taoism in art

Painting Analysis

Yin - mountains / fullness.

Yang - water / always flowing and changing

P’u / wu wei the simple, natural life of the fisherman

Immortality - Pine tree ability to survive and endure, long life

Yang – air, emptiness

Yin - mountains / stability and permanence

Water is a Taoist symbol for p’u. It flows naturally, is strong even though it is soft.

Mnts – heaven and earth meet, where the immortals live, a place to withdraw and reflect and find yourself.

EVIDENCE

The fullness of the earth and the emptiness of the sky are an example of yin and yang, respectively. The mountains are permanent and unchanging whereas water is always flowing and changing. This is another example of yin and yang. In the painting these elements are balanced. This shows the Taoist goal of balancing yin and yang. P’u and wu wei are shown by the simple unforced life of the fisherman. In keeping with the Taoist perspective, humanity is seen against the context of the universe. This shows the Taoist belief that to be human you have to understand that you fit into a much bigger picture, that humanity is not the center of life and is dwarfed by the universe.

CLAIM: This painting reflects Taoist beliefs and values.

ELABORATION:

Taoism is a Chinese belief and value system.

It has many philosophical and abstract ideas.

Landscape paintings are Taoist.

They show the abstract ideas of Taoism in picture form.

This painting displays Yin / Yang, p’u, wu wei, immortality.