Birds twittering amid cloud-clad peaks,1955

Rhythmic Vitality and Animation (I)

Long Chin-san once said that in making art, composition is hard, but rhythmic vitality and sense of animation is even harder. “Rhythmic vitality and sense of animation” does not arise from layers of clouds or mountain ranges.

According to Taoist thought, rhythmic vitality is the sublimation of the force of life, that is, the essence of life itself. It is robust, vibrant energy, the power of life.

The concept of “rhythmic vitality and animation” in Xie He’s Six Principles refers to the lively spirit of a painting, the Qi that brings a painting to life. A similar process is at work in photographs, in that they capture the spiritual rhythm in an instant of time. This is what Long Chin-san pursues in his art.