In this blog post, we will look at how landscape painting expressed freedom of the spirit, focusing on the concept of “wayu.”

The philosophy and history of landscape painting as seen through the aesthetics of “wayu”

One of the most important keys to understanding Oriental painting is “landscape painting.” Landscape painting is not just a painting of mountains and water. It contains human thoughts, perceptions of nature, and even philosophical reflections on existence and freedom.
The concept that represents this deep spiritual contemplation is “wayu,” which means “lying down and wandering.” “Wayu” is not actually traveling through nature, but rather the act of appreciating nature in one’s mind and projecting one’s spirit into it as if playing there.
It can be described as a form of mental travel or artistic meditation rather than physical movement. The history of landscape painting is essentially the process through which the concept of “wayu” was formed, expanded, and diversified. Wayu is a concept that encapsulates the essence of Eastern aesthetics and philosophy, and it became the theoretical basis for elevating landscape painting from a simple visual art to a form of spiritual cultivation and aesthetic experience.

The philosophy of wayu that began with Jong-byeong

The concept of wayu first appeared in the “Yin Yi Zhuan” section of the Song Shu. In this book, Jong-byeong, a figure from the Southern and Northern Dynasties period, is described as “lying down and playing.”
This goes beyond simply lying on a sickbed and reminiscing about past travels, and is understood as a way of life and philosophical practice that pursued spiritual freedom beyond reality. Zong Bing was a landscape painter and theorist, as well as a Buddhist practitioner who deeply contemplated the relationship between “body and mind” and “form and spirit” at the boundary between Confucianism and Buddhism.
In his youth, he traveled to famous mountains and valleys, projecting and liberating his spirit in the natural landscape. His travels in nature were not merely for sensory pleasure, but a way of contemplating the essence of existence. However, as he grew older and his physical freedom became limited, Jong-byeong chose to paint the landscapes he had visited in the past instead of climbing mountains himself, and in this way, he was able to recall the nature in his heart and purify his mind. Through this process of appreciation, he sought to reduce his emotions, attachments, and desires for recognition, and ultimately achieve spiritual freedom. For Jong-byeong, landscape painting was not just a way to enjoy the scenery, but a path to enlightenment.

Landscape painting divided into literati painting and court painting

The concept of waya, which began in this way, became more closely linked to landscape painting as time passed. In particular, after the Northern Song Dynasty, it divided into two branches according to the personality and artistic orientation of the painters. One branch was the paintings of professional painters belonging to the court painting academy, which emphasized realism and precision in consideration of the viewer’s perspective. The other was literati painting, which was painted by literati, or intellectuals who valued scholarship, poetry, and philosophical thinking, to express their spiritual world.
This division was not simply a difference in painting techniques, but was deeply related to the self-awareness of the intellectuals at the time. During the Northern Song Dynasty, the literati were constantly conflicted between their role in society and their personal ideals. They had two conflicting selves: the social self, which believed that “when the country has the Tao, the world will be saved” (kansei tenka), and the individual self, which believed that “when the country does not have the Tao, one must cultivate oneself” (dokseon gishin). These two selves constantly clashed but were reflected in their lives and art as they sought harmony.
Literati painting and court painting can be said to be artistic expressions of these two selves. Court painting served as a means of realizing the ideals of the literati. Given the practical limitations that prevented the literati from traveling to see nature for themselves, court painters created works based on poetry and prose, using various techniques and compositions to enable viewers to experience nature indirectly through their paintings. A representative example of this is Gwak Hee.
Guo Xi systematized the theory of flower-and-bird painting in his book Linquan Gaozhi (The High Art of Painting). To help viewers immerse themselves in his paintings, he actively used not only realistic depictions but also a unique perspective technique called the “three distances.” The three-distance technique consists of looking up at a high point (高遠), looking deep into the distance (深遠), and looking out horizontally (平遠), and involves intersecting these different perspectives within a single frame. This allows viewers to immerse themselves in the landscape as if they were actually walking and sightseeing, rather than simply looking at a painting.
The three-dimensional perspective is not just a painting technique. It is a way to escape the constraints of time and space and expand the mind infinitely, allowing viewers to experience absolute freedom of the spirit. However, excessive pursuit of personal freedom can lead to a loss of social responsibility, so the literati tried to incorporate certain social values and moral ideals into their landscape paintings. This goes beyond the realm of simple aesthetic appreciation and shows an awareness that art must be in harmony with the ideals of life.

The Joy and Autonomy of Creation: The Aesthetics of Literati Painting

Unlike court painting, literati painting was not intended for appreciation by others, but was an artistic act for the creator himself. Su Shi, a representative literati painter of the Northern Song Dynasty, clearly expressed the philosophy of literati painting in his writings and poems. He valued the attitude of enjoying creation itself and emphasized the unity of mind and hand and the harmony between the inner and outer worlds. In other words, the movements of the mind, which are one with nature, are conveyed to the brush through the hands and reflected in the work as it is.
Su Shi viewed art as a creative act, not mere reproduction. For him, what was important was not the skill of accurately depicting the external appearance of objects, but the flow of ink and brush and the spiritual energy contained therein. This attitude was later carried on by the literati painter Shitao in the early Qing Dynasty.
Shitao summarized the creative principle of literati painting in a philosophy called “the theory of a single stroke.”
He said, “The principles of heaven permeate the mind, and the mind moves the arm, which is transmitted to the brush, and the brush picks up the ink and creates a single stroke.” This single stroke is not a simple line, but an expression that is the source of creation and the condensation of the mind. From this, countless strokes are differentiated, natural forms are created, and ultimately, a painting that contains the principles of the universe is completed.
This philosophy transcends the simple painting style of literati painting and is based on an integrated understanding of the human inner world, the universe, and existence, making it the essence of Eastern art.

Conclusion: The contemporary meaning of “wayu”

Today, we live in an age where we can enjoy nature with a single click. However, “wayu” in landscape painting is not simply a visual appreciation, but a concept that refers to the movement of the mind. It is an act of painting nature while also painting oneself within it, an attempt to expand one’s inner freedom through encounters with the outside world.
Landscape painting transcends time and still conveys a meaningful message today. In a single painting, we can find not only the simple beauty of nature, but also deep reflections on the essence of human existence and a desire for freedom. And perhaps that is the aesthetic that we, living in the modern age, need most.