The Flourish Of Literati Paintings In The Middle And Late Ming Dynasty

The literati paintings of Ming Dynasty experienced prosperity in middle and late Ming Dynasty under the great influence of landscape paintings in Yuan and Ming Dynasty. This prosperity is closely related to the development of social, cultural and commercial ideology. The historical factors also contribute to the prosperity. The development of social economy and the literati and scholar-bureaucrats'attitude towards the society promotes the popularity of artwork in townspeople. The integration of the two expands the appreciation group of literati paintings and promotes its prosperity. Literati are an important part in the society. They own their distinguishing creative tenets and taste pursuit. The given social reality changed their social status, life fortune, knowledge structure and ethnic ideal. These changes had great influences on their works and made deep impression of times. The social system of Chinese feudalism was greatly weakened in Ming Dynasty and faced various inner and outer crises. In particular, the appearance of capitalism and the rapid development of city industrial and commercial economy fostered the townspeople ideology and romantic tide, which stroke feudalist governing order and greatly changed the traditional ethnics and concept of value. In review of Chinese painting history, there would appear an absurd spirit in every turning point to break the shackle of traditional esthetic principles. The advancement of both economic and social activities stimulated the need for art. The commercialization of paintings lied not only on the advancement of commodity economy, but on the social need for paintings as commodities. While the landscape painters of Ming Dynasty sold their paintings, most painters were still sticking to the tradition of pursuing true feelings and emphasizing characteristics. The emphasizing on artists'creativity does not mean that artists should be drowned in their absolute selves and neglect folks'interest. As for the artistic creation, absolute self does not exist. It is more or less with some worldly factors in artists'emotions. The commercialization tendency of landscape paintings in middle and late Ming Dynasty played an important role not only in expanding the influence and scope of literati paintings, but in changing some outmoded conventions and customs. The commercialization of paintings became an important social factor in the prosperity of literati paintings in this period, and the decline of feudal society and the stimulation of darkness and reactionary are the other factor. The prosperous literature activities and frequent ideology reforms in middle and late Ming Dynasty laid great influence on the art. The prosperity of Ming landscape paintings was just in the period of feudal decline. The undeniable great masters and their art in Ming and Qing Dynasty were destined to emerge in that dark social environment. As a matter of fact, the first proposing of"self"was the art phenomenon is middle and late Ming Dynasty. The prosperity of literati paintings in Ming Dynasty includes the unprecedented painting history and theory researches of Ming Dynasty. The Ming and Qing Dynasties are in the leading position in terms of history and theory researches, the two most prominent of which are Dong Qichang and Shi Tao. Dong's advocacy and summary of literati paintings and his discussion on the evolvement laws of landscape paintings had great influence on the creation in late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. These theories are reflection of the great force of literati paintings and are helpful to the unification in the painting field. The prevalence of this theory for 300 years can prove its importance. Meanwhile, the prominent painters in Ming literati painting field are another evidence for the glorious art achievement in this period.In sum, the prosperity of literati paintings in middle and late Ming Dynasty is caused by history. The development of social economy, the attitudes of literati and scholar-bureaucrats towards society both promote the popularity of artwork in townspeople. The townspeople could appreciate the artwork for their economic advancement. The integration of the two in this period expands the appreciation group of the literati paintings and promotes their development.