Ming And Qing Dynasties Huizhou Salt Xin'an Membership Artist Group Relationship

From the period of Emperor Jiaqing and Wanli in Ming Dynasty to the late period of Emperor Qianlong in Qing Dynasty, the ancient Huizhou, which was also named as Xinan , has raised a so called Xinan Artist Group that should has the same academic acknowledgement as any artist group in art history. The main artists in this group has been put into a conception as Xinan School after Zhanggen in Qing Dynasty. However, By analyzing the artistic idea and accomplishments of these artists, we might learn that shouldn't be regarded as a art school, instead, they are an artistic group that active in the same period and same area.The birth of Xinan Artist Group has countless ties with the integrative cultural zoology in Huizhou then. Huizhou salty merchants that started from the early mid period of Ming Dynasty have played a very important role in the developing progress from the very beginning to the peak of this group. No exaggeration that it shouldn't have so many artists at that time in the area without the wonderful help from these salty merchants. Meanwhile, the exist of Xinan artists have also given a magnificent help to the business of Huizhou salty merchants. The reasons why Huizhou salty merchants support the Xinan artist were different, but the strong feeling to their county- fellow which mainly came from the influence of Zhuxi philosophy was one of the most reason. It was this feeling that made Huizhou merchants felt very close to the Xinan artists, and tried to do whatever they could to help them. the well education of the salty merchants made it possible to be the patronage of the artists. Huizhou has been know for its respect to education, being raised in this cultural circumstance, many of the merchants has been educated in nice way, and has a mixed personality of both businessmen and scholars. To own the respect from the literati officials who have the power to distribute the social resources, Huizhou merchants kept educating themselves in their spare times, also tried to set up the communicating bridge between the literati officials and themselves. Thus, Xinan artists became the most affective ties very naturally, since appreciation and collection of art has become so popular in that period. It is hard for normal people to imagine the high pressure that the merchants had, to release the pressure, it has been a common way for them to build their own garden in the city, and invited the scholars including the artists to gather in the garden. all these activities were built up on the solid economic foundation, nothing would happen if this foundation didn't exist. There were several ways of these patronage, the wide art collection of old masters has been the most important material for Xinan artist to learn the traditional techniques. Money they spent to buy the artists live in the time has made it possible for these artists to concentrate on their painting, and never need to worry about their everyday lives. To let the artists to go outside of their studio and paint from the great nature directly, Hui zhou salty merchants also support them by giving money without any request. Beyond doubt, all these patronage has made a strong influence in Xinan artists' painting. Besides the influence of the big art collection of old masters that the Huizhou merchants had, the buying of contemporary artists' work follow their own aesthetic idea also stimulate the Xinan artist to adore Ni Huang, and paint follow Shen, Wen ,Dong. Choosing Huangshan Mountain, Qi Yunshan Mountain and Xinan River as their main subject also has something to do with Huizhou merchants' strong feeling to their hometown. It is easy to find the influence from the wood- cut print when we study Xinan artists' paintings, obviously, they are coming from the advanced Huizhou wood- cut print at that time.