Su Shi’s Artistic Legacy as a Man of Letters: Insights into Song Dynasty Paintings

Abstract

As a man of letters, Su Shi’s poetic art spirit energized the Song paintings. As for painting, Su Shi advocated the idea of “unconscious of the boundary between oneself and the external world”, “unity of poetry and painting”, and “perfection of form and spirit” in creation and aesthetics. That is to say, he pursued not only the Naturalness but also humanistic and poetic connotations. His art spirit contributed to the formation of the concept of “literati painting”. Through exchanges with other artists, Su Shi’s poetic spirit spread both inside and outside the imperial court, shaping the overall style of the Song paintings by osmosis.