Ecological Ideas Reflected in Landscape Paintings Produced by Xin"an School

Zhao Qian

Anhui Business College

Abstract: With the worsening of our environmental problems, eco-criticism has become an important topic in academic circles. As an important source of information regarding the history of Chinese painting, the Xin"an School of Painting has created rich ecological ideas including love for nature,yearnings for rural life, and calls for environmental justice. Influenced by Taoism, many painters followed the slogan “effortless action.” They indulged in the beauty of nature and minimized the troubles of real life.Analyzing the ideas reflected in these works can help us understand the creative connotations of the artists and provide helpful suggestions for solving real problems.

Keywords: Xin"an School of Painting, ecological philosophy, love for nature,environmental justice, Taoism, contemporary significance

Introduction

Since ancient times, the Huizhou area has been famous for its mountains and rivers. The magnificent beauty of Mount Huangshan and the elegant simplicity of the villages along the bank of the Xin"an River have made countless scholars and visitors linger there to enjoy the beauty of this area. By the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368 AD-1644 AD), a group of painters exhibited wonderful skills to show the beauty of Huizhou"s mountains and rivers, thus forming a new painting genre named Xin"an School of Painting. Many renowned masters emerged during this time in history. Today, it has become a representative of Huizhou culture. Because of its important position in the history of painting, the Xin"an School of Painting has also attracted the attention of academia.Scholars have systematically studied the Xin"an School of Painting from the perspectives of painting techniques, development reasons, and representative painters. However, the Xin"an School of Painting also contains a wealth of ecological ideas. Unfortunately this has not yet attracted the attention of scholars. So, applying ecological criticism as the theoretical foundation, I will analyze the ecological ideas in the paintings of the Xin"an School to provide some inspirations for solving ecological problems in real life.

Overview of the Development of Ecological Criticism Theory

In the mid-to-late 20th century, European and American ecological philosophy developed rapidly and generated many obvious scientific findings. Ecological criticism focuses on the relationships between man and nature, and thus reveals the ecological dilemmas faced by human beings. In 1962, American scholar Rachel Carson publishedSilent Spring, which attracted extensive attention to ecological issues from all walks of life, thereby promoting the rise of a series of ecological movements, including increased attention to the theory of ecological criticism by Western scholars beginning in the 1970s. In addition, a number of outstanding scholars such as John Muir and Aldo Leopold also made great contributions to the development of Western ecological theory and Americans began to pay serious attention to environmental issues. In the 1980s, the environmental justice movement broke out in the United States, which triggered the birth of the concept of environmental justice. There were two stages in the early development of the environmental justice: environmental racism and underlying environmentalism. The first, environmental racism, refers to the geographical connection between environmental pollutants and low-income or ethnic minority communities, combining environmental issues with racism. Brad Roberts, a sociology professor at Texas Southern University known as the “father of environmental justice,” first discovered the geographic distributions of race and environmental pollution. Investigations of ethnic relations have further found that ethnic minorities are greatly affected by environmental pollution. But beyond the issue of race, scholars have found that environmental pollution is linked to poverty, especially the people at the bottom such as farmers and workers. The marginalized and oppressed people at the bottom are more vulnerable to the negative effects of environmental pollution, and the concept of environmental justice extends to “bottom environmentalism.” The development of the environmental justice movement has stimulated interest in academic research of environmental justice.

Attention to ecological criticism in China began in the early 1980s. Since then, a large number of scholars have conducted continuous research on ecological criticism.After decades of development, eco-criticism has become a hot research field. The most representative achievements include Yu Mouchang"sWenhua Xinshiji, Lu Shuyuan"sEcological Literature and Art, Hu Zhihong"sStudies on Western Ecological Criticism, and He Huaihong"sEcological Literature in Europe and America. Wang Nuo"sEuropean and American Ecological Literaturepublished in 2003 is also worth mentioning. Wang"s book was the first monograph on the study of European and American ecology and has promoted the exchange and integration of ecological studies in China. In addition, many scholars have published high-level papers, advancing ecological research in China. According to a search of the full-text database of China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI),scholars have published 5,025 journal articles, conference papers, master"s theses, and newspaper articles under the theme “ecological criticism,” of which Wang Nuo"s “Ecological Criticism: Development and Origin,” Zeng Fanren"s “Ecological Aesthetics: A New Ecological Existential Aesthetic View in a Postmodern Context” and Zhu Xinfu"s “A Brief Review of American Ecological Literary Criticism” are the top three most cited articles.In addition, a number of leading scholars in the field of ecology, including Wang Ning,Lu Shuyuan, Yuan Xia and Wei Qingqi, have also written and published many high-level papers on ecological criticism, which have made great contributions to the promotion of ecological research in China.

