Sino Zeal

Chan & Zen Buddhism’s Influence in Painting   Chan and Zen Buddhism’s unique style, because of the traditions’ straightforwardness and distinctive sense of humor, has influenced classical Japanese and Chinese artists alike. Chan and Zen’s limited use of color produces images with an eye-catching high contrast and the fluidity of the brushwork is instantaneous – with the stroke being a spontaneous and quick motion from wrist to brush. The brushwork in Chan and Zen-inspired paintings is not only an immediate action of the artist but also mirrors the calligraphic writing style of China and Japan. Chan and Zen-inspired artists focus on landscapes, figure-studies, and even objects that represent visual koans – or unanswerable riddles. Figure-studies usually include Daoist and Buddhist immortals, classical poets, and Buddhist monks and patriarchs.  Spontaneous Mode and Splashed Ink Style   The two styles of painting that inspired me to create my series are known a...

The Role of the Natural Environment in the Shaping of Daoism  [1]   While the majority of Asian religions and philosophies reference nature, none make nature and naturalness their fundamental focus as Daoism does. Daoism is built upon the belief that the Dao , or the Way, is in harmony with the natural environment and that ziran , naturalness, is the ideal behavior for humans. In the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi , nature and natural elements are woven into the texts to illustrate Daoist virtues, values, and practices. The Taijitu  ( yin - yang symbol) is an important Daoist image that portrays the continuous transformations and harmonious balance believed to be a way of the natural world. Knowledge of nature and natural ingredients are important for the Daoist practice of alchemy and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In addition, Daoist beliefs criticize development and modernization, because such things are not in harmony with wu wei , non-action. Instead, Daoism promot...