A Study On Aesthetics Of Theory Of Painting In Song Dynasty

Although there were several studies on theory of paintings of Song Dynasty and those equally have accomplished definite results, nevertheless, it still required advanced aesthetical research in this field. Especially, fundamental discussions and studies in the relation of socio-economical base in Song Dynasty are still more needed. And accordingly, it is necessary to advent upgraded aesthetical articles. Li xue(理学) deeply influenced upon paintings and its theories in Song Dynasty. Similarly, Taoism(道家) and Zen Buddhism(禅宗) also did, especially the Zen's influence was prominent. In this way, those tripartite usually permeated one another. But up to the present former studies were lack of weight and depth on this point. So this essay tries to focus on development of paintings and its theories of Song Dynasty from an aesthetical point of view.Economically speaking, Song Dynasty has several kinds of characteristics as its background. 1. Aristocratic families those who politically influential and economically dominant for generations were thoroughly ruin, and disappeared from stage of history. 2. Manufacture system was highly developed in accordance to scientific and technological progress as historical landmarks. 3. There was prosperity of commerce and commercial transaction. 4. Remarkable growth of modernistic big walled city and increase of population. 5. Economic interchanges between the north and the south. Those economic backgrounds were inevitably to affected cultural aspects. Let us make sense of cultural peculiarities in Song Dynasty. 1. Literati class from mass of the common people and literati art emerged. The literati art was classified with court art of aristocratic class. 2. Prosperity of commerce and big walled city had art consumers changed, and after all, had art changed.And then, we can find a few obvious characteristics as cultural back ground in Song Dynasty. 1. The advent of literati class and art of their own. 2. Thriving commerce and flourishing big walled city accomplished extraordinary action to the art and literature. 3. Philosophy also expressed the enormous renovation. The special features of "Li xue(理学)" as a part of "neo-Confucianism(新儒学)" newly met some special qualities like secularization, systematization, and logical sequence. Thus Confucianism was more closely related to everyday life of common people. Its fundamental conception was "Li(理)". In Song Dynasty, government based on ideology was more and more strengthened, yet Confucianism as a philosophy was more and more secularized. 4. Excluding "Li xue(理学)", another important school was "Zen Buddhism(禅宗)". Let us make out connection of "Li xue(理学)" and aesthetics in first.There were various linking points that connect Li xue to aesthetics in Song Dynasty as following. 1. The traditional moral as "pursuing pleasure of Kong-zi(孔子) and Yan Hui(颜回)" 2. Esteem of "life and vitality(生意)". Scholars of Ii xue in Song regarded the pleasure of acting up to "benevolence(仁)" as a beauty, and this benevolence originated in the "heaven and earth(天地); the universe". "Benevolence", that is to say, is name of the nature that continuous reproduction breed in an endless succession by "Yin-Yang the universe(天地阴阳)", thus the natural "life and vitality"(生意) of the "heaven and earth(天地)" as the matter of course is the perfect beauty. 3. An idea of "serene contemplation(静观)". Originally the "serene contemplation(静观)" belongs to discipline of "Li xue", however simultaneously this conception was entirely applicable to aesthetic point of view. 4. Cosmological consciousness. In "Ii xue", moral ontology and cosmic ontology are inseparably related with each other, and these are resulted from realization of the "Four origins(四端;仁义礼智)". In the same manner, the "pleasure(乐)" which is moralistic and moreover aesthetic is indivisible from cosmic contemplation itself. Because of this point,the art and aesthetics of Song Dynasty self-consciously had the cosmological consciousness in its fullness. 5. Respect of beauty of nature. Scholars of "Li xue" considered as : no matter what "Li(S)" or "Qi^)" that producing all things is "coming of itself ( S^M^) ", that is by no means artificially operated or prearranged in advance. Such standpoint was applied to creative art and made art of Song Dynasty esteem beauty of nature (coming of itself) exceedingly. 6. Laying stress on "disposition^^.)". Scholars of "Li xue" ordinarily valued much of "disposition of a sage (SA^^-)", consequently this tendency influenced on aesthetics. "disposition('fet s|t)" indicates the whole impression that one who has appearance and the inside(personality, temper, thought, etc.) gives to others. By putting that impression into practice of art and literature, it is to materialize the works of art as a unity of form and subject, also as an expression of human existence that breathed into one's sensibility on the whole. 7. Principles of "completing knowledge by inquiry of things (I&^JS&I)", "study the laws of nature by close access(EP$3 ^?S)" of "Li xue". These principles made art and literature of Song Dynasty take a serious view of "Li(S)" of all over the universe, so made them close investigate things, and after all have achieved very remarkable characteristic in art and literature, especially in paintings of Song Dynasty.On the other hand, "Zen Buddhism^tr)" also flourished in Song Dynasty. It positively served to government of Song, accordingly was blessed with upholding of ruling class of Song Dynasty. For this reason there appeared tendency of pursue of the Zen's Utopia whether it was poetry or painting in Song period.Let us sum up Zen Buddhism's influences to art and literature, and aesthetics in Song Dynasty. 