Tang And Song Dynasties "wu Family-like" Heritage Research

The painting art in Tang Dynasty has great influence on the following artistic production, and "Wu Style" is one of the most important representatives. Tang and Song Dynasties are key periods for the descent of "Wu Style". This article aims at the transmitting of Wu Style in the period of Tang and Song Dynasties to analyze the descent rules of this classical style.This article is divided into two parts including literature review and image analysis. The literature review part includes the sorting and reviewing on the formation and destruction of Wu Style, the learners of Wu Style in Tang and Song Dynasties, the mural paintings in Song Dynasty under Wu, Dao Zi. The image analysis part focuses on engraving paintings on stone coffins in Tang Dynasty, portraits of Lokapala in Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties, and the images of Confucius from Song to Qing Dynasty, to study the evolution and transmission of Wu Style. Based on the research, conclusion can be drawn as:1. The Wu Style is a collective concept which was created by Wu, Dao Zi and contributed by many painters and craftsmen through different dynasties. The formation of Wu Style images in Song Dynasty is the result of imitation and recognition of Tang art by contemporaries.2. The descent of Wu Style has gone through "formation", "deterioration", "reborn" and "marginalization". The transition of artistic taste since North Song Dynasty and the rise of elite art finally separated the Wu Style with the mainstream paintings, and Wu Style exists exclusively in the form of folk temple murals.3. During the period of descent, painters and craftsmen added and changed details in many aspects while following the basic stylistic principles. Wu Style images thus realized transmission through various media (scroll paintings, murals, engravings and prints) without losing necessary characteristics of Tang Dynasty.