The Chinese Theory of Art: Shi Tao (Part VI)
14. The Four Seasons:
The scenes vary with the season, each having its own flavor, and as well changing with the weather. We must have proper regard for the changes. There are ancient sayings that describe them: The strokes grow with the grass and sandy banks and their lines join with the water and clouds (spring). The land lies always in the shade, and the air is coolest along the bank (summer). I look afar at a desolate city and the flat woodland is still dark green (autumn). The brush moves ahead where the road fades away, the ink is heavy where the pond is cold (winter).
There are also days out of season, such as: “Snow is hard but the temperature is still warm”. These mixed up scenes can apply to all four seasons. There are days that are in between clear and rainy, dull and bright. The scene always indicates the season. All clouds and hills change. A painting often expresses the idea of a poem, and a poem is the Zen of a painting.
15. Keep Away from the Hustle and Bustle:
A materialist attends to the affairs of the world. A man enslaved by the material world lives in a state of tension. He who is tense labors over his paintings and destroys himself. He who moves among the hustle and bustle of the world handles his brush and ink with caution and restraint. Thus this environment that impinges upon a man can only do him harm, and in the end make him unhappy.
With piece of mind comes a painting. People know about paintings, but do not understand paintings of one-stroke. For the important thing in art work is contemplation. When one contemplates the One (unity of all things), one sees it and that brings one joy. Then the paintings have a mysterious depth which is unfathomable.
16. Nonconformity:
The intelligence of the ignorant and the conventional people is about the same. The conventional people follow the ignorant and the ignorant have a mind completely veiled. Remove the veil and the ignorant become wise; leave the conventional man uncontaminated and his mind remains pure. Therefore the perfect man has to think his way through, has to have a perspective. With a perspective he becomes transformed, and by thinking his way through he merges with nature. He responds to the affairs of the world without visible traces. His ink seems to be there by itself, and his brush moves as if not doing anything. One who keeps his mind calm will find that ignorance is replaced by wisdom and conventionality by purity of mind.