Looking for names of world-famous paintings with interesting backgrounds and connotations..

Among the famous painting monks of the Tang Dynasty, Daofen of the mid-Tang Dynasty should be most recommended. He was from Kuaiji (now Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province). He was good at landscapes, turquoise, and often created murals for temples in Jiangnan and other places. The poet Gu Kuang wrote "Songs of Landscape Paintings by Master Daofen of Jishan"

Daofen's disciple was named Zongyan, his common surname was Xu, his given name was Biaoren, and he was a native of Wuxing (now Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province). He is quite familiar with the samadhi of Daofen trees and rocks. When painting, his brushstrokes are vigorous and powerful, and his momentum is impressive. It is also recorded in "Records of Famous Paintings of the Past Dynasties".

The painting monk Zhihui, who was a little later than Daofen, had a common surname of Gao and was from Shaanxi. He was a monk at the Zhongtan Bathhouse in Luoyang

There is also a landscape painting monk named Dao Jie. Zhu Jingxuan's "Tang Dynasty" "Famous Paintings" said that the landscapes he painted were able to express the natural beauty.

Faming, a painter from Tongzhou, Shaanxi Province (today's Dali County), was good at depicting facial features. He was once summoned by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty to be a beauty. The portraits of seventeen bachelors including Zhang Shuo in the main hall, each with their own unique expressions, were appreciated by the emperor, and this painting was also collected by the Royal Academy of Painting. The matter can be found in "Records of Famous Paintings of the Past Dynasties".

The painting monks Zhiyan and Meishi who are active in Kaifeng are famous for painting the Buddhist portrait murals of Daxiangguo Temple. Zhiyan's "Three Vehicles of Cause and Effect and the Stages of Entering the Dao", Master Mei's "Picture of the Brahma King's Interpretation" under the Nine Doors, and the "Picture of the Twenty-eight Stages of Merits and Virtues in the Transformation of the Lotus Sutra" on the inner wall of the east corridor, all feature colorful and wonderful figures. It was so brilliant that it was called Xiangguo Temple's unique masterpiece by people at the time. Guo Ruoxu's "Pictures and Knowledge" records this incident.

The painting monks of the late Tang Dynasty were more unique and clever, such as Jiang Monk, who was famous for his painting of pine trees. During the reign of Emperor Xizong (reigned from 873 to 888), he painted giant pine murals for the Chuanyuan Academy, which made people feel like hearing the sound of pine waves when looking at them. The famous scholar Zheng Gu's poetry flourished, and there was a poem praising Jiang Monk's superb painting skills in "Yuntai Bian".

Seng Hui, a monk from Nanhai (today's Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province), was famous for his dragon paintings. The head and tail were hidden in the painting, which is quite impressive as the dragon cannot be looked at.

In the Tang Dynasty, there were some versatile painting monks who were also good at mathematics, such as Zhi Gei. "Records of Famous Paintings of the Past Dynasties" said that he was good at landscapes, ghosts and gods, and his paintings were neat and elegant; another example is Shifang of Shuzhou (now a Chu'an, a native of Sichuan Province, with a common surname of Ju, is not only good at painting figures and pavilions, but also masters both large and small paintings. For example, "The Ming Dynasty's Summer Retreat at the Qing Palace" and "The Wu King's Banquet at Gusu Terrace" both have large-scale murals and small pieces of round fans. Although the sizes are different, their skills are not reduced, and they are highly praised by princes and princes. Wonderful pen. The matter is found in Huang Xiufu's "Yizhou Painting Record"; another example is the monk Mingjie of Puguang Temple in the capital, whose common surname is Yao. The "Extended Biography of Eminent Monks" written by Shi Daoxuan said that he was good at playing piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and his reputation moved the capital. All the above clearly show the activeness of the painting monks in the Tang Dynasty.

Ju Ran is the most famous of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. According to the "Xuanhe Painting Book", he was from Jiangning (now Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province), lived in Kaiyuan Temple in Jinling (now Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province), and was a disciple of Dong Yuan, a master of landscape painting. When the Song Dynasty destroyed the Southern Tang Dynasty (975), he followed Empress Li to Bianjing (now Kaifeng City, Henan Province) and lived in Kaibao Temple. He gained a reputation for his outstanding painting skills. He was invited to create the mural "Mist and Dawn Scenery" for the Bachelor's College.

Hui Jian, a landscape painter of Hou Shu, was a monk of the Three Colleges in Guangzheng (938-965). At the invitation of Chengdu Dashengci Temple, he painted the mural "King Wu Banquet at Gusutai". It features a gathering of characters, beautiful landscapes, magnificent momentum, and a peaceful atmosphere. "Yizhou Famous Paintings" records his story.

The Lingzhong of the Later Shu Dynasty followed, and they also grew up in Buddhist portraits. He is from Guanghan, Sichuan. He has painted large murals for the bathrooms of Xingguo Temple in Chengdu, the Three Colleges of Dashengci Temple, Jiedi Hall and other places. He is famous for his "Figures of the Coming of Damascus".

