Simple Exposition on Woody Flowers, Volume One

The camellia original: cha (茶), specifically the ornamental tea-flower or camellia possesses a brilliance that rivals cinnabar. The sweet osmanthus original: yuegui (月桂), the "moon laurel" produces a fragrance like "golden grains" jinsu: a poetic name for osmanthus blossoms based on their tiny, golden appearance. Add to these the lofty purity of the willow and the wutong tree, or the vigorous, aged strength of the tall pine and the ancient cypress—when these are committed to a painting, they are quite enough to inspire a refined elegance in the viewer. Such art rivals the works of Nature zaohua: the creative force of the universe and can even shift the human spirit.

If we examine the history of this art, the Tang Dynasty masters of flowers and plants began with the "feathers and furs" a traditional category for birds and mammals style established by Xue Ji and Bian Luan. Later, masters like Liang Guang, Yu Xi, Diao Guang, Zhou Huang, and the brothers Guo Qianhui and Guo Qianyou emerged in succession; all were famous for their bird-and-flower paintings.

In the Five Dynasties period, Teng Changyou, Zhong Yin, and Huang Quan and his sons rose to prominence one after another. Teng Changyou possessed a lofty heart and a unique brush-and-ink style; he did not rely on the guidance of teachers. Zhong Yin followed the tradition of the Guo brothers. Huang Quan was exceptionally skilled at gathering the strengths of various schools: for flowers, he looked to Teng Changyou; for birds, he followed Diao Guang. Even for his dragons, cranes, trees, and rocks, each had a specific classical source. His sons, Huang Jubao and Huang Jucai, were able to carry on the family methods. Because of this, their reputation was immense in their own time, and their methods have been passed down for a thousand years—this is truly no exaggeration. Indeed, the painting styles of the early Song Dynasty were based entirely on the Huang father and sons as the standard.

When we reach the Song Dynasty, Xu Xi arose and uniquely transformed the old methods. He was truly unprecedented and has remained unsurpassed. Although he lived between the eras of Huang Quan and Zhao Chang, his divine subtlety was uniquely superior. He passed his legacy to his grandsons Xu Chongsi and Xu Chongju; their family learning was inherited so well that they could truly follow in their ancestor’s footsteps.

The color application of Zhao Chang was also exquisitely fine; he did not merely capture the outward likeness of a form, but could directly convey its inner spirit. Some say that Xu Xi, Huang Quan, and Zhao Chang followed one another in excellence. However, it has been said that Huang Quan’s paintings have "spirit but lack subtlety," while Zhao Chang’s have "subtle beauty but lack spirit." This refers to the Four Classes of painting excellence: "Divine" (shen), "Subtle/Wonderful" (miao), "Competent" (neng), and "Untrammeled" (yi) Perhaps that is the case?

Because of this, when the artist Yi Yuanji first mastered the art of painting and saw the work of Zhao Chang, he remarked: "The world does not lack for talented people, but one must break free from old habits and surpass the ancients to truly reach the peak of excellence." Qiu Qingyu first studied under Zhao Chang, but in his later years he surpassed his teacher and directly inherited the style of Xu Xi. Later, Cui Bai, Cui Que, Ai Xuan, Ding Kuang, Ge Shouchang, and Wu Yuanyu were all summoned to serve in the Imperial Painting Academy, and their reputations were heavy...