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As the most esteemed and representative category in the history of Chinese painting, how should landscape painting be viewed? What profound meanings does it contain?
A number of newly published art history books—such as *Chinese Landscape Painting in Western Art History*, *The Deep Meaning of Chinese Painting*, and *The Sound of the Valley*—concurrently focus on the “ways of engaging” with Chinese landscape painting. Their authors are either overseas scholars or have backgrounds in overseas art historical research, bringing their own interpretations. For instance, some examine how Chinese landscape painting has been depicted within Western art history; others concentrate on tracing the pursuits and positioning of the Chinese themselves within landscape painting; prompted by the reminder of the interactive relationship between “artist” and “viewer,” some began to look anew at Chinese landscape painting. These diverse and novel perspectives collectively enrich our understanding of Chinese landscape painting.
Why do Yuan dynasty landscape paintings share similarities with Renaissance art?
Painting from the Northern Song period has been termed “Renaissance,” while Ming dynasty painting has been labeled “Baroque.” Most Western scholars favor such analogies to interpret Chinese painting, using their own accepted frameworks of art history to organize its narrative. Likewise, in his book *Chinese Landscape Painting in Western Art History*, American art historian James Elkins employs a comparative historical approach to present alternative perspectives, offering a more objective examination of how Chinese landscape painting has been portrayed within Western art history.