Exploring traditional Chinese painting: A case study of a group of five United States students.

摘要

Chinese painting has always been taught in a teacher-directed way formulated in the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644)—the meticulous instruction is based on formulaic copying of models (Bollingen Foundation, 1956; Kan, 1974; Yeh, 1988). However, according to my literature review, important masters before the Ming Dynasty talked about a self-directed method of painting manifested in six different ways: (1) production from observation and experience (Zong Bing, 375–443); (2) production from the heart-mind (Huang Xiu-fu, 10th Century); (3) production from mental-vision (Su Shi, 1036–1101); (4) production with authenticity (Jing Hao, 10th Century); (5) production with spontaneity (Zhu Jing-xuan, 8th Century); and (6) production with a multidisciplinary approach (Deng Zhuo, 12th Century).; As a student of Eleanor Duckworth (Duckworth, 1985, 1986, 1987a, 1987b, 1991, 2001; Duckworth, Julyan & Rowe, 1985; Tierney, 1989; Julyan, 1989; Schneier, 1990, 1995; Magau, 1991; Quintero, 1996), I wondered what would happen if an exploratory approach were applied to this age-old tradition of Chinese painting. As a painter myself, I understood the goal of Chinese painting was to create images of natural objects expressing their life and vitality. My research question was: How do beginning students actively construct, in an exploratory method, an understanding of and facility with Chinese brushwork in order to represent and animate natural objects in their paintings?; To perform the research, I used the Teaching/Learning Research method developed by Eleanor Duckworth (2001), based on Piaget's theory that individuals construct their own knowledge. I played the dual role of researcher/teacher, catalyzing learning in order to study it. I studied with a group of five Asian-American female students aged between thirteen and fourteen at the secondary school where I taught. Meeting for seventeen sessions, the students were asked to construct their understanding of and facility with Chinese brushwork to paint objects in nature. I collected data from discussions, observations, and interviews as well as from student paintings, and student and researcher journals.; My data informed me that although the journey of exploring Chinese painting was strenuous, the students created original brushwork that was simultaneously innovative and resembling those of ancient masters. Their self-directed approach also reminisced that of the ancient masters before the Ming Dynasty. Along the way they branched out to investigating other areas of knowledge such as biology and geology. This research provides evidence that this exploratory method, when applied to Chinese painting, can reinforce learners' confidence and independence in learning, and expand the scope of the curriculum. It also informs the broader scene of teaching and learning with regard to the importance of the integrity of learners' ideas in all domains of learning, even in those that emphasize authority, tradition, and discipline.