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Tec611ique.s i11S&ade.sof1'1ack
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' C6i11ese PC\i11ti119
fquipme11t
The Four Trea.sures of tlle Studio
The brush, the i.nk stic.k, che ink scone and the paper - the
i111ple111e11ts necclcd fi>r tracJitic)raaJ f>:.:tir'lti1lg a1l.d vvrili11g
- have bee11 kn<''''n as t!1c 'fi)ur treasures of tl\e studio' since the
end oft he I Och cemury when there was a shop of that name
s.cllingrheequipn1enc in . .:\nJlUi' province. These 'tr<-:ast.Jrcs' arc
the brusic necessities required to paint tradicional Chinese
subjects in 'shades of black' .
Accessories
ln addition 10 paper, ink stone am! ink stick, the painter
needs a wacer-hol<ler, a place porcelain dish for mixing the
black ink with water to make the shades of black, au<l newspaper
to serve a.s the absc>rl>cnt l>ackir1g fOr tlae ("'!l1i11ese paper. Weights
are also needed to hold the paper in position. There arc also three
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special items included here: a wooden ' mountain' bruh rest, an
antique water dropper i n the sha pe of a bin! on a tree trunk, and
a lotus leaf brush-washer. (Those shown arr from the collection
of P. Cherrcu).
Chinese Painting Brushes
All de rive from the writing brush, but early \\Tiling was done
with a whittlccl, sharpened willow stick on strips of bamboo.
General Meng Tiau who lived in Lhe Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC)
is credited with the invention of the brush of hair. In the story
relating to this, iris said that. as he was s upe rvising the
construction or the Creat Wall he saw a tuft of goat's h;iir sruck LO
one ofrht: stones. notic:c<l iLs rese111blat1ce to the ,,,iJJo,v stiC'k anci
tried ru \vritc; \vith lt.
The brush most used at present is a blend oft he hairs of the
weasel and the hare, but rabbit hair brushes, goat hair hrushes,
or eve3 those made with panda hair or mousr whiok<"r. are st.ill
availa',le.
Mu h care is needed in the making of a bruoh. for instance, a
brush Jf rabbit hair requires hair which io nci1hcr too soft nor too
thick and has, therefore, LO be obtained in theautumn when all
Lhe correct conditions are satisfied. The Chine.,. bdi1vc I hat
every painter should possess his own brushes whi1h, after
training, take cm his own personality and Although
Chinc1<: hn1shcs arc numbered, there is not always total
consis:ency amongs1 the different makers. The: n:nt n: brush
in the 1llustratit>n is a mc<iiurri-slzcd u11e. -111e baisLles nre
approxjmately I inch in length. The WsL ofhruslics varies
ac<:ortling w both the siz.: and the type ofhai.nised
in the b1uh.
An assortment of brushes, from SUlail Lo large, is
also sl.own.
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Some arc hanging from a special rack (only to be used when the
brushes are completely dry); a multiple brush, made up oft.en
small brushes glued together and used for washes, is lying on a
wooden polished brush rest; a bamboo 'fountain brush' with its
cap at its sick is available for calligraphy; a set of six matching
brushes demonstrates llle range ofbn1sh si?A:s available and
helps show the comparison between the popular sized brushes
ancl the huge b111sh lying next to them.
The Chinc:sc brush always returns to a fine point wh1:n it is
\o\'et i btlt its uniqtteness lies in irs versatility. If tl1e paincer '"
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Lhe brush can produce strokes of varying degrees of broadness,
or c\cn split itself into two or more points to proclucc multiple
l n ~ s v.ith a single strc.>kc. It is 11sua) in ir1k pai11ti11gonly to use:
one brush throughout, as the brush will be capable of pain ring
everything from the finest line to broad areas of wash. Il is also
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The stages in ma/6ng a brush.
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extremely helpful in maintaining the unity ofb,.ushwork st)'k in
the painting to use only one brnsh.
The Chinese brush is made up of hairs of varying lengths,
bound togethet' in a very special way and set in a bamboo holder.
It is built rou1l.d a ce11t1al incl'easing in circt1n1ferenc.c as
layers c1fhair arc ro the core. \ Vhcn tl1c <:<)rrcct size l1as
been reached. the bundle of hair is tied, glued and inserted into
the open end of a bamboo handle. (Care has to be taken not to
loosen the glue in these brushes, as this is its weakest point. Hot
water should not be used for brush washing. ff the hairs do come
oul of the handle, they usually remain tied together in the bundle
and can be l'e-inserted and glued with a modem glue.) A hrush
fr<>m the Western \VC>rld has a large amc>unt c.>f hair i11side Ll1e
handle, while the opposite is true for an oriental brush. This
SJ>Cc:ial cc.)r1struct.i<>r1 brush to l.>chave i11 a u11iqlte \Vay
when loaded with ink.
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I hair is tied hee
Preparing the Brush for Painting
Before actual painting can begin the Chinese brush has to be
'b.roken in' if it is a nc\\' c.>nc, not 1>rcvic)usly usecJ.
fu'St , the cap should be t'emoved. This is sometunes bamboo,
and nowadays mavevcn he made of1>lastic. I t should lhcn be
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lhrown away and not put back on the brush as ils use was to
prolecl lhc brush during ils lravels.
Next, the co:uingof starch, used to shape and proun the hairs
should be rtmoved b) dipping 1he brush in wa1er and gently
manipulating the point against 1he side of the pai.m dish, or even,
'<ry gently, ma.'<Saging with chc fingers.
Looking after the Brush
The brush should always be washed al the end of its u>e, taking
special tare re> rcn1c1v<- a11 traces of the. hl ac.k ink, ,,hich rlri<"s int<>
a grilly slate and would damage the brush iflcft in the hairs for a
long time.
Brushes should be dried in the air by being laid down
horizontally with lhe hairs suspended over the edge of a plate or
ink stone. Traditionally, painrers used a hrush rest, ofwn mark
in t11e s h L ~ c t)fa mt>unrain, tc> rest thcciar111J bru!)hC:i ""'hilc ln l l1e
process t>f 1>ai nting. Fc>r Chinese 1>ainting it is irnp<>r1w1t to l>c
extra careful with excess water or dampness as the absorbency of
the paper puts it more at ri' k than in ordinary Western
watercolour painting. However, brushes should not be left to dry
on the ink rest or the moisture seeps down tu collect at the bll>t: of
the hairs and may loosen the brush from the handle.

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Ink stones.
The Ink Stone
To rnakc the black ink, the ink stick is rubbed in wa1cr 011 an ink
stone. 'l11c grinding action nibs ink from sli k. enabling it to
mix with lhe water. The liner the grain of the ink >tun<>, the
smoother the ink l><comcs and the longer the timr needed for
l(rinding.
The stnnr should be extrcrnd y smooth and l>.11 d The
famous ink are said to be from the Anhui ni,trkt of China.
where arc mad from black stone, but there .ire alo
varif'ties with red <>r green m;trkings fornll11g <ll,j'{llS ln t ht
SlOJJC:.
The Ink Stick
Old ChinCM: mk is mndc of soot mix<-d with ,;:Im: d.nd 01hr r
ingn:dicnrs to hold i1 together. It 1:omcs compn"1rl mto the
forn1 of a scick, '11\ct1mcs round, sometimes c:. rlcc'fJrate-d
wi1h haractcrs .md pictures in gold. Other ink ucks are mad
from lampblack 111ix<d with varnish, pork fat, and musk or
camphor; tlicsc hnv(' a lig-htly bluish, metall ic tin:; to them.
(Tradition that if rhis ink stick is rubbed 011 lhl'
tongue. it is ronsickrl'd" good r ernt:dy for fits"'"'
A good ink sl ic:k is light in wcighi and very hritrl. The l><:sr ink
sticks JJr(J(lur. a black which do<.>S not stick the brL1sh hairs
togcthC'r. or fadt witlt ti111c.
The si7.e of lhc ink >rick should he rnmpatibk with site of
th< ink Slone on il is tCJ be rubbed and abl to make an
amount nf ink uitahl for the subject matter anrl pain1ing izc
required. I bamboo paintings need a large ink stick, ink
slc>ne and brusl1; but a sh<,rt piece <>f \vriting ,,.jJJ nor need so
tllutl1 ink t<> be n1ade. so tl1e stick a11<l stor1e t"ar1 be s1r1allcr.
The ink stick wears down very slowly with use. but the ink
stone 'viJI last forever.
the Ink
Before beginning to paint, che artist always prepares fresh ink.
Although Chinese ink is available in bottles, ic is not suitable for
J)<tiutll1g 11or docs it generate the varlet)' of tr>ne:s, from
black to clclic:atc pearl grey, which can be pro<luce<l hy the
Chinese ink stick. The action of mhbing the ink stick in the w:iter
on the ink stone h;L, chc psychologically medicative effect of
preparing chemin<l for the painting ahead, and as such has
a]..,.,..ays been regarded al.J11ost as a sat"rc<i rit.c.
To mix the ink. first put some dear water into the well <>flhc
ink st<:>ni:'. Hold the ink scick upright and dip one end into the
Different ink sticks.
water to dampen it, chen begin co rub it on the (lac surface of' the
ink stone. (The amount ofwa.terdepends upon how much ink
you expect co need. lkgin with about halfa teaspoonful, chen
experience will help you lO increase or dccre;Lsc: this.)
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Rub Lhe ii1k stick strc)ngly on the ::;tc)ne i11 c}c)ckwisc'circlt:s
until the ink is chick and oily. When the rubbing motion seems to
adh.ete, 1noister1 the end <>f the stick again <>r add an
extra miniscule from a wacer diopper or tiny spoon. fhe ink is
ready for use when it reaches an almosc oily consistency, leaving
trails behind on the stone' s surface. By that time the rather
abrasive noise of the grinding has become muffied and softer. As
the water gradually evaporates, the mixwre becomes slowly
rnore cf>nccntrated.
Caring for the Ink Stick and Ink Stone
The ink stick should not be leli Lo stand on the ink scone, or it will
stick to it and damage che stone, cherefore aUow it to dry freely in
the air. Old ink should noc be left to dry and coagulate on the
stone, as the gri tty can spoil newly rubh<:d ink if Lhey
become mixed togeLher. Gen Lie washing wiJ keep the stone's
surface clean.
The Painting Surface
With all the tools now assembled, the paper must be selected and
then all the' four treasures of the studio' will he ready and
painting can begin. Chinese paper is available in many qualities
and kinds. It was originally made from the bark of trees and old
fi shing nets, but is now made from rice-stra,.,, reeds, wood pulp,
ecc. Sotlle papers arc sized and treated \.vith glue, others are r10L.
Alcogether there are many types of paper with dilforent levels of
absorbency.
This absorbency is an essencial quality of the paper.
I ndividttal papers - rice paper. tnulberry or ba111boo - react
differently to the brush strokes, so the painting surface can h<ivc
a decermining el!Cct on the style of the painting. The technique
of the brush Stroke is affected by whether the paper surface is
rough, srnoclth, dttll or glc>ssy, rrH'>rc <>r less ahsc>rl>cnt, sc1 tl1e
techniques required may include a quicker brush stroke, a drier
brusll lllarl usual, g:rc:atcr contrt>1 <>ftl1c i11k, thicker
and a more all-over style.
Sized paper allows for slower brushwork, as the ink does not
run so quickly and it is also fast drying. Th<lrcforc, fine , detailed
i.vork is easier t<> accc>rn1>lish on this type of paper.
Practice enables the painter to find out exactly how the brush
and ink react with each different paper' s ab$orbency. Since there
is still a considerable amount of individual work required in Lhe
making of Chinese papers, the same L ype of paper may react
differently with each different batch supplied. Even the weather,
be it dry or humid, can effect the reaction of ink on the paper

