Establishing a new approach to reading Chinese landscape painting, this work centers around an early key example of scholarly painting, viz. Dream Journey on the Xiao and Xiang Rivers (late 12th century). The author restores the status of Dream Journey as a cultural icon for Confucians, an object of contemplation for aesthetes, an imaginary dream journey for poets, and an incentive to cultivate oneâs moral intentions for both Buddhist monks and lay scholars. Also it is convincingly argued that scholarly painting originates in the Southern Song (1127-1279) and not, as is commonly thought, in the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368).
'This book deserves praise as the first monograph on "Dream Journey", for its penetrating insights into Literati as well as Chan art and the aesthetics, philosophy and art theories behind itâ¦This is a long overdue contribution to our understanding of Song art based on one of the few undisputed paintings of this crucial period of Chinese culture.'
Uta Lauer, Arts Asiatiques, 2000.
Art Historians, scholars of Chinese history and literature, or, more specifically, all those interested in the relationship of painting and poetry.