How did Gu Kaizhi influence Chinese painting?

Gu Kaizhi (c. 344–406) was a pivotal figure in Chinese art who established new standards for figure painting and portraiture during the Six Dynasties period in Nanjing. His influence on Chinese painting is characterized by several key contributions:12

• Refinement of Style: Gu was known for his elegant southern style, featuring slender, fairylike figures and fine, rhythmically flowing lines. This aesthetic became the standard for the Nanjing court and was later adopted by the Bei Wei rulers.2
• Narrative Illustration: In works such as The Admonitions of the Court Instructress, he demonstrated how to effectively integrate text and image, using carefully controlled lines and composition to expand upon didactic themes.12
• Subject Matter: As an eccentric member of a Daoist sect, he helped elevate Daoist and Buddhist themes in art. His rendering of the Buddhist saint Vimalakirti became a model for subsequent generations of painters.12
• Theoretical Contributions: Beyond his practice, he authored essays such as "On Painting the Cloud Terrace Mountain," contributing to the early development of Chinese aesthetics and painting theory.13