The painti ng paper, however, must be pLu:cd horizontally on
a lac surface and held down uy thin, flat weighcs. Underneath
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che Chinese paper, an absorbent l<iyer, such as blotting paper or
newspaper, is placed to Lake up any surplus ink.
Paper Thickness
Painting paper docs vary considerably in chidmess. The levels of
absorbcnc:y are not direct! y proportional to the thickness of cac:h
of the different kinds of paper, since che weave or the paper,
whecher iL is open or closed, helps to affect che flow of ink through
the paper. A piece of cleansing tissue is 3/1000 inch chick while
one sheet of Chinese absorbent paper measures 2/1 OOO inch and
others vary up to as much as 12/ 1000 inch, this being the thick
Hosho paper.
The most versatile paper is available in a long continuous roll,
approximately 25 yards (22 m) long. h ~ most commonly used
width is J 7t inches(44 cm) wide, although narrower rolls arc
also obtainable, some of them alr(:ady divided into fixed lengths.
Usually Chinese paper has a 'smooth' and a' rough' side
wh.ich can easily be discovered by finger Louch. The 'smooth'
side is the correct one to use as the painting smface. The rolls of
paper all have this smooth side as the inside surface of the roll,
presumably ;L, a way of giving it Lhe maximum possible
protccti<>n.
Various type$ of silk can also be used as a painting surface, but
the best quality work in shades ofhlack is always done on paper
as che essence of ink painting is the reaction between the
absorbency of the paper and the brush.
Holding the Brush
The adaptability of the Chinese brush is very much a result oflhe
way in which it is held. The techniques are as dependent upon
this as the sword stroke is to the manner ofholdingthe sword.
The brush is not held dose to che bristles, but in the middle or at
the top of the handle, depending upon the stroke being executed
at the time. The hand should be unsupported and be able to
move freely. In ancient tin1es the grip was not exactly the same
as it is now. One book describes the moving of the ring and little
fi ngers from the from LO the underside oft.he brush as bdng as
decisive a moment as the adoption of the stirrup in warfare. A
total! y different method was invented which gave incredibly
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more control to the movement of the brush and therefore
produced a whole new range of painting.
The bmsh is held perpendicularly between thumb and index
linger, with the middle linger also touching tbe brush behind
and below Lhe index finger. The ring finger supports the hrush
from the other side and 1hc Iii tic linger supports the ring fu1ger.
It is this combination of support from both sides that enables the
anist to move th<: brush freely in all directions over thej/AJ
painting surface and siill retain c:ontrol over the movements of
the brush.
The placement of the lingers is very similar lo the method of
holding chopsticks, but wi1h a gentle touch capable of changing
tile pressure on the brush or the dil'l"cticm of movement instantly
and without rearrangement of 1hc gri1>.
The brush .:an be hdd vertically or obliquely, bu1 in all cases
!he grip remains the same. It is not an easy position to take,
especially for those who have already had cXJXricm:c with
Western brush techniques, but i1 is essential to correct handling
of the brush in all its manifest and diverse facets.
The upright brush position, al though it can only produce a line.
can give a variable thieknc according to !he pressure which is
put on it at the time ofpninting. If only 1hc tip touches the paper
lightly, the stroke will be a thin one; if pressure is applied, the
stroke is broadened bccau$C of the extra bristles used. The lone
will depc:nd on 1he ink loading of rhc hritlcs further up the Lip.
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In the oblique pmition, tht: tip and the upper move:
parallel 10 each other and their paths are separate so that quite a
difforcnt dfc<:t is achieved.
EITect is not only related to position and pressure, but also to
the speed of the stroke. In the main, the broad stroke can be
made at a slower pace than the thin stroke.
The essence of Chinese Paiming is contained within brush
<:ontrol. The skills involved come only with pncticc; with
concirluous i11volver11e11L a11<l i11creasccl co1lc.e11tratio1l, a11
instinct develops which guide.s the brush into appropriate
positions and en<>bles the hand to apply co.rect pressures,
tl1crcby a<:hicving chc desired results.
Mixing Shades of Black
For more control over the shades it is necessaiy 10 mix the black
ink deliberately imo the shades rather than acqui1e them
casually mixed together in the brush.
1 Using the brush, take some of the dark ink from the ink
stone and put it onto the plate or poredain dish. (The
brush should be wet, but not dripping.)
2 Using the same brush, take water, a few drops at a time,
from th<: water holder to the pl<1tc and mix the water and
ink together.
3 Test the t.<>nc <)n a l>racticc J>ic::tc:: <>f J)aper.
(Eventual! y this should not be necessary as experience will
he the guide.)
1 If the tone is too dark, add some mo1e water; if too liglu,
then more ink is needed from the ink stone.
5 Black ink should always used directly from I.he ink
stone, but -care. must be taken that the brush is not too wet
when this is done or it will automatically be watered down
and rccit1<:.;d in tone.
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6 When the shade, or shacks, n."<1uired have been made on
the plate and the brush is to be loaded forthe stroke. make
xurc once again that the brush is not already overloaded
with water.
h is essential to be able lO control the amount of water in Lhc
brush. Over a period ofcime ard practice, a 'leel' 1s acquired as
to the capacity of each individual brush to hold the ink, what the
tone is when looking at the oolour of' the brush, and when re
loading is necessary because the brush has become too dry.
Evcmually, seven differenriatd shades of black can be madr,
but for the beginner, five shades can be easily obtained from the
black ink-stick. The diagram shows these shades, so that they
can Ix: referred 10 in later cha:>tcrs.
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Loading I.he Brush
The capaciry of the Chinese brush to hold water and ink is one of
i1s most important features. Strokes can only be exccuu:d
correctly and .,.;,h control ift.he brush has been correctly loaded.
The amount of water in the brJsh comrols the wetness of I.he
., rnk-. . If the intent.ion is to pacm a brush stroke which flow$
freely over the surface of the paper, but is still within the
painter's control, then it is not <lnl y important for the brush not
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Shade2
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Shades represt1nt11d on rhis loruspainting.
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Lo be Loo we1, (which can cause over-absorlx:n<:y in lhc paper),
but also for it not to be too dry (which stops the bruh and
causes 5pac to appear in lhe brush s1roke).
f .(J(J.ding the brush with thru IDnts. As an expcrimeni in
loading and a demonstration of the '"'"""riliry of the Chinese
brush, follo.,..ing is a helpful exercise. first, make hlack
iuk. Then:
I Dip 1he bmsh in fresh, c:lcan water.
2 Hold the brush upright 10 allow the su11'h" water LO drip
off.
3 Touch the lip of the bmsh to the: darkest ink on the ink
s1one.
+ Allow the: ink to rise up the bristles.
5 Press the hristlcs ge1llly against the side of a dl'an plate or
porcelain dish.
6 Touch the lip once again to the dark ink on the stone.
There should now be three 1ones on the brush; the darkest at the
tip and the lightest tone nearest to the handle of the brush.
Now, put the whole of the brush bristks gently clown on
the Chinese paper and paint a line perpendicular to the
handle ofthc bmsh. This oblique stroke should show all
three tones on the paper.
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If the heel of 1hc hn1sh (nearest I he handle) is lifted off thr
c>nly two Lones will re1naill.ton \tic'''
Tijis also helps to show that the angle of 1he.handle
Contrpl5 both thewicllh offhe Stl'qke an<l lhc loncs. Tfche br ush is
held upright. for ins(anc:c. 1hcn only one tone will result. The ink
put on the tip can, of varied, but the tip of the brush.
whidu;an only draw a line, can only give one >hade. However,
wilh all the brinks on the paper a much wider range of tonal
changes can be achieved.
using tmly one tone, yuHc: cliffercnt areobtaim:d
l>y
a) using a wee brush, or
b) 11sing a dry brush
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It is not lo restilct 11racrice ro strokes alt>nc. r n fact it
is more helpful to artcmpt small, butcomplc1e paimings, so that
lhe indi,ridu;'&I can l>r "ren co cou1binc 'vith orhers in tJ1e
O\'erall cum1>ositio11 of t l1e brush'''ork-.
The following chapters wi ll a (ew-of d1e way
that Chinese hlack ink cogetln-r with a Chinese brush, c:an
a 111yriad colotirs in tl1c changing pageant of nature's
beauty.
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The bamboo grows as h igh as a tree and belongs to the same
fami ly as grass. Its stems- hard, straight and hollow- an' alwHys
pointing upwards. Its leaves are gree11 at all seasons and
beallliful wider all conditions - struggling hcneath 1he winte1
snow or swaying with the storm, wider 1h.- moon or in the sun.
Although bamboo is distributed throughout 1hc sub tropical
and n1ild tempcratC" 1.ones
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the heaviest Cl)nccntration and
largest number of species is to be found in !:iourh-East Asia.
There are about I ,OOO species of bamboo, some growing to
heights of between 100 nnd 120 feet and having sterns up 10 12
inches in diametet.
Bamboo has always played a key ml in Chinese culture and
an ancl has helped gener ally to shape the country'' life style.
Poets and painter.< are inspired by bamhoo' s beauty and
strength. Su Shih said,' I would rather eat nu meat than livr
wi1hou1 bamboo. The lack of meal will make me chin, but the
lack of bamboo will rrrnke me vulgar.' During the S.omhern and
Northern Dynasties, a group of seven 111cn of'lcttcrs were kno,vn
as the Seven Wise Men of the Bamboo Grove, so wisdom c:amr
to be associated with bamboo. A$ the bamboo grows upright,
weathering all c:onditions, so it came to r<'prrsem the perfect
gentleman who always remains loyal. \V"n Cheng-ming wrote:
A pure person is lilu a tall bamboo;
A thin bamboo it like a noble man
If any one subjecl arc.a could be said to epiton1isc Chi ncs<'
Painting and in particular shades of black, 1hcn it would
cenainly be bamboo. Th e structt1re ofbaml>oo is alliccl in many
ways to the strokes rt.'<1u ired in Chinese "riting. \'\'hen painting
there can be no hesitation as brush meets paper, since the J>O\V<'r
rhar propels the hnish to action cowcs c11r ir<'I}' from witltin.
Tranquillity combined with couficknt bnosh control is ncecfocl to
tlclticvc a succ:<:Rsf\11 bnrt1l:>oo a.i11ti11!(.
Because of the populari ty of the subject maucr. a great clC'al
has been wriuen about uamboo painting. The following is a
ronlpacl version uf thr principles it1volvcd in this spe<'iflc a reel ol
Chinese brush painting, where: composition, brush control and
ink tones arc all elements ofa ba mboo
painting.
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Principles of Bamboo Painting - Composition
Bamboo is mack up ofjour pans: the stem, the knot or joint, the
branches and the leaves.
'Jlie Sterns
1 Space shoulcl he: left between the sections of the stem for
the knots.
2 The sections between knots near the ends of the stems
should be short., those forming the micklle should be Jong,
,,,hiJe at the base of the stern they arc again short.
3 Avoid painting bamboo st.(:rns that appear
swollen, or too dark in tone.
4 The stems should not aJJ be of the same height.
5 The: c:clges of the stem should be distinct.
6 The knots should fixmlyjoin the sections above and below
them, their forms being like: half a circle.
7 At about the fifth knot above the soil , the branches and
k1liagc: begin to grow.
8 lf only one or two stems of bamboo are being painted. t11e
ink tones can all be: the: same:.
9 T f there are t11ree or JC\ Ore stems, thc:n those in the
foreground should be painted in dark tonc:s ancl those in
the back in light tones .
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I 0 Avoid: a) swollen or distorted stems; b) uneven ink tones;
c) a dryness that looks like decay; d) coarseness of texture;
e) a density of ink that may look like: rot and f) equal
spacing hc:tvvcen knots.
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Knots
The upper pan of chc knot should cover rhc lower, the
lower pan should suppon the upper.
2 Knot hould not be too large or too small.
3 Knots should not b< of equal size.
4 They should not be too curved.
5 The spac< between them should n:>t be too large.
Bra11ches
There are thick branches and thin branches growi11g from
the n1 ain stcrn:ii.
2 Thick branches have thin branches growi ng from 1he
knots and arc really a smaller version of the main bamboo

