On the basis of the Tang Dynasty, the Five Dynasties and the Song Dynasty, painting in the Yuan Dynasty developed significantly, characterized by the abolition of the painting academy system, the rise of literati painting and the relative decrease of figure painting. Painting pays attention to the combination of poetry, calligraphy and painting, takes the spirit out of form, puts simplicity first, and attaches importance to the display of emotion. The aesthetic taste has changed significantly, which embodies another creative development of Chinese painting. In terms of landscape, Qian Xuan, Zhao Ziang and Gao Kegong in the early days made a serious exploration on the inheritance and development of landscape painting since the Tang, Five Dynasties and Song Dynasties. In the middle and late period, Huang Gongwang, Wang Meng, Zhen Wu, Ni Zan and Yuan Dynasty appeared, and on the basis of Zhao Ziang, they created a unique landscape painting in China, raising it to a new height with concise and detached methods, which had a great influence on the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Landscape painters in Yuan Dynasty included Shang Qi, Cao Zhibai, Zhu Derun, Tang Di, Sun Junze, Sheng Mao, Lu Guang, Ma Wan, Chen Ruyan, Fang Congyi, and Wang Zhenpeng, Li Rongjin, Xia Yong, Zhu Yu. Painters of figure painting include Liu Guandao, He Cheng, Qian Xuan, Zhao Ziang, Ren Renfa, Zhou Lang, Yan Hui, Zhang Wo, Wei Jiuding and Wang Yi. Flower-and-bird painting literati painting with Mei Lanzhu stone as the main body is widely popular, emphasizing nature and pen and ink interest. Many landscape painters are also good at ink painting, flowers and birds, and Meilan bamboo stones. Famous painters have money to choose from, such as Chen Lin, Wang Yuan, Zhang Zhong, Li Xizhai, Zhao Ziang Ke Jiusi, Zhen Wu, Gu An, Ni Zan, Zhang Xun, Zou Fulei and Wang Mian.
In Yuan Dynasty painting, literati painting occupied the mainstream of painting. Because there was no painting academy in Yuan Dynasty, except for a few professional painters who directly served the court, most of them were literati painters in high positions and literati painters in opposition. Their creation is relatively free, and they express their living environment, interests and ideals. Landscape, dead wood, bamboo stone, Mei Lan and other themes appear in large numbers, and the number of figure paintings that directly reflect social life decreases. The works emphasize literariness and charm of pen and ink, and attach importance to painting with calligraphy and the combination of poetry, calligraphy and painting. Inheriting the theory of literati painting by Wen Tong, Su Shi, Mi Fei and others in the late Northern Song Dynasty, he advocated seeking after the appearance, focusing on simplicity, pursuing ancient meaning and morale, and attaching importance to the expression of subjective interest. It is quite different from the deliberate pursuit of work and the emphasis on the shape of the academy painting in the Song Dynasty, forming a distinctive style of the times, and also effectively promoting the vigorous development of literati painting in later generations. In the short period of more than 9 years in the Yuan Dynasty, there were many famous painters, among whom Zhao Meng □, Qian Xuan, Li□, Gao Kegong and Wang Yuan, and Huang Gongwang, Zhen Wu, Ni Zan and Wang Meng, who were known as Yuan Sijia, were the most famous.