Orchid, Bamboo, and Rock Handscroll

Orchid, Bamboo, and Rock Handscroll by the Yuan Dynasty master Zhao Mengfu (1254–1322) is a paradigmatic work embodying his advocated theory of the Common Origin of Calligraphy and Painting. Under the banner of archaism, it initiated a new paradigm for Yuan Dynasty and subsequent literati painting.

In this handscroll, Zhao Mengfu made an innovative attempt—he skillfully integrated the artistic language of calligraphy into painting. The rocks are outlined and textured with the brushwork spirit of clerical and seal scripts, conveying solidity and archaic simplicity. The strokes for bamboo branches and leaves draw on the rhythm of running and regular scripts, appearing upright and rhythmic. The depiction of orchid leaves entirely follows the principles of cursive script; the lines are gracefully flowing and smooth, a technique later praised as “writing orchids.” He abandoned the traditional method of heavy layering and wash, emphasizing instead the use of calligraphic brushstrokes to build the structural strength and spirit of forms, truly realizing integrating calligraphy into painting.

Zhao Mengfu's exploration was nothing short of an artistic revolution. He successfully infused the aesthetic sensibilities of calligraphy into painting, granting the expressive quality of brush and ink its own independent artistic value. It can be said that Zhao Mengfu was the pivotal figure connecting the painting traditions of the Song Dynasty with the literati styles of the Yuan, Ming, and later periods. His advocated concept of the Common Origin of Calligraphy and Painting became a cornerstone theory in Chinese painting aesthetics, with an influence that endures to this day.