Manual of Painting, Opening Volume

Preface XI

...my spirit. Setting aside my formal writing and cleansing myself of worldly cares, I keep only one or two small objects as companions. Following my own temperament, my creative energy flows freely and vigorously, full of life and vitality. My mind holds no other purpose than to borrow the marvelous brushwork of the ancients to awaken my own clouded heart original: 瞶心 (guìxīn). Literally a "blind" or "dim" heart; a metaphor for a lack of artistic or spiritual clarity that needs to be "opened" by studying the greats.. I have always held the conviction that this process is like drawing water from a deep well, which necessitates a well-rope Drawing water requires a rope (汲水必需綆): A metaphor from the philosopher Zhuangzi. It suggests that just as a short rope cannot reach deep water, one must possess the proper tools and a deep understanding of tradition to capture the profound essence of nature..

Such is the nature of creating with ink. First and foremost, the greatest importance is placed on the brush; next is the use of ink, and following that, the application of vermilion and yellow original: 丹黃 (dānhuáng). These colors represent the traditional palette of Chinese painting, often used as a synecdoche for the art of painting itself.. Among those of later generations who practiced this was Shen Ziyou Likely referring to Shen Hao (active 17th century), a painter and theorist of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties known for his landscapes and his treatise on painting, the Hua Zhu.. This work is truly extraordinary; it is not merely restricted to what is commonly seen original: 習見 (xíjiàn). Refers to cliché, mundane, or hackneyed styles of painting..