stories and legends in ancient classics provide rich drama and narrative for Chinese opera, sculpture and other art forms. Therefore, there is a close connection and mutual penetration between classical literature and Chinese art, which promotes each other, and jointly promotes the development and prosperity of Chinese art.
Classical literature also provided guidance for Chinese art in terms of art theory and aesthetic concepts. Ancient writers have conducted in-depth discussions and summaries on the aesthetic concepts and creative methods of art, and formed many classic art theories and aesthetic views. These theories and perspectives have played an important guiding role in the development and evolution of Chinese art, and have provided theoretical support and creative guidance for artists.
III. The Influence and Reference of Classical Literature on Chinese Painting
A. The use of literary themes in Chinese painting
Various themes in classical literature have been widely used in Chinese painting, providing painters with rich creative materials and sources of inspiration. First of all, the depiction of natural scenery in ancient poetry provides a rich subject matter for Chinese painting. Through the depiction of natural scenery such as landscapes, flowers and birds, and clouds, the poets expressed their unique perception and emotional experience of natural beauty, which not only enriched the artistic connotation of Chinese literature, but also provided rich creative materials for Chinese painting. Through the depiction of natural scenes in ancient poems, the painters showed their love for nature and perception of life, making Chinese painting more poetic and emotional.
Secondly, historical stories and legends in ancient literature also provide rich themes for Chinese painting. Historical stories in ancient literary works such as "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and "Water Margin", as well as legendary legends such as "Journey to the West" and "Romance of the Gods", are all subjects that Chinese painters like to depict. The heroes, war scenes, myths and legends in these stories provide rich imagination and creative materials for Chinese painting, making it more vivid and dramatic.
In addition, the characters and emotional expressions in ancient literature also provide important themes for Chinese painting. The depiction of human feelings and the expression of emotions in ancient poems provided Chinese painters with a wealth of emotional expressions and methods for shaping characters. Through the depiction of characters and the embodiment of emotional expression in ancient literature, the painters made Chinese painting more colorful and could better express the inner emotions and thoughts of the characters.
B. Literary imagery in Chinese painting
The imagery and symbolism in classical literature have been exquisitely expressed in Chinese painting, providing painters with rich expressions and artistic languages. First of all, the imagery and symbolism in ancient poetry are widely used in the composition and painting techniques of Chinese painting. For example, poets often use imagery such as "smoke and rain in the south of the Yangtze River" and "snow-capped" to depict natural scenes, while painters express poetic imagery through the vivid use of ink color and clever use of composition. This technique of expressing natural beauty through imagery makes Chinese painting more poetic and artistic.
Secondly, symbolic themes and metaphors in ancient literature are also widely used in Chinese painting. For example, ancient poems often used flowers, birds, insects and fish as metaphors for the emotions and realms of the characters, while painters expressed the emotions and moods of the characters through the depiction and composition of flowers, birds, insects and fish. This method of expressing the inner world of the characters through symbolism makes Chinese painting more profound and connotative.
In addition, the artistic conception and emotion in ancient literature have also been skillfully used by painters in Chinese painting. For example, the melancholy, heroic, and graceful emotions often expressed in poetry are vividly expressed in Chinese painting. Through the use of color, line, brush and ink and other artistic elements, the painters express the artistic conception and emotion in the poems, making Chinese painting more emotional and vigorous.
IV. Literary Themes and Meanings in Chinese Painting
A. The relationship between poetry and landscape painting
The relationship between Chinese landscape painting and poetry is inseparable, and the two complement each other and penetrate each other. In ancient China, landscape painting was often combined with poetry, forming a unique artistic style and expression.
First of all, poetry provides a wealth of inspiration and subject matter for landscape painting. Ancient poets expressed their unique perception and emotional experience of nature through the description of natural scenes. The artistic conception and emotion in these poems provide rich creative materials for landscape painting, enabling painters to better express natural beauty and emotional connotation. For example, Lu You's "Mountains and heavy waters have no way out, and the willows and flowers are bright and another village", and Li Bai's "green mountains cross the north Guo, and white water surrounds the east city", the landscape imagery in these poems has become the subject matter often depicted by landscape painters, providing inspiration and inspiration for their creation.
Secondly, landscape painting has often become the object and carrier of poetry. When composing poems, many poets often use the scenery in landscape painting as the subject matter, and express their emotions and thoughts through the description of natural scenes. Through the expression of words, these poems reproduce and convey the artistic conception and emotions in landscape painting, so that the poems and landscape painting have a close connection in artistic expression. For example, in Li Bai's poem "Moon Song of Mount Emei", "The moon of Mount Emei is half in autumn, and the shadow enters the water flow of the Pingqiang River." It shows his emotional expression of landscapes, and has also become one of the subjects often depicted by landscape painters.
B. The embodiment of literary allusions in figure painting
Chinese character paintings often draw on literary allusions, and express the painter's pursuit of the inner world and emotional expression of the characters through the reproduction of the characters and storylines in literary works.
