In China, where nature has always been considered supreme, landscape painting became an important subject for Chinese artists after the tenth century. Scholar-painters regarded calligraphy as the highest form of art, and thus often combined poetry and painting into a single work of art. Painting was viewed as a "poem without words".
Landscapes, philosophically tied to Taoism, consistently featured water and mountains, and usually a tiny human figure(s) or building, often a monk's hut. Earlier paintings used subdued colors, often muted golds and greens, to portray the balance of Nature and harmony so much a part of Chinese culture even today. Later artists used shades of black and white to showcase the curving lines and contrasts between mountains and water. To give depth and perspective to paintings, there were usually three distinct fields: lower, middle, upper, and were designed encourage the eye to linger on each image, but be drawn upwards
In 7th grade while studying China, I have students createlandscape paintings (actually colored drawings) accompanied by a poem (Night Thoughts by Li Bai {spelling varies}) written in both Chinese and English. To prepare for this, I use slides of examples from a TCI unit, as well as slides from LACMA, and the help of Janet Lucas, art teacher extraordinaire! We preface the project with a discussion of Yin and Yang, and how that concept applies to Chinese culture, as well as the influence of Taoism on art of the period
Materials:
Textbook: Across the Centuries Chapter 8, Lesson 2 pp. 202-208
Transparencies showing correct brush strokes, and samples of basic words in Chinese.
Samples of the poem "Night Thoughts" by Li Bai in Chinese. (Example is on page 202 in textbook. OR I have examples printed using a Chinese Language computer program, and brought in by students.)
Slides or pictures of landscape paintinggs or drawings.
12 x 18 drawing or construction paper cut lengthwise
colored pencils and black markers (or paint, if you're brave)
Realia: a calligraphy set, a chinese chop, paintings from China.
Procedures
Prior to this lesson, students have studied the three philosophies of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. They have done an activity on the Taoist concept of Yin and Yang and the focus on harmony and balance in nature.
Day 1: Lecture, using slides and pictures of landscape subjects on canvas, fans, other objects. Introduce Chinese calligraphy with transparencies. Show how brushstrokes are executed, and some basic words.
Day 2: Using the textbook pp. 202-204, discuss the painting and the poem, "Night Thoughts."With samples of the poem in Chinese on each table, students practice forming characters on sheets of graph paper ruled into columns.
Day 3: Students will create, on 6 x 18" paper, landscape drawings. They must include water, mountains, trees, and signs of human habitation. They are encouraged to use muted shades or charcoal.
Day 4: Students will letter onto their papers the poem in English (bottom of page) and in Chinese on the top, either in two long lines, or four shorter ones.
Extension: Some students will want to create their own red identification stamp (chop). Some will want to paint their drawing with watercolors.
Student Samples of Landscape Paintings