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01-13-2006 16:56

Now part of Anhui and Jiangxi provinces, the old region of Huizhou has an important place in Chinese history and culture. The scenery of Mount Huangshan is renowned throughout China for its rocky peaks and twisted pines. The mountain was a favourite subject for painters and eventually became home to its own artistic school. The Xin’an（新安） school of painting used flowing, natural strokes to portray the serenity of the mountain. Even some of the most highly regarded arts materials come from Mount Huangshan. Inksticks were made by master craftsmen from the ashes of pines from the mountain. Some of these were literally worth their weight in gold.

Early members of the Xin’an school of painting were Buddhist monks. Their works featured naturally flowing lines and peaceful landscapes. The subjects and treatment reflected the monastic lifestyle’s freedom from worldly concerns. Although he never joined a monastery, Huang Binhong（黃賓虹） lived close to Mount Huangshan. In his early years, he focused on producing studies of Xin’an school classics. It wasn’t until the painter reached 80 that he developed his own unique style. His paintings combine the serenity of the classics with a new vigour.

Traditional Chinese painters paid great attention to the quality of their materials. In their monochromatic works, the quality of the ink could make or break a composition. Huizhou inksticks ground on Shexian（歙縣） inkslabs were thought to produce the best ink for painting and writing. Huizhou is an important place in the history of Chinese art, and not just for its materials. The Xin’an school that developed there influenced the future of Chinese painting, especially in the landscape genre. Huizhou’s Mount Huangshan provided the inspiration for the school’s romantic depiction of nature.

 

Editor:Wang Ping