Why Chinese Arts Are Considered Part of a Healthy Cultivation

Playing the erhu.

Among all the activities designed to enrich the body and mind of a human being, Chinese painting, calligraphy, and music have a special place. (Image: Screenshot via YouTube)

Among all the activities designed to enrich the body and mind of a human being, the Chinese arts of painting, calligraphy, and music have a special place. Being an ancient civilization, the Chinese have had thousands of years to perfect these three arts.

What the Chinese arts of painting and calligraphy can do for you

Both the Chinese arts of painting and calligraphy have similarities in that they place a strong emphasis on the “soul” aspect of their art. This is in complete contradiction to Western art, which solely focused on methods and practices while spending no time on understanding the “soul” of the art being produced.

Subscribe to our Newsletter!

Receive selected content straight into your inbox.

One of the elements of Chinese painting is the “spirit resonance.” It denotes the energy that exists within the theme of the painting and the painter. When expressed in the form of human emotions, spirit resonance is quite intense and is felt as a vibration in the chest region that can help the person discover their true talents and abilities. And it is because of this reason that Chinese painting holds a high position as an art form fit for the cultivation of the mind.

And when it comes to calligraphy, the Chinese can be said to have explored it in ways that are much deeper than any other culture has done. And just as with painting, traditional calligraphy gives special focus to the spiritual side of things. The brushwork is said to evoke a meditative state in the user, as it requires fine control of breath.

The Chinese arts of painting and traditional calligraphy gives special focus to the spiritual side of things.
Just as with painting, traditional calligraphy gives special focus to the spiritual side of things. (Image: via Peter Griffin)

And the longer the person practices the art of Chinese calligraphy, the more engrossed he will be in the highest state of mind where they tend to forget everything except the way their brush moves. In addition to spiritual benefits, regular practice will also enable you to improve your hand-eye coordination.

The effects of Chinese music

Chinese music is one of the Chinese arts that is heavily derived from the philosophies of Confucius. It is believed that Confucius himself was a master of various musical instruments. He placed the knowledge of music second only to the knowledge of rituals when it came to the six important arts a person should study.

Unlike pop music, Chinese music is devoid of any beat or rhythm. This was done to avoid making the person feel the need to move the body, since that could lead to improper thoughts. By focusing on the sound of the instrument alone, the person will be in a position to connect with their deeper self, untainted with any temptation to indulge desires. In a way, Chinese music can be considered therapeutic for the mind and soul.

And just as with other types of traditional music, Chinese music is also good for improving your concentration. In addition, the way the music is structured will trigger your creative thoughts. The more you feel connected to the music, the more you can become creative and explore the full limits of your imagination.

So, if you have ever been curious about learning the Chinese arts of painting, calligraphy, and music, we suggest that you take a leap of faith and start exploring these subjects. The more you learn about Chinese arts, the more your mind will grow and learn to appreciate ancient traditions.

Follow us on TwitterFacebook, or Pinterest

Recommended Stories

Young charming girl with dark hair, blue eyes, and clean smooth skin smiles broadly.

Expert Tips on Choosing the Perfect Hairstyle for Your Face Shape

Finding a new hairstyle for your face shape can be challenging. You can choose the ...

Vanilla beans.

The Fascinating Journey of Vanilla from Pollination to Packaging

Vanilla is a spice extracted from plants of the genus Vanilla and Orchidaceae family. There ...

The five elements and their foods.

Get a Taste for the Healing Foods With These 5 Elements

In Chinese culture, healing foods have the curative properties of medicine, thanks to Wu Xing, ...

Drawing a breakup between a man and a woman.

How to Go Through a Breakup With Someone Gracefully: 6 Words of Advice

Breakups are hard, even if you are the one ending things. This is someone you ...

A comet is seen in the night sky.

Astronomers Just Discovered a Comet That Could Be Brighter Than Most Stars When We See It Next Year.

Hot on the heels of the disappointing Green Comet, astronomers have just discovered a new ...

A mustatil.

Enigmatic Mustatils Across Arabia Hosted Ancient Ritual Sacrifices

Over the past five years, archaeologists have identified more than 1,600 monumental stone structures known ...

A large varity of fruits and vegetables.

4 Food Groups That May Help Prevent Breast Cancer

Epidemiological studies find that breast cancer is closely related to mental stress, unhealthy lifestyle habits ...

Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty.

What Caring Emperors Do for Their People

Opening the chapter on Chinese history, we find that all good and caring emperors had ...

Princess Wencheng.

The Cultural Ambassador Princess Wencheng (Part 1)

In the 7th century A.D., Tibetan prince Songtsan Gambo became the successor to the Tibetan ...

Send this to a friend