Understanding "Shifting Perspectives" in Chinese Painting

Cathy Shen
3 days ago
4 min read

"Shifting perspectives" (yíbù huànjǐng, 移步换景) is a unique spatial composition principle in traditional Chinese painting and a key to appreciating Chinese art. It stands in stark contrast to the "linear perspective" of Western painting, embodying the distinctive Chinese way of observing the world and its underlying philosophical thought.

I. What Is "Shifting Perspectives"?

Core concept: Rather than observing a scene from a single fixed viewpoint, the artist moves through the landscape as if walking among mountains and rivers, combining views from different positions and angles into a single painting.

This approach is also known as

Scatter perspective—multiple viewpoints coexisting
Roaming vision (yóuguān)—as Song dynasty painter Guo Xi wrote in The Lofty Message of Forest and Streams: "A landscape should be something one can walk through, gaze upon, wander within, and dwell in."
The Three Distances—high distance, deep distance, and level distance

II. Fundamental Differences from Western Perspective

Western linear perspective employs a single, fixed viewpoint, while Chinese painting uses multiple, flowing viewpoints. From a Western perspective, the artist stands outside the painting to "look at" it; the Chinese artist enters the painting to "roam" within it. Western perspective aims to create a scientific, realistic three-dimensional illusion, while Chinese painting emphasizes the fusion of imagery, psychology, time, and space. The philosophical foundation of the Western perspective is rationalism and objective representation, whereas Chinese painting is grounded in the harmony of humanity and nature and subjective experience.

III. How to "See" Shifting Perspectives in a Painting

1. Observe the Changing Viewpoints

In a single handscroll or hanging scroll, you will notice that houses at the foot of the mountain are seen at eye level, waterfalls on the mountainside are viewed from below, and mist at the summit is seen from above. This indicates that the artist's "eye" is constantly moving.

2. "Walk" Along with the Painting

Take Along the River During the Qingming Festival as an example: starting from the rural countryside → entering the city gate → passing through the bustling market → arriving at the Rainbow Bridge. You are not simply "viewing" a painting; you are "walking" through a journey where time and space unfold simultaneously.

3. Feel the "Breath" of Space

Space in Chinese painting is not mere blankness. It may represent mist-shrouded mountains, a transition between views, or an invitation for the viewer to use their imagination.

IV. Tips for Appreciation

Slow down—like taking a leisurely stroll, let your eyes move gradually from right to left (for handscrolls) or from bottom to top (for hanging scrolls).
Put yourself in the scene—imagine yourself as one of the tiny figures in the painting: a traveler, a fisherman, or a hermit.
Feel the rhythm—notice the density and openness of the scenery, like the rise and fall of music.
Embrace the artistic conception—don't ask, "Does it look realistic?" Instead, ask "Can I let my spirit wander within it?"

V. An Exhibition Experience

If the explanation above still leaves you puzzled about "shifting perspectives," consider visiting the "Digital Art Exhibition oferta Image" at the DEJI Art Museum in Nanjing.

The exhibition is based on Erta Image of the Southern Song Capital, painted by Qing dynasty artist Feng Ning after Yang Dazhang's work. Often called "Nanjing's version of Along the River During the Qingming Festival," this painting documents the urban landscape and folk customs of Song dynasty Nanjing (Jinling), serving as a precious historical encyclopedia.

The museum has pioneered a groundbreaking innovation: "Enter the Painting as a Character with Real-Time Tracking." This is the exhibition's most revolutionary feature and the key to truly experiencing "shifting perspectives." The original painting has been enlarged nearly a hundredfold and projected onto an ultra-high-definition LED screen measuring 110 meters long and 3.6 meters high. Motion capture technology has "brought to life" all 533 figures in the painting, displaying natural and vivid movements.

Upon entering, visitors receive a dedicated smart wristband that connects to the exhibition hall's positioning system, tracking their location in real time. The museum has created nine characters of different ages, identities, and backgrounds based on historical Song dynasty figures. Visitors can select their preferred character via smartphone or in-hall smart devices, then stand in a designated area to complete their "journey into the painting." Your chosen virtual character becomes your "avatar" in the dynamic scroll, and as you walk through the exhibition hall, your character moves in sync within the painting—truly realizing the concept of "shifting perspectives." This first-person immersive experience transforms visitors from observers into participants within the artwork.

As you walk from one end of the exhibition hall to the other, your virtual avatar strolls through streets and alleys, climbs towers, and gazes into the distance—perfectly embodying the spatial aesthetics of Chinese painting: "something one can walk through, gaze upon, wander within, and dwell in."

The "Digital Art Exhibition of Jinling" at the DEJI Art Museum is far more than a technological spectacle; it is a contemporary reinterpretation of the essence of "shifting perspectives" in Chinese painting. It transforms the way artists viewed the world a thousand years ago into a real walking experience for today's visitors, turning a static paper scroll into a traversable tunnel through time and space.

In essence, "shifting perspectives" is a temporalized space that invites viewers not to remain as spectators but to become travelers within the painting. Once you grasp this concept, you will advance from merely "looking at a painting" to "entering a painting" and truly appreciate the unique charm of Chinese art.