High Road into the Cloud --- Ni Yun-lin's Art of Painting and Its Cultural Value

Yu Qiu-Li

doi:10.5539/ass.v6n2p131

Abstract

Ni Yun-lin, Painter in the Yuan Dynasty, had great influences in the history of Chinese painting, especially the history of painting of man-of-letters. He stepped over the spatio-temporal limitation and guided trend of painting of man-of-letters several hundred years later. Although he was familiar with Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, and was endowed with a kind, sentimental and sincere heart, the abnormality of political ruling of Meng and Yuan Dynasty together with his obstinate and unruly character determined since his birth his destiny --- living in seclusion. He re-organized the value system of human being and established a virtual spiritual homeland. His art of painting was a monument which stood like a giant at the top of the world ethnic arts, with an intangible, cold, secluded and lonely style of painting. It was Ni Yun-lin who pushed the quality of painting to perfection which was most impressive.

Highlights

Ni Yun-lin, Painter in the Yuan Dynasty, had great influences in the history of Chinese painting, especially the history of painting of man-of-letters
Painting was not sublimation from aconcrete science to Metaphysics, but to standardize aconcrete science starting from Metaphysics, which was a consistent guiding thought for men of letters to be involved in the art of painting, because it had a clear historical development skeleton
The cloud does not rain, it often moistens; the jade is processed, it is perfect. Is he based on Confucianism, depends on Taoism and escapes from Buddhism?” in “Commend on Portrait of Li An”, he said, “Does he who is dressed in shoddy clothes and hangs around escape from Buddhism, depend on Taoism and base on Confucianism?” On the surface, that was high praise by Ni Yun-lin on others, but as a matter of fact, it reflected his own aesthetic values and was real portrayal of himself

Summary

Introduction

Ni Yun-lin, Painter in the Yuan Dynasty, had great influences in the history of Chinese painting, especially the history of painting of man-of-letters. Influenced by Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism in his lifetime, Ni Yun-lin had his particular artistic feeling.

Results

Conclusion