Physiognomy and Research on the Theory of Traditional Chinese Figure Painting and its Application

Traditional Chinese figure paintings are one of the major types of Chinese paintings. This kind of paintings is influenced by traditional Chinese philosophies, especially by Chinese physiognomy. That's why the creational ideas, appreciation and comments for traditional Chinese figure paintings are absolutely different from classical oil paintings which are found on the rational and scientific perspective and anatomy. This paper mainly concerns the relationship between physiognomy and figure paintings. What's more, it also combined with some pictures which have relations with the figure paintings' theories. And we try to interpret the influences of physiognomy for traditional Chinese figure paintings in appreciation、comments and artistic creation, and the meanings for the creation and enjoyment of nowadays figure paintings.