Nature in Asian Art

              Chinese values with respect to nature and its representation in dynastic artwork is directly relative to the conventional religious beliefs of the period and of the region, principally Daoism. Daoist philosophy was popularized by the Warring States period in China contemporary with the late Zhou Dynasty, in which political turmoil led many citizens to find solace in a universal and spiritual abstraction through nature. Thus nature is incredibly deistic in Chinese culture, while in the contemporary Western world, the human form was more exalted (consistent with the religious ideals of both the Greek and Roman cultures); this contrast is illuminated through the thematic subjects of each culture and the role which nature plays in the Eastern and Western world respectively. Early Chinese artwork portrays the dominance and the power of nature over man; Western artwork generally portrays the dominance of man over nature.

            Ink paintings on silk scrolls represent the vastness of the natural world and the overpowering presence with which it resides over humanity; Chinese artwork really introduces the idea of a common “mother nature” that is both nurturing and overwhelming. Travelers among Mountains and Streams, by artist Fan Kuan, dramatically emphasizes the striking disparity in size between the towering mountain-scape and the miniscule travelers hidden amid the terrain; however, there still remains a subtle unity which represents the embodiment of nature with respect to the human endeavor of spirituality and the role of nature in providing for the longevity of the human struggle. This is consistent with the principles of Daoism which promote intrinsic and personal cultivation through a contact with and resignation to the natural world.

            The idealistic role of nature is furthered through funerary motifs which signify the realm of heaven as that which mirrors the physical environment. Funeral banners discovered in tombs from the Han Dynasty indicate a semblance between the natural Daoist ideals and what could be considered as eternal peace. This presents a contrast with the funerary imagery of the Western works of the Greek and Roman cultures, as such scenes are central to human longevity and the portrayal of acts which were considered enjoyable and decadent; essentially human-centric. The dynamics of the human figure are greatly evolved through the progression of Western work and figural work without an adherence to religious purposes is far more abundant in these cultures than in Chinese portraiture. Geometric krater (from the Dipylon cemetery in Athens Greece) represents the importance of the human figure, and the greater human symbolism, in the afterlife.

            Through the central theme of the natural world in Chinese artwork it is evident the role of nature as both a nurturer and as a setting ideal for the realm of the afterlife with respect to the teachings of the Dao. Thus nature remains an integral factor of Chinese spirituality, in its ability to overcome and overwhelm yet embody the human endeavor towards enlightenment. The art of the contemporary Western world, in contrast, is completely central to the idealism of the human figure and is well represented by the godlike representations of the Greeks and the militaristic exaltation of the Roman patricians and conquerors.