Ecological Implications Behind the Works of the Xin"an School

Loving Nature, Yearning for Rural Life

The Xin"an School of painting was born in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. “In general, the paintings of the Xin"an School are mainly inspired by the mountains and waters of Huangshan, Baiyue and Huizhou” (Zhao, 2018, p. 112). In the history of Chinese painting,the Xin"an School has a very high status and has had an important impact on schools such as the “Yangzhou School of Painting” and the “Shanghai School of Painting.” It is a great cultural treasure of the Chinese nation. In the writing of many famous poets, the landscapes come to life through beautiful poems. Artists of the Xin"an School take landscapes as the objects of creation which have a close relationship with their growing environmental awareness. Take the famous “Four Masters of Anhui” as an example. Hongren, Zha Shibiao, Sun Yi, and Wang Zhirui were all born in Shexian county or Xiuning county, the southernmost part of Anhui province. They all lived near Mount Huangshan and the Xin"an River. The magnificence of Mount Huangshan and the perseverance of the Xin"an River were deeply imprinted in their childhood memories, thus becoming an inexhaustible source of inspiration for their paintings. In particular, the scenery of Mount Huangshan and their“images in their minds were highly melted into one, so that the mountains and clouds in the paintings reached the realm of encounters and traces” (Lu, 2013, p. 246). Mountains and rivers, peculiar pines, flowers, birds, insects and fishes have given the artists unlimited creative inspiration. Surrounded by green mountains and clear waters, under the blue sky and white clouds, they felt the harmonious beauty of nature and comprehended the philosophy of life. It is worth mentioning that most of the painters of the Xin"an School have visited the great mountains and rivers of the motherland. They have experienced the true meaning of nature between the mountains and rivers. For example, Hongren chose to be a monk because he fell in love with the mountains and waters and paid visits to Mount Wuyi and Mount Lushan. He also lived near Mount Huangshan and Mount Qiyun for many years. Huang Binhong, a Chinese painting master, also traveled to many famous mountains and rivers. It can be said that his “experience gained in travel laid an important foundation for his future creation” (Gao, 2015, p. 158).

