Two Flowers: Folk Arts And Literati Painting Study

Chinese culture with long history is like a thousand-year old evergreen tree. With lush branches and leaves, this towering tree bears much crystal clear and beautiful fruit of culture which folk art and Chinese southern school paintings are included. That same root fruit has both links and difference. For the difference, the fundametal distinction is particularly reflected in the level of philosophical thought.Chinese folk art traces back to the Spring and Warring Period, based on the Chinese philosophical ideas. The essence of this period is the balance between Yin and Yang, unceaselessness of life and everything having its uniqueness. The art of this period mainly depicts the worship of gods and totem. These are called the pre-artistic activities concerning the protection of the existence of human beings and the reproduction of the human race.The pre-artistic activities embodies the etiquettes, customs and daily routines. They are deeply rooted from the totemism of the ancinet society. Through the baptism of reproductive worship and ancestor worship, it finally developed into an attitude of the balance between Yin and Yang and the idea of life after generation. Such kind of ideas are rooted in the basis of the traditional Chinese society.Folk art has various forms of depictions, such as paper-cutting,crispy noodles, embroidery, dyeing-weaving art,new year's paintings and clay sculpture.Although there are various forms,the basic way to performance it is witchcrafit. It belongs to the pre-artistic activities for protecting people and reproduction.The spiritual elements of Chinese Southern School paintings developed out of the the various scholastic roots in China. They focus on the awareness of the humanity in Wei and Jin Dynasty, and South-North Dynasty. During this period, people's sense of independence, spiritual awareness and the appreciation of beauty have been reinforced.In this essay, the two roots of culture fruits are been analyzed. From a special point of view, the author evaluates the typical features of folk art and the South School Paintings, their social backgrounds and their development in order to promote a deeper understanding of the traditional Chinese art.