From the prospective of art history, the Hsinhai Revolution was not a revolution of all of the Chinese people, because it did not bring down the four-class system of ancient China, namely that of the educated bureaucrat, peasants & farmers, artisans and merchants, in descending order. If interpreted from the point of view of the development of the arts, the Hsinhai Revolution did not bring changes to the cultural identity and aesthetic preferences of the educated bureaucrat. In order to have a comprehensive understanding of the development of the arts of the Republic of China, it is best to trace back to the year of 1850 when the Taiping Rebellion broke out and then move to the May Fourth Movement in 1919, the invasion by Japan and the Chinese Civil War.

This article describes the development of ink wash painting (brush painting) and calligraphy in China before 1949; with the focus after 1949 being shifted to Taiwan. The development of water ink painting is illustrated through a discussion of the critical movements/phenomenon, prominent painters and influential people of the period. The development in China before 1949 is outlined as follows.

1.  The May Fourth Movement and the New Culture Movement, were they the Renaissance or the Enlightenment?

2.   The reform of Chinese painting in the early years of the Republic of China; Kang You-wei, Kao Chien-fu and Hsu Pei-hung.

3.  Alternative thinking in the reform of Chinese painting; Lin Feng-mian and Chen Heng-luo.

4.  The inheritance and transformation of traditional ink wash painting; Chi Pai-shi, Huang Bin-Hung, Pan Tian-shou, and Fu Pao-shi.

The development in Taiwan after 1949 is discussed as below:

1.  The provincial arts exhibitions and their impact on the development of ink wash painting in Taiwan.

2.  The dispute over orthodox Chinese painting during the Cold War Era.

3.  The Wuyue (“May”) Association for Painters and The Tungfang (“the orient”) Association for Painters; Liu Kuo-sung and his influence on modern Chinese brush painting.

4.  The dispute over nativist realism in literature and nativist realism in ink wash painting.

5.  The inheritance and transformation in modern ink wash painting in Taiwan; Yu Cheng-yao and Chiang Chao-shen.

6.  Developments in academic institutions and their impact.

7.  Developments outside of academic institutions.

In general, there are three patterns in the development of ink wash painting in the past hundred years, (1) learning from the west, such as Hsu Pei-hung’s belief in improving Chinese painting through the realism of the west; (2) learning from Japan, such as the modern brush painting of the Lingnan School, influenced by Japan’s American-style arts education; and (3) enriching with the traditional paintings, such as in Huang Bing-hung’s paintings, created through an in-depth study of traditional paintings. In recent years, it can be concluded from some noteworthy exhibitions that it is now the era of individualism. In addition, the considerable use of interactive technology and media in exhibits indicates the potential of modern ink wash painting to survive as a contemporary art form.

In the development of calligraphy, the classical style of Wang Hsi-chi and Wang Xian-chi had dominated the scene for 1500 years since Wei and Chin Dynasties. It was never challenged until the rise of evidential research and epigraphy in Ching Dynasty, which expanded and changed the visions and perspectives of calligraphers and engravers (seal carvers). Consequently a new style in pursuit of engraving style was formed. The rustic attributes and strong shape and structure of this new style show the approach taken by calligraphers in response to the needs of society amid instability and constant warfare.

Chinese calligraphers came to Taiwan with Chinese immigrants during the Ming and Ching Dynasties. In general, the development of different styles of calligraphy in Taiwan was consistent with that in China. Even during the Japanese occupation, no obvious suppression was forced on calligraphy. Thus, after the Republic of China relocated to Taiwan in 1949, there were no disputes over orthodox issues in calligraphy such as were encountered in ink wash painting. For about forty years after the relocation of the ROC, the development of calligraphy was guided and led by the provincial arts exhibitions, which were organized and promoted by the government. Therefore, diversity and alternative styles were discouraged and suppressed during this time. It was not until 1986 that the top four awards were given to works of free expression and creation, instead of to those copying and imitating classical works from ancient China.

In discussion of the development of calligraphy in Taiwan, two associations were not ignorable. One is the Mochao Association for Calligraphy Arts, founded by a group of calligraphers in 1976, and the other is the Chuangshi He Foundation for Calligraphy Arts established in 1995. The former encouraged works freed from tradition, and the latter provided a platform for experiment while at the same time being devoted to the preservation of tradition. In the present, phenomenon particularly notable is (1) The calligraphy by ink wash painters, (2) The contemporary styles developed in the light of classical styles, and (3) The international fame of the calligrapher Tung Yang-tzu, whose success is a milestone in the development of calligraphy.