[Photo/npict.com]

Another genre of Chinese painting focuses on flowers, plants, rocks, birds, beasts, insects and fish with combined birds and flowers as its most common theme. Hence it is called flowers-and-birds painting. Initially used as decorative patterns for handicrafts, it originated earlier than mountains-and-water painting. By the Tang Dynasty, however, it had become an independent genre of Chinese painting. Plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo and chrysanthemums are common themes found in these types of paintings, as they are considered by Chinese intellectuals as a symbol for their loftiness and purity.

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