Beijing exhibition explores Bada Shanren and the legacy of Chinese Xieyi art

Editor's note: To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the birth of Bada Shanren, the National Art Museum of China has recently launched the exhibition "Ink Splendor and Cultural Context: Exhibition of Bada Shanren and Chinese Xieyi Art since the 17th Century."

The exhibition systematically reviews Bada Shanren's artistic influence and its transmission across into later generations. This highlights the continuity and contemporary value of Chinese Xieyi art. With his distinctive brushwork, Bada Shanren pioneered a new realm of Xieyi art and exerted a profound influence on Chinese painting from the Qing dynasty. The influence of his art is still important to the modern day, with generations of painters innovating upon his artistic style. Xieyi art continues to evolve and flourish, with the exhibition open until Aug. 15.

The entrance of the "Ink Splendor and Cultural Context: Exhibition of Bada Shanren and Chinese Xieyi Art since the 17th Century" at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing, May 28, 2026. [Photo by You Jiaxin/China.org.cn]