The Artistic Thought of the Song Dynasty and Its Visual Expression in Landscape Painting

This study explores the aesthetic concepts and cultural significance of Song dynasty landscape painting, regarded as one of the highest achievements in the history of traditional Chinese art. The research focuses on the artistic practices, stylistic features, and visual-philosophical approaches embodied in the works of prominent Song masters such as Fan Kuan, Guo Xi, Ma Yuan, and Xia Gui. Particular attention is given to the concept of “emptiness” as both a compositional strategy and a semantic element, reflecting deeper philosophical meanings. The study also analyzes the symbolism of natural motifs mountains, water, mist, trees and the use of vertical perspective and free spatial organization as a means of expressing a cosmological worldview rooted in Daoist and Confucian thought. A key aspect of the paper is the redefinition of the artist’s role during the Song era: no longer merely an artisan, the painter becomes an intellectual, a cultural mediator, and a contemplative figure who connects nature and the Dao. This transformation signals a broader cultural shift in the understanding of art and its social function. Methodologically, the study adopts an interdisciplinary approach, integrating methods from art history, philosophical hermeneutics, and cross-cultural aesthetics. The originality of the research lies in its emphasis on the semantic function of visual emptiness and its central role in Song dynasty artistic thinking. The conclusion affirms that Song landscape painting is not only a testament to technical brilliance, but also a visual expression of cultural meditation an artistic practice aimed at achieving harmony between human beings and the universe. These conceptual and visual paradigms deeply influenced the art of subsequent dynasties (Yuan, Ming, Qing) and continue to inspire contemporary dialogues between Eastern and Western art traditions.

artistic thinking, Song dynasty, landscape painting, Daoist philosophy, aesthetics of emptiness, visual symbolism, Chinese painting, cultural tradition, image of artist, intercultural influence