Wen ren

Refers to a style of Chinese painting, the ideals of which were formulated in the eleventh century, though the tradition is evident from at least the tenth century to the twentieth century. It was created by scholars and gentlemen, as opposed to professional painters or craftsmen, for a small, well-educated audience. It is characterized by the combination of painting, poetry, and calligraphy, with a preference for subtle brushwork, monochromatic or subdued coloring, high literary content, and the abstraction of natural forms to convey highly personal views of nature. It inspired the Japanese "Nanga" style.