| 摘要: | 梅蘭竹菊四君子在中國古代有記載之時，固然甚早，詩經乃至更早的時代已有入書為文。但是入畫則大致在唐朝或其前其後的南北朝、五代，而於藝術黃金時代的宋朝，發展漸趨成熟，並有繁簡不一的改良，進入文人畫精進的元朝，更是大為流行，成為山水畫之外，文人畫的一大主流，並在明、清兩代續有進步，傳遞至今。
四君子是古人氣節崇高的象徵，也是詩文書畫中常見的題材。梅花高
傲，蘭花幽香，竹子澹泊，菊花雅逸。同時，繪畫最貴意境，古人不乏以草木喻心志者，以之遣興寄意，觸類運思，妙參元微，精誠所至，巧思感受，施之筆墨，未嘗不能令人動心。梅蘭竹菊入畫，豐富了水墨畫的題材，擴大了審美的領域，他們不但本身富有形式美感，而且可以令人聯想到人類的美好品格，因此，他們不僅成為畫家們充分發揮筆墨書寫情趣的對象，也形成文人寄托心靈、詠涵志氣的隱喻。以言印證書畫同源，若具有書法基礎，學習梅蘭竹菊畫自然較易入手，但是精通書法，卻不保證也能精通繪畫，因為書法與繪畫畢竟是兩套不同的藝術系統，不過，如能在兩方面同時勤習專擅，形成書畫雙絕，不也是更能展現中國書畫的特色。以言四君子畫是文人畫裡不可或缺的一個部分，固然與梅蘭竹菊的寫意繪畫筆法簡純有關，而更重要的是它們足以借物喻志、張揚個性，隱涵畫家的心志品德，因此，四君子畫在北宋時期乘波浮浪、搭上文人畫興起的風潮而從此盛行不衰，迨元朝時已成為文人畫陣容裡不可或缺的一個中堅力量。再言體現形神兼備，一如歐洲文藝復興時期之前之後的年代，曾興起多個畫派，各有特殊的風格，中國各代的繪畫，寫實、寫意互有偏重，梅蘭竹菊畫即使屬於寫意走向，古人均有多項繪畫要訣與禁忌，足見仍是重視形似，因此，形神兼備並於寫實、寫意間取得平衡，是梅蘭竹菊畫的重要意涵之一。
Although the “Four Gentlemen” of Plum, Orchid, Bamboo and Chrysanthemum were recorded very early Chinese history in the form of poetry or writing, the paintings themselves only date back to around the Tang Dynasty or before, during Southern and Northern Dynasties and the Five Dynasties.
These styles of painting were continually developed until maturation during the Song Dynasty, widely considered to be the golden era of art. During the Yuan Dynasty, where delicate literati paintings were already popular, artists were able to further improve all aspects of the style, making them the other major style of the literati alongside landscape paintings. The Four Gentlemen style continued to progress in both the Ming and Qing Dynasties until the present day. The Four Gentlemen represent the nobility and integrity recognized as important aspects of Chinese character, which were popular themes of poetry, literature, and painting at the time.
The plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum stand for the attributes of pride, fragrance, austerity, and elegance respectively. Literati paintings cherished artistic imagination, using herbs and plants as metaphors for the artists’ will, interests, and inspirations, creating paintings that were deeply touching for the viewers. Plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemums as painting topics enriched ink paintings as a medium and expanded the relevant aesthetic materials for the literati of the time. These subjects not only embody formal beauty, but also hint at the aspirational characteristics beloved by the literati as scholars and artists.
As the results, they became popular subjects for painters as a means to express their interests, personal research, and ambitions. Some believe that calligraphy and Chinese painting share similar artistic roots and practitioners of the Four Gentlemen style would have benefited greatly from the study of calligraphy. While there is no guarantee that the skills and aesthetics of two different art systems will translate, it would still have been beneficial for the literati to study both systems simultaneously as a way to understand their essence. Ultimately the Four Gentlemen paintings were an indispensable part of literati paintings and a popular style throughout Chinese Art history. Although the painting technique could be considered simple and straightforward, the paintings were a way for author to convey their aspirations and morals. |
