선(禪)적 사유에 의한 예찬(倪瓚)의 회화미 탐색

Abstract

This paper is to examine how Zen doctrine affected life and pictorial aesthetics of Zan Ni (1301-1374), a literary artist from the Yuan Dynasty, particularly focusing on how realization of his mind and nature through experience of Zen was expressed as painting. Huineng, the sixth great Buddhist priest in Zen Buddhism, regarded observing wisdom through mind practice (自性心地); differentiating inside and outside and; realizing one’s heart as nirvana. Once on reaches nirvana, it is prajna samadhi and freedom from all thoughts. The notion of freedom from all thoughts does not mean empty mind without thinking but the primary pure and empty status. In this sense, Zen Buddhism emphasized “One’s primary mind itself is Buddha [本心本體本來, 是佛]” or “People’s mind is originally pure and all phenomena are upon self-nature [世人性本自淨, 萬法在自性].” It also stressed to obtain self-nature and genuine emptiness (自性眞空); sitting up straight with empty mind (空心靜坐) and; tranquil mind to see nature (空寂見性) through self-discipline. From this religious aspect in Zen, stress on human experience, thorough understanding of human nature with respect for difference and the proposition of Tao is from the enlightenment of mind (道由心悟) somewhat affected literary noblemen’s emphasis on creating beauty of life among their other aesthetic activities. This experience and realization of Zen and cognitive activity affected not only literary noblemen in Song Dynasty but life and art of Zan Ni, a litterateur in Yuan Dynasty. Zan Ni is appraised as the best artist in materialization of purity (淨), emptiness (空) and tranquillity (寂) throughout history of Chinese painting. In addition, his elegant life and quiet and secluded life share many things with thoughts pursued in Zen and it is regarded to profoundly affect his life and artistic spirit.