Landscape paintings of the early Northern Song Dynasty Hui Chong, who was good at creating freehand scenes, is the most famous monk. He is a native of Jianyang, Fujian Province. He is good at poetry and calligraphy. He is known as the "Nine Poetry Monks" together with Zan Ning and Yuan Wu. Hui Chong was particularly good at painting. The painting of the cold Ting Yuanzhu and the misty rain with wild geese shows the desolate and empty landscape of the villages in the south of the Yangtze River, which is full of elegance.

In the early Song Dynasty, there was also a painting monk named Xiufan who was famous for his paintings of Taihu stones. He was a native of Runzhou (now Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province). The lake stones painted may look like clouds, or may be as rough as waves. They are strange and changeable, yet exquisite and unique in their own style. The incident is recorded in Deng Chun's "Hua Ji".

In the middle of the Northern Song Dynasty, Xiangwei, a painter from Jiangyin, was famous for his ability to paint water. He once painted water pictures for the lintel of the Dharma Hall of Guangfu Temple in Jiangyin. According to "Jiangyin New Chronicles", the water he painted may be white waves towering to the sky, surging, or rippling with microwaves, or spring water like the sky. The shape is so wonderful that people at that time called it "like a trace of water".

One of the landscape painting monks in the late Northern Song Dynasty was Dezheng, who was born in Liyang, Hezhou (now part of He County, Anhui Province). He later moved to Wu County (now part of Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province) and lived in a stone nunnery in Lushan Mountain in his later years. He likes to travel to famous mountains and rivers, and when he comes back, he paints what he saw and what he saw. His painting style is elegant and full of poetry. He is also good at drawing characters in white, and he has the refreshing style of Li Gonglin. The matter can be found in "Wu County Chronicle".

B. Figure Painting Monk

Figure painting is the strong point of Painting Monk, and the Northern Song Dynasty was no exception. A monk who was good at painting portraits, he was active in the capital in the early Song Dynasty. He was a member of Zhenzong (reigned from 1998 to 1022). Lin Bu, a hermit in Gushan, West Lake, wrote "Lin Hejing's Collected Poems". "The Poem of Master Shen Dharma Xiang" was passed down, praising his painting skills:

The offerings in the forbidden temples are as rare as the master's art.

Another painting monk, Master Ping, once painted portraits for the great scholar Li Gou, and he was very charming. Li Gou wrote a poem in "Xujiang Collection" to thank him.

The emperors of the Northern Song Dynasty often hired painters to paint their royal faces. During the reign of Emperor Taizong (reigned from 1976 to 1997), Wu Ai, a monk from the Xiangguo Temple in the capital, was called upon to paint portraits of the emperor. Received praise from Taizong. He also painted bamboo. Liu Daochun's "Review of Famous Paintings of the Holy (Song) Dynasty" said that he and the Five Dynasties painters Tang Xiya and Dong Yu were the pioneers of bamboo painting.

During the reign of Renzong (reigned from 1023 to 1063), Weizhen, a monk from Jiahe (now Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province), was called to Beijing to paint the royal appearance, pay tribute to the imperial edict, and receive gifts. It was so thick that all the famous officials and nobles were proud of his portrait. See "Pictures and Information". According to "Hua Ji", the monk Miao Shan was also ordered to give the emperor a portrait, and Su Dongpo wrote a poem as a gift. According to "Records of Qiandao Gengyin's Reports", during the reign of Emperor Zhezong (1086-1110), Chengdu monk Biao Xiang, whose common surname was Su, painted a portrait of Su Dongpo on the wall of Miao Gao Terrace. If you love it, you will write a poem like this:

The eyes are like a newborn calf, and the heart is like a boat without ties.

If you want to ask about life achievements, Huangzhou, Huizhou and Yazhou.

The monks who painted Buddhist figures in the Northern Song Dynasty were also very skilled in painting. Tan Su and Jiayou (1056-1063), a native of Jiangyin, painted "Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty summoned Zhang Sengyao to write a picture of Zhi Gong in disguise" on the back wall of the west veranda of Guangfu Temple in Jiangyin. Everyone who saw it was surprised, and the incident was recorded in "Jiangyin Xinzhi". A native of Wuxian County, Fa Neng is good at painting Arhats. He has "Five Hundred Arhats", which is vivid in form and has its own personality. Qin Guan compared him to Dai Kui, a great painter of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and recorded the incident in "Wuxian Chronicle". Zhiping, a monk from Qingliang Temple in Chengdu, is famous for his painting of Guanyin. He once painted a statue of Guanyin for Puxian Pavilion of Shuiluyuan, which was regarded as kind and majestic. Monk Xuji of Bailing Temple in Chengdu also painted murals and figures for Puxian Pavilion of Shuiluyuan. In addition, he also worked on landscapes; Zhou Chun, a painter in Huayang, Chengdu (now part of Chengdu City, Sichuan Province), and Li Gonglin, a master of Buddhist statues, did not use vermillion to dye them, but painted them in white; they also specialized in flowers and birds, landscapes, and proposed the theory that calligraphy and painting are connected . The above three paintings of monks can all be found in "Hua Ji".

C. Flower-and-bird painting monks

The flower-and-bird painting monks in the early Northern Song Dynasty were most popular in the south of the Yangtze River. For example, Mengxiu, who has the same name as the painting monk of the late Tang Dynasty, is good at using trembling movements to paint flowers, birds, bamboos and rocks. He uses white ink and white ink, which is very flexible and gives people a beautiful enjoyment. Another example is Piling (now Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province). He lives in Ning, and paints grass and insects with strong and relaxed brushwork, simple and far-reaching ink. Mei Yaochen's "Mr. Wanling's Collection" has a poem commenting on it:

Ning's heart is really inspired by the gods, and he sits and envoys. Generations volts.

The flower-and-bird painting monks in the middle and late Northern Song Dynasty were not limited to the south of the Yangtze River. There was Baojue from Jianyang who was good at painting flowers and birds recorded in "Huaji"; Hui Gong, a native of Junzhou (now part of Gao'an County, Jiangxi Province), who was good at painting ink bamboo, was a humane person from Jiazhou (now part of Jiading City, Sichuan Province), who was good at painting grass and insects, and Jue Xin, a person from Jiajiang who was good at painting grass and insects; "History of Painting" It is recorded that Xibai and others from Changsha were good at painting lotuses; while Zhongren from Kuaiji, recorded in Huang Tingjian's "Valley Collection", was good at painting plum blossoms and was the best among his peers.

Zhongren lived in Huaguang Temple in Hengzhou (now Hengyang City, Hunan Province), so he was named Huaguang. He loved the beauty of plum blossoms, so he planted plum trees all around the temple. When the flowers were in full bloom, he would move his bed under the plum blossoms and chant them all day long. Occasionally, he would see sparse shadows slanting horizontally in front of the window on a moonlit night, which looked solemn and lovely, so he spread paper The fallen ink painted the shape of plum blossoms, so his painting skills improved rapidly and became higher and higher. Zhongren's painting of plum blossoms changed from Fu Cai to ink painting, which gave him a very elegant style. Huazhen particularly appreciated this unique initiative. In the poem "Collection of Yunxi laymen? Inscribed on Zhongren's ink scroll of plum blossoms":

< p>The common people paint plum blossoms with red powder, and the mountain monks paint plum blossoms with even ink;

The shallow cage is dyed high and low, and the smoke glue is turned into the color of Yaohua.

The scales on the cold branches are old, like the sound of the wind blowing high in a war.

Three cangs and two pens are not bothered, and half of the letter is like the sun.

The sparse spots of pink and yellow are about to move, and the incense must be swept gently and vigorously.

Do not wait for the warmth of the isolated root to return, clearly writing the message of spring.

Zhongren's works have been spread in Japan, and his plum and bamboo paintings are in the collection of Juntaiguan, which can be found in Japan's "Juntaiguan Left and Right Accounts". Zhongren also had many artistic apprentices, such as Yang Buzhi, a native of Qingjiang, Jiangxi Province, the painter Song Qi, and Master Cheng, etc. Yang Buzhi's disciple, the painter Renji, whose courtesy name is Zeweng and whose common surname is Tong, is good at painting plum blossoms. He can be called a second disciple of Zhongren. He also painted landscapes, bamboos and rocks, and was very good at blue. "wait.

Ding, other painting monks

Among the painting monks of the Northern Song Dynasty, there was also a master of dragon water painting. He was from Siming (now Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province). , so he has a lot of understanding of the power of waves, his pen and ink are refreshing, and he is good at creating the winding shape of a giant dragon. During the Jianlong period (960-962), his reputation was very important, and his writing power became stronger as he grew older. There is a dragon and water screen painted by him in the Imperial Courtyard, which seems to have the sound of dragons and waves, and is the last painting of the time. According to the "Xuanhe Painting Book", the imperial palace alone has thirty-one of his paintings in its collection. It is said that the ancient Buddhist disciples Derao, Wuran and Yue Jianli were all good at painting dragons and water, and each achieved their own excellence and became famous in the painting world.

4. The Painting Monk of the Southern Song Dynasty

A. The Landscape Painting Monk

After the Song Dynasty crossed south, the political situation became somewhat peaceful, and the imperial court resumed its operations in Lin'an (now Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province). Painting Academy. For more than a hundred years, due to the relative peace of war in the south, the economy prospered, and religion and painting also developed to a certain extent. In the early days of the landscape painting monk, he was famous for his master. His style of painting is simple and straightforward, and he wins with intention. Zheng Gangzhong's "Beishan Collected Works" records his story. Lao Wu, a painting monk in the Chunxi period (1174-1189), painted Jiangnan landscapes that were quite majestic, with a plain and innocent meaning. There is a line about this in "Qiuzhuzhai Poetry Collection".

Dezhi, a landscape painter in the middle of the Southern Song Dynasty, named Qinggu, was from Jiangxi. He was good at calligraphy, painting, poetry and prose. He once painted landscape paintings for the left and right walls of the Seeking Truth Temple in Lushan Mountain. Zhu Xi wrote a poem for it, which can be seen in the "History of Painting" want".

Among the landscape painting monks of the late Southern Song Dynasty, Ruofen had the greatest influence. His courtesy name was Zhongshi, his nickname was Yujian, and he was a native of Wuzhou (now Jinhua, Zhejiang). A young man became a monk and traveled around the world for forty years. He imitated all the mountains and rivers in his mind. In his later years, he lived in Hangzhou and went to Tianzhu Temple. He poured out his thoughts on the hills and valleys in his pen. His works were bold and concise, dripping with ink, and transformed from the golden and green beauty into the vast and majestic scenery, which is shocking to the eyes. Jin Luxiang's "Renshan Collected Works", Wang Bai's "Lu Zhai Collection", and Wu Shidao's "Wu Libu Collection" all have poems about it. Ruofen's paintings such as "Mount Lu" and "Returning to the Sails from Yuanpu" are now in Japan and are deeply loved by Japanese audiences.

The monks in Kuaiji were transcendent and were landscape painters in the late Song Dynasty. The peaks and peaks in his paintings resemble those of Guo Xi, most of which are majestic in the north; while most of the water mouths, houses, woods, rocks, and slopes are scattered in the south. As a result, people compare it to the giant. He also painted figures and bamboos, see "Pictures and Paintings".

B. Figure Painting Monk

Wuxing monk Fanlong was a famous figure painter in the Southern Song Dynasty. His courtesy name is Maozong and his nickname is Wuzhu. The Buddha statues he painted are distinguished by ancient gossamer white lines, and his pen and ink are leisurely and distant, which is quite similar to Li Gonglin. Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty (reigned from 1127 to 1162) was very fond of his paintings and would often write about them whenever he saw them. He also gave his nunnery to live in the Jindi Mountain of Wansongling near Jinyuan. Lu You's "Weinan Collected Works" recorded the incident.

Deyuan, a painter from Jiangxi who was a little later than Fanlong, was also good at painting figures. There is "Three Lifespan Picture", which depicts the old man's longevity and prosperity, giving people a sense of happiness and kindness. There is a line from Prime Minister Zhou Bida's "Pingyuan Collection":

The painting portraits have been written in Xiangshan, but Luo Chan still relies on the ink biography.

Another Jiangxi painting monk, Master Hui, was the abbot of Jishui Nanchan Temple. He once studied painting in Hangzhou and was famous for his expertise in the statues of the heavenly kings who protect the Dharma. This can be seen in Wen Tianxiang's "Wenshan Collection".

C. The flower-and-bird painting monk

The painter monk Yin Shi in the early Southern Song Dynasty was famous for his good painting of flowers and fruits. The grapes he painted were crystal clear and fresh, making people salivate. Chen Zao was the "Poetry on Pu Tao Pictures by Shi Yin" was given as a gift, and was included in Chen's "Jianghu Changshou Collection". Master Ying, a painter from Yanxi (now part of Shengxian County, Zhejiang Province), was famous for his plum blossom painting, and was praised by Lu You in his poems. Master Guang, who lived in Nanyue (now part of Hengyang City, Hunan Province), was also famous for painting plum blossoms and was a Taoist master. Zhang Shi's inscriptions on paintings can be found in "Poetic Inscriptions on Paintings".

Fachang, the flower-and-bird painting monk of the late Southern Song Dynasty, stands out among the crowd. His name is Mu Xi, his common surname is Xue. He is from Sichuan and lives in Wannian Temple in Tiantai Mountain, Zhejiang Province. He had a strong sense of justice and was persecuted for criticizing the powerful Prime Minister Jia Sidao and mistreating the country. Fa Chang is a disciple of the painting monk Wuzhun. He is good at painting apes, cranes, dragons and tigers, landscapes, figures, etc. All of them are written casually with ink and ink. The taste is simple and simple, the shape is similar but the spirit is perfect. His skill is especially evident in sketching rough and sparse fruits. , full of natural interest. Wu Taisu's "Songzhai Meipu" and Zhuang Su's "Addition to the Painting" both describe the incident.

The works of Wu Zhun and Fachang's masters and disciples had already been spread to Japan during the Nanli sect (reigned 1225-11264). Today, the "Ape Picture" painted by Fachang is in the collection of Daitoku Temple in Tokyo. ”, “Guanyin Statue”, etc. Hossō's paintings had a huge influence on Japanese Zen paintings, and are therefore listed as national treasures or important cultural properties in Japan.

The rosy window in the Liutong Temple in West Lake, Hangzhou, is similar to the meaning of Fa Chang's paintings. It has a lot of Zen interest and its influence has spread as far as Japan. His works are in the collection of Juntai Temple in Japan. See "The Left and Right Accounts of Juntai Temple". remember".

