Eulogy And Transcendence Of Life

Temporal and spatial consciousness have always played an important role in Chinese ancient philosophy. They are exemplified in the concepts of"the way"[dao] and"heaven"[tian]. In spatial terms,"the way"and"heaven"mean absolute unboundedness; in temporal terms,"the way"and"heaven"mean eternity and limitlessness. The search for human existential value in space and time has characterized Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism.Traditional Chinese painting, which is rooted in Chinese philosophy, aims to directly represent the spirit of life. It represents a strong life force that always attempts to break through the confines of time and space in order to realize its eternal value and unboundedness. As such, time and space have naturally become indispensable factors in aesthetics. When applied in painting, spatial and temporal consciousness is shown in the scene selection and layout, the construction of a state of mind, and the application of brush and ink. Such consciousness demonstrates the power of Chinese traditional painting, which in turn generates its rich content. This power and contents characterize Chinese aesthetics, and represents, directly or indirectly, the way that the aesthetic subject evaluates the value of his or her life. It is the rhythm of life; it is also the artistic expression of the natural instinct to realize one's value and exert one's influence in the face of nature.The concept of the unity of time and space, and the role of time in facilitating spatial-temporal changes, have characterized the Chinese idea of the cosmos; they are also the origin of the Chinese philosophy of art. Traditional Chinese painting emphasizes the"interaction of qi and rhythm". It strives for a return to the self and ultimate unity with nature in the perennial effort to transcend nature and its spatial-temporal confines. This unremitting pursuit for unity with the cosmos has been a consistent feature of Chinese painting. The skilful use of"black and white" and"concrete and abstract"in traditional Chinese painting is an effective means to go beyond what one's eyes can see, and ultimately to explore the concerns of the human soul. Traditional Chinese painting absorbs the essence of Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism—the three contending streams of thought in Chinese philosophy. It pursues"emptiness,""motionlessness,""detachment"and"antiquity."It appreciates human subjective consciousness while emphasizing the importance of time in order to realize the ultimate pursuit of unboundedness and eternity. Traditional Chinese painting is based on this idea of the cosmos, achieved through a dynamic model of unity of time and space. From its expressive means (such as the use of brush, ink, and colour) to its expressive forms (that is, the integration of poetry, literature, seal and picture) and finally to the various forms and sizes of scrolls, traditional Chinese painting expresses the organic unity of time and space on the one hand, and heaven and earth and all lives in the universe on the other hand. It represents the artistic expression of spatial-temporal consciousness. Briefly speaking, time and space in traditional Chinese painting transcends reality and aims to pursue universal truth.