Listen to this articleqìyùn 气韵
Artistic Appeal
指绘画、书法、文学中所流露出的气势、韵致和生机，是文学艺术作品整体给人的审美感觉。最初仅用于绘画，指用墨、用笔恰当，作品就能表现出自然山水的意态，画幅上就会有流动的生机，令人体味到笔墨之外的精神、韵味。后来逐渐由绘画扩大到诗文、书法等领域。在实际应用中，与“风韵”“神韵”等术语近似，是需要借助经验、感悟来获得的审美感觉。气韵虽然通过作品呈现，却与艺术家本人的格调、心胸直接相关，属于自然天成，不能刻意获得。
This refers to the momentum, charm, and vitality in paintings as well as in calligraphic and literary works which together create artistic appeals. The term was first used to refer only to painting, meaning that the proper use of ink and the painting brush could vividly present natural landscape, make the painting flow with vitality, and enable viewers to appreciate its underlying allure. Later, the term was extended to cover poetry, essay, