Ni Zan’s One River Two Banks: A Tranquil Literati Landscape

Ni Zan (1301-1374), courtesy name Yuanzhen, sobriquets Yunlin, was a renowned ink landscape painter of the Yuan Dynasty, hailing from Shaoxing, Zhejiang. He is a representative artist of the Southern Song landscape painting style in the Yuan Dynasty, often mentioned alongside Huang Gongwang, Wang Meng, and Wu Zhen as the “Four Masters of the Yuan.” Ni Zan’s painting style is renowned for its “simplicity, ethereality, and sparsity.” He frequently depicted the landscapes of the Jiangnan plains, outlining contours with concise brushstrokes and adding a sense of openness, tranquility, and beauty with light ink washes.

Ni Zan’s brushwork is elegant, not bound by detailed depictions. He believed that the essence of landscape painting lies in conveying the mood rather than faithfully imitating physical forms. Hence, he advocated pursuing the brushwork’s “ease and casualness, without seeking resemblance” in painting. In Ni Zan’s landscape paintings, sparse trees and withered grass often characterize the scenery, creating a sense of solitude and coolness, imbued with a tranquil and elegant atmosphere. Representative works include “Rongxi Studio,” “Bamboo and Rocks,” and “River Pavilion Mountain Scene.” “Rongxi Studio” stands out as a late masterpiece, showcasing Ni Zan’s affection for nature and his yearning for a reclusive life.

One of Ni Zan’s representative works, “Rongxi Studio,” is now housed in the Taipei Palace Museum. Created in the late Yuan and early Ming period, the painting depicts the riverbanks with sparse forests, gentle slopes, undulating mountains, and misty clouds. With a delicate brush, Ni Zan portrays the fresh and beautiful scenery of spring in Jiangnan, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere. The composition follows Ni Zan’s frequent use of the “One River Two Banks” style, depicting the plains and distant mountains without emphasizing grand rock formations, thus cultivating a tranquil water scene and a quiet ambiance. Ni Zan focuses on conveying the artistic conception of natural landscapes, outlining the contours with delicate brushwork and depicting the texture of rocks with intricate brushstrokes. Ni Zan also left a poetic inscription:

“At the corner of the house, spring winds bring many apricot blossoms. I spend the years gracefully in the small studio.”

The painter likens his residence, “Rongxi Studio,” to an “apricot blossom grove,” expressing his desire for seclusion. This reflects Ni Zan’s deep love for nature and his longing for a reclusive life. Ni Zan’s brushstroke technique primarily involves the “folded ribbon strokes” (折帶皴), where the brush creates textured lines resembling folded ribbons to depict the texture of rocks. Ni Zan’s folded ribbon strokes are delicate, flowing, and possess a soft quality. He often employs this technique to depict the mountains and rocks of the Jiangnan plains, such as the ones in “Rongxi Studio,” where the undulating contours are outlined with folded ribbon strokes, and light ink washes are used to create a serene and tranquil atmosphere. Ni Zan also excelled in dynamically using different brushstroke techniques, such as “ragged hemp strokes” (披麻皴) and “untangling rope strokes” (解索皴), resulting in a rich variety of effects for mountains and rocks.

Ni Zan skillfully employs a distant perspective to showcase the vastness and profundity of mountains and rivers, creating an expansive space that immerses viewers in a distant yet tranquil emotional experience. Water, as a crucial element in ink landscape painting, is artfully integrated into Ni Zan’s works, allowing the serene water surface to complement the rugged mountain landscapes. The distant water scene constructed by Ni Zan evokes a sense of tranquility and stability.

Ni Zan often presents architecture in a simple and solitary manner, further emphasizing the serene atmosphere of the composition. Through the static presence of mountains, water, trees, and rocks, Ni Zan weaves a profound and tranquil artistic landscape. The simplicity of composition enhances the overall sense of tranquility in the painting, providing viewers with a serene and contemplative visual experience.