In addition, there is Seng Ding who is good at painting plum blossoms. Zhao Mengjian's "Plum Blossoms and Bamboo Pu" calls it plum blossoms with thick branches and beautiful flowers, which is very interesting in the harmony of craftsmanship and intention; Tiejian is good at painting ink bamboo. , Peng Yuncan's "Notes of Gengyan Tianzhai" stated that poets of the Song and Yuan Dynasties had many inscriptions on his ink bamboo; Yuanwu, named Kuya, was from Fuzhou, lived in Chong'an Kaishan Hospital, and was friendly with Zhu Xi, and his paintings of bamboo and stone often attracted the attention of Zhu Xi. Praise, the matter can be found in "Fuzhou Prefecture Annals".

Ding, other painting monks

Lou Yao's "Collection of Gonggui" records that Zhirong, a monk of Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou, was a painting monk in the early Southern Song Dynasty. His common surname was Xing and his given name was Jun, and he was from Kaifeng. After traveling to the south, he became a monk. He was good at painting dragons, cows, etc. With only a few strokes, his form and spirit were both visible. Niu Tu is particularly lively and cute, so he calls himself "Old Niu".

There were many painting monks in the Song Dynasty who were active in the painting world. For example, the landscape painting monk has the strong ambition of Sichuan, the wisdom of the Tianwangyuan in Chengdu, the depth of wisdom of Suining, the true wisdom of Hangzhou, Zhejiang, and the lost Mingchuan; the figure painting monk has the grandness of the road in Emei, Sichuan, and the greatness of Daojiang (now Guanxian County, Sichuan Province). Shao Zu, Zhi Ping and his disciples from Qingliang Temple in Chengdu, Zu Ying from Fudo Zun Temple in Chengdu, Min Xing from Pengcheng (now Tongshan County, Jiangsu Province), Zeren from Yongjia, Zhejiang Province, and his wisdom, profundity and conduct are unknown. Your Majesty, etc.; the flower-and-bird painting monk has lost records of Zhen Hui, Hui Zhou of Changqing Temple in West Lake, Hangzhou, etc. Because the documents only record the incident and do not specify the era of the Southern and Northern Song Dynasties, they are listed here to see the development of the painting monk in the Song Dynasty. of prosperity.

5. The Painting Monks of the Yuan Dynasty

Although the Yuan Dynasty lasted less than a hundred years, the Mongolian nobles as rulers believed in Tibetan Buddhism and advocated equal emphasis on multiple religions, so Buddhism has long been At the same time, the imperial examinations were abolished in the Yuan Dynasty, many literati were not allowed to enter the officialdom, and suffered ethnic discrimination, so they turned to Zen, which made the cultural quality of the Buddhist community stronger than before. The literati taste of the painting monks was also stronger than that of the previous generation, and the freehand function of the paintings was deepened. People were particularly fond of plums, orchids, pine, bamboo, grapes and other themes to express noble feelings, and the flower-and-bird painting department experienced unprecedented development. Relatively speaking, other painting subjects are slightly inferior.

A. The landscape painting monk

According to Li Rihua's "Liu Yan Zhai Three Strokes", the landscape painting monk in the early Yuan Dynasty was famous for his sincerity as one of the "Four Hermit Monks". His names include Jueyin, Ningshizi, Daoyuan, etc. His landscape studies are vast and natural, and he also works on feathers, bamboos and stones. He often paints in the name of ancient people to avoid secular pursuits. At the same time, the northern painting monk Pu Guang, whose courtesy name was Xuanhui, whose name was Xue'an, whose common surname was Li, was from Datong, and his younger brother Pu Yuan, both painted landscapes and had a majestic atmosphere in the Central Plains. Pu Guang was also recommended to the court by Zhao Ziang and given the title of Master Xuanwu, which is recorded in Tao Zongyi's "Shu Shi Hui Yao". In addition, Chen Jiru's "History of Calligraphy and Painting" records the monk's name as Ruzhou; Wang Feng's "Wuxi Collection" mentions Nan Yueyun, the elder of Cibao Temple, who is also good at painting landscapes. The landscape painting monk at the end of the Yuan Dynasty was famous for his master Shi Rui, who was Emperor Shun (reigned 1333-1368). His paintings were calm and peaceful, giving people the feeling of leaving the world. Liu Bowen's "Liu Wencheng Gongji" contains a sentence:

The master's human nature was addicted to landscapes, so he should be Wang Wei's second incarnation.

