Reception of Taoist images in the artistic culture of Xieyi

Chzhao Shaolu Postgraduate student; Department of Theory and History of Culture, Arts and Design; Trans-Baikal State University 125 Babushkina str., Chita, Zabaikalsky Krai, 672000, Russia zhsh1008@yandex.ru

Introduction

Artistic culture is still of interest to both artists and philosophers and cultural scientists. Although Xie yi is often considered as a style or technique of traditional Chinese painting, this article examines the Xie yi art culture as a set of philosophical ideas and artistic techniques. The subject of the study was the reflection of Taoist images in the artistic culture of the North, both in historical retrospect and in modern art. The main purpose of this work is to determine the meaning of Taoist images in the Xie Yi culture. To achieve this goal, methods of comparison, formal and semiotic analysis of objects of traditional and modern painting, analysis of research literature of an art criticism and philosophical nature were used.

Literature review

Among the latest research by Chinese scientists on this topic, it is necessary to mention the collection "Conversations of Pan Tianshou about Art", compiled and published by Mr. Pan Gongkai, the monograph "The Spirit of Free Xie-yi" by Professor Zhang Lichen of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, as well as the article published by me in 2022, "Research on the influence of the "elite View" on Chinese painting, on the appearance of free painting of flowers and birds." The definition of Xie yi as a painting style or drawing technique is common among Chinese scientists. Thus, Professor Zhang Lichen from the Central Academy of Fine Arts characterizes the artistic method of Xie-yi: "Since black and white is the most direct visual language that Chinese painting provides to people, it is quite possible to deal with the relationship between black and white in order to reflect the content of the painting" ^{[1, p. 47]}. Art historian Tang Jing defines the Xie yi style as "a method of drawing that does not imply precise lines", and emphasizes the leading role of the artist's mood and details reflecting the "spiritual essence of the artistic image" ^{[2, p. 117]}. The Russian researcher M. M. Rinchinova defines Se-i in comparison with gunbi, in which detail was important: "In Se-i, the main thing was to convey the essence of the object, how the artist sees it, impression, mental mood" ^{[3, p. 215]}.

According to V. G. Belozerova, "past and present theorists of Chinese painting do not strictly differentiate between technical and theoretical terms, and therefore in their writings the gongbi technique is usually opposed to the principle of xie yi." She emphasizes: "Techniques have diametric psychological and spiritual attitudes: in the "diligent brush" it is required to maintain the unity of "ten thousand strokes", in the "lapidary brush" it is necessary to accommodate the plastic of "ten thousand strokes" in one stroke." We agree with V. G. Belozerova that it would be more correct to compare the techniques of gongbi (工筆 – "diligent brush") and jianbi (簡筆 – "lapidary brush"), which embody the principles of Se-shen (冩生 – "painting nature") in painting and Se-i (冩意 - –write an idea"). ^{[4, pp. 347-348]}.

Art historians note the similarity of this to impressionist expression, which is manifested in fleeting inspiration, intuitive creativity in search of the "spiritual essence of things" ^{[5, p. 157]}. These searches for the true essence of the sources of harmony of life constitute the goal of Chinese aesthetics, which manifests itself in the desire to reveal the "spiritual essence of things" through calligraphy, poetry and painting, where every stroke should be a "living form" ^{[6, p. 142]}. Thus, the pictorial language of Chinese painting serves to express philosophical ideas – and this is especially evident in the artistic culture of Xie yi, reflecting the ideas of the philosophy of Taoism.

Despite the obvious relationship between the culture of Xie and the philosophy of Taoism, this topic remains poorly studied today. An academic study of Chinese Taoism in philosophical and cultural aspects is carried out in the works of Tao Jin "Spiritual Meaning" (2023), in the books "The Ceremony of accepting the tapes of the Taoist Dharma" and "Paintings and Photographs – the visual culture of traditional Taoism", written by Dr. Jin Shishan in 2022 ^[7]. But most of the existing literature is devoted to the independent study of the style of Xie yi or Taoism. The dialogue and interaction between contemporary art and Taoist culture from Xie Yi is also a new area that deserves attention. This article will expand the horizons of research and deepen the understanding of the cultural value of Taoist images based on existing research.

A historical and cultural excursion into the formation and development of the artistic style of Xie Yi in Chinese culture

The culture of free creativity of Xie yi as a way of philosophical thinking and emotional expression embodies the aesthetic concepts of Chinese culture. The concept of Xie yi can be traced back to the Chunqiu Period (from 722 to 479 BC): the Taoist philosophical and cultural system of Lao and Zhuang emphasizes the aesthetic idea that the natural path of human formation and human culture is the path of exploring nature, that is, Tao follows nature. It uses simple ideas of the relativity of existence and non-existence, complexity and lightness, long and short, high and low ^[8], that is, the philosophy of yin and yang.

