Something of Chinese theories of art appreciation can be comprehended from the literature concerning painting. There are the mentions of seals and signatures, types of paper and silk for paintings, and viewpoints for judging paintings, calligraphies and other art abjects. Essentially the areas of aesthetic appreciation and concern can be classified into five groups. These are (1) the knowledge of materials, (2) the connoisseurship of materials, (3) the critical evaluation of artists, (4) the aesthetic appraisal for artistic change over time, and (5) the commentary on the essential quality of painting. As these points are often subtle and complicated, it is not easy to comprehend the depth of their meaning. However, by taking up one point at a time, it is possible to discover interesting transitions in attitudes toward art. Generally, from the Six Dynasties to the Tang, the appreciation of paintings did not occupy a high position in the liberal arts. In the Song, as paintings came to be highly estimated among the literati, the attitude of artistic appreciation in one's private life became popular. From the Yuan to the Ming, the appreciation of paintings was included as part of the basic aesthetic concerns in the life of the literati. But in the Qing, individual aesthetic refinement declined and was replaced by a more hardened, scientific approach to the appreciation of objects. It is fundamental for studying art history to understand these phases of transition.
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