B. Figure Painting Monk

In the Yuan Dynasty, there were several painting monks specializing in Buddhist figures. Although they were not well-known in China, their works were quite popular in Japan because of their Zen interest. Popular people include Master Yu who is good at painting Maitreya Buddha, Snow Stream who is good at painting Manjushri Bodhisattva, and Daoming who is good at painting Arhats, all of whom are famous for their paintings of Fusang. There are records in books such as "Catalogue of Famous Chinese Paintings Existing in Japan", "Accounts of Juntaiguan Left and Right", and "Catalogue of Chinese Paintings Existed Overseas" compiled by Professor Kei Suzuki of the University of Tokyo. According to Pu Daoyuan's "Xianju Congkuo", Qiao Kuzi, a painter in the Yuan Dynasty, was also good at painting Arhats. Although he was not as good as Guanxiu in the Five Dynasties, he was still as good as him, with a lot of exaggerated beauty.

In addition to Buddhist figures, Jingtang, a native of Jingkou (now Dantu County, Jiangsu Province), was famous for his portrait painting in the Yuan Dynasty. There is a poem praising his art in Gong Shitai's "Wan Zhai Ji" ; Changlu (today's Cangxian County, Hebei Province) was born in Senghai, whose courtesy name was Yizhou. He also worked on portraits, see "History of Calligraphy and Painting".

C. Flower and Bird Painting Monk

In the early Yuan Dynasty, Wen Riguan, a monk at Mali Temple in West Lake, Hangzhou, was famous for his painting of grapes. His courtesy name was Zhongyan, his nickname was Zhiguizi, and he was a native of Huating (now part of Songjiang County, Shanghai). He was an upright man, and he once reprimanded Jiangnan Buddhist President Yang Lian Zhenjia for stealing the imperial tombs of the Southern Song Dynasty.

Wen Riguan is good at painting ink grapes in cursive calligraphy. He splashes ink with his hand and then uses his brush strokes. He is as quick as running cursive, picking up the scattered things and finishing them in an instant. It can be said that fingers and brushes are used together, and the skills are superb and unique. He used grapes as a metaphor for Xuanzhu to express his upright attitude of converting to Buddhism and refusing to be attached to the powerful. Yuan Jue's "Collection of Qingrong Jushi" praises his noble integrity:

The ink of grapes is the bone when drunk, and the autumn leaves are full of clouds from east to west;

Wrapped in silk, he counts the mysterious pearls in a hurry, but he can't help but wonder. Know what the public minister is.

Wen Riguan's grape paintings have long been spread to Japan. People appreciate his integrity and painting skills and regard his works as treasures. Today, the United States also treasures his works. For example, Professor James F. Cahill of the University of California, Berkeley, has Wen Riguan's Grape Diagram in his "Jing Yuan Zhai".

Master Song'an, a painting monk who lived in Nanyue, was also good at painting grapes in ink to express his emotions. There is a poem in "Fu Yuli's Poetry Collection" to praise his character.

Puming, a fellow from Songjiang in Wengriguan, is famous for his orchids. His name is Xuechang, his common surname is Cao, and he lives in Chengtian Nengren Zen Temple and Jiading Bodhi Temple in Suzhou. Pu Ming's work shows the sparse orchid leaves and the floating fragrance, which reveals the symbolic meaning of the purity of the orchid in the silk. It was well received by monks and laypeople, so much so that the custom of "every household has orchids with snow in the windows" appeared in the south of the Yangtze River. Huang Jin's "Jinhua" Mr. Collected Works" records the incident. His works and "Painting Orchid Notes" were brought back to China by Japanese monks, which had an impact on the Japanese painting world. Painting monks who express their emotions through orchids include Wujie recorded in Li Qi's "Yunyang Ji", Miao Yuan recorded in "Tu Hui Bao Jian", Suzhou painting monk Zong Ying recorded in "History of Calligraphy and Painting", and "Pinghu County Chronicle" Dao Yin is recorded in it, and Ku Lin, a monk from Tiantai, is recorded in Shao Ying's "Gui Yin Ji".

Siming painting monk Zubai, named Ziting, is a descendant of Shi Miyuan, a minister of the Southern Song Dynasty. He became a monk after entering the Yuan Dynasty. He wrote "Butiezhou Collection", expressing his yearning for freedom and painting pines and cypresses. Express ambition. The pines and cypresses in his paintings are aloof from the world, with a kind of independent pride and awe-inspiring aura that is fearless in the cold and heat, which serves as a metaphor for his steadfast and noble heart. There is a poem in Gu Ying's Caotang Yaji that praises:

The empty boat has no connection, but the lake and the sea are still called it;

Only when you understand the cypress in front of the courtyard can you become a monk outside the world.

There is no sign of me in the sky, no one can respond;

Turn your back to Dongshan, and the energy of Dongshan will double.

Zu Bai’s pine tree paintings were also brought back to China by Japanese monks, and some of them are still well preserved. In addition, the painting monk Senglian from Soochow (now Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province) recorded in "Wuxi Collection" was also a master of pine painting in the Yuan Dynasty. The pavilions and pavilions he painted are independent and majestic.