The origins of Xie yi as a style of traditional Chinese painting are attributed to the painting of writers - this phenomenon has developed since the era of the Han Dynasty (206 BC to 220 AD), when writers sought to use a synthesis of poetry and painting, to apply poetic techniques in painting. After the development of metaphysics during the Wei (220-266) and Jin (265-420) dynasties, the culture of free Xie yi gradually incorporated such two aesthetic positions as "vivid depiction of the spirit" and "seduction of the Tao through form", which had a profound influence on subsequent generations of painters and philosophers. However, it was only from the time of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) that free–style painting began to occupy an important place in artistic practice. For example, Wang Qia's "Ink Splashes" and Mi Fu's "Yunshan" (Fig. 1), which reflect high sophistication and express the nature and emotions of artists, essentially defined the aesthetics of Xie yi.

Fig. 1. Mi Fu, Song Dynasty. Spring mountains and wonderful pines

Literary painting received a new round of development during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), when vast Chinese territories came under the rule of the Mongol Khans: "At that time, the disappointment of literary artists was reflected in painting, and their works were naturally filled with emotions, demonstrating a sense of loneliness, selectivity and disregard for money and benefits" ^[2]. In response to the imperfection of the social structure, the art of the Se-i is developing, in which the artist postulates his right to imperfection of form while conveying a rich inner content (Figure 2).

2. Xu Wei, the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Writers

The basic tenets of Taoist thought - "manage without doing anything" and "let nature develop as it should" – correspond to the natural expression in an imperfect form of a deep artistic concept of a culture of free thought. Taoism strives for the unity of nature and man, the Xie Yi culture expresses the idea of the unity of nature and man in a free form, and this idea forms the spiritual core of traditional Chinese culture.

In the modern world, the Xie yi culture, reflecting Taoist images, still has vitality and influences the development of philosophy and art. By studying Xie Yi culture, we can not only better understand traditional Chinese culture, but also gain unlimited opportunities for artistic creativity.

The philosophical and cultural meaning of Taoist artistic images

Taoist images play different roles in Taoist culture. Firstly, it is a means of communication of Taoist teaching, conveying the Taoist view of the universe and life through images. Secondly, it is a spiritual guide for the development of the body and mind. Thirdly, the visual range of Taoism is an important part of Taoist art, enriching the meaning of Taoist culture with its unique aesthetics and symbolic meaning.

Taoist images expressed in talismans, star charts, maps of inner alchemy, maps of true form, etc., are not just works of art, but integral elements of Taoist rituals and spiritual practices. For example, in Chinese profane culture, it is believed that talismans, which are an important symbol of Taoism, have the sacred power to ward off evil spirits, cure diseases and save lives. They are considered as "diagrams of the true form" as a human image created in the likeness of God in the context of Taoist understanding.

In Taoist thought, the human body is considered as a microcosm, and its structure and mode of operation correspond to the entire universe ^[12]. Visualizing this connection allows people to achieve a state of resonance with the universe through observation and meditation. The identity of the image of the human and the divine in rituals reveals the idea of visual expression of the Taoist image as an understanding of the universe and life through abstract graphics and symbols.

Taoist images are used as part of rituals that lead believers into certain states. For example, in the Zhaijiao ceremony, the display and explanation of images help believers understand the content of the ceremony and participate in it, increase the sacredness and solemnity of the ceremony.

The images of the Taoist gods contain an artistic concept that goes beyond the image. At the beginning of the history of Taoism, the formless and primitive form of the image of the gods reflects the fundamental understanding of Taoism of the nature of the universe. The idea that all things are born from the "Tao", and behind the variety of images there is a single essence of the Tao. This is a fundamental principle of the world order, in a broad sense, the very image of which is free to express, but in artistic expression it was especially vividly manifested in the style of Se-I.

Painting is the embodiment of the intention to see the truth through a series of changes, that is, through improvement. The ancients believed that this process was a process of merging with the universe. The drawing from Xingming Guizhi, a woodcut from the Ming Dynasty (Fig. 3), shows a dynamic process of thinking – and this obscure visual communication is the communication of a religious ideology of perfection.

Fig. 3. Xingming Guizhi. Woodcut from the Ming Dynasty

The expression of the Se-yi style goes beyond ritually religious images, which focus on the description and interpretation of divine images. If various Taoist images are placed in a cultural system, which Clifford Geertz calls symbols, then it can be conditionally determined that the true form of Taoism is an artistic model that not only reflects, but also creates reality. This can be proved by the image of God, described in traditional folklore as the desire of people for an ideal, which is reflected in the image of children as the purest state of man ^[10]. The Taoist images observed from this cultural point of view represent the system of Chinese visual culture.