3 Branches grow alt<rna1ely from the knots of the and
cannot grow from any ocher part Jf the bamboo plant.
4 In landscaP<' p:tinling, the bamboo is so thin that rh<:
branches look like stalks of grass.
f ,mots
I In pairuing leaves the brush should be sarurated wirh ink.
2 The brush srmk<s should move eaily and without
llesitation.
3 The stroke require a movement which is in turn light and
then heavy.
4 If there arc many leaves they shoJ!d not be tangled.
5 If there arc uni y a few leaves, then Lhe branches should fi 11
the blank spaces.
6 \.Yhen bamlM>OS are painted in the "'ind, th<'ir stems are
strctclled taut anrl the leaves give ;;.n impression of
disorder.
7 Bamboos bend in Lhc rain, bur n:main straight in fair
'"earhcr.
8 In fair weather bamboo leaves compose themselves near a
orrong forked branrh. -.;th small leaves ar the tip of thr
branches and !,'T<>ups oflarger lca\C:s near the ba.c or bod)
of rh<" plant.
Five essentials for good bamboo painting
I The silk or pap1r should bcof gooc: quality.
2 The ink should be fresh.
3 The brush should he swift and sure.
4 Befor<: srartin!! !he composition shuld be clear in th<
miud, wirh each lra.f and each branch mentally fixed in
positit)n.
5 All four sides of the bamboo should be considered when
plnnnU1g ll1e wr11posi tion.
ETTffl lo otoul
I Avoid making stems like drumsticks.
2 Avoid making joims of equal length.
:I Avoid lining up the bamboos like a fence.
4 Avoid pla<"ing the leaves all co one side.
5 Avoid tnaking the leaves like the fi ngers of an out!"tr<tc:hcrl
hn11d or the of a net, or li kt! the leaves t)f a
\\ill()\\'.
How to paint bamboo - Technique
11ieSlmr
I Moke a push Slruke from the bollom upwards.
2 mount of bristle on t11e paptr indicates the >lcm
width. up to a maximum of the total length of the bristle.
3 bru;/1 pressure, place the brush on 1 he paper and
pau.s, push, pa1tSe, off.
4 1 brush hanclle should be venical.
Th1clc bamb<>O stroke.
1 f!SS l)fCS"_.t.i1\ll 9'"'"5
3031 f:H.li?f <:.trok'}
Thin bamboO srrol<e.
:>
i.<:d' c a .mall <pacr between the o;ec1ions of the baml.J<>O >l<lll
'26
6 Double brush loading can be used to put a shadow din.:c:tly
on 10 1he stem, as it is noc possible to overpaint.
29
Tiu kMIJ or joints which divide the s1rm, should be addrrl in ink
which is one s h d ~ darker than the stern itself. They should be
added before the stern is dry. There arc two 1nethodsof adding
joi11t strokes:
'
,
'
A single strokr <'an he added either between the two stcn1
sections, or 011 tl1e cop one <Jnly or
2 Somerimcs two dividers can he inserted, one on rhc wp
section of the branch as before, and a similar shape, but
upside down on the bortorn branch section.
A

1'11t Brandw
1 'hcre an: different thickricS<:s of branches as there are of stems.
'
\
\
'
\
I Thin branches !;row from che main stems. The strokes, all
painted upwards, should still have pauses, but because the
branches are young. thin and leaf-bearing, they do not
hav<: joints.
2 '/'hiclc branckt have thin brdJlchcs growing from the knots
and are really another smaller version of chc main bamboo
seems.
3 llranches g-ruw altcrnarely from the knots of the stems.
..
,
31
Tht Leaves
The leaves arc al way the last part of the bamboo plant t0 be
painted and are the most difli<:ulL pare ofthc composition. The
groupings of the lcave5 ran so easily appear durnsy, or
overcrowded, that it i anvi>able to practic leaf combinations on
their own bcfol'C attempting to add them to thr .icms and
branches of the final bamhoo composidon.
Two bOJshsrrokes llke a fi:sh$ 1at
1 l'ractise the ditTcrc;nt leaf' positions first , hcginning with
small n u m ~ r s of leaves.
l iprighlbrush
po rt + l:'feSSlJ'C
32
...
ot tne s101<H .-11thout :re
tl'u!.I tCt.Ch rig ;he p(ipttl
...
...
--Pressure No urtrSSUfC
'"" . .. ~ . . ; I _t;
- "'f.:
2 L(!aves can be painted upwards, or hanging down,
depending on the general diposition of the main bamboo
composition. Usually small groups tend to have all the
leaves painted in the same direction.
3 Ift.hc leaves overlap, then care must be taken 11ot to
overload the bmsh as two layers of ink arc filling the same
paper space; It is often caicr to allow, one group of leaves
t.o dry before pai11ting others on top of chem,
2
Examplt.s of $/Jftlad-out1eaves in group$ of (WO and three.
'
..
4
The beauty of bamboo lies in lhejoy of1he brnsh rhy1hms
I hti: rnng, erartl'fi 1l of '-'flt"}' flr:ct h;unh<>O
J>ainringdtrivcrl from an artist ,,,ho saw the <-)utlinc.1'flhe
sha4<.>)V of b;im boo rcfkclcd cm a large: papc:r sc:rc:1:11 i11 lhe
crnpc:rvr's palace. Thal is why the always lend 10 be i1)
suong sipgle 100.es with eacfl Sll'oke having n clearcut
lfambno is very diffiwlrto painr but, hy scarting with small
Kroup> a11u not being friKhteneu to throw away the tailorcs,
su<'ns will cvcnn11tlly be achieved; it will be: appl"\TiatcJ all the
morf' for 1ht rliffic:nlricsgc>nc thr-c>ugh in the t>aLh tt' its

34
4
Leaf groups of four, five and six .

The 1enn calligraphy derives from the Greek work 'kalligraphia'
which means beautiful writing. for the Chine.o;c, 1hc amc high
standards of brushwork apply to this an a apply to painting, for
calligraphy is an art form in itself.
Gone Carving
Shan9 Dvnastv
117661122BC1
1
0

(D(
( (
\ \
) )
08
36
Large Seal
Chou Dynosty
(1122 ;,_155 8-CI
Small Seal
Ch'in I >yn,1s1v
1221 207 8C)
Tliree hits or rockS
Ttte brtHl<:ha3. II .ll'ld roo1&
1
it{
fi:-si. head ar\d .:ums. latet. ;eg,aritv

, '
\ '
( (
Stre,arn \V1th tJdics on either side
e E9
A picture of lhelMin
Clerit:al Style
H<tn Oynastv
(207
7l
)(i)
( l
8

Sui Dynasty
l)IC!'.lCnt>
Shan
It
I.Jiu
)"
Jen
'j(
Shai
Jih
Tre-.
M""
vvaier
Sun,dav
8-0l"!Q Cerving
Shang o ... nHsry
( 1755 112? SCI
-'
,. ~
,..,,'. 'i'
,,
,,;
,
,
'
..
"
,,
38
Within the period AD 588 to the present day, there have
developed three types of writing which are used appropriately to
tl1e.ir <.:.011text:
At,JOFUllY Sianc:tard Grass Symbols for 'moon'

?l

in !hr;.ia slvlcs.
To be able to write some Chinese characters on a painting-
thc date or a good luck symbol, or perhaps a s!'llall poem - is the
easiest way to begin to attempt Chincsct:-<11ligraphy. Later it may
be possible to make the calligraphy the whole focus and main
clement of the composition but , of course, it is always very
diJlicult to write wich confidence in a foreign language.
The importance of Calligraphy in Chinese life cannot be
underestimated. Scrolls of c.alligraphy an: traditionally offered as
gifts and they are used as wall-hangings, hand scrolls and album
Jeaves in (he same manner as painlings. rhe tW<> a.rts share a
co1nmon origin and each cv()lved as a means of m;tking a11
aesthetic statement, expressing the underlying principles of
r1aLure.
The Chinesecharaccers, the written symbols of the Chinese
language, arc usually made up of several parts. Each part of the
character is called 'a component'. (Some 'components' arc
characters in their own right.) Each component is composed oh
number of basic strokes and the following are the seven most
elementary ones. The arrows show the direction of the brush
1noveme11t:
t1<J1iL001al ibone) stroke !Hftwa1d dot ttcardrop)
small hock
j sweep;n9 lehwe.r<l suoko
t
\
2
Pull
___ .,.. ?
2nd f O\V j lst fo .. v
j
1l'he main strokes involved in Calligraphy
Hook s1ro/<t
Angle the brush handle away from yourselfot approximately
15 . l'oinl the brush 'lip to the top left corner of the paper. Put
brush to paper, then drag from left to upper right, gradually
I ifting off.
Teardrop stroke
Hold the brush vertically, press quickly to lower right, pause and
rt>tatc.
Bone Stroke
This stroke is the Hook and Teardrop combined, but lengthened
i11 between.