Bamboo has always been characterized by humility and difficulty in knotting, so it is regarded by painters as a symbol of high integrity and integrity. There were many painting monks in the Yuan Dynasty who used ink bamboo to express their thoughts. The famous writers include Miao Yuan, Zhi Hao, Yun Cai, Hai Yun and his disciple Zhi Hai recorded in "Tu Hui Bao Jian", Huating people recorded in "Painting History Meeting" Shi Pu's "The History of Calligraphy and Painting" contains the Nanchang people's great complaint, and "Liuyanzhai Sanbi" contains Fangya, etc., often with three tips and five leaves, and the interest comes from itself. Painting monks who used plum blossoms to express their nobility include Hui Fan recorded in "Jiaxing Prefecture Chronicles", Wei Yao and Huishang Ren recorded in "Songxue Zhai Ji", etc. Among them, Hui Fan, the painting monk, was also a narcissus craftsman. He planted plum blossoms and narcissus all over his residence for sketching and appreciation. Therefore, his ink-laying skills were extraordinary and profound.

Ding, other painting monks

In addition to the above-mentioned themes, painting monks in the Yuan Dynasty dabbled in painting topics such as insects, fish, and dragons, such as Huizhen's "Rotten Melon and Ants", In order to satirize some corrupt officials like ants chasing odors, Yu Ji wrote poems for them, which can be seen in Yu's "Dao Yuan Xue Ancient Records"; during the reign of Emperor Shun, he painted Seng Zhongshan, who was good at painting swimming fish to express his thoughts of freedom. Liu Bowen's "Liu Wencheng Gongji" has a poem that praised him; the painting monk is natural in nature and is good at painting dragons to show his respect for the protector of the law. The former can be seen in Fu Shu's "Linwushanren Manuscript", and the latter can be seen in Li Cun's "Linwushanren Manuscript" Qi'an Collection".

3. The artistic contribution of the painting monks of the Tang, Five Dynasties, Song and Yuan dynasties

Through the above-mentioned insights, historical facts not only eloquently illustrate that the painting monks of the Tang, Five Dynasties, Song and Yuan Dynasties were rich in talents, but also the Buddhist world of versatility. Moreover, the truth has been revealed to the world: with the evolution of history, painting monks have continued to show their talents in fine arts, making outstanding contributions to Buddhist culture, fine arts, and cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries.

In addition to the important contributions of the painting monks to Buddhist culture (such as using paintings to vividly promote the greatness and kindness of Buddhism, such as using paintings to beautify the environment, etc.) and their outstanding achievements in cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries ( In addition to communicating Buddhist thoughts through painting, recording the activities of Chinese and foreign monks, etc.), I think the contribution of the painting monks to the art industry is worthy of a book in at least the following aspects:

First, the painting monks have played an important role in various aspects of painting. He has made achievements in painting subjects such as landscapes, figures, flowers and birds, and animals, as well as in art theory and art education, and his development is comprehensive.

Second, art is more valuable than innovation. Painting monks are smart and eager to learn, and they have made many innovations and achievements in the history of art development. For example:

Ju Ran, the landscape painting monk of the Five Dynasties, together with his master Dong Yuan, laid the foundation for the establishment of the Jiangnan School of Landscape Painting, transforming landscape painting into "Dong Ju".

The figure painter Monk Guanxiu uses an exaggerated and romantic approach to express the Sanskrit Arhat, which not only adds lyrical interest to the portrait, but also casts a mysterious color on the Arhat, making it more artistically appealing. It played an enlightening role in the later development of freehand interpretation of human figures.

Huichong's small landscapes in the Northern Song Dynasty are lively and interesting, like a sudden change, breaking the dominance of mountain and panoramic landscapes in the painting world at that time, and creating a rural elegance that blends poetry and scenery. It is refreshing, deepening the lyrical interest of painting, and revealing the partial beauty of nature.

Zhongren’s plum blossoms transformed Fu Cai into ink painting. The pure and noble character symbolized by plum blossoms was vividly displayed in the rich and light ink rhyme. Unprecedented and followed by others, it promoted freehand ink painting. development.

Yuan Ai was deeply interested in bamboo and became a pioneer in painting bamboo.

Zhou Chun’s theory that calligraphy and painting are the same has become the target of scholar-painter Zhao Ziang’s theory that calligraphy and painting have the same origin.

Fachang of the Southern Song Dynasty integrated Zen understanding into painting theory, and expressed the object vividly in a simple and general way with Zhongdexinyuan's brushstrokes, prompting the painting world to get rid of the shackles of the physical world and give full play to subjectivity. active.

The Warm Sun View, Snow Window, and Bai Ziting in the Yuan Dynasty used grapes, orchids, pine trees, etc. to metaphorize themselves and people, inspire integrity, express noble sentiments, deepen the symbolic meaning of painting, and expand the scope of painting. The expressive function publicizes the inner spirit of Chinese painting.

Third, the painting monk had a positive impact on the painting world at that time and in later generations. For example:

The Dharma-protecting heavenly statues and Dharma-made Bodhisattva statues of Shidao in the Tang Dynasty were regarded as examples of Buddhist figures drawn by court art and folk painting craftsmen at that time because of their combination of form and spirit.