The highest form of perfection in Taoism is the image of the Tao. The artistic culture of Xie yi has adopted the Taoist traditions of expressing the Tao in the form of an empty space: "The so–called "white dragon" (bailong) – a white canvas without a pattern - was revered as the highest form of embodiment of the image of the Tao" ^{[11, p. 5]}. The phenomenon of empty space in Xie-yi style painting is also a unique technique that creates harmony in composition and expresses the depth, completeness and unattainability of the Tao ^{[12, p. 534]}.

The symbolism of Taoist images is not limited to visual aesthetics, conveying religious concepts and philosophical thoughts through a special visualization technique called "true form" images. The free nature of this visual practice leads the viewer to a kind of spiritual meditation and inner experience through abstract and symbolic techniques.

In the process of interaction with Buddhist art, Confucian ideas, integration into other cultural traditions, Taoist art constantly absorbs new elements and forms unique artistic styles and forms of expression. For example, the flexible use of "implicit language" to convey the changing qualities of the present situation is vividly shown in the 17th century Taoist scripture "Dongxuan Lingbao. Three caves, Fengdao Kejin Shi." The deity possesses countless transforming bodies, but none of them can describe his formless true form. The image of an elephant is formless, colorless. Adapting to the situation, his body temporarily appears and remains hidden ^[13]. There are many similar descriptions of the changing nature of phenomena. This intentional description of the true form comes from the Taoist understanding and interpretation of the universe, that is, the relationship between "qi" and "transformation", which is common in the compositions of Chinese paintings of "Qi". A trend can be interpreted as a "potential", which is a general trend, and a "transformation" is a change and dispersion with a transition to local recreation and expression. According to He Bilai, this transformation "transforms an existing form of being into another new form of existence" ^[14]. An objectively real object can be transformed into Qi and then into a true form with symbolic meaning, transcending the material itself and becoming a sacred and invisible true form, pure intentional existence.

The reflection of the artistic principles of Xie yi in Taoist images can be identified based on the description of artistic originality as a result of the interaction of the culture of Taoism and its philosophical thought. Taoist paintings and portraits combine Taoist views of the universe, life and nature into artistic creation using the techniques of the Xie yi style, turning works of art into a means of conveying Taoist ideas.

Based on the analysis through the technology of deconstructionism, scientific prospects appear for isolating the non-religious basis of Taoism, which dealt with the religious culture of Buddhism that the visual image and spiritual intentions project the quality of our world as a whole. However, compared to Buddhism, Taoism is more constructive and has the courage to reassess the idea that "thought has priority, not the activity of constructing the world."

It is in this subtlety that there is a coinciding beginning of the practical school of Chinese aesthetics of the twentieth century with Taoism, which encouraged the direction of thought "from theology and intellectual understanding of texts and images." Therefore, our research also turns to the study of their production, consumption ^[15] and the essence of the model, within which objective structures are implemented and subjective constraints are generated.

Reflection of Taoist images in Xie Yi painting

Taoist images are important objects of Taoist cultural heritage, they play a vital role in Taoist rituals, transmitting Taoist teachings and philosophical ideas to believers through the form of fine art ^[16]. For example, the painting "The True Form of the Five Mountains" demonstrates the Taoist understanding of nature and the universe, and the painting "The True Form of the Mountain of man and Bird" embodies the Taoist philosophy of striving for the unity of nature and man. The "True image of the Five Mountains" is often used in Taoist rituals to guide believers on mountain pilgrimages, and the "True Image of the Mountain of man and bird" is used to help believers in meditation, in achieving spiritual purification and perfection. These paintings provide modern people with an opportunity to understand Taoist culture.

In modern artistic practice, the spirit of a culture of free Thought, reflecting the ideas of Taoist images, is of great importance. By reconstructing Taoist images, contemporary artists explore the integration of tradition and modernity, East and West, and give new vitality to the heritage and development of Taoist art. This cross-cultural and intertemporal artistic practice not only demonstrates the character of the Taoist images created in Xie yi, but also provides rich resources for the innovative development of world art. Taoist images continue to inspire people to reflect on nature, life and the universe.