Flir;k
The basic suucture of each chara.cter is balanced and logical
and each stroke foUows the other in a precise and rhythmic
order. The general rule is lo work from the top down, and from
left to right within each character. The successive characters
placed in vercical rows, starting at the top of the paper and at tl1e
right hand side. Each new row begins at t he top and is placed to
the left of the previous one.
Although everyday Chinese writing is now done horizontaJJy,
it is still eminently ac;;ccptable for poems, couplets or decorative
i.vricing <>n f>aintings, to reLai11 the old tOr1nal of vertical lines.
The individual strokes already described should be
first> witll tile paintersitcing in a velJr 1>ositic>n, or star1di1lg,
if the work is to be particularly large. The brush should be kept
upright and. to allow for totally free movement of the arm, the
wrist should not be allowed w rest on the surface of the paper.
The ink used should bea rich, strong black. The brush loaded
thoroughly but without being super-saturated. Remember t(>
39
increase the pressure to broade.n the stroke and rek<L5<: it to
obtain a narrower line. Try w dt:vclop graceful hooking strokes,
carefree bm strongly formed sweeping strokes and well-
proportioned but sclf-c<mtained long strokes. Boldness is
required for the dots and short SU'Okes.
As with all the Chinese brushwork, confidence has to be
developed by practice. A bold, sure touch is a necessity for
successful calligraphy. No possibility of erasing, altering or
obliterating is available for the Chinese calligrapher, but
constant practice using the brush will eventually develop the
expertise required. Unlike other areas of Chinese painting,
where individual stroke practice is not encouraged, calligraphy
does need spcc:ial attention to be paid to the basic strokes of the
character component.
Developing from Lhis, the quality of the brushwork is judged,
not onlr by the length and thickness of the individual stroke.s, bm
also br how the strokes meet each other as they are wrinen in
seqt1cncc t> fonr eacl1 cl1ruacter.
The rules of stroke orde1 in writing Chinese charar.1.ers are as
follows:
l:x11111ple. S11okc order Rules
J..
I
-
t
horizonia !icol
"/\
t
t.



hem top t l bt)tlom
1
fett
t7
r1(Jlll lo inside
\7 \f/
1os1dc prc;:;cdos the sealing 1c!osi11!Jl sl <i >kH
j
4-0
1vfost of these mlcs and the basic stroke ele111ents are comaii1ed
within the much used character for ' long life'. This character,
J'hou(pronounc:ed show} is to be found as a single decorative piece
of calligraphy m: a scroll, as motif, on pottery and
contained wiLhin many wriuen expressions of generaJ goodwill
on Chinese New Year cards. It c:an most usefully be tried as the
first calligraphic: painting motif, after the individual strokes have
been practised.
7

- -
o c7
10
;J: "
1'
II '
Follow the arrow directions and paint the strokes in the order
;L, shown. l t often helps to vary the si7.e of the character to find
which particular format suiLs you best for practice purposes.
Another popular d1aractt:r is 'luck' which is Fu (pronounced
Joo). Again, the arrows give both direction and order of stroke, so
that the character will develop rhythmically as it is paimed.
luck
ff one stroke does not quite join on to the next, it is much
beuer to leave the slight gap, than to attempt to add an extra
piece to the chamcter, and ofc:ourse, as always with traditional
Chinese 1)ainting, strt>kes ca1\i10L be Sttccessfttlly 1idicd up' if tf1e
brush technique has caused an incorrect stroke to be formed. No
amount of description can substitute for the marvellous feelir.gof
accomplishment when, after many faulty praaicc pieces, one
character, or even one stroke, appears faulllessly on the
ahs<>rbent (>ainting surface.
Happiness
,,, ;,7.
r- "'>'
2
j'\. 17
3
41
The addition of the character for 'happiness' 101t-.c two
already described, will enable the painter to write' All Good
Wishes - luck, happiness and long life.
Another small but useful series of characters are the set of
Chinese numbers, plus the characcers for month and year
necessary to enable the date to be written. A paincing seems to be
more finished ifit is dated and the small number of characters
necessary to achieve this are as follows.
Line and artOW d;.grams indicate order of painting and dirtion of brush.
42
All good wishes.
sun. day TE1J J;1
noon. montn
year
'
)

.C....4--..

rnnH
1L
'
ten
43
,y
'f;
'
,

one :.,.
i riousoQd

-ft
-
hund10tf
'El

x
1en


-t'
tol'1r'
t!1
't'C'af' J}

TO:Pegjn.with this r.,aY be suffiC ->t but if mbreaCc.,uracy and pfecis,i'on ls
required then the month aqd day can be added.
t.Cfll (OO
'
- live
;J:L
rnq nth
'f]
comma
,

-k
dJ:;
tl
Written in rheirl>ktoriaiform were,ch'e,fore :,
ru nncrs of today's alsp of craditionru paint
They ;tppcarcd on bronze vessels and probably at aho11t the sanw
l.lmc as cm11roidcq; motifs, ";tn parcicular a'.ttention being paid '
co diaracte't of iJie silk cocooh . Chinese embroidery pieces
ha:1tc <,>fCh.inese script w.oxked oil themJl'om single
characters fo fl!ll lengtji. po.emsA produci11gdesigns richm >
symbolism 'L' wdl as plcastng aesthencatJy a11d 1nteUecruallx.
Sl11ce tnost ancie11t e11\l)toi<lery_ '''as.111acJe as a11 aclc.lrr1111c11t fOr
the robes of male oflic:ials, the longevity character - .rfiQu -
appeared frequenLly, huL I.he rnosL p<>pular c:harac:tt:r on old
urnhmid<;rcd pieces was 'the double Mi' - doubk happiness:
... +
--
i5
One 'good wish phrase' also popular on embroidery, seems to
sum up the far-ranging influence of calligraphy as an art fonn,
embodying, as it docs, a wealth uf a.aciem philosophy in a
minimum of writing. The seal character inscriprion shown reads
' \Vu fu chin ju'. 'l\llay you have lhc live blessings and embody
the nine similarities (in your per.on)' . The 'live .Blessing' an:
long life, wealth, health, many sons and a natural death. On the
right is the modern form.
--
The 'nine similarities' arc embodied in the following wish:
'Like high hills, like mountain masses, like top-most ridges , like
huge bulks of rock, like strtams, like the morn, like the sun, like
the age of the southern hills and like the luxuriance of fir and
cypress, so may be thy increase and descendants to come. '
The Chinese tradi1ionally paim fish swimming in water. If an
artist caught the twisls and turns of fish swimming among the
water weGds, then di" painting would L" mosr prized by
connoisseurs.
The carp is the mO>l frcquenlly depiclcd fish in Chines<" art and
as ii wa; believed thal it could 1ransform itself imo a dragon by
leaping the Lungmen Falls cm rhe Yellow Rivrr, it was regarded
as a symbol ofliterary eminence, or it was u..:d to symbolise the
passing of examina1ions with di"'inr.tion. The carp appears on
ceran1lc vat:ies
1
in lapis-la.zuli a.r'ldjaclc <;arvings, a8 '"ell as in
many paintings. Because of its scaly armour, i1 is regarded as a
symbol of martial aurihutes, and as it srruggles againt rhe
current it is also a representative e1r1blcm of perseverance.
A pair of fish together are symbolic of marriage und of
harmony, while groups offish swimming gracefully wilh the
waters' llow can be conceived as a visual demonstration of the
Chinese way of thinking, figuring both in Taoist and Buddhist
philosophy. The fish signifies freedom from moving
easily through the water in any direction. The 'flow' offish in
water can be paralleled by ma11's existence in the cvcrrhanging
natural world.
Corp can live to 60 years' old and even up IO 100. They are
often kept as pets and tan adjusl to difkn:nr water ternpcrarores
and di mates. They are easily fed with vegetables, noodles or
cooked rii:r .
C'rlJ/J[&Sh arc known for bubbly eyes and pearly or
metallic scales. Thrre are 1,000 )'cars of docurm:nrrd iradition in
46
-
China showing golclfih being kept and diplnyrd in wide-topped
tcr.i.mic bowls. Because of the way they were kept, they have
eyes which look upward, and decorations known as' hoods' and
curved fins which arc only seen ac their hcsl frnm above.
The Chinese list 9 types of fish: carp, pompadour fish,
mandarin lish, goldfish, frcshwatet goby, fl ying fish , srnall fish ,
shrimps or crayfish, crabs.
' '
'
.,
'
I
~ ~
.,:.. ,
Some of the more common fish.
47
--
48
Some examples of fish of different shapes.
-
,.
General Order for Painting Fish
Usually fish should be painred beginning with the head, then rhe
body, au<l finally the tail.
As an overall, general description of the :nethod, it is
suggested ~ a t the head (mouth, tycs, gill mvcrs) arc Grst
painted in light, diluted ink (stage 1), and then thick dark ink
used on the forehead and eyes, (stage 2). The body ~ n be painted
with a double-loaded brush tipped with ulatk ink in bold brush
strokes whir:h suggest the lighc and shade of che body, (sta,gt :J).
Finally, in (stage 4), scales are added while the body stroke is still
\\'e{, <i nd fu1s a11d tail, i11 rnccliurn ink, 1n1t the finishing t<ntchc-:s
LO the fish.
49
Pa111ting Frag1
I Eyes and mouth in blacl< ink.
2 A wet stroke follow for 1.hc bacl<.
3 Add four legs.
4 Add feet, three on each leg in darkish ink.
5 Lastly in paler ink add a line forth frog's underside .
..,.,.and mouth
3 legs
I

50
4 tee;
I
6 The lh e body >c!lrncnL arc: paintc:ci with a double h>ad<d
hmsh, ligh1cning as the segments become .mallcr. The
body can be bent inlu a flowing swimming p<,.ition by thr
careful platcmcnt of the: scmi-circ11lar stroke<.
7 the u1u.lerucath uf !he segmcms.
8 Add legs.
9 Add tail.
10 'v1ou1h parts.
11 The claws arr painted next in dark grey using live very
pc.>si tivc rclk<'N.
12 With a line Ul'Ush and dark ink acid 1hc: eyes.
13 Lasrly the feel ers, in a large sweeping stroke. Shoulc.1 the
lmi.h iravl' the paper in the course of lllaking this >tt'Okc.
1he spare b<'t wccn should not be filled in or any nt!empt
made tojoiu u t hc: two parts of the stroke. Th<'
have ail cxprcs:-.ion fc>r this 'bn1sh absent
1
spirit pr<'"rnt',
indicating that the mind knows that thr srrokr is
c<>nrinuous, evc11 if it is 11ol so i11 reaJ tcrrns.
A fascinating decorative pallern is made by the teeters when
several crayfish art: paintrd in one composition. Th("<' is 110 n<'cd
in Chinese painlitl8 tc.> i1uJit:atc the \Valer l>y \tavy line!'! - lt i!'I '''ell
un<lcrstO<>d that l>lunk s1>a<:<' i11 ;1<:<>n1p<>sition '''ith fish 1an only
represent watel'. '!'he othel' dilliculty, always prcscnl for 1hc
\i\fcstcrn who frcls rhr. need to fill up the }):Lpl"r rn m1,kf"
sure that the c<>m1x>sitit>n c:<>ntains pJcnt)' of s1>ac<. Shc>u lrl rhtrl'
br any doubt in the mind about whether to a<lJ more, then
c.lcdsion should always h< NO. lr is hcrtcr to hvc lrS< in thl'
1han ..t.n <>vcrrrtJ\\'dt:rl painting.
I
)
Painting Gokifish
I Body wilh lWOcolour wet stroke.
2 Eye semicirdcs and under body line in dark {rcy.
3 Mouth ancf eyes in deep black.
4 Four side fuu and tail in medium grey.
5 Thin black lines on fins and tail.
2
3
1
'
55
..
56
Painting Grob.<
Usually the crah is painted in all one ><hacle, though varia1 ions
arc pos.<ihlc. The order of painting is:
I The three pnrts of the body ftrst.
2 The leg next, four each side, each leg is in thrtt parts.
3 The eyes arc wee blobs, each with an eye talk.
Although crayfish arc often painted in a group being the sole
elemcnt!i <>f thc corn position, it is qultc usual to see ''ari<>us water
creatures together in one 1>aintU1g; sometin1cs cral>s an.cl s n ~ l
lish, some1imes large fish swimming arouncl Lheir smaller
counterpar1s. Occasionally fish may be shown wi1h a locus
IJowcr, or frogs sitting on a lotus leaf, or on a river bank .
..;j

I lc.Jwcvcr
1
in all <:<>m1x>siti<>ns in ,..,hich fish arc tJ1c i r1al11
constituents 1herc is always an elemem of movemem impliri1 in
the painting. A$ many Chinese paintings arc rather ~ t t i c u,
concep1, such compositions make a welcome ch11n1,'<'.
' \
Pj
57
-
'
'\
\
--
\
\

I \



flowers
The Chinese arc devoted to flowers and their cultivation.
The fltSt cstablishc-d botanical garden wasatCh' ang-an in 111
RC. It i the natural srenc which appeals most so, ifpo.siblc,
sh;ldy pools oflotus and goldfish, miniature bridg<, oiunted
trccsaruJ ornamental rocks are organised to provicic the selling
--- '\,

...



