I am Humbled by These Words

Wang Gai
Anjie

Manual of Orchids and Bamboo, Preface I

Preface to the Manual of Orchids and Bamboo

In the art of painting, there are the Six Principles original: 六法 (liùfǎ). These are the foundational standards for Chinese painting established by the 5th-century critic Xie He, emphasizing spirit resonance, brushwork, and composition., yet the painting of orchids and bamboo is not strictly bound by them. These subjects are what the recluses original: 幽人 (yōurén). Scholars or "hidden men" who lived away from public life to cultivate their spirit, often using nature as a metaphor for their moral character. and gentlemen of antiquity entrusted to brush and ink as a way to express their inner nature and temperament. Among those who share these refined tastes, some may excel in one of these subjects, while others may master the wonders of both.

The method is transmitted through the heart; the intention must exist before the brush is even moved. Through this approach, one captures the distinct atmospheres of mist and clouds, snow and moonlight, or the varied conditions of wind, clear skies, rain, and dew. The physical settings are just as diverse, encompassing hills and valleys Hills and Valleys (丘壑): A term referring to both the physical landscape and the complex, "deep" layout of a painting that reflects the artist’s sophisticated mind., springs and rocks, or even the wild tangles of thorns and field grasses. The mastery of the composition lies in the variations of light and dark washes, the layering of ink, the perspective of front and back, and the balanced harmony of the elements.