“Where there is blank space, the universe unfolds” – Unspoken Eastern Wisdom

The blank spaces in ink wash paintings are the most subtle foreshadowing of the Chinese people. On the seemingly empty Xuan paper, there lies the breathing of the rolling clouds and the rhythm of all living things. Without a single stroke of the brush, the painter allows the viewer to generate endless imagination in the blank space, which is an artistic expression of “silence speaks louder than words”.

Qi Baishi painted shrimps without water, and Bada Shanrendepicted birds without the sky. The blank space they left behind encapsulates the indescribable “mystery” in the Eastern spirit.
Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty painted “The Auspicious Cranes”, allowing the cranes to fly towards the blank space. True freedom has never been confined within the framework of brush and ink.

The blank space aligns with Zhuangzi’s philosophy of “emptiness gives rise to light”, not deliberately filling every corner but leaving space to follow the natural course. It seems to be discussing the technique of ink wash painting, but in fact, it is revealing the true meaning of life. The blank space embodies the composed philosophy of Eastern life. Just as gardens leave empty spaces with ponds and greenery to sustain vitality within a limited area, allowing people to see the vastness within a small space. This wisdom does not pursue fullness but sustains the spirit’s freedom in the interplay of the real and the void, maintaining tranquility amidst the hustle and bustle – the beauty of the blank space is precisely the most subtle reflection of Eastern wisdom.