Chinese Painting

Chinese painting has its own unique style. Usually done on rice paper or thin silk with brushes, Chinese ink, and Chinese painting dye, subject matter can include portraits, landscapes, flowers and birds, grass, and insects. Painting techniques include traditional Chinese realistic painting characterized by fine brushwork and close attention to detail, or freehand brushwork. Originating during the late Zhou Dynasty, portraits gradually formed their own characteristics during the Han and Wei Dynasties.

In the Sui and Tang Dynasties, painting dyes were invented in China. The period of the Five Dynasties and the Song Dynasty witnessed the rise of other genres, and the rapid development of Chinese painting. In the Yuan Dynasty, wash drawing was very popular and during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and in modern times, Chinese painting mainly followed the rules prescribed in earlier dynasties.