Originally, people referred to the Chinese painting as distinguished from the Western painting, including the scroll painting, the mural painting, the Spring Festival picture, the print, and so on., Now it refers to painting using special Chinese tools and materials, viz, brushes, inkstones, etc., and done according to the traditions handed down since a long time past.

The Chinese painting is not a scientific concept in accordance with the classification of arts. As per instruments and materials, it can include water ink or color ink painting, on a par with oil painting, water color painting, woodcut and gouache. As per uses, it can include mural painting, story books, Spring Festival pictures and illustrations . As per subject matter, it can include figure painting and landscape painting. The Chinese painting has a long history and unique features. It epitomizes the Chinese painting traditions and innovations in the modern era, and forms its own system in the realm of fine arts in the world. It is an important component of the Eastern painting system.

The Chinese painting is divided into three branches: the figure painting, the landscape painting, the landscape painting, and the flower and bird painting. The painting technique is divided mainly into two kinds: fine brushwork and freehand brushwork, It is mounted either in the form of a roll, or a scroll, or an album, or a screen panel, or in some other form.

The appreciation of the traditional Chinese painting is influenced by the traditional Chinese philosophy, which advocates observing the micro by way of the macro, and vice versa, not to be limited by a definite space and time, and not laying emphasis on the light and shadow of or the changes in color, or the detail of the external feature . The painters perspective is mobile and many sided, and is not limited by a definite standpoint . The painters effort is directed to observing the implicit essence and spirit of the object rather than the exact external appearance, i.e. ., omitting some detail but stressing the essence.

The appreciation of the Chinese painting embodies the special Chinese aesthetic habits of lodging the sentiments in the objects . An apparent emotion is often present in appreciating objects that have no emotions originally, e.g., hills, rivers, flowers and birds. The painter makes an effort to capture the features of the objects connected with the human aesthetic feelings and spiritual life. Through memorizing the form and exerting the imagination, a mental image is formed that combines with the painters personality, sentiments and feelings. That is what is called having the plan or image in the mind.