Bada Sharen (1625-1705), originally noble lineage of the Ming Dynasty, is a great Chinese literati and painter of 17th century. He is good at poetry, calligrapher, and painting on flower-and-bird, landscape, calligrapher and seal cutting. His work opens up a new horizon of freehand bushwork painting by its simple but free bushwork, marvellously changing picture and bold and heroic strength. Therefore, he is not only a revolutionary giant of Chinese painting but also has a large influence on following painting history. As a revolutionary painter of Chinese art history, he brings up another peak of Chinese bushwork freehand painting of flower-and bird and contributes to not only Chinese but universal art. His strong expressionistic painting style, innovative consciousness and patriotism all result in his calligrapher style while his wild cursive is extremely strange but strong. At the same time, he also likes to paint bushwork banana, weird rock, flower and bamboo and wild goose, which all look free from old rules. In addition, he would leave hallow strokes and large quiet space in both his bushwork paintings and calligraphy works, which show strong Zen style of empty silence. To understand such an art giant, this study try to specifically analyze his Zen characteristic and revolutionary position and influence on Chinese art history by exploring his empty and silent Zen thought and tortuous life experience. As a monk painter, Bada Sharen’s art is definitely influenced by Zen school profoundly. His art achievement is also highly related to his realization of Zen. By analyzing the painting works and life history, this study try to interpret his Zen thought in paintings and to discuss the Zen thought in Bada Sharen art. Therefore, this study discusses his painting styles from the aspect of Zen school.
