中国文化的特质与中国人特有的心理结构，决定了中国绘画以表述性、意象性、哲理性、书写性等特征区别于其他画种，并由“气化”生成的造型图式支撑画面的精神，致广大而尽精微，呈现仰止无尽的美感境界。绘画形态虽历经演变革新，但贯穿其中的文化祖脉却兴微继绝，始终以特有的形、色风貌，独树一帜。
先秦诸子有关绘画论述，仅见只言片语，其真知灼见，昭明后世。唐张彦远在《历代名画记》中将绘画起源追溯到洪荒时代，首创“书画同体论”，图形与文字脱离，形成专门的艺术，绘画由此滥觞。技法探讨始于秦汉，魏晋名士进入画家行列，并究画理堂奥，使绘画蓬勃发展，与“六籍”同功。至隋唐、五代愈加成熟、两宋更趋完备。
今天，沿着画史断代，续观元、明、清日臻完善的视觉图像，依作者身份和题材风格，可分为宫廷院体画、文人绘画、民间绘画等支脉。其中，文人画以意蕴深邃的精神内涵、玄微高远的哲性思致和笔墨精妙的诗性语言自立高格，派生无数技艺精湛、体严法备的经典作品，构筑美轮美奂的艺术殿堂，形象宣导中华文化的博大精深。
为此，我们沿着历史发展的轴线，追溯中国绘画的流变脉络，展示了中国古代绘画发展史上最有代表性的350幅经典之作，以志道、居德、依仁、游艺的心态，恪敬远瞻、潜心研习、使之传承光大。
The Chinese culture and the psychological structure of the Chinese people determine that the Chinese painting differs from other types of paining in its imagism. Although it has had changes in history, it remains unique in forms and coloring.
Despite painting-related statements by scholars in pre-Qin (i.e. Before 221 BC) being sparsely documented, they are profound and extensive in significance. Zhang Yanyuan of the Tang Dynasty traced Chinese painting to the legendary age in hisA Record of Famous Paintings in Historyand proposed for the first time that “painting and calligraphy are inseparable”. Graphics were separated from texts, hence the origin of painting. The study of painting skills started from the Qin and Han Dynasties. In the Wei and Jin Dynasties, nobles began to take interest in painting and study its principles. Thus Chinese painting flourished to its prime in periods of the Sui, Tang and the Five Dynasties.
Today, painting of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties are categorized into imperial court paintings, scholar paintings and folk paintings according to the status of artists and the themes. Scholar paintings have produced numerous masterpieces, and are known for their abstruse connotations, profound philosophy and exquisite techniques. They vividly show the depth and height of Chinese culture. Modern day art-archaeological findings provide detailed proofs for the study of Chinese paining, while enriching the nation’s resource of painting assets.
Along the axle of historical development, this exhibition is a systematic study into the realm of Chinese paintings. This is an exploration of aestheticism. Let the will aspire to the path of duty. Let the attainment for good be firmly grasped. Let perfect virtue be accorded with. Let tranquility and enjoyment be found in arts as a passage of profound pursuit.
