Shine With Grace: Breathing Space

Breathing Space

Published July 6th, 2007 in Busy, Happiness, Life, Thoughts, Art.

In Chinese painting and calligraphy, there is a “technique” called “Liu Bai“. To put it in very simple terms, it means deliberately leaving some blank area in the painting / calligraphy in order to create breathing space in the composition.

And I am thinking, do our lives need some “Liu Bai” too? We get so busy, schedules full, back to back. Sometimes we get so into the things we are engaged in that we are kind of lost. We don’t have time to think and we don’t have time to plan. Would it be good to slow down a bit, take a breath, look around, re-assess our positions before proceed again?

Imagine what would the paintings look like if all the blank space is taken up - there would be no light and the pictures become dull and lose focus. Imagine - feel a bit breathless, right?

All paintings by the late Chinese painter Lin Feng Mian.

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11 Responses to “Breathing Space”

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1 Peter Jul 6th, 2007 at 11:43 pm

It is space that gives form meaning. It is in the pause between thoughts from which arises all things. Yes space is required
2 shine Jul 7th, 2007 at 4:10 am

Thanks Peter.

“Music is the silence between the notes.” ~ Claude Debussy
3 surjit Jul 7th, 2007 at 8:56 am

A great post.Thanks for the reminder to have“Liu Bai”.
You have a wonderful blog.My best wishes.
4 shine Jul 7th, 2007 at 9:53 am

Dear surjit,

Thanks for visiting and your kind words. Nice meeting you.
5 Franxbudi Jul 7th, 2007 at 11:05 am

This painting is awsome and nice. I love your blog
6 shine Jul 7th, 2007 at 11:52 am

Franxbudi,

Delighted to hear that. BTW, the late Lin Feng Mian was and still is very famous internationally for his unique painting style.
7 Deborah Jul 8th, 2007 at 9:00 am

I’ve never seen very much Chinese artwork other than the usual fare. Great artist.

Nice blog Shine, famed both you and your blog on BTF
8 shine Jul 8th, 2007 at 12:47 pm

Thank you Deborah, flattered.

Lin Feng Mian’s art is really great. BTW, his art is not very traditional Chinese. He had studied in France and therefore there is a hint of western influence in his art.
9 Markk Jul 9th, 2007 at 5:33 pm

Interesting blog you have here and I like the Chinese paintings. Really enchanting and exquisite. Shine on!
10 shine Jul 10th, 2007 at 1:03 am

Hi Markk,

Nice meeting you and most glad that you like the paintings by Lin. They really are great and there are stories behind. May be I should post more on this…

Just visited your site - nice read!