Introspecting to the Modernity of Zen and the Characters of Literati Paintings in Yuan Dynasty

Since Song and Yuan Dynasties, under the stimulation and nourishing of Zen, Chinese painting had gradually formed a diluted and unconventional character of literati painting, especially represented by literati paintings in Yuan Dynasty. Later reminded by Dong Qichang, this cultural character was finally established as the mainstream of Chinese painting and had led the painting circle in Ming and Qing Dynasties for almost more than five hundred years. It can be said that the combination of Zen and literati paintings enables the literati paintings to complete its historical mission satisfactorily. Its core values, such as the pen and ink skills to write some words in painting, the expression of plain naive desires and the thoughts of "way of heaven" still have wide range of radiation and influence even in today's painting circle in China. However, it must be admitted that with the advent of the era of technology and information, the separation between man and nature has led to the collapse of traditional "harmony between man and nature". The thought of "way of heaven" indicated in literati paintings have also lost its binding force for the modern world. Literati's diluted, unconventional and lyric expression of emotion have been no longer able to profoundly express our perception of the world today. The elite nature reflected in the literati's pen and ink skill is also diluted in the mass entertainment culture. So, Chinese painting calls for new wisdom, new expression of desire and diversified ways of expression skills in the new game among "way of heaven",