-
for the flowers .
Each Hower in China has a meaning and, further, the Chin<S<
believe that cvt'ry woman is represented in the 'other wMld' hy a
tree or a tlower. One of the common names for China is ' the Flowery
Lar1d' and different flowers and blossom arc used w syh1bolisc
the month ol'the year, ns well as the
four seasons. Particula.- llowers arc paired to
Ix: painted with specific birds. The peony
flower(m1t lhc tree peony), for instanrc, is
often with lrlll!(tailed birds like the
phoenix, the peacock or the pheasant.
58
"
,
')
/ It
/'
--
-
The chart shows the symbolism and groupings of the differcu t
flo\';ers nnd blosson1s thrc)ugh<Jut the year.
Chinese Floral Calendar and Flower Symbolism
FlOl-\'t'rS ror Seasoos Seaso-nal fi'lowtrs Syrnbolisiug
lbe 12 Flol\c:rs . .\nimals I Dc11igns
Seasons
l' runus Spring Almond be;.l l tt y Cot1ri Jadics
rm!Nl: B<llOowcr HappiM1$, good lu<k Godofw<ahh
2 Peach r.h( Tree C:hr.rry \'\:om::inl y bc;.l 1.1cy , yo1.1ch )' oung per
Peony PlcflL)', slrengtli Quails: pa.r1J'idgc
Good fol'tunc Fair}' beings.
3 Peony Peacb Spti11g, }'Outh, Bride & alt!!-o<lan.ts
i1n1uor'1aJily
4 Chcrrr \'ViHovt Mec:knt:ss, li:rn inine gra<:t:, S\vallcJY.'
c:ltartn
5 Su1111ner /\s1c r Heauty, c:h.ann Hu uc:rtlic: s
sy1ob(JI: \.Vo1nanl) grac:e Hutlc:rOit:.s
lh< C au1e Uia
1
goo<l 1Leit.llh [ )rago1111ies
Lotus
6 Pcunc- I .ovc St marriage I lummi ng

7 I ... otus. I ri s Grace, 4tITt:eliuJ1
jasn.ti fi.e. G J'ace, s vveetne:.s Buue1flie.s
t .on.ts Sunimcr, purity. fruitfuJncs.<:1 Du<.k
8 Pt:ar .. Feminine bC(lll.CY Bees
Peony t .ovc, beauty , spring, yo tHh Pho(':nix, pc:;i cock
Phc:a5ant
9 rvr alhn"/ P()stcrit y. ot'f<lp ring Pla>
1
i ng r.hildrc:n
gran;1rr.
Rose f'ra.gran('r. , pro!'pcr ity B(:es, hun1rning
birds
10 Au1unu1 Chry:s.an- !\.l id-aut un111, jovial il }' . case Crab, d r agon , gi rls
sy1n boJ t bCOlUOl
the Gordoenia fcminincgr:t cc::, .subtlety 5,o;ifrs.
rvr allow Qui(:1ud(:, n tst ic: ity f\:far1ins, gt:t"sc:
thCtTillm
rvt >' rtle ( ; od ofvc:aJth,
c10icial s
()Jcandcr 13cauty, gr :u::c Rirds, insects
(Jr.'t('C, dclicar.y \"y' i Id
11 (Jardoenia Pc;o1r Porlty,jost ic:e C)tlic:ials in rot..-:i-.
12
J>(Jvv >'
\\' inte r :\lu1ond \'\:ot11aal}' beaut>' CourL la<lies
symboli;c: Fu11g i Longli1(;, Old U"IAn , young
Prunus hoys
:lud Pint": Lo ng l ifC, co urage: Sto rk
Poppy PlunL \Vin<c:r, long Ii fc: strength Slor k. v.hi tc: crattt'.
Pow i- S t ri kiug be.ttul y, \\
1
hi1e bea r
Stt::o11d.ary
(;haracleristic.s
Portirnrl in sorrov-'

\ l irili ty, hope
Pcrcnn)<ll effort
I ncrospr,c:cion. !;clfwcstccm
Good \vishcs, riches
Poet it abjllty. ar lis1ic
\ YOrlh
Hu1111li ty
Luxu.t'iaol abilities
Physical & n1cncal
str cugtli
Ea rl) day, dc:pc-r11Je1h':e
Beauty in solitude
Fr agr ar>cc. ;lnrar.cion
Splrirnal g race
(Jstc:n1.a1 ion, .sc:Jf t:slt:E'fl1
Royalty , prc:$crnint:cH.c:
:-\aturd.l abundan..:c:
Sv.ec:Lnc:ss it) <lesolation
rr:tirr.rncnt
/\ rliscic: rnr.rit
Pt'ac:e:. J1u111ili l )'
f l umi li.t y in achievc:1uc:ut
.Jc>y, achieve1nenl
Quiel
stre11gt li
l J os,,eirv i 1) g j udgc.1ncnt
Fo rtitu-dc in Sorr()\V
Pc:1""5i5tc:nc:e
luuuol'talJI)', f:ti l hful ncS$
HanJines1. criumph
R('tiTCITlf":Tif' !\llC:C:CSS
S.9
Painting Flowcn
There is an accepted order for painting nowcn. the Chinese way.
The Hower heads themselves are painted first, then 1he le;wes
and lasdy the Siems. These rules have special excep1ion< in 1hat
gra&. orchid havr their leaves painted first and hlo'l10t11 is not
regarded as 'a flower' in the same way as, say, a lily or lotus.
Most Chinese traditional artists begin by painting thr most
important clement of the subject mart er. It is, thrriforr, very
realistic lO consider that in the case of a plant this would be the
!1owcr i tself; for blossom, ii is the brand> which is IUO>l
dominant; and Lhe elegance of a grass orchid is providrd by thr
special overlapping of its long, thin
As there arc basically two methods of painting- the ootlinc
method and lh(: solid-stroke tcchnicp>c - a choice has L<> he made
as lO \\tiich of' Che t\VO tc:c:hni<}lJCS t.<> USC f(>r r)j frcn;nt fl U\\o'CI'
Most flowers can be painted in 1i1h.-r tcl'hniyuc or
a cc1mbinaticn of the rao mcthcxls. That is t<> say, ct1cn; an: tl1ree
'''ays:
I All outline.
2 Outline nowers and solid-strokr. lraV<"S.
3 i\ll solid strokes.
Each of' these altt'rnativcs produces a cliflt:rcnt emphasis in lhe
completed painting. flowers which are pain1ed romll y in ourlinc
rnay be cfc:-crritx;d <t..'\ 1ighr' in cm1>h;1sis. as it is t.hc brush fJOiJll
<>nly \ihi<:h touthcs the 1>a1>cr . .;\t t.tlc othcrcxtrcr1l c, "'he11 tl1e
flowers, leaves and stems are all paimed in che soliclst rokc
techni que, 1he composition has a stronger feeli ng I ll it, since
much more of the brush head has been applied to th<' painting
surface. Tradition has built up a series of accepted combinat ions
for specific flowers, although there are certainly no ruks
governing the choices made .
.\1ot outline technique Dowers are painted in black.. bu1 the
solidstrokc techniques arc often more sui1able ro colour
painting, except in the case of a ,ery imponant and positivr
Hower <urh a.< thr lotu.
The Narcissus
To dernonstr<ilc the uutli11e technique, a most suitable nower is the
1"' h<' Shu-hsien, \"later ln1mnrral or 11 arriss 11 s i!'I irst
rncnlil>ntc.l in the 9th <.:t: ntury (lS c.:orning rrc11n Fu-lin,
Byzantlurn. In late win I er, when the Chinese c:c.:lc:l>ratc the
Spring Festival, Lhey prepa1-e foasts a11d decorate chei1 houses
wich fl owers and plants, their favourite for this purpoRdwing the
Narcissus. Thctlclicacc, narrow, cn1cral<1-grccn leaves, ldrge
white flowers, golden coronas and silvery-white roots providr an
rlegant background to the festiv;ties and their delirarr frni.rran<'C
add> to the atmosphere.
60
T}1c rlarcissus <>n<'c grc'v wild aJong rhe of r hr
east coast of China llccoming a cultivated flower in the ! Ol li
century. Thrl"<' are many varieties of narcissus, which divide
into d1e sing!<- Oowercd category which has six petals, or th<
bunch-Oowcrcd variety whir.Ii has a corona of splir pt'ml
clustered in a ball-hapc.
The Chincsr hdirvr rhar rhr. oolour, rhr. fragrancr and rhc
elegance of rhi Oowlr liken it wan ancient poem or painring.
Before l>cbrinning the p11inring, it is al\'.':t}'S impc>rt;1nr t<t
organise rhe composition in the mind as fully as poss ible, while
carefully rubbing the ink stick on the ink stone.
2
j
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I

