Painter is of the Humbler's

Abstract

Since T'ang (_??_) period, painting was regarded as a humble job in China. It is said that people would despise Yen Li-pên, (_??__??__??_) a higher government official, by calling him a painter. In Ming (_??_) period there were too many examples like this to enumerate.However, inTung-t'ing-ching-chi (_??__??__??__??__??_)which is considered to be written in late Southern Sung (_??__??_). there is a descripition such as“if you read many books, go through long distance, learn from great works of the former ages and produce a picture, painting is no longer a humble job.” This is from Shuofu (_??__??_) which was compiled in late Ming (_??_) period presuably to support as theory by Tung Ch'i-ch'ang (_??__??__??_) who would esteem Southern tsung paintings and despise Nothern tsung paintings. That is probably the reason why the article of Tung-t'ien-ching-chi was not compiled in Ssu-k'u Ch'üan-shu (_??__??__??__??_) by the Emperor Ch'ien Lung (_??__??_).