The magnificent Jiangnan landscape of the Five Dynasties was not only imitated by some at that time, but also by Gao Kegong and Wu Zhen of the "Four Yuan Schools" of the Yuan Dynasty, Shen Zhou and Wen Zhengming of the "Wumen School" of the Ming Dynasty. Dong Qichang of Songjiang School of Painting, Wang Shimin and Wang Shigu of "Four Kings School of Painting" in the early Qing Dynasty, all regard him as the model of Nanzong's landscape painting, and draw technical nourishment from it.

Guan Xiu's exaggerated painting style inspired the Buddhist figures of Fanlong in the Northern Song Dynasty, Chen Hongshou in the late Ming Dynasty, and the variant portraits of Jin Nong in the Qing Dynasty.

Huichong's small landscapes in the Northern Song Dynasty were highly praised by literati painters of the past dynasties such as Su Dongpo, Mi Fu, Shen Zhou, Xu Wei, Dong Qichang, etc., while the court painters Ma Yuan and Ma Lin of the Southern Song Dynasty, the folk painter Wang Chongyu of the Yuan Dynasty, etc. , also imitating his ideas, capturing the small scenery of mountains and rivers, full of wild interest.

Zhongren's black plum blossoms were promoted by his disciple Yang Buzhi and became outstanding. Zhao Mengjian of the Southern Song Dynasty, Wang Mian of the Yuan Dynasty, and Shi Tao of the Qing Dynasty all followed his art.

Ju Ning’s Yibi Caochong was very popular in Changzhou in the south of the Yangtze River. Fang Junduan of the Yuan Dynasty and Lu Jingfu of the Ming Dynasty all learned it deeply, and its influence lasted for hundreds of years. "Wuyang County Chronicle" and "History of Calligraphy and Painting" also record this event.

Fourthly, painting monks play an important role in art exchanges between China and foreign countries. For example:

Northern Song Dynasty Zhongren’s Mo Mei and Ruofen’s landscapes, Southern Song Dynasty’s Wuzhen, Fachang’s masters and disciples’ flowers, birds, figures, and animals were mostly introduced to Japan through exchanges between Chinese and Japanese Buddhist circles, and were Considered a typical example of Zen painting. The great Japanese painters of the Muromachi period (1333 - 11573) were all admired by him, including Moan Reibuchi, Daqiao Rujue, Sesshu Toyo, Kano Motonobu, etc. Abuchi also has the reputation of "The Return of Mu Kei". Japanese scholar Machida Koichi's "History of Japanese Art" records this historical fact.

4. Additional remarks: Painting monk paintings that cannot be ignored

The success of monk painting in the Tang, Five, Song and Yuan dynasties should be related to the following reasons:

< p>The first is the painting monk’s humility, studiousness and hard work.

For example, Wu Daozi, the teacher of the Tang Dynasty, and Dong Yuan, the teacher of Juyuan in the Five Dynasties, are all the same and have great achievements; just like Daofen of the Tang Dynasty, he devoted himself to painting, worked tirelessly, and died.

Secondly, painting monks, unlike folk painters and court painters, rely on painting as a means of livelihood. Instead, they regard painting as sustenance and pleasure, so they are not disturbed by the external commodity economy. Able to paint more independently, express one's pursuit of beauty, and create works that are higher than life.

The third is that the painting monk lives amidst the sound of morning bells and evening drums. Compared with the frustrated literati and official painters, they have less shackles of the world and more personal experience of meditation, because they can express themselves to the world. Natural insights are expressed freely, just as the Sixth Patriarch said in the Tan Sutra: blow away confusion, become clear inside and outside, and see all dharmas in your own nature. In this way, the subjective initiative of "getting the source of the heart" can be exerted, not being bound by seeing, hearing, and understanding, and turning all bad situations into extraordinary situations, making people's body and mind unhindered, and what they do is full of worldly thoughts and a noble feeling. .

Fourthly, most painting monks live in jungles with better natural environment protection. They can directly contact nature and the countryside. It is easier than others to obtain a natural, innocent, indifferent and tranquil creative environment. They are inspired by nature. And these are the basic objective conditions required by painters to create masterpieces.

Based on the above reasons, the works of the painting monks are easy to have strong philosophical, literary, natural and artistic perceptions, thus forming a simple and extraordinary painting style. The artistic style had a direct impact. For example, Bada and Shi Tao's flower-and-bird paintings are full of Zen meditation and Zhongren's ink charm; Shixi and Hongren's landscape paintings are mostly naive and ethereal; Bada's insects and fish, and insignificant trees and rocks are full of warm sunshine. The emotions of viewing and the implicitness of the snow window are endlessly thought-provoking. From all these, we can know the origin of Painting Monk's painting style.

Therefore, in the history of Chinese painting, painting monks not only wrote a splendid chapter, but also could compete with literati, folk painters, and court painters, occupying an important position in the ranks of artists.