A Discussion on the Non-mainstream Painters of the Southern Song Dynasty

The Song Dynasty was a key period for Chinese landscape painting to develop into a mainstream form of Chinese painting. In the Southern Song time, while landscape painting, which was promoted by theFour Masters of the Southern Song, became the mainstream, a group of non-mainstream painters including Zhao Boju, Zhao Bosu, Ma Hezhi, and Fachang were also active in the field with their innovative style immune to the conventions. It was the dedication of these non-mainstream painters with their great courage and wisdom that the continuity and sustainability of Chinese landscape painting were attained, and that the richness and diversity of Chinese landscape painting were fulfilled.