MASTERPIECES OF CHINESE PAINTING

Painting has always been regarded by the Chinese as a supreme art, its merits equal to those of poetry and philosophy. The tradition can be traced over 2,500 years, but from very early on many Chinese paintings were made to be viewed on a temporary basis, disp layed for just a few hours, or perhaps several weeks. The masterpieces of the form have been seen very rarely, and then only by few, particularly in the West.