The Origin of Dong Qi Chang’s
Interpretation of the Painting
within the Zen
Northern and Southern Schools:
Dong Qi Chang, Dong Yuan
and Others
CHEN Chuan Xi
DING Xi Yuan
陳傳席
Professor
Nianjing Normal University
丁羲元
Researcher
Shanghai Art Museum
It was in the late-Ming Dynasty when Chinese Buddhism revived. The Zen (or Chan in Chinese), originally one of the
1) It has been more than 400 years since the theory of the Northern and Southern Schools was raised in the 15th year of the
religious sects of the Buddhism, grew prominent later, and has been considered the synonym of Buddhism. Thus, Buddhist
reign of Emperor Wanli (1587). It is an attempt to summarise and standardise the history of Chinese painting, especially
temples are even called Zen temples.
the history of landscape painting from a developmental perspective, which has become a leading theory in painting
history. Mo Shi Long, Chen Ji Ru and Dong Qi Chang proposed the ‘theory of Northern and Southern Schools’,
Formally, the Zen sect already declined during Five Dynasties and Northern Song (10th – 12th Century), the further
which confirmed that there are two main developmental trends in Chinese landscape painting, two types of
declined in Ming Dynasty, but it continued prosperous within a group of literati. Literati of the Ming Dynasty was divided
aesthetics formulae and two demarcations in styles. Under the trend of ‘supporting the Southern School and
into three ways: the aggressive doers, the evil egoists who harmed the country for their own benefit, and the recluse – as
looking down on the Northern’, the prevalence and individuality of Southern School were elevated, putting forward
the largest group – who lived a carefree life as game in an enjoyable Zen thinking (you xi chan yue). According to written
another climax of landscape painting development in Chinese painting history. In the late Ming Dynasty and
records, Dong Qi Chang all day long with Tao Zhou Wang and Yuan Bo Xiu lived a carefree life. Here ‘game’ in Buddhism
early Qing Dynasty, numerous masters were influenced by Dong, indicating that the centre of Chinese painting
means carefree and unrestricted. ‘Enjoyable Zen thinking’ indicates Zen meditation to enable one feeling calm and delight.
had officially moved to the Jiangnan region (Zhejiang Province and South Jiangsu Province).
Literati of the Ming took ‘you xi chan yue’ seriously, and this had its historical origin.
2) Dong Qi Chang and others considered Wang Wei the representative of the Southern School. When speaking of
Scholars of the Yuan Dynasty were relaxed. At the end of Yuan Dynasty, Zhu Yuan Zhang rose in revolt and heavily
‘literati paintings’ later, however, the importance of Dong Yuan replaced that of Wang Wei as he was considered
used the scholars. Like many intelligent people’s distrustful weakness, he often doubted that scholars despised him. His low
the leader of the Five Dynasties, Northern Song and the master of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. In fact, Dong
self-esteem increased after he found a nation, hence killing scholars and humiliating them in large quantity. Ming Dynasty
Yuan’s position had already assumed ascendancy in the Southern School. Dong Qi Chang spent his whole life
emperor invented ‘beat the cheek’ custom, which means beating the officials’ cheek in public. Many people were beaten and
completing the ‘painting doctrine’ and ‘finding heirs’ for Dong Yuan (‘Am I born to complete the painting doctrine
killed, all this frightened the scholars and damaged their self-respect very severely. Once a person loses the self-respect,
and to find heirs to the Southern School?’). However, in a career of more than 40 years, the life of Dong Qi Chang
he will not do what matters in the society. Besides, Zhu Yuan Zhang treated the scholar-officials cruelly. Every scholar who
has been spent in pursuing the paintings of Dong Yuan, of which he collected seven pieces such as ‘Xiao Xiang
did not serve in his government would be killed very ruthlessly. Then he carried out large scale literary inquisition, killing
Tu’ (‘Jiangnan Scenery’) and ‘Xia Shan Tu’ (‘Summer Mountains’). He also averred that in his collection of Dong
innumerable scholars. When a person cannot be independent, and encounters such insult, it is far from ‘cultivating oneself
Yuan, ‘the painting techniques are so distinct from one another that they look as if different painters had created
so as to give rest to all the people’, and not even to ‘cultivate oneself, keep one’s family in order, run the country well and
them’ and that ‘none of the paintings resemble one another.’
bring peace to the world.’ During the latter of Ming, struggles among political parties rose one after another.
According to the verification of the author, the authentic works of Dong Yuan were ‘Xia Jing Shan Kou Dai Du Tu’
When the nation went into chaos, the literati were helpless and uncertain what to do, being always in danger, they began to
(‘Summer Mountain River Scenery’) and ‘Xi An Tu’ (‘Stream Coast’). Unfortunately, Dong Qi Chang did not see
abandon the outside pursue, turning to look into their own hearts for quietness and peace which are essential to life. Hence, in the
the ‘Summer Mountain and River Scenery’ until he was 70 years old in 1624 (the 4th year of the reign of Emperor
mid-Ming Dynasty, Wang Yang Ming’s Philosophy of the Mind focusing on correcting one’ heart emerged with the tide of the times,
Tianqi) and he did not collect it until 36 years after his purchase of the ‘Jiangnan Scenery’. On the other hand, the ‘Stream
thinking that everything out of the hearts are all nonexistent. Wang Yang Ming emphasised ‘seeking truth in one’s heart’, ‘win one’s
Coast’ was stored confidentially in the Palace, so Dong Qi Chang had no chance of seeing it. Please refer to the book
heart’, ‘no truth and nothing that matters outside the heart’. This kind of self-culture method released literati from worldly cares.
Guobao jiandu (Authenticating National Treasuries) written by the author, published by Shanghai People’s Fine
Arts Publishing House in 2005.
Wang Yang Ming’s Philosophy of the Mind hence became a mainstream after the mid-Ming Dynasty. This theory was very
compatible with Zen in many ways. During the later Ming Dynasty, Zen grew more prosperous. Literati turned their interest from
Therefore, the understanding of Dong Qi Chang on Dong Yuan was mainly based on his feeling and realisation
the Philosophy of the Mind to Zen. When people lived a carefree life as game in Zen thinking, they introduce Zen from academia
without concrete and specific commentary. Most of the remarks are compliments that do not get to the point; such
to art. Dong Qi Chang and Chen Ji Ru’s interpretation of painting in terms of Zen was also the outcome in such trend.
as ‘peculiar and straightforward’ and ‘the dragons in the clouds’. Therefore, his commentaries are not as profound
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