Aesthetics Research On The Space Of Chinese Landscape Paintings

There are many aesthetic topics about Chinese landscape painting,but two of them are more important:Space and Ink.Compared with Ink,Space is not an unique aesthetic concept of Chinese painting,because western painting also concerns space question.Since modem times,a group of artists and aesthetes have been going abroad and comparing the differences between Chinese painting and Western painting.Then they are aware of the importance and particularity of Chinese painting's space idea gradually.However,the most research is that use western aesthetic theory to explain the Chinese painting.So the Space notion in Chinese landscape painting is usually equivalent to the perspective or painting composition in western painting.This kind of research method ultimately result in that Chinese Culture is transformed and replaced by western culture.In this paper,I will base on the ancient theory of Chinese painting and traditional philosophy,and interpret the aesthetic idea about space of Chinese landscape painting in contemporary context.From ancient theory of Chinese landscape painting,the pursuit of painting's space is "One Foot&One Thousand Miles".It is that ancient artists attempt to show infinite space in the finite dimension of a painting.This pursuit is summarized as"FAR" in the Song Dynasty.Compare with western art theory,"FAR" in Chinese landscape painting is not only referring to the expression of spatial depth,but has many levels of meaning.In chapter one,I will analyze the "FAR" which is the unique space terms in Chinese landscape painting,mostly from the level of physical space.To begin with,the expression of physical space mainly embodies in the expression of depth.Although both Chinese painting and western painting all attempt to show three dimensional feature of things in the two-dimensional picture,the Former is further on the depth than the latter.In addition,it embodies in area."FAR" is also a term about area in the Chinese ancient artists'eyes.Chinese landscape painters not only want to express extreme distant depth of space,but also want to express extreme broad space area.Lastly,it embodies in spatial position.The spatial position of things is a very important question which Chinese ancient artists concerned.Furthermore,we will find that Chinese landscape paintings closely relate to Chinese ancient maps.So,it can be deduced that "overlook view" in Chinese landscape painting maybe derive from the way of map plotting to a great extent.In chapter two,I will analyze the time characteristics of "FAR".It must understand "FAR"as a motion,that is,a gradually going far-away process.When one appreciate a Chinese painting,his sight usually not fixes at a certain position,but can shift continuously on the picture.By analysis some excellent works,we can find that Chinese landscape painters usually lay out spatial distribution carefully,in order to guide the appreciator's spirit to go into the scene that artist depicts.From the nearby landscape to the distant hill,and to the infinity in the end,the viewer as if is undergoing a sightseeing experience in the real world.The position of things in the scenery is orderly.The idea of "Can Visit" and "Can Dwelling" is embodied by this orderly process of appreciation,which is from nearby to far away.So,space in Chinese painting is not stationary as in western painting,but dynamic as in Drama art.It has beginning,developing,climax and ending.Time is a typical spacial character of Chinese landscape painting and it is different from western landscape painting.This space expressing method is related to the ancient notion about time and space in China.In the traditional culture,time and space are not two separate concepts,but an unity.If use a word to depict the process of going away on space,it is "Deep".The meaning of "Deep"in ancient art theory is different from in modern language.It not refers to very deep or a large distance in space,but refers to very long and tortuous process in the dynamic space.In the third chapter,the relationship between "Far" and Chinese philosophy will be discussed.The typical characteristic of Chinese painting is that painting connected with Taoist philosophy and Zhou Yi in essence.Why does Chinese landscape paintings pursue to express the "Far" of space?According to Guo-xi's explanation,the main reason is that Mountain and Rivers are "Huge thing".So,only through "Far" view,must they be grasped.However,in Chinese traditional culture,"Huge thing" is not simply equal to a thing which is very large in size or volume,but is other meaning..In Lao zi,there is a thing named "Huge",and its style-name is "Tao".Moreover,its attribute of time is "Elapse",and its attribute of space is "Far".Maybe it is the source of the idea of "Huge thing".It is obviously that the view of "Far" by Guo-xi is putting Taoism into the Art practice.To say "Mountains and Rivers are Huge things" is to say Mountains and Rivers are the things implying Tao.Another reason why do Chinese landscape painters like "Far" space is that "XING SHI QI XIANG" is the feature of landscape.It should be noted that "XING SHI QI XIANG" is not one word but four words,that is "XING""SHI""Ql""XIANG".The meaning of every word is different from others.These terms not only are the components of Chinese landscape painting,but also are the core concepts of Taoism.In addition,the space consciousness of Chinese landscape painting has something to do with the realm depicted by Zhuang zi.As for its essence,the pursuit of "Far" in Chinese landscape painting is the pursuit of lofty realm in Taoism.In chapter four,this paper will discuss the spiritual meaning of space expressed in Chinese landscape painting.Different from Western painting,the far distance of "One Thousand miles",which is pursued in Chinese painting is not accurate and real spatial distance.Space of Chinese painting is not a copy of reality,but spiritual space which beyond human vision.Chinese painting's space is not only on the picture,but also in people's mind.However,the spiritual space is not through subjectivity but the unity of reality and imagination.It embodies the idea of“Harmony of Nature and Human"The infinity of space is expressed by a blank in Chinese landscape painting.We don't see the infinity point,but feel it through imaginary activity.From the artistic creation point of view,"Far" of space,in Chinese landscape painting,is a transition from skill to notion,and from picture form to spiritual realm.The last chapter will start with the view of "Imagination Following Scenes of JING JIE".The space of "JING JIE" will be discussed further."Far" of landscape painting ultimately reflects as "Far" of "JING JHE".Perspective from Etymology,"JING JIE" is a concept of space originally.So,the space of Chinese landscape painting should be classified into two categories,that is,picture space and JING JIE space.The picture space is a visual space reflected by scene on the picture;but the JING JIE space is a imaginary and ideal space.It is the scene which appeared combination of the real and vacant space,and appeared fusion of feelings with the natural scene.Ancient artists obviously deem that space of painting consists of real visual scene and vacant imaginary scene,moreover the latter dominates.Picture space is finite,but JING JIE space is infinite.Space of Chinese painting must break through the limitation of picture space,then lead to infinite space of JING JIE.It is the reason why Chinese ancient painters pursue to space of "One Foot&One Thousand Miles".Professor Zong Bai-hua think the JING JIE space of Chinese painting as "Space of Spirit".The "Spirit" of Chinese painting's space embody in two aspects:On the one hand,it reflects the close relationship between Chinese landscape painting and ancient wizard culture;On the other hand,it explains that Chinese painting's JING JIE space imply life meaning.It fulls of endless energy.At the end of this paper,I want to state that the JING JIE space of Chinese landscape painting is the integrated scene of human ideal and real life.For one thing,the space of Chinese landscape painting is a Fairyland beyond secular life.For another,the picture is the depiction of human real life,so it contains feeling of home.In a word,Chinese landscape paintings reflect people's pursuit of ideal environment,that is,the livable environment is the beautiful scenery.