tour 1 of 14
Mountains and water: Chinese landscape painting
Mountains and Water: Chinese Landscape Painting
Landscape painting is traditionally at the top of the hierarchy
of Chinese painting styles. It is very popular and is associated
with refined scholarly taste. The Chinese term for 'landscape' is
made up of two characters meaning 'mountains and water'. It is
linked with the philosophy of Daoism, which emphasizes harmony with
the natural world.
Chinese artists do not usually paint real places but imaginary,
idealized landscapes. The Chinese phrase woyou expresses
this idea of 'wandering while lying down'. In China, mountains are
associated with religion because they reach up towards the heavens.
People therefore believe that looking at paintings of mountains is
good for the soul.
Chinese painting in general is seen as an extension of
calligraphy and uses the same brushstrokes. The colours are
restrained and subtle and the paintings are usually created in ink
on paper, with a small amount of watercolour. They are not framed
or glazed but mounted on silk in different formats such as hanging
scrolls, handscrolls, album leaves and fan paintings.
This tour was written to accompany the exhibition
Mountains and Water, at the British Museum from 9
February to 28 August 2005. It was the first in a series of
displays exploring the different traditions of Chinese
painting.