中文 
en 
In the early Qing period, the painting world was rich with ancient charm and dazzling diversity. Likewise, he admired the ancients and devoted himself to learning from the past to the present. He immersed himself in the landscapes of the Song and Yuan dynasties, often losing himself in their midst to attain their spiritual essence—a secret, captivating mystery. In practice, these imitation ancient landscapes were inventions that drew inspiration and nourishment from tradition while emphasizing individual style.
Yun Shouping offered a clear analysis of the shortcomings in painting style: “Later scholar-officials rushed to emulate them, naming their brushes accordingly,” “the spirit was exhausted, and ancient charm vanished. The southerners grew weary of this invincibility and longed to cleanse it.” “He measured himself between Yunlin (Ni Zan), Yunxi (Cao), Fangshan (Gao), and Haishue (Mi Fu), not severing ties with the path, sinking deeply in ink, moistening it with mist and clouds, rooting himself in the Song to penetrate its density, guiding himself toward the Yuan to draw forth its sincerity, and hunting for its spirit in the Ming. Though the spirit had not yet fully arrived, the brush intent had turned fresh.”