사의(寫意)와 공필(工筆)의 대립적 관계 고찰 중국화(中國畫)에서 의(意)의 표현을 중심으로

초록

In the discourse of Chinese painting, Xieyi (寫意) and Gongbi (工筆) have traditionally been perceived as two opposing technical systems. While Xieyi emphasizes the expression of subjective consciousness through free brushwork, Gongbi focuses on the depiction of objective forms with greater precision and detail. Under the influence of formalism and certain misinterpretations of tradition, this perception gradually solidified, eventually establishing a dualistic opposition between Xieyi and Gongbi. The purpose of this study is to examine the origins and development of this dualistic framework, revealing that the fundamental orientation of Chinese painting lies not in the formal distinction between Xieyi and Gongbi, but in the expression of Yi (意). In the introduction, the study takes the 2024 graduate exhibition at the Central Academy of Fine Arts as a starting point, where public commentary claiming that the “Chinese painting department is finished” highlighted how debates over the superiority of Xieyi or Gongbi reflect long-standing prejudices and misinterpretations of artistic value. Chapter 2 explores the conceptual differentiation of Xieyi and Gongbi, and examines SuShi’s（蘇軾） discussion of Xingsi (形似,) to clarify its original intent and how its misreading contributed to the perception of opposition. Chapter 3 investigates the artistic tradition based on the unity of poetry, calligraphy, painting, and seal carving (詩書畫印), demonstrating that Chinese art has consistently regarded the communication of meaning (達意) as its core value. This analysis shows that the essence of art lies not in strict adherence to formal conventions, but in the truthful expression of emotion and thought. In other words, although Xieyi and Gongbi employ different modes of expression, both ultimately aim to convey Yi. Accordingly, the contemporary direction of Chinese painting should return to this fundamental criterion: whether a work effectively expresses yi, rather than whether it conforms to the formal distinction of Xieyi or Gongbi. Only by prioritizing inner expression over mere formal technique can Chinese painting gain renewed vitality within the context of contemporary art.

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