Arts & Culture
The Chinese Literati Painting Tradition: Ink Wash and Scholarly Ideals
Quick fact
Literati painters often painted for themselves and friends, not for public display or money, and they frequently included poems in their paintings to deepen the meaning.
Why this is interesting
A painting of a bamboo stalk, seemingly simple, once held more cultural weight than an accurate portrait. Why did highly educated Chinese officials spend centuries perfecting such 'simple' images?