Painting the NarcissUJ
Loar! thr. tip of t he brush onl} with black ink direct I y from
the ink
2 Begi nning with the mos! cemral flower, paint its ce1\uc
and then cad1 petal str ting from rhr. inside nf thP. Onwrr.
3 :-Jexr , mix 1hc black ink with some water on the pal<:ltc ion<l
with dark grey paint thr our line ofthr rhick<'r S<'Ction of the
srrm nearest to the llower.
1 :-Jext d1c hulh i' painted wirh its roots.
5 Finally, the long elegant leaves arr. paintrd in dark ink.
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61
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The composhion. which clearly shows white flowrr. in Ll1cir
elegant sirnpl icily, ca11 be left as con1plctc at_ this slagc. or hn.,rr
shades of grey (or colour) added. The shades should not be
added too carefully, as the intcnlion is not merely tn 'fill in tl1e
outline' but to dd 111ore depth to th<0 painting; and tare 5houlcl
be taken tl1at all the outlines ar<0 <lry before adding 1he'W hadc ..
To demonsrratc the altcrnali\'e, lhe outline flower ant! :solitl-
stroke leaf method of painring flowers, l he best e<amplr i the
Chinese IOlUS.
The Lotus
To the Chinese, th1 lotus is the most important of all the
cuhivatrd flow1rs. gruwu for both its hcauty and its U'S('fulnn..
It has large blo0111s, timed pink, creamy whi1e or yrllow.
growing on stalks six or iwvcn feet high, app<'aring frorn tlie
centre of 'ery broad, (sometimes three feet in <liarueter),
nasturtiumshap1<l leaves.
F.vcry p1<rt of this planr has a special use; the fn1its :rnd leaves
arc used as food; the dric:ci ycJlo''' sLa11lens arc 11sc<i as an
astringent and as <:t co:;rnc:tic:; the seecls can 11 sc:c l as tlledici nc
or eaten as a<lesscr(. The kernels are boilcrl in soup. roasted or
eatrn ra\v, ,.,, hilc Lhc Slt:'JUS are sJic.crl ancf boiled. J 'h< Co:Ul
taken medicinally or used rlricd to wrap food.
The lotus is also known as a spnbol of purity and erfection,
growing out ()f the mud in lo a state of blossoming beauty and
fruirfuln1s. . The Oowcrs are open for a mere days, Lhen
petal by petal they disint1gratc. leaving the gn-.n ccd head
exposed.
It has h<'l'omc very positively conncL"tcd to Buddhism, part!)
lx:causc of tl1c S) mbolism; partly because of the vi>ual
representation of 'iVhccl of the Law by thr flower form, with
the petals taking the place of the spokes. Buddha is usually
represented as s1atcd 011 the sacred lotus and, in imitation of
this, Buddhit priests have the 'locus posture' - a
cramped position which develops a state of bodily pc<1ce. The
fl <>wcr is :.1Jso one oftl1e 'eight trcasure.s. said t'> l>c auspicious
signs see11 on the "''le of Buddha's foot.
lL is not nnly a syrnl>ol imponam to Buddhists, thm the lotus is
rcct>gniscd, IJut also as an cmblcn of o11e ofthf' F.ighL lrrtlllOrtals
of Taoism - th<' other main ChineS<O religion. The seedrup on
the lotu stem, huldiug as it does many seeds, becomr an
emblem of offspring.
The lotus is also 1egardecl as l'epresenting summer and
fruitfulness; it appeats in stylised form in paintings, in
embroidery, on carpets a11<l as c.era111ic decorations.
Although it is not an easy flower to paint, mainly because of
the disproportionate size of the leaves and the fact that the
\'Vestern paii1ter 1na}' "''ell never have scc11 a loltLS bloo1n, it is the
m<)Sr imp<lrf.ant flf)\\'Cr in Chi11csc tr<,ditio11aJ (1i111,i1l!> a11tl illS
suc:h is w(:ll demons! rated by the power and versatility of shades
of black.
Pai11Ji11g tfit Lol11S
Plan rhe compc>sitic>n S() tl1al spaces are left for crossing
le.aves a11<l ste111s.
'!. Paint rhe pod heads first by outfoiing the seed pod and the
tiny circular seeds.
63
64
3 Seed pod on Lbeirown should haven space lefr al lhe base
so that the stalks can bejoinctl correctly.
4 ff the seed pods are still surrounded by the petals of the
flower, then the petals grow from th< base of the pod anti
over-lapping must be planned befor< the outlines ;<re
painted.
5 The flower petals ate fin< ly veined anti, ale hough it is not
necessary to show them, light-toned, thin ink lines can be
included.
6 The lea.ves can be shown in various stages and positions as
Lhey unfolcl.




7 On che large leaves, the veins ra.ctiatc fr<1rn the: tcntrc of
each leafand alLernalc vein f<irk' a t hey appro<l(h t he
lcafcdge.
l)QlS ildded to ~ m
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66
+
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8 T h ~ leafstalks are.darker than thee flower stalks.
Stem
Veins added
9 Each llower, bud and leaf has its own incliviclual stalk.
N
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t o111sb11da most open
'
u l l ~ open floVvcr
T he Peony
The tree-peony is rcgarclecl as the king of flowers, the fl ower of
riches and honour and is hclcl in high esteem b)' the Chinese
since the T'ang Dynasty.
It is a11 e1nble111 of lo\
1
e and affection, a sy111hc>I c>f fcr11i11i11e
beauty, and also represents the season of spring. fhe peony is
sometimes called the flower of wealth and rank' . From the Sung
period onwards it has ofrcn been a favourite pollery motif, both
f>rt its 0'"'11 a11d ir1 cotllposiLion "'icl1 rocks.
67
68
If the plant liccomes loaned wich fl ower heads and heavily
leafed in greel1 this is regarded as an omen of good fortune; bul if
the leaves dry up and the flowers suddenly fade, this pr.-sages
poverty for 1hl' flower's owner, or even some appalling disaster
to the whole family.
Flowering plants an: divided into lwo kinds; those with woody
stems, usually perennials, and plants which are
usually annuals.
tilt Peony
Following the painting of the narcissus as an all-outline Oower,
and the lotus, which was painted in the combined techniques or
nut line flower rmd solid-stroke leaves, the third tcdinique is to
ieavily
tune; but if
.resagcs
gdisastcr
'''ith woody
c:harc
ne Hower,
hniquesof
iquc is to
paint the flowers nnd leaves all in the solid stroke method. The
peony is a good exampkofthis method as it lends itself to the
impre.ssionislic. loosencss of tht: m ~ h Mrokcs, in con rrast to the
(:<trefully conscructed neatness or 0111.linc flowers.
The flovicr itself is large <ind heavy
1
not de1icate
1
a.ncl is \'\'ell
shown by the techniques of shades of black.
Peony flower heads are very heavy. Notice how closely the flowers grow to
the/Daves.
69
70
The orclcrof painting for the peony is: flower first, followed by
leaves, and finally the stems arc aclded. lt is usual to ocgin ;u thc
cencre of the flowrr, whether the flower is fully open or half open.
Petals can be painted in a light shade of grey fir.u, with sLrOkes
being superimposed i n dnrkrr shades whil" the first bru<h stroke
are still wet. The peony has petals darker at the omsiclc and
lighter in the middle, with each peral haYing aver} ragged rds"
The peony planr ha. irs lcaves grouped in threes ar rhc end of a
stem which is connected to the main one.
Centrebrushpoint. .. (_)
I 11 .
111
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Brush point should nlwDys be to tho centre.
Add another petal layer in a lighter tone.
Add mor.e petals to the top or bottom of the flower head, e ~ n i n g in
which direction you wish the head lo point.
Faces3t10\1
r dCC:> f1CJHI

..
...

71
\
\ \
For peony leaves use a Tn#!dium wet brush and peint in groups of three.
roup3
Gfoup 1
A peony leaf group.
.
Croup")
A peony bud.
L.:trgcr leat groups
Stem
S"'"l leat buds
flowe<b<I
73
lnsect.s
Bees, wasps, butterflies and other insects can be aclclccJ to flower
and blos.""m paintings to adcl life and a iouch of realism to the
composition. lnseets gather round the flowers, collecting their
fragrance; Lhcy climb alon!S stems and alight on leaves. They can
be u sed to hint subtly al the advenc of spring, summer or
aufumn, by their very preS<:ncc. Bunerfli<s in spring have pliant
wings and enlarged lower pans of a body ahout to lay rggs. ln
autumn, butterflies have strong win", lean bodirs and tails
lengthened "ith age. Flying butterfl ies have their tube-like
mouth curled, hut, alighted on a plant, th<: mouth
extends to penetrate rhc fl ower and draw its nectar. Although
insects, including butterflies are usually placed in flower
paintings as an ornamental addition, neverthdt-ss due N'gard
should be paid to the season, to maintain a certain degnc: of
realism.
Painting Insects
There arc two methods of paiming inS<'rts, either wi1h the
uu1line or solid-stroke method. Solid strokes contain both wet
and dry 1echniq<.1c:s (dry for the soft wings and head; wcl for the
top of the head, the eyes and the hard shiny legs.) Bees arc ofien
added. if ink has been splashed, to cover up the mistake. As the
Chinese bee is smaller than foreign varieties and i8 regarded by
the Chinese as being an emblem of industry and thrift, it makes a
very suit.able addition ro flower paintings.
Ordtr for painting insects (except some butterflies)
J Head
2 Body and wings
3 Legs
74
B86s and wasps.
lmporro"t remintkrs
I I usually have four wings ancl ix lcS".
2 Jumping insects ha,e st rong ha<:k legs and flying inS<:c1
have large main wings.
3 \\lhrn flying, an insect s body drops, but its wings poini
up.
'l i\11 insect ' s legs are pullt:cl u while Hying.
5 'A' hen alighting ;m insr:i'.I stretches its legs.
l\lotts on Painting /nJetts
I A mall pointed brush should br usccl.
2 Hair-line strokes are n<."f"clrcl, with even more ddica1c
brushwork for really small in!f<cts.
3 The order of painting is cy<, hcdd. thorax, abdomen,
wi11gs, legs ancl anrcnnac.
4 The head ofthe in seer (to he aimed first) ne<'cls a dark
shade with the eyes alwnys black.
5 Paint the wings of a tly;ng insect wit h a dry brush, working
from the base of the wing where it joins the body and
a1Jowit1g it co fade 011r,,
1
ard.
6 Fu"'zy insects, such as a bumble: hcc need a dry brush.
7 Shiny insect.< like wasps or beetles ncccl a wet brush.
ll Solicl insects have their legs painrccl in a series of l>onc
type (like calligraphy) strokes with a wet brush ai1d black
ink.
9 F.ar.h antenna should be paintld in one smooth stroke .
.... -- ..
I>ragonjlits
The dragonfly is au emblem of summer and a symbol of
instf1 bi lity anci '''cakncss. It is often usr.d in flc>,vc.r pictures,
p;,rticularly those associated wirh walcr like che lotus.
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--
Dragonflies.
76
As these insects appear in large numbers before a storm, they
are: xr>mctimcs knt>\Vn as tltc "t)'ll hoo11 Uy', \\
1
l1ile. che (__! B1i ncsc
slang term for them is 'old glassy' because of their large
transparent wings. They flit over streams and along river banks.
eating harmful insects and arc, therefore, much appreciated by
the people who live near water.
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Praying mantis and cricket$.
Crickets
The cricket is the triplr xyrnbol oflifc .111d death and eternal
renewal . Like flov.rcrs, insects have tfleiroln la11gungc: a cicada
on a weeping willow suggests the song of the insect, mingled with
the rustling leaves, caresS<:d by the wind; tltepraying mantis is a
symhol of bravery. 'Vf any n>ulers, p<:n<lams. littlr sculptured
jades, represent crickets, bees, huuerflies- useless trinkets but
meaningful to the lovers who exchanged them. The prrscnce of a
cricket in the home was a sign of good luck; ''" hearing it poets
experienc<'cl a foeling of render melanC'holy. i\n ancicnt ode of
Che-king says. that 1hc fir>t song of the cricket is the signal for
work to thr weaver. Womrn in harems kept them in
little golclen cages that they placed near their pillows at night, so
that they could listen happily to thc:m which would case thei r
loneliness.
ii
ButWjlies
The butterfly i nm only a ymbol of sun1mer but is alo regarded
as an emblem of joy, since the Chinese philosopher Chuang Tsu
once had a dream in which he became abutterOy. happily flying
from flower to flower ipping nectar. The same Taoit
philosopher regarded the bunerfly as a sign of conjugal ftlkity,
perhaps the Chinese version of Cupid.
Although when painting insects, the head is usually painted
first, 1.his is not. so in the case of solid-stroke hutt.crl\ies.
Since the wings arc the most important part of the in;.ec1 they are
painted first.
Order f()( painting bu"etfli8s.
4
,f




.......

2
-
Sf11aJ notes on buJtaflie
I \Vhcn flying, only half the body is visible.
2 At rest. the whole l>O<ly is visible.
3 The buucrfl) has two antennae on its head.
4 The mouth is in between the antennae.
5 Flying in thr morning, a butterfly's wings are straight up
<>J)l)c)si lt tach <Jthcr.