First of all, literary allusions provide rich subject matter and expressive materials for figure painting. Historical stories, legends, and poems in ancient literature have become the subjects often depicted by character painters. The heroes, beauties, and touching emotions in these literary allusions provide painters with rich imagination and creative inspiration, making the figure paintings more vivid and dramatic. For example, the characters and emotions in Du Fu's "Ascending" and Du Mu's "Autumn Night Will Dawn Out of the Fence to Welcome the Cool Feeling", the characters and emotions in these poems have become one of the themes often depicted by figure painters.
Secondly, literary allusions also provide rich imagery and expressive techniques for figure painting. The symbolic themes and metaphors in ancient literature provided rich expressions and artistic languages for figure painters. Through the depiction of the characters and emotions in literary allusions, the painters show the richness and complexity of the inner world of the characters, making the figure paintings more profound and connotative. For example, in literary works, flowers, birds, insects and fish are often used as metaphors for the emotions and realms of the characters, and painters express the emotions and moods of the characters through the depiction and composition of these images, making the figure paintings more vivid and poetic.
V. Interpretation of Chinese Painting in the Literary Context
A. From Epic to Picture Scroll: Historical Narratives in Chinese Painting
As a witness and recorder of history, Chinese painting is often inspired and influenced by ancient literary works in terms of narrative. The heroic stories and historical events in ancient epics and historical literary works have often become the subject matter of Chinese painters' creations, and the historical stories are permanently engraved on the picture scrolls through painting reproduction.
First of all, the heroic stories in ancient epics provide rich themes for Chinese painting. Heroic characters and war scenes in epic masterpieces such as "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and "Water Margin" often become the objects of painters' creations. By reproducing the heroic deeds of the epic through painting, the painters were able to show the might and bravery of historical figures, and at the same time reflect the social style and cultural atmosphere of the time. For example, painters often depict heroes such as Guan Yu and Zhang Fei in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", showing their bravery and heroism through the shaping of their images and the depiction of scenes, and at the same time reflecting the social style and cultural spirit of the Three Kingdoms period.
Secondly, historical events in historical literary works often become the subject matter of Chinese painting. Historical events in ancient historical literature, such as wars, political struggles, social changes, etc., often became the objects of painters' creations. By reproducing the scenes and characters of historical events through painting, painters can show the grandeur and tragedy of historical events, and at the same time, they can also reflect the impact and significance of historical events on the society at that time. For example, painters often depict historical events such as the banquet scene in "Dream of Red Mansions" and the journey of learning scriptures in "Journey to the West", and through the depiction of scenes and characters, they show the scenes of historical events and the shaping of characters, reflecting the historical significance and cultural connotation of historical events.
B. The fit between the literary emotion and the artistic conception of the picture
As an art form with emotion as the soul, Chinese painting often reproduces and conveys the emotions and artistic conceptions in literary works through the expression of literary emotions and the creation of artistic conception of pictures. In Chinese paintings, it is often possible to see the fit between literary emotion and the artistic conception of the picture, which makes the picture more emotionally resonant and aesthetically enjoyable.
First of all, through the expression of literary emotions, Chinese painting makes the picture more emotionally resonant. Ancient literary works often express people's emotional experiences and perceptions of nature, life, emotions and other aspects, and Chinese painting can arouse the deep emotional resonance of the viewer through the expression of these emotions. For example, literary works often express the praise of natural beauty and the reflection on the fate of life, while Chinese painting expresses the painter's emotional experience of nature and life through the depiction of natural scenery and human figures, so that the viewer can resonate and feel in the process of appreciating the paintings.
Secondly, through the creation of the artistic conception of the picture, Chinese painting makes the picture more aesthetically enjoyable. Literary works often create a rich and colorful artistic conception through the description of emotions and artistic conceptions, while Chinese painting can better express the artistic conception and emotions in literary works through the treatment of color, composition, brush and ink, etc. For example, literary works often express the beauty of natural scenery and the lofty realm of life, while Chinese painting makes the picture better express this beauty and loftiness through the depiction of natural scenery and human figures, so that the viewer can feel the aesthetic enjoyment in the process of appreciating the painting.
VI. Conclusion
This paper mainly discusses the literary connotation and artistic expression in Chinese painting, and analyzes how Chinese painting works borrow from ancient literary works from the perspective of epic poems to picture scrolls, and integrate literary emotions with picture artistic conception to form a unique artistic style. Through the heroic stories and historical events in epic poems and historical literary works, Chinese painters express the testimony and record of history, and at the same time, through the expression of literary emotions and artistic conceptions, the pictures have more emotional resonance and aesthetic enjoyment. Therefore, Chinese painting is not only an art form, but also a continuation and expression of literary tradition.
Author: Lu Xilin
Bibliography:
Ancient Chinese Literature and Chinese Painting. Knowledge of Literature and History, 02, 9-10.
Chinese Painting and the Spiritual Inheritance of Chinese Classical Literature. Chinese Painting, 04, 41-43.
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