page_title: Chinese painting
section_title: Six principles
hierarchical_section_title: Chinese painting / Early periods / Six principles
caption_attribution_description: Figures in a cortege, from a wall mural in the Tang Dynasty Chinese tomb of Li Xian, also known as Crown Prince Zhanghuai (653–684 AD), who was not interred at the Qianling Mausoleum in Shaanxi until 706 AD, when he (alongside other victims of Empress Wu's reign) were exonerated by Emperor Zhongzong. The attendant figures of his tomb seen here measure roughly 1.6 m (63 in) in height.
context_page_description: Chinese painting is one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world. Painting in the traditional style is known today in Chinese as guóhuà or, meaning "national" or "native painting", as opposed to Western styles of art which became popular in China in the 20th century. Traditional painting involves essentially the same techniques as calligraphy and is done with a brush dipped in black ink or coloured pigments; oils are not used. As with calligraphy, the most popular materials on which paintings are made are paper and silk. The finished work can be mounted on scrolls, such as hanging scrolls or handscrolls. Traditional painting can also be done on album sheets, walls, lacquerware, folding screens, and other media.
  The two main techniques in Chinese painting are:
  Gongbi, meaning "meticulous", uses highly detailed brushstrokes that delimit details very precisely. It is often highly coloured and usually depicts figural or narrative subjects. It is often practised by artists working for the royal court or in independent workshops.
context_section_description: The "Six principles of Chinese painting" were established by Xie He, a writer, art historian and critic in 5th century China, in "Six points to consider when judging a painting" (繪畫六法, Pinyin: Huìhuà Liùfǎ), taken from the preface to his book "The Record of the Classification of Old Painters" (古畫品錄; Pinyin: Gǔhuà Pǐnlù).  Keep in mind that this was written circa 550 CE and refers to "old" and "ancient" practices.  The six elements that define a painting are:
  "Spirit Resonance", or vitality, which refers to the flow of energy that encompasses theme, work, and artist.  Xie He said that without Spirit Resonance, there was no need to look further.
  "Bone Method", or the way of using the brush, refers not only to texture and brush stroke, but to the close link between handwriting and personality.  In his day, the art of calligraphy was inseparable from painting.
  "Correspondence to the Object", or the depicting of form, which would include shape and line.
  "Suitability to Type", or the application of color, including layers, value, and tone.
  "Division and Planning", or placing and arrangement, corresponding to composition, space, and depth.
  "Transmission by Copying", or the copying of models, not from life only but also from the works of antiquity.
caption: A mural painting of Li Xian's tomb at the Qianling Mausoleum, dated 706 CE, Tang dynasty
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