Britannica Sources used in this answer

What criticism of Xia Gui did Zhuang Su write in Huaji Buyi?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

In his 1298 work Huaji Buyi, the writer Zhuang Su offered a harsh critique of the Southern Song academy painter Xia Gui. He characterized Xia’s landscapes and figures as "very vulgar and debased," arguing that the artist gained prominence during a period of societal decline by "pursuing excess" rather than creating work with "real substance."1