The love for nature is an important concept advocated by ecologists, which coincides with the artistic thoughts of the Xin"an School. Since ancient times, the landscape has been favored by scholars and writers. They can always trace their origins through the shadows of mountains and rivers. When one is immersed in the beauty of nature, all emotional twists and the ups and downs in life fade away. For the painters of the Xin"an School, “Mountains are nature, and their sentiment for mountains is their love for nature” (Tang, 1984, p. 738).Through the paintings of Hongren, people can feel the fresh air after the rain, the slowly flowing river, the willow branches rippling with the wind, the endless mountains and the beauty of natural harmony. In Li Yongchang"sSitting, a hermit sits leisurely by the river,quietly admiring the beautiful scenery in front of him, far away from the bustle of the crowd, forgetting the troubles of the world, and integrating with nature.The Cloudy Forest and Autumn Mountainsis also a representative work of the Xin"an School. This painting depicts an autumn scene of withered trees and distant mountains. Huang Lu"sA Small Composition of Quoutlines an enviable paradise, a man residing in the green mountains,integrated with the colors of a lake. In addition, in the masterpieces of Zha Shibiao"sClouds in the Mountains, Wang Zhirui"sLandscapes, Zhao Yu"sPoetic Water and Stoneand Huang Binhong"sSmoky Mountains and Rain, small bridges, flowing water, people, and hermits come into view, “enlightening the wonderful ways of transcending nature and man in the beautiful scenery” (Feng, 2001, p. 23). Most painters combine the appreciation of nature with the thinking of their philosophy when painting. InSweet Willows Every Year, Zhao Yu,a contemporary artist of the Xin"an School, used the willow tree by the lake as a primer to express the infinite sign of the ephemeral passing years. InThe Scene of Mountains, he used the rugged changes of the mountain road to metaphorize the ups and downs of life,highlighting the peaceful state of mind when watching life changes. Xin"an School painters believe that nature has given human beings a quiet and peaceful soul with her magical and deep power, so that people can have a peaceful attitude toward the universe and their own lives. Therefore, when you are lost in the world of material desires, you might as well walk in nature to purify your soul and avoid the noise and restlessness of the world. It is worth mentioning that a large number of famous artists, such as Huang Binhong, have also painted birds, butterflies, etc. This has also led us to think about another dimension in the ecological relationship: the relationship between human beings and animals. In addition, most of the representative artists of the Xin"an School encountered different difficulties. Some of them were unsuccessful in career and some led a poor life. However, everything has two sides.The unsatisfactory life caused artists to devote more time and energy to the appreciation of nature. Some of them finally reached a supreme and extraordinary state. Of course, the ecological ideas contained in the works of the Xin"an School are mainly concentrated on the level of natural ecology, while the spiritual ecological aspects are rarely involved, which also reflects its historical limitations.

In recent years, rural areas are undergoing inevitable urbanization and demolitions. The winding country roads in the past were gradually replaced by straight and wide roads. The scattered houses became towering buildings and the quiet environment where chickens and dogs heard each other turned into the clamor of the whistle. The high-rise buildings oppressed the beautiful mountains of the past, turning them into mounds. The acquisition and relocation of land have brought benefits to farmers who now live in high-rise buildings. Farmers who have been working at sunrise and going back home at sunset for generations now become citizens of new cities. On the one hand, material life has developed rapidly, which has brought benefits to the people. On the other hand, people"s spiritual lives have become barren, so new cultural and ethical construction is urgently needed. From this we can see that Xin"an paintings also have realistic significance: While developing the economy, we cannot ignore the spiritual pursuit.Only with the simultaneous development of material interests and cultural and ethical life can a harmonious society be constructed.

Ideas of Environmental Justice Reflected in the Paintings

Environmental justice stems from moral concerns. In fact, most of our moral concerns should be based on specific relationships. Briefly speaking, the movement has developed from the care and responsibility for specific places, animals, trees and rivers to the global environment. Tourism is not a consumption of nature. Mountains and waters are not commodities that can be bought with money. In this sense, ecotourism should be cultural,ethical and educational tourism, rather than disrespect nature. Both tourists and tourism need reflection. Human beings must conform to nature and live in harmony with nature.The core idea of Taoism is “effortless action.” The painters of the Xin"an School have two interpretations of inaction: One is that due to limited time and energy, a person cannot know all about the world. For example, it is impossible for one to know all the stars in the sky.The other is that it is unnecessary. For example, many large-scale sculptures are artificially built in the beautiful landscapes, which undoubtedly make the scenery unpleasant. In those paintings produced by the Xin"an School, the painters" consciousness of “effortless action”is reflected everywhere. In the paintings, we can see the harmony between man and nature.Taoism proposed the important concept of “harmony with the sky” and the ideal pursuit of“harmony with the world.” As a leading philosopher of Taoism, Zhuang Zi predicted that“evil” may appear from the separation of human"s mental behavior and the natural state, and foretold the tragedy that human beings are encountering today. These philosophies closely fit the ideas of the artists of the Xin"an School. In the past few years, due to the unbalanced pursuit of economic growth, construction was started everywhere, leading to damage of the environment and air pollution, and forcing people to wear masks when going out. There are also problems with polluted water. In real life, there are fewer and fewer beautiful sights like the ones in the paintings, and those kinds of quaint and idyllic landscapes are about to disappear.