Before a Chinese anist begins to paint, many hc.>urs have been
sp<nr in \Y:tlrhing butterflies, for instanc:{", <lr l<>e>kinK at tl1c
different varietiesofinsec1s. in flight an<l a1 rcn. Evrry singfo
clcmcnl c1f nlitun: i:ii ,,.c>rthy of time and atte11tio11 to tile artist
who wishes to portray, albei1impressionis1ically,1hr real , living
world. The ck:icriptions given here and the paiming
for insecu ma)' seem to be very formal, hut rhry should only be
rcgardrd nn nid, not a substitute fc>r the anis1
1
s CJ\\'tl eyes. 011e
of chc ar.r.rll<"<I h<'ncfitN c>f an interest in Cl1i r1csc l ra<litio11al
is 1 it lu.:1.lt:r <..i 11cJ r11ore i1)tt1)Se of looking at
Lh ings dr:vdnps unol>Lrusively. Seeinl(, ins1ead of merely
lc>c>ki ng, l)<:C:C)rnc?'i an cv(;ry<la}' c>ccurer1ce. J::ve11 i11 tile (Cl'\tr( of
big city, there ni-e bees and other inseccs co be sern nn<l ucimin:d .
T tlc i>ai r11. ir1g !(h<)lJlci fc>llc>'"' tJ1c cl bst r\'aLior1. so tl1e idens ar1cl
i nf(,rr11aLiclr1 put (Ur\,ar<l i.11 ti lls seclio11are0111y a poinrf"r nt; to
where and how to look. if this is 1he area of interest which
yc>ll mt)S1 .
I
7<J
1'ird.s
Bird are rarely painted by themselves. They sit on the branch of
a ircc, pause near a flower or rest at the side of a watery pool .
They help give life and movement, albdt gentle, to the calm,
unruffied serenity of the traditional Chinese flower and bloswm
paintings. They also refer symbolically w <:haractcr traits or
imply unstated associations. A ctane suggests longevit y {the
Chinese believe that the bird lives to I ,OOO years of age). so for an
(.
,
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80

I
J
old man's birthday, a crane under a pine tree is considered
lucky. Mandarin ducks and swallows often occur in pairs-ducks
on a water lily pool or swallows among willow trees mean happy
matrimony. Ten ma!,'Pics an: a very lucky nmrn ancl usually
appear in large official cclcbr.ttory paintings. The chart on page
88 gi,es some idea of the symbolism anached to 1hr birds which
feature mrnn oftrn in Chinl;l;c painting.
Painting Birds
1l1e Chir1esc say 'T<Jt 1>aint al>ird, do n<>t g<> a\vay frtJTTl lhc tbrr11
ofan gg'. A bird begins life in the egg and Lhat is also 1hc basic
body shnpc. Two egg-shaped ovals provide the framework fo1
the bird.
c
. .....


'
Birds a/8 harched from eggs and rhair shape closely foHows
1/Jarofanegg, wi1hhead, 1ail, wingsandfeetadded. The
1aH grows at Iha end of rhe oval.
If rhe bird is divided Into rhree sections the third section is
whe11> 1he legs go.
ff a bird is divid8d into five sections, the wings are i.n the
upper three sections.
111
82
The small circle, which represents the head, can be
moveo inside or outside rhe body egg shape.
The preceding piccures give che general body shape and formac.
T l<>WC\'<:r, when scaning to paint the bird rhcrc: is ;1n ;1c:<:cr>tcci
Chinese order of painting which has LO be followed. Since the
bird must first be able to eat and then LO see, the first part of the
bird to paim is the bill. Next, paim the eye that is near the roof of
the bill.
Although, occasionally, the eye can be painted before the
beak, the eyes and beak are always paimed before the body of the
bird. Following the beak and the eyes, the head should be
completed, then the bird's back, wing feathers, breast feathers,
tail, legs and feet.
\
The two diagrams explain the order for both the 'brush line'
and ' solid-stroke' methods of painting birds. The bi!'d can then
be placed on a branch or in a tree as ;)ppropriace. Both methods
use" fine brush for the beak, eyes and claws.
beak
eve
__ ..... ,:: 2
-==--->
Add
I (lli;f i-l i l (I I brush St1()kCS lO btJild up the tail
...
- ' ..... _ .... - .....
Outline or brush-line method.

.... .,
. '
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. "



....
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" Lays and lost
/

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7

' dJs1;a ti nebrushl
Claw f<.u g1ipping on ,a tuaoch
rikea fist
83
2

--
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84
7 - --- ---.....
-- -
--......
--- --..
So/id-stroke method. Fine brush tor eyes, beak and cl8ws. Medium brush
for hed, body and feathers.
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,._.. ... .. "\ .
.._,._ 'tllll:v"""" ..
..
Birds give life Lo a painting of a rather static branch, or tree,
and can, therefore, be pnintcd in a rather quiet, indistinct way.
Alternatively, rhc hi re! <'an fonn lhe main clement of the paintinR
and, as such, will be r<'quired LO demonstrate rather 1norc orits
own character. Some painters arc expert in the arc of depicting
rwo or more birds in natural interaction in a fine and detailed
manner, while Chai Pai Shih rould convey the fluffiness of a
baby chicken with thrrr wc1 brush Slrokes.
As Y.;th all other >ubjects in traditional Chinese Pain6ng, it is
necessary to observe and enjoy birds in their natural habitat unril
a clear pic:rnrc can be retained in the mind, before attempting to
commit brush to paper. Thi< observation of nature is a pleasur<
in itself and one of the many side benefits cob<: obtained from rh<'
study of this anc.:icrll orierltal a:rt fc>nn.
The Chinese arc o enamoured of their birds that, like a pet,
the)' take them out for walk., either still in their cages, or perhaps
sitting on
85
This bird hssSpacti below and may fly
down into tht! p;cru1.
C,(J111jJos1t1011
Arrange your Dower and bird paimingsso that they hoih look
natural. In s:>mc places things may appear crowded, in other
areas of the picture there may Ix: much According tu
the anc;:ienL C;hi11ese, '\Al here expansi\
1
CJl CNS is l'Cl[ll ired, Jct th.ere
be roorn for a trotting horse, where compactness is n:quired, let
not a pass through'.
This bird has SfMCB to fly upwards.
86
By pu:ting the bird in nnP. r..om1
of the co!Y1()asition, he has the space
to fly into the whole area.
87
Bird Symbolism in Chinese Art
Namr o(bird Legendary Sy rnholic force As!OC"i:t1i1n1

Co.:k
3 Crow
5 Duck
6 fah:un
7 Coosc
S y u 1 boll se s the of a.r.ounrry life: throush
five virtues.
I A cro\vn nn hi<t htud spiril.
2 Spurs on hi$ frf'' rn:.rk \varlikt: d isposi1 iOJ\,
3 He is for hf' fights his enernies.
4 Bcnc:volrnr, .U he ea.JI-'! ru r Lht: hens tO give lhCn\
food.
S Faithful in kccpU:1g lhi: tiwe.
Xcxt ro PhcM:nix in in1porta..utt. Conveyance of 1hr
Soul of the dtpanrd to Cht" \.\lotem
Three-legged r1dr.ro,vK11irl f(l inhabit tht: sun.
Prt:sagt:il lll luck if ils cry is heard '"hilc nt'goriat ing
business.
\\fith the pigc<n llh.a.rc 11ousgc1otion of useful Ion( lifr.
Dccur.11cd 1hcj.u:le M.cpttt whtch. in the Hctn
d}'Tlasty. to aU aged person.is.
Syrnbol of a ro,ing tire undl paired. :a ,;;r n lrd
cxisttn('e,
\.\!ith and hawlc.$ eo1bl('t1l:'.1tiC": of vi"ii)n
an<l bold rourn.ge U5Cd on and pant' ls.
Symbol of l111bleu1 of the conjugal
(as g:sc said aJwar"' 10 fly in pairs).
f ine- robes and inlposing '{rrindcor. Spr.M. Reririni:;
na ture. Feathers used for appliquC.
F:111txw:limf'nt of
thi:: male principle
Yang
lAmg tire
High offirial
position
Messenger of rhc
gods
t: .... it
llllurk in husinesb.
wnglife
Oulluess
La.ci\: IOU.Jn(:$.<;


Felicity
H.:autv
ConjLigal fidelity
Auttu.>1'ity
Courage

S.,050naJ <hang.,.
lieCluly and
Oignity
Jlc=U l'O(L. on thr
"'all nf Jt; ho1111e
p1'('1tcc1ii>n ugalnsl
fi re., \'Vlutccock in
rt fonrr.lll
procc:11SHJn - Jrivts
awayi:;hu;t:.
Pinc ' l'n:c$
Snl')w
\\'in1rr
Sun
Filial pitt)'
Ct'W'd Oiget>tion
Fairhfulno.;
I mpa.naJJit , -
t-ilial 1nrty
Spnng
l.ol Uli
ttceds
Sun
\.Vil<l 1\ni111oa.ls
\\'rtrriun.
\\' ruing
Lctten Nt\\"S from
adi .. toUU,(
River
()Id ' I 'l't"c:ll
Jtec<ls

10 Owl
1 L Pai-rot
t 2 Pc:uc,uc:k
Noise. ?Vt isc:hicf'. Ctwt.l 111:V1o'::1, Guests Rejoicing. Tn1
name means hird C>fjoy',
Concrete aoo 1nor4J evil Dread, a\\"C.
0
rlca1h.
F aithfulnu" Jx-1"''"rn huttl:aand and .,.ifc-.
t\1T1ong Lhe
i\l<1.nc:hus,
<livinity ru1d
ln1pcrhl1 rul<'
Crime.
t-Jorrur
r1ddi1y
Hrilliant.:e
Rr:au1ifUI
' l'rtC'llltn<lCountry ._
J-'JO\o\'Cfl
'I rtt
\\'irhrr,-d folowcn
i-1o\\crs and
Shn1h"
H-ea uly cu1<l <l il)uity. ' l'hc decoration of thr: p<'nc:ock '11 lJeuul)' auJ arid
feather was gjvcl\ for 'PC('.iaJ J.ignity hr:nu1 iful MaiJcns

