Nantian huaba 南田畫跋

Nantian huaba 南田畫跋, also called Ouxiangguan huaba 甌香館畫跋 or Ouxiang ji huaba 甌香集畫跋, is a collection of colophons on paintings written during the early Qing period 清 (1644-1911) by Yun Shouping 惲壽平 (1633-1690), original name Ge 格, courtesy name Shouping 壽平 or Zhengshu 正叔, style Nantian 南田 or Yunxi Waishi 雲溪外史, from Wujin 武進, Jiangsu. His collected writings are called Ouxiangguan ji 甌香館集.

The Huaba is either grouped together in one fascicle or divided into 3 or 4 juan. The text is split into two main sections, namely colophons on paintings, and poems inscribed on paintings. The first section is further divided into three types, commentaries on painting boats (Huajian 畫筏), painting appraisals (Huajian 畫鑒), and critique of painting quality (Huapin 畫品). The second section includes a chapter titled "Remnants of famous paintings" (Minghua yu 名畫餘). The content can be summarised under four key themes, namely "spirit and charm" (shenqu 神趣), "principles of painting" (huali 畫理), "family or school traditions" (jiafa 家法), and "famous works" (mingji 名迹).

In Yun Shouping's perspective, the spirit and charm of painting stem both from the brush and ink and from a profound connection with nature. His ideas on painting technique and theory have long been seen as highly perceptive and are frequently cited. The term "family tradition" (jiafa 家法) refers to the stylistic and technical lineage in painting, the historical development of particular schools and methods. A critic's ability to recognise and articulate these traditions reveals their depth of understanding of art history. Yun Shouping's discussions of family tradition in painting do not depend solely on accepted opinions from the past. Instead, he draws from his own practical experience and personal artistic insight, earning praise for offering original and refreshing perspectives.

Yun Shouping authored numerous colophons and commentaries on the renowned paintings he encountered throughout history. His observations extended beyond simply verifying authenticity or tracing artistic lineages; he often cross-referenced works to evaluate their relative merits and stylistic qualities. Consequently, this aspect of his writing constitutes a vital part of his broader painting theory.

Although the Ouxiangguan huaba consists of informal jottings and spontaneous reflections written directly on or alongside paintings, its content is far from arbitrary. While its form may lack strict structure, each commentary is closely tied to a specific visual work. As such, image and text interact dynamically, illuminating one another and revealing Yun Shouping's distinctive insights into painting theory and artistic creation. Among the many artists discussed, Yun Shouping wrote most frequently about the works of Wang Hui 王翬 (1632-1717), making his collection a primary source for the study of Wang Hui and early Qing dynasty painting. At the same time, the work offers a concentrated glimpse into the artistic ideals and stylistic trends of its era.

The book is included in the series Cuilangganguan congshu 翠琅玕館叢書, Huaxue xinyin 畫學心印 and Meishu congshu 美術叢書.