THE ECOLOGICAL DIMENSION IN KOREAN LITERATI PAINTING

Subject matter drawn from nature constituted a crucial dimension for literati painters in Korea. Landscapes of mountains and rivers, birds set in idyllic natural surroundings, puppies napping under a tree, fish meandering in water, and the four noble plants were among the favorite themes painted by the Korean literati. Rooted in Daoist and Confucian theories on art, the enactment of recreating the true essence of natural subjects was believed to be a way to become one with the universe, by the process of which one’s spirit was enlightened and elevated to new levels. As such, the creative process transmitted the ‘qi’ from the universe through the use of the brush into concrete form, and the practice of painting was a way to cultivate the mind and preserve the inner spirit inherited from heaven. Such views on painting were formulated as early as the fifth century and fully developed by the eleventh century in China, which were transmitted to the literati circles in Korea. The Unified Silla scholar Ch’oe Ch’i-won (857-?) remarked the effective impact of painting over writing, and by the twelfth century, important art theoretical views by Chinese authors were introduced to Korea to circulate among the literati class of painters and to form their philosophical basis on painting. This paper will examine the ecological dimension in art theoretical writings in China and their historical development and application in Korea among the literati class.