AA
Name of bird
13
t 4 Phoenix
15
-
Significance
11n petiaJ tlig11i1 )' B(:ruJt y. Prosperity. Second of the
four supcrnarur;:i l
a rdour ;1nd cooragc
\Vo1ncn 's Uiulgt:r. Peking is kno,,111 a.s lhc .
city of sv.allo"s.
Beaul)' aJltl good
forcunc
Bea.uL y aud good
fi.>rnJnr.
Povc:ny
Bravery
Speed
Daring
/ \ssuc:iatic>n
f"h)\vt:rs and
Hurnrning Birds
!)un,
and \\!(Ives
MilJct and Grasses
C louds . .Bi rds and
f h) \'/t:n>
89
NounHn9 Tec6niques
v nlcss the intention is to make a folding fan, then the ncx1 stage
towards compleiing a finished picture is the mounting stage.
\-Vhcn the painting i, linishcd and has had rime to dry
thorough! y, the fragile easily-rrcased paper has to be provided
will\ the support it needs to make it manageable. This is done by
mounting the ahsorh(:nl paper on to a card backing.
Mounting
The Equipmmt required
A Oat, weUpolishc.'d metal or plastic surface, such as a
free?.ertop or a 1able with a synthetic plastic surface.
2 Starch wallpal"'r paste (not a ynthctic based one) mixed
to a olightly thinner consiscenry than recommended for
paper hanging.
3 A large wallpaper l>ru>h wi th coarKr bristles.
1 Appropriate mounting board, which should not be the
laminated type as tl1is is likely tc> \v}1e11 \Vet. A
card, st1cl1 as antiqtit: Qucctl 1\nne l)oard is r11t)Sl
suitable.
5 A sharp knifr., metal straight edge, set squares (or square
forming device) and a culling board.
}.ftthod
1 Prepare thr working surface by ensuring that the llai tabk
!Of> is clean and wax polished.
2 Check that 1hc paste is correctly mixed.
3 Cut the mounting board"" that it will completely cover the
whole of the pain1ing.
4 Lie the picture, painting side down, on to !he table top and
flatten it with the hand.
5 Load the wallpaper brush fully. removing the excess; and
then in a scrit nfhig, bold strokes from the centre of the
pai11Lir1g to tlte Ol1tsiclr, C"c>mJ>lctcl y co"er the paint.ing wiLlt
paste. Any ercac or folds can Ii<: 'cased' away by
patiently brushing the surface with a se1niloaded hrush.
Care1nust be rnkr11 no1 t0 press too heavily and the fingers
and hands must be kept away from 1h1: wet surface.
91
8
2
6 Check that all bmsh hairs, lumps of paste or spots of dire
are ren1ove<l.
7 Holding 1he mounting card just above 1he pasted surface,
slowly lower it, ensuring that it is located so that the
painting is c:ompletely covered by the card.
3
~ L
4
92
8 Press the two pans together using a wallpaper brush or
roller. VVhcn you are sure that they have joined together,
then carefully peel away the newly mounted painting from
the table top, checking that the painting has, in fa<:t, stuck
to the card.
9 Allow the mounted painting to dry by placing it flat omo a
newspaper.
10 The next stage in the process is 10 cm the picture to its
correct si:Ge a11d sl1apc.
If the picture is to he recrangular(very few Chinese paintings
are square) then the best way to arrive a1 the: <.:orrcct proponions
for the: painting is by using two' L' shaped pieces of board which
can be moved around until the best position is found, and then
the picture can be trimmed with a sharp knife.
Ernpt SJ)atc rer11ains an i1111)<)rlanL l)3ft ofLhe pai1Li11g, eve11
at the mounting scage., so the picntre should not be cm down coo
dr;L,tically.
Presentation
V\lhcn Lhc J>ainting is in its rnountc:c-J, rnanagcal>lc slale iL ca.c1 be
presemed in a variety of formats. SrnaJJ paincings can be made
imo greetings cards.
To :\1aka Creclin.tts Card
1 Divide a rectangular card into chree sections. (An
appropriate si7.e might be Sin high by 6in wide for the
linished card.)
94
2 Cut o ut a hole in the <:cnt.rc scct'.<>n.
3 Place your completed painting behind the rectangular
hole.
4 Fold the right hand section, under the and glue
down. lf necessary, coloured paper can be placed behind
the pic:turc to produce a dntcd background.
5 A message can then be written on che inside section.
Larger paintings can be glued on to coloured backing board to
make either vertical or horizontal pictures, remcmhcring that
Chinese painti11gs always l1ave more space above the picture
than below it, and also that che sides of the mounting board
sh<>ulc:I t>c very narrov..
tv1orc space lefl abcve 1h;i n b ~ : l o v
_ ,__ Ntl ffOWSide
Narro\v side
95
Your Questions
Over a period of. years, while leaching and leccuri11g on the
techniques of Chinese paincing, there hiivc been some g.:neral
queries on aspects related to, buc not. directly involved in, che
paincing, which have hr.cn asked again and again. This chapter
provides the answers to some of chese queries.
Question 1
Are there any general roles that the painter sliouldfollow''
Although traditional paincing has accepted methods of
represencing nacure, there arc no hard and fast rules which
demand t hat t.h<:Sc should continue lo be followed, provided that
the overall concepc of the picture falls within the p1ecep1s puc
forward by 'Hsieh Ho'. Tn the 'Classilicacion of Painters'
published about the: year 500, Hsieh Ho listed six basic
principles for traditional Chinese paincers, of which all but the
first can be realised by practice. These ' Six Canons' as they were
caUed, S(ijJ obsc1"\cd t>y <:c>ntcrr1p<>r<lry Cl1i11es.e i:>ait1ters
1
so it
is clear chat they are of gre<1t importance.
The Six Rules
I The spirit and vitality of lifecmd rW/!4rt sltould be corttaimd within
the This first and most important<>f the six rules
implies rhat there is more lo a painting than lirsc meets t he
eye. Additio11ally, the rel igious hdids of Taoism and
Buddhism are often visu<tlly manifested by the paintings
of their devout followers.
2 The brush creates the structure of the Control of the
Chinese brush in all its manifest complexities and
possibilities is almost as important to the quality of
traditional painting its spiric. The very n:atureof the
<:(>r1trc)l r1cccs!\ary lt) 111ai1ip-ulace brush and ink c.>n tt1c
painting surface is much appreciated hy rhec.onnoisseurof
Chinese btush painting.
3 The subject matter ef !lte painting should he recognisable. Since
C11i11ese pai11li11g isi b}' its very nattirc, irr11"ressio11istic,
care has to be taken rhat nat11rc is not distorted too Ill\tch
so tl1al it beco1r1es abscracc and t111rccr>gnisal>lc. It is 1101
ne:cessaIJ' t<> 1>aint a named \
1
ariety ofllower
1
or slavishly
follow the roportionaLe size of a butrerfly, ibut too rimth
of a departure from realism is r1<>t cc)nsicJered all0\\
1
able.
107
4 J 'M colour should he a/1propriate to the Jtibjf.:t. The most
important asp<.-el of this rule is to remember that each of
'the seven shades of black' is equivalent to a colour an<l
can be used in<tead of reds, greens, etc.
5 A paimingshou/J h<composcdcorrtclly wiiltin it.sjOTTT11Jt. The
disposition of the subject matter on the painting rurface is
qui1e a difficuh eomponeul of a Chinese picture and
especially so for a Westerner. Because space is so much a
parl of1he original conception, there 'houl<l evenrually be
whole areas of unfilled painting surface left when the
picture is complcrc:. Fluwcl'S and branches grow from the
sides of the pai nti ng instead of arising from a hori1.onml
plane wit hin the picture. T here are other compositional
elements which also have to he considered when deali ng
with the different formats rnore specilicaJJy.
6 Copyingfrom tlie work of lhe ol.d mosters it tM best mtthod of
teaming. Practi>ing, by using the compositions of
recognised painters is a good method oflearning as it
immL-diately removes from considera:ion the most
difficult clcmcnl of the picture and cn.ibles concentration
m be focussed on brush u"" and ink control. The
traditional expression yu pi, yu mo' - (to have brush. 10
have ink) in<licatcs the importance placed on comrolling
both these Chinese painting eletnentstogtthtr.
Most books on Chinese paimingcomain chcsc six rules as they
arc the accepted principles and of great importance in this
tradicional ;1rt forrr'.
Question 2
In whal way dots a Chinese painting differ in compcsition from a Western
paiming?
Generally speaking, 1h<n: is more white space lcf1 in a ChinCS<'
painting than in a WcMern painting, the proportion often being
as high a< two-thirds space to one-third pait:ting.
Anmher characteristic of the Chinese painting is that, in
accordance ~ t h tradition, rnore space should be left above the
painting (representing heaven), than below(represeming earth).
Tln.: t,1uc.aJc 111ounting around scrolls cchoc::t this space concept.
Qucstion3
What are the r1w.-1 imporlartlformaLr for Chinese painJing and how did they
evolve?
The physical format of a painting influence; both the style and
composition of the pic1un:.
109
110
f'l'all Paintings Large, flat surfaces painted in st rong colours
a11<J rr1eanl f(>r l>U l>lic vic\ving, \\ere the first of the C.: hinc.sc
traditional paintings. Very few of these have survived, but
some good examples of Buddhist paintings were found in the
cave.s ofTuJ1-l1tLa.11g.
Screens Many differenc kinds of screens were used i.:i1 Chinese
houses, some with paintings put cl.lrecdy on to the created
wood and others having silk picture panels. Some scrct:ns
consisted of a single panel m<>untcd on legs, <>thcrs had several
verLical pat1els. rr1ac.ie in Lo a 10lcling scree1\. screer1s hacl
many uses. Jn the Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 220) screens
'''(!rC l.u.:hi n(i h<>n<>t1rcd b'1. 1csts, usc.:d as ro<>rn rliviclcrs,
as single 1>ancls <>n the sides of Cf Hichcs an(l palan<p1i ns <>r
c.>utsiclc as \vinrl-l>rcaks.
Handrcrolls were small personal paintings, 9- 14 inches high,
they could be I ess th;m 3 feet long, or as much as 30 free. A
toun<l wooder roller was attached to the Jef1. or the scroll and a
serni-clrcu)ar rod t.t> other <: n<I. irncs inscri f>I ions
were added to the paintings.
As the Chinese read from right to left, so the scroll is viewed
by unrolling a bit at a time. The unroll ing can be fast, medium
or slow according io the pace n:quire<.I for the composition.
Scro/fr Look the place of wall paintings and, as rhcy
were light in weight a nd easily rolled for sL01age, the y r()ul<I he
changed often. The format all..,wcd the whole painting to be
seen at once by a ron5idcrably greater number of people. The
usual height of such scrolls varied from 26 feet, al though
some W<'re as long'" 10 feet.
j

I

I

I
I
124
Although obtainable with difficulty in some coumries, it is not
yet available in the U niied Kingdom.
A11cie11t paintings ha\re a subtle brO\\'tl Lirlt, so111etimcs the
result of th(: original paper being made from a coloured natural
st1ch as Dlttlberry or bar111,<.lo. there was also a
special liquid washer! over paintings as anti-moth and insect
treatment . This liquid caused the paper to turn brown with age
arid acc<>11nts for the ai1cie11t parcl:i.r11e11l t<Jlour <)f many c>f the c>ld
scrolls.
It is possiblt: to achieve this ancient brown colouration by
, .. ashing O\'er .a compositic.>n, 1>aint<!d on white paper, wich a
strong tea solution. This is very successful provirled, a} the ink is
dry before the wash is added, b) the wash brush is soft and docs
not scrape the paper, and c) the tea is put on carefully in
horizontal strokes which leave neither gaps nor overlaps. Of
course, watercolour paint could be used as the wash, but the
natural pigmem of tea blends rnort: realistically imo the paper.
Another method of achieving a coloured background is co mount
the white paper painting on to a coloured board instead of a
white one.
Question 9
What art 'Yin arul Yang'?
Ancient Chinese: mythology describes the world as being a hen' s
egg, which separated into chc yolk and the white; one
rep1esenting the heavy elements which formed the earth, and the
other part of the egg, the light, pure elements which former! the
sky. These were Yin anrl Yang, representing the female (passive)
and male (active) elements rcspcccivcly.
The symbol shows that Yin and Yang arc so closely
interwoven that each does not exist without the other.
Together Yin and Yang consticute the Tao {the eternal
principle); individually Yin is negative, dark, eanh, moon, even
ntlmbers, \alleys and strearns; )Tang is positive, light, hca,rcn,
sun, odd numbers and mountains. ln painting, brush and
paper, ink stick and ink stone, seal and cinnabar paste, water
and mountains, arc all part of the duality of Yin and Yang .