1. Tendency of pursue of the Zen's Utopia. 2. Comprehending poetry depend of the Zen. 3. Arguing paintings on the basis of the Zen."Court painting" and "literati painting" had a different style of origination in Song Dynasty. Song period not only accomplished epoch-making development of "court painting", but also was the times that suddenly rise "literati painting" in the true sense of the word. However both styles were not confronted with each other.Paintings of Song Dynasty had various identifying marks. 1. Province of the south and the north in the connection with "the southern sect(^^)" and "the northern sect(Jt^)". 2. A sphere of coloration and India ink. 3. Classification of depictive brush-painting and description of meaning. 4. Division of court painting and literati painting. 5. Interaction between secularization and aristocracy. 6. Momentous realization in describing the natural beauty. 7. Unification of poetry and painting. 8. Systematization of theory of painting. 9. Collecting and judging of works. 10. The times full-scaled development and prosperity of Chinese paintings.Theory of painting in Song Dynasty had occupied considerably high position in Chinese aesthetic history. It was positively superior to former generations no matter what in quantity or in theoretical minuteness and its systematic level. Undoubtedly the Chinese theory of painting had been achieving development time after time since Song Dynasty. However if we could make a comparison it with every single period (ex. Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties), there is no prominent period than Song Dynasty in theory of paintings. Song period had number of essays of court painting as : [LJnQuan Gao Zbi(W^.Mt gQ] by Guo Xi($H&B) and Guo Si($[5Jg), [Shan Shut Chun Quan Ji{\h7^M±M)] by Han Zhuo($5#lj), [XuanHeHuaPu(MMm^)) by Han Zhuo(#|tU), [GuangQuan Hua Ba(f )\\M$fc)) by Dong You(lgii). And there were essays of literati painting as : \Yi Zhou Ming Him Lu(M.')'H￡i WOk)] by Huang Xiufu(M'i^ U), [Song Chao MingH.ua Ving^tM&Wtfi)} by Liu Daochun(>ClJjtSI), [Tu Huajian Wen ZA/(SljJLfi ;&)] by Guo Ruoxu(f[5^fli), [HuaJi(M^.)] by Deng Chun(^#), and there were number of essays ofvarious authors like Ouyang Xiu^fcPH^), Su Shi(^$$), Huang Tingjian^EM), Mi Fu^if), etc.Even if "court painting" and "literati painting" went differential way of progress, but those were not diametrically opposed in Song Dynasty. Needless to say, paintings of Song Dynasty were inseparably related with its theory. Though that theory also contained court painting and literati painting, still die bodi were not fundamentally opposed.Characteristics of painting aesthetics of the Song Dynasty can be presented as : 1. Supposing that theory of court painting and literati painting were more or less had a distinction, still the both commonly accepted the ideas of "Li xue" and "Zen Buddhism". Court painting and its theory mainly received die influence of "study die laws of nature by close access(BP^J^jBl)" and "completing knowledge by inquiry of things($r$}?$L$.U)" of "Li xue". On the contrary, literati painting and its dieory principally accepted the influence of "Mind^fr)" of "Zen Buddhism". 2. court painting was not merely pursued "similitude of shape^^)" but also was to present "IA(M)" and "artistic atmosphereCHtl)" of the "all tilings of the universe(^ife^J^)". However, Literati painting of Song Dynasty was not entirely exclude "similitude of shape^jl^)", too. 3. The both of those attached importance to discipline of a painter oneself. 4. The both of those pursued unity of poetry and painting, and furthermore sought for the union of "Yi(2)" and "Dao(it)"Up to the Ming and the Qing Dynasties, the relationship of "literati painting" and "court painting" had converted anodier relationship as paintings of the Song Dynasty and diat of the Yuan Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty was, so to speak, the confluence of paintings of the Yuan and the Song. One hand it based on paintings of the Yuan Dynasty absorbed painting of the Song Dynasty, hence die spirit of art was development of the Yuan's spirit. On the other hand it based on paintings of the Song Dynasty absorbed painting of the Yuan Dynasty, so the spirit of art was development of the Song's spirit. Before and after "May 4rth movement(3l E3)" the status of literati painting exceedingly elevated up, because modern Western painting was introduced and influenced to Chinese painting in those days. But today we have to break down narrow-mindedness that respectful to literati painting and disregardful to court painting. On the contrary, we need to exalt the court painting as the secularism in the tradition of social life. Moreover, it is necessary that we do not include the tradition of court painting in compass of traditional literati painting, as well as observe nature as it is and practice basic techniques. After all, key point depend on issues that how the relations of literati painting and court painting of Song Dynasty had been progressing, subsequently making mutual supplement. And it depends on how we comment on die progress and mutual supplement of these. This essay makes much of this pointIn the end, cultural interchanges as well as commercial exchanges between Korea and China had been quite frequent in Song period. This essay argues on interchange of painting between Korea and China centering around historical documentary record.