Eye, Mind, and Hand: Su Shi’s Painting Theory and Its Aesthetic Implications

Abstract

This article aims to articulate Su Shi's painting theory and its aesthetic implications. While some scholars have interpreted his painting practice primarily in terms of the manifestation of the artist's inner personality through external objects, I argue that Su Shi's own accounts of painting reveal a different emphasis. When we attend closely to these accounts, we find a sustained effort to observe and penetrate external objects beyond their visible appearance so as to apprehend and capture their invisible vitality and underlying principles. To provide a coherent account of this practice, I develop a tripartite framework of eye, mind, and hand, showing how these function as its essential components. Finally, I demonstrate how thisunderstanding of painting resonates with Su Shi's broader philosophical outlook.