Non Western Classical Art Random notes on other Classical art traditions The Art article is labled as culturally biased so perhaps these little ideas could be useful China In Chinese Classical painting what is to be captured by the artist is truth of natural forms or spiritual essence which is parallel to the Western concept of ideals or forms Poetry calligraphy and painting are the three perfections of the scholar artist Painting and calligraphy are strongly linked skills Three ranks of painting spiritual marvelous and competent Form likeness or conformity to visual reality increases an image s spiritual likeness Chinese Classical arts affect change in society not through technology or novelty but by resurrecting ancient truths Ancient arts should not become outmoded while modern arts should not become decadent Classical Chinese arts are not purely secular A story A Chinese emperor commissioned a famous artists to paint him a picture of a fish The artist delayed giving the emperor his painting he always said that it wasn t ready yet After a year the impatient Emperor went to the artist demanding his painting The artist sat on the floor with a paintbrush and paper and with one motion of his hand painted a masterpiece fish The Emperor angry demanded why the artist delayed giving him his painting The artist silently opened a closet door and thousands of paintings of fish fell to the floor Types of landscapes places to see places to play in places to live in and heavenly places Islam Islamic art is nonrepresentational only God is beautiful and this beauty is shown abstractly using signs Beauty is in the form not the representation In Islamic art in general and architecture in particular beauty and utility are both inseparable Ugliness is uselessness Art should reflect the cosmic poetry the logos of God in His creation of the world India Indian art is rich in symbolism and allegory Mystical and mythic associations enhance the beauty of an artwork Indian art needs to be seen in a spiritual light emotions and intellect are insufficient for appreciating it An artist attempts to infuse his artwork with Rasa the spirit or essence of the work The art patron strives to detect the Rasa Parts of Rasa are mood determinants consequents and complementary emotional states enduring emotional state and involuntary bodily emotions The kinds of Rasa are erotic comic pathetic furious heroic terrible odious marvelous and quiescent Rasa is not made it is bestowed Traditional artists of India of emphasize aesthetics which to them is a state of heightened awareness and empathic bliss of a spiritual kind beyond pleasure Dance drama and music are classically a single artform Classical Indian arts are inseparable from religion Thoughts The classical art traditions of these cultures has strong parallels with Western tradition which I don t find surprising