The Natural Philosophy of Northern Song Landscape Painting: A Case Study of Early Spring and Travelers among Mountains and Streams

The Northern Song Dynasty, marked by political stability and economic prosperity, fostered a vibrant cultural atmosphere under its policy of prioritizing literature over military power. As Neo-Confucianism emerged in this period, traditional philosophical thoughts like Taoism and Confucianism blended with each other, deeply influencing the concepts and styles of artistic creation. As classic works of Northern Song landscape paintings, Early Spring and Travelers among Mountains and Streams show the breathtaking natural scenery with superb skills and artistic conception. While previous studies on famous paintings have mostly focused on the technical aspects of art, this paper selects these two paintings as research objects, integrating art history research, visual analysis, and philosophical thinking to study the similarities and differences in philosophical ideas of the two paintings. Through comparative analysis, this paper reveals that the common point of these two paintings is that they express the concept of unity of heaven and man expressed by the two paintings, as well as their unique natural orders and worldviews. Early Spring showcases the flexibility, cyclicity, and vitality of nature, while Travelers among Mountains and Streams conveys a sense of stability, eternity, and awe.