The theme of this thesis is the influence of zen thought on China`s Contemporary Art.China's "Contemporary Art" refers to avant-garde art in mainland China after the "`85 trend of thought".Zen originated in China, while China`s Contemporary Art is an Chinese avant-garde art influenced by western postmodern art trends under the background of globalization.At first glance, the relationship between the two seems very remote, but it is inextricably linked. Zen Buddhism thought is an ancient Chinese wisdom crystallized by combining the influence of Confucianism and Taoism.The influence of Zen Buddhism thought on the upper-class literati in ancient China has formed the artistic thought and realm of literati artists.With the close contact between Chinese and Japanese monks in the Song Dynasty, Zen Buddhism came to Japan from China. At the same time, the artistic thoughts of literati influenced by Zen Buddhism also spread to Japan from China through "Zen Art", which influenced Japanese artistic thoughts and formed Japanese "Zen Painting".In the 20th century, Japan, as a pioneer in the exchange between Asia and the world, carried forward Zen thought from Japan to the United States.At this time, western philosophy has reached the stage of "philosophy of life" and "aesthetics of intuition".At a time when the United States is trying its best to get rid of the shadow of European art, Zen's attitude towards the natural existence of life and its mastery of intuition and experience have injected new vitality into the exhausted creation of "rational" western artists.Different from the traditional western view of art, American art meets the pursuit of "new".Abstract expressionism, behavioral arts, and grotesque devices emerge one after another in the United States,Such as accidental art, performing art, environmental art, body art, earth art, etc.In Contemporary Art, we can find many thinking modes and creative methods similar to Zen.After World War II, the World Art Center was also transferred from Paris to the United States. At the same time, China, the birthplace of Zen, is experiencing a great historical change in the past 100 years.After experiencing some major cultural events such as the "May 4th Movement" and the "Cultural Revolution", Chinese traditional culture was purged and the artistic spirit of literati based on Zen and Taoism was degraded to dross.In the middle of the 20th century, art became a political propaganda tool and lost its fundamental artistic spirit.China has experienced a closed period of strict cultural control.With the globalization and the reform and opening up of Chinese Mainland,facing the "advanced" western civilization, hungry China once again appeared the "westernization trend".The famous "`85 trend of thought" in the art field took place at this time.This trend of thought has a strong rebellious meaning of breaking free, but it also has hidden worries of traditional self-denial and overcorrection.In this imperceptibly, "Zen" met China once again under a new guise."Zen", which influenced western contemporary art, came with wes
