Muromachi ink painting drew heavily from Chinese influences, blending Southern School aesthetics with Japanese sensibilities. Artists like Sesshū Tōyō and Tenshō Shūbun mastered techniques like wet and dry brush, creating minimalist landscapes and Zen-inspired works.

This monochromatic style emphasized brushwork, negative space, and spiritual aspects. Ink painting became a form of meditation, expressing Zen principles through natural subjects and aesthetic concepts like wabi-sabi, reflecting the cultural exchange between China and Japan.

Chinese Influence on Japanese Ink Painting

Characteristics of Muromachi ink painting

• Monochromatic style employed black ink in various shades and tones emphasizing brushwork and line quality
• Minimalist approach utilized negative space (yohaku) suggesting rather than explicitly representing subjects
• Techniques included wet brush (nōboku) for soft, misty effects and dry brush (kappan) for texture and detail
• Subject matter focused on landscapes (sansui-ga), birds and flowers (kachō-ga), and Zen-inspired themes (hanging scrolls, folding screens)

Chinese influence on Japanese ink painting

• Southern School (Nanga) characteristics adopted emphasized personal expression and spontaneity rejecting academic formalism
• Chinese aesthetic principles captured the spirit (qi) of the subject balancing yin and yang elements
• Importation of Chinese paintings facilitated study and copying of Song and Yuan dynasty works adapting Chinese compositions to Japanese sensibilities
• Cultural exchange occurred through Japanese monks traveling to China for study and Chinese artists visiting Japan (Muqi, Xia Gui)

Notable Muromachi ink painters

• Sesshū Tōyō created innovative landscape compositions mastering both soft and bold brushwork ("Long Scroll of Landscapes" - Sansui Chokan)
• Tenshō Shūbun developed a refined, elegant style influencing subsequent generations of artists ("Reading in a Bamboo Grove")
• Artists contributed to technique by developing the splashed-ink (hatsuboku) style and refining atmospheric perspective in landscapes
• Artistic lineages established through master-disciple relationships transmitted techniques and styles (Kano school, Hasegawa school)

Spiritual aspects of ink painting

• Zen Buddhist principles emphasized simplicity and directness of expression focusing on intuition and spontaneity
• Meditative aspects treated painting as a form of spiritual practice highlighting the importance of the artist's state of mind
• Symbolism in subject matter represented philosophical concepts through natural elements (pine trees - longevity, bamboo - resilience)
• Aesthetic concepts included wabi-sabi (appreciation of imperfection) and yūgen (subtle profundity)
• Ink painting served as a means of enlightenment expressing Zen teachings through visual art and viewing/creating paintings as paths to spiritual insight