Manual of Painting, Opening Volume

Preface VI

...this method was designed to benefit the beginner. Master Shen Jishan Shen Xinyou (style name Jishan), the son-in-law of the author Li Yu and the primary organizer and financier of this manual. spared no expense to invite master engravers original: jijue (剞劂), referring to the specialized tools and the craft of woodblock cutting. from afar. Their meticulous skill is such that their carvings capture details as fine as a strand of hair, demonstrating exquisite craftsmanship. I once remarked that in the "garden of painting," floral and botanical subjects are more difficult...

...than landscapes. Even when rendered on fine silk original: juansu (絹素), the traditional high-quality surfaces for painting before paper became dominant., they often appear stiff or clumsy. How much more difficult is it, then, to seek a sense of "life" within the pear and date-wood blocks original: lizao (梨棗), a traditional metonym for printing blocks, as pear and date woods were the preferred materials for high-quality book printing.? Yet, when the work of engraving was completed, the lines—fine as ox-hairs or silk threads—the layered washes original: xuanran (渲染), a technique of applying successive layers of diluted ink or color to create depth and shadow., and the seasoned brushwork...