The exhibition "Painting and Calligraphic Works by the Four Monk Artists" kicked off on Saturday at the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuying Dian) at the Palace Museum.
The largest display of the typical masterpieces by four monks in the 17th century - Hong Ren, Kun Can, Bada Shanren and Shi Tao - exhibits 81 sets with 163 works in total, which are divided into four sections.
Painting by Shi Tao. /VCG Photo
The monks were painters from the late Ming to the early Qing period, who became monks because they could not bare the fall of the Ming dynasty and the reign of the Manchus due to their blood lineage with Ming Royalty.
The four monks expressed their frustration, confusion and feeling of loss via their paintings which portrayed the complicated state of their inner world in their unique styles.
Painting by Bada Shanren. /VCG Photo
The exhibition, which is free to the public, runs until June 28.
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