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How did the landscapes of Dong Yuan differ from those of Jing Hao?

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ceremonial hu — Chinese painting Drawing of ancestral offering scenes (ritual archery, sericulture, hunting, and warfare) cast on a ceremonial bronze *hu,* 6th–5th century bc, Zhou dynasty. In the Palace Museum, Peking.

The landscapes of Jing Hao and Dong Yuan represent the foundational divergence between northern and southern traditions in Chinese landscape painting.1

Jing Hao (Northern Style)
Active in the Taihang Mountains, Jing Hao’s work is characterized by a "northern spirit" defined by stark drama and monumental scale. His compositions are bold and precipitous, featuring crags cleft with gullies and rushing streams that rise to the top of the picture. His technique relies on firm, concentrated ink work and crisp lines to depict the rugged geography of northern China.12

Dong Yuan (Southern Style)
In contrast, Dong Yuan’s landscapes, associated with the Jiangnan region, are broad, relaxed, and atmospheric. Rather than sharp crags, he depicted rounded, tree-clad hills using:1
* Hemp-fibre texture strokes: Coarse brushwork to define landforms.1
* Moss dots: Dotted accents for texture.1
* Wet ink washes: Used to suggest a moist, misty atmosphere.1

While Jing Hao’s style emphasized empirical observation and dramatic structure, Dong Yuan’s spontaneous, understated manner became the preferred model for later amateur artists.1