chuanyi moxie

The term "chuanyi moxie" refers to the principle of "transmission of ancient models by copying" within Chinese aesthetics. This concept, outlined by the art theorist Xie He, was one of six aesthetic principles used to judge painting. It emphasized the importance of copying older works for both technical training and the preservation of artistic tradition.1

This principle is closely linked to the broader influence of Taoism on Chinese aesthetics, where artists sought to express concepts like "natural spontaneity" found in texts like Zhuangzi and Laozi. This led to the development of iconic Chinese landscape paintings.2

Flower painting also emerged as a distinct genre during the Five Dynasties period, with artists like Huang Quan developing the "boneless painting" technique and Xu Xi favoring a bolder, ink-based style. These approaches influenced painting for centuries.3