For the artists of the Xin"an School of Painting, it is necessary to protect the environment and optimize the ecology. People should conform to nature, treat the earth well, and allow all sentient beings to enjoy themselves in an “sustainable and elegant environment,” while at the same time, breathing clean air, admiring the wonders of nature, and fully enjoying the survival benefits that nature gives to human beings. From this point of view, Xin"an School has a strong sense of the times. Furthermore, it also gives the viewers an inspiration of how to deal with their desires for fame and fortune. Many people work hard all year round in pursuit of fame and fortune. Some are in debt to buy a house, invest in childcare, and work and live under great pressure. Spending more time to take a walk to the mountains and rivers is an appropriate way to calm down, feeling more unconcerned and relaxed. Therefore, from the paintings of the Xin"an School, we can deeply feel that the painters have expressed the qualities of sentimental scenery, a tranquil life, and at least a temporary escape from the struggles for fame and fortune.These qualities are conducive to better handling of the complex contradictions in life and work and are constructive to personal growth and physical health, through which we can improve the quality of our lives.

Contemporary Significance of Ecological Thought in the Paintings

In the ecological concept of the Xin"an School, man and nature should develop in harmony. Therefore, nature is the foundation of human existence, and this idea has contemporary significance. The construction of an ecological civilization is an indispensable part of realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Saving natural resources and protecting the environment are inevitable choices to thoroughly implement the Scientific Outlook on Development and promote the construction of an ecological civilization. With this in mind, President Xi Jinping put forward the concept of Green GDP. He has repeatedly emphasized the concept of sustainable ecological development and made ecological construction a priority of government work. This fully shows that with today"s increasingly serious ecological and environmental problems, the Party and government leaders must pay great attention to ecological harmony. In recent years, China"s rapid economic development has achieved remarkable results. However, some actions that damage the ecological environment still exist. Through the ecological thought reflected in the works of the Xin"an School, we can feel the marvelous beauty of nature, and thus have an awe of nature. Therefore, we should stand up bravely, condemn the evil acts that destroy nature, and call on those around us to work together to establish a harmonious ecological environment. President Xi Jinping said, “Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” Economic development must not be achieved at the expense of the environment. A path of sustainable development should be sought. The enlightened significance of these ecological thoughts is still useful in contemporary times. In addition, many of the painters of the Xin"an School expressed their fondness of animals, which is also enlightening for us. For thousands of years, many animals have been loyal companions of human beings, and they have made our lives colorful. However, in modern society, animal abuse is common. In order to gain economic benefits, some people even slaughtered wild animals, which eventually led to the extinction of many species. Therefore, we should stop the abuse and slaughter of animals, cherish their lives, and live in harmony with them. Finally, the wisdom of life presented in the works of the Xin"an School also leads us to pay attention to the “cultural and ethical problems” in social life. It is true that material benefits can bring joy to life, but cultural and ethical satisfaction is the very source of true happiness. Therefore, in life, we must remain true to our original aspiration. We should not be pleased by external gains or saddened by personal losses, so that our mind can always be in a balanced state.

Conclusion

In summary, the works of the Xin"an School contain a wealth of ecological philosophy.First of all, the paintings carry Huizhou painters" thoughts and feelings about the relationships between man and nature, so they can deepen our understanding of the importance of ecological harmony, encouraging us to be more grateful to the natural environment. In the process of economic development, we must establish a strong ecological consciousness, and we must never trade the environment for temporary economic benefits. Second, animals, as human"s best friends living on earth, should also be treated kindly. In addition, in the process of showing the natural beauty of the environment, the Xin"an School painters realized a philosophy of a peaceful attitude toward fame and fortune, understanding that tranquility is more worthwhile,which also enlightens us. In the face of difficulties and discomforts, we might as well take some time to appreciate the beauty of nature, and believe that all our troubles will be solved eventually. Finally, the construction of the ecological environment depends on the joint efforts of all mankind. I believe that as long as we all contribute ourselves to protecting the ecological environment, the harmonious landscape depicted in the paintings of the Xin"an School will eventually become reality.