Landscape medley

Exhibition highlights cultural ideas behind paintings by master artists, Lin Qi reports.

In landscape paintings, Chinese artists of the past presented a lifestyle in which one was embraced by nature, and through which one hoped to understand the rules of the universe.

This art philosophy transformed as the country modernized. Diverse styles and forms were undertaken by generations of 20th century artists to meet people's cultural demands in the social context of that time.

To review the dramatic evolution of modern Chinese art, the National Art Museum of China in Beijing has mounted an exhibition, titled Magnificent Mountains and Rivers, showing selected landscape works by master artists that are in its collection.

The display, running through March 23, brings together some 130 ink-color paintings done in the classical style, oil works, prints, watercolors and sculptures, featuring some of the greatest artists and reformers of modern China, such as Lin Fengmian, Huang Binhong and Fu Baoshi.

The exhibition, according to museum director Wu Weishan, doesn't explore the artistic term of shanshui (mountains and waters) in its normal way, but focuses on the rich cultural meanings of jiangshan (rivers and mountains).

"The term jiangshan, in Chinese culture, not only refers to all creatures as the representation of nature's creativity," Wu says, "it also means people and the civilization they have created by sourcing from nature."