A striking example of such inspiring art was the international exhibition of contemporary calligraphy "Calligraphy. Not calligraphy", where the personal exhibition "Zhen Gao" was presented based on the canonical Taoist text of Tao Hongjing, the Taoist priest of the Southern Dynasty, who recorded the "spiritual deeds" of Yang Xi and other prominent figures of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

The worship of the Taoist writing system is reflected in the writing system in various forms, including the use of mysterious symbols in rituals. In the seventh volume of Zhang Junfang's "Supposed Seven Signs" (Song Dynasty), there is a section dedicated to the "Eight Manifestations" of Taoist hieroglyphs, which are several fonts: the first is the "Book of Heaven", "Bahui"; the second is the sacred script, which is a cloud printing script; the third is a terrestrial letter representing It is an image of a dragon and a phoenix; the fourth is an internal letter, that is, what the dragon, fish and bird spewed; the fifth is an external letter written with scales and hairy feathers; the sixth is a ghost font, which is a diverse and ambiguous form that is inaccessible to people; the seventh is the Zhongxia font, consisting of handwritten letters and typeface with printing; the eighth is the script of Rong Yi ^[17].

Various forms of bird, cloud and flower seals are used for writing on the walls of the exhibition hall, as well as the "True Form of the image of the Five Mountains" method used by Lu Dadong on the nine towers in Beijing. On some of these nine buildings, Lu Dadong used slang, folk customs, and mantras to evoke them from historical time and space, completing the work of fully realizing the historical Beijing Feng Shui. He also used the form of writing to depict people in bronze inscriptions of the Qin and Han dynasties (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4. The true decree. Lu Dadong, 2019

Professor Fan Hua, a sinologist from the French Institute of the Far East, also presented an exhibition of cultural heritage of Taoism: vessels filled with mysterious words and symbols, early books on the design of fonts of the Republic of China, provided by Professor Zhou Bo, head of the Department of History and Theory of the Central Academy of Fine Arts. Combined with an open historical comparison, this exhibition is simply amazing. The hieroglyphic attributes of Chinese calligraphy have determined that it can be used as an image of especially mysterious textual symbols of Taoism, the history of world art. Lu Dadong's exhibition integrates and absorbs Taoist image forms, responds to various formal allusions in the history of calligraphy, expands the boundaries of calligraphy research, and builds new relationships between personalities, time and space in the current cultural context, providing ample opportunities for creativity.

The interest of the modern art world in Taoist images is expressed not only in imitation of their forms, but also in an in-depth study of their inner philosophical thoughts. Many modern artists incorporate Taoist views on nature, the universe and life into their works, creating an artistic language with a sense of time. For example, some installation artists use natural materials and effects of light and shadow to create mysterious outer spaces depicted in Taoist images.

Modern artists often take a more free and experimental approach, painting Taoist culture from Xie Yi. They do not adhere to traditional religious symbols, but deconstruct and reconstruct these symbols, creating new visual images. In some modern paintings and sculptures, it can be seen that the elements of the Taoist image have been abstracted, modernized and combined with scenes of modern urban life, which gives a special artistic charm.

The possibilities of the Taoist culture of handwritten art in the practice of modern art are multidimensional. On the one hand, it can be used as an artistic resource that provides inspiration and materials for artists, on the other hand, it can also be used as a cultural approach that guides artists to explore the relationship between man and nature, personality and society, and the universe. In some performances and interactive works of art, the spirit of Taoist culture is transformed from Xie yi into the participation and experience of the public, turning works of art into a means of communication and exchange.

Conclusion

Being an important part of traditional Chinese culture, the culture of free Xie yi has its own spiritual overtones and artistic expression, fully reflected and inherited in Taoist images. The cultural meaning of Taoist images lies in the fact that, having a rich subtext and diverse forms, they are an integral part of religious rituals, a manifestation of spiritual practice and cosmology. Taoist images demonstrate the characteristics of the Xie yi culture on several levels: from the impalpability of images of gods to the realization of an artistic concept in the visual practice of handwritten forms.

The interaction of Taoist images and modern art in the Xie Yi culture is a process of constant deepening and development. Modern artists have enriched the methods of expressing art, expanded the ideological content and meaning of art, borrowing, updating and transforming Taoist images and figures. Such a dialogue is not only an exchange of artistic forms, but also a clash and integration of culture and spirit. Thanks to this, new opportunities and directions for the development of contemporary art are emerging.

The Xie yi art culture reveals the unique value and modern significance of Taoist art, deeply exploring the inner connection between Taoist images and the culture of handwritten art. In a detailed analysis of Taoist images, we not only traced their historical origin, but also gained an idea of their heritage and innovation in modern art. The contribution of Taoist images to Chinese handwriting culture is reflected in the deep understanding and expression in the art of nature, the universe and life.

In modern Chinese society, the cultural connotation of Taoist images is still important not only for the study of ancient Chinese religion and philosophy, but also for providing modern people with a sustainable lifestyle. The reception of Taoist images in the artistic culture of Xie yi provides modern art with a bridge connecting tradition and modernity, East and West, promotes cultural exchange and integration.