Tradition & Innovation: Wandering Through Mountains and Forests

“Wandering through Mountains & Forests”, is an eternal theme celebrated by Chinese artists. Through traditional Chinese ink painting, they try to extol the solace and peace found while ambling in nature, the harmony between human and nature, and a state of mind where time and space are transcended and the boundary between the self and surroundings melts. Those artists remind us that even in the modern, high-rise concrete jungles, one can still find their spiritual home if they can find peace within.

Lu Yushun

All Are Interconnected in the Vast & Harmonious Universe Whose Fundamental Way Guides All I

Ink & Colour on Paper

90×180cm 2022

Zhao Wei

At the Foot of the Great Wall

Ink & Colour on Paper

230×120cm 2024

Fan Yang

Zen Meditation in Mountains

Ink & Colour on Paper

210×60cm 2023

Chen Lyusheng

Fishing Alone in a Cold River in Snow

Ink & Colour on Paper

180×90cm 2024

Shu Jianxin

The Red River Valley

Ink & Colour on Paper

180×90cm 2024

Paintings of mountains and rivers hold a significant place in Chinese art history, with many classic works for today’s people to appreciate. On one hand, over the centuries, artists have continuously explored and developed new techniques. Depending on the different structures of mountains and rocks, types of trees, and forms of water in various regions, they have created rich brush and ink techniques to vividly depict different textures. Today, many artists use materials beyond traditional brush and ink. The unique characteristics of landscape paintings from different regions stem from the distinct relationships between brushwork, ink, and water, which also shape the artists’ personal styles.

Hu Wei

Awe-Striking Lofty Mountains

Ink & Colour on Paper

90×90cm 2019

Wang Yongliang

Golden Wind in May

Ink & Colour on Paper

230×120cm 2024

Lin Rongsheng

Clouds in the Sky

Ink & Colour on Paper

230×120cm 2022

Chen Ping

Landscape II

Ink & Colour on Paper

180×90cm 2023

Liu Jian

Water Town Households

Ink & Colour on Paper

70×230cm 2023

He Jialin

A Secluded Valley after Rain

Ink & Colour on Paper

180×90cm 2019

Zhang Tongyu

Intoxicating Mountain Views

Ink & Colour on Paper

230×120cm 2024

Fang Xiang

Beihai Park

Ink & Colour on Paper

80cm×97cm×2 2022

On the other hand, Chinese people express their sentiments towards nature through these paintings, which embody a lifestyle that values time spent wandering in mountains and forests. The phrase “reading ten thousand books and traveling ten thousand miles” captures the essence of the pursuit to absorb the beauty of landscapes and convey them in art, enabling a kind of “mind travel” from within one’s study. Whether depicting the gorgeous landscapes encountered on travels or reproducing the idyllic wonderlands of one’s dreams, traces of human presence are always found in Chinese landscape painting. A pavilion atop a mountain, a fishing boat on a shimmering lake, a few cattle and sheep in a courtyard deep in the mountains, smoke rising from houses in lush terraced fields, and even the bustling life amid modern urban high-rises all serve as endless sources of inspiration for artists and are the artistic expressions of their pursuit of a greater understanding about themselves and the world.