Chen Rong: A Master Painter of Dragons (Excerpt)

【1】The origin of dragons is associated with Fu Xi， the legendary sage of Chinese culture. Dragons hold a special place as a totem for the Chinese nation. The Chinese people， often referred to as descendants of the Yellow Emperor and Yan Emperor， legendary rulers in pre-dynastic times， are said to have inherited the legacy of dragons. Consequently， dragons have been a recurring theme in the works of renowned artists throughout history. Notable dragon artists include Cao Buxing from the Three Kingdoms period （220–280）， Gu Kaizhi from the Eastern Jin dynasty （317–420）， Zhang Sengyao from the Northern and Southern dynasties （420–589）， Wu Daozi from the Tang dynasty （618–907）， Dong Yu from the Five Dynasties （907–960）， Song Suo from the Northern Song dynasty （960–1127）， and Chen Rong from the Southern Song dynasty （1127–1279）. Celebrated for their exceptional skills and unique styles， these artists are held in high esteem in the history of Chinese painting. Among them， Chen Rong is acclaimed as the “foremost dragon painter” of ancient China. His bold innovation， combined with mastery of traditional techniques， left a profound impact on subsequent generations. Many ink painters during the Yuan， Ming， and Qing dynasties emulated his style， but he remained unparalleled in this genre. His place in the art world of dragon painting was poetically immortalized by the Ming-dynasty literary luminary Xie Jin， who wrote：

Master Chen’s unique works we all adore

They outshine all dragon paintings of yore.

【2】Dragons， as mythical creatures， vary in their depictions in ancient texts. In his novel “Romance of the Three Kingdoms，” Luo Guanzhong vividly described dragons through the words of the character Cao Cao： “Dragons can be huge or tiny; they can ascend through the universe or move about invisibly and lurk within waves. When they appear gigantic， they create clouds and spew mist; when they present themselves in a miniscule form， they hide and blend with their surroundings. Now， when spring is in full bloom， dragons know how to take advantage of the changing times to navigate the world， much like ambitious individuals chasing their dreams. Dragons are superbeings in the universe， like superheroes we see on earth.” Artists drew inspiration from such descriptions in classical books， combining them with their own imaginative interpretations to create diverse dragon forms. During the Han and Tang dynasties （202 BC–220 AD and 618–907 AD）， dragons were often depicted in the form of mythical beasts， while Song-dynasty （960–1279） artists shifted toward a serpentine form. According to the “Compendium of Paintings，” a book on art history， Chen Rong’s dragon paintings “brilliantly capture the salient features of various dragon forms. Characterized by spontaneity and ease， his brushwork shows bursts of energy， sometimes executed when he was drunk， accompanied by a hysterical roar. Using his headcloth， he splashed ink to create clouds and mist， though he tended to finish his works with more refined brush touches. His creations， including complete dragon figures and fragmented glimpses， such as an arm or a head， often conjured into being inadvertently， evoke a sense of awe and wonder.” The Southern Song poet Liu Kezhuang applauded Chen’s artistic excellence as on par with that of the acclaimed Northern Song-dynasty horse painter Li Gonglin， highlighting Chen’s fame.

【3】Dragons， in Chen Rong’s mind， symbolize auspiciousness. They traverse the heavens， summon winds and rain， and bestow blessings upon the people. Throughout his life， Chen dedicated himself to painting dragons， praising their benevolence in bringing rain to the land and benefit humanity. In so doing， he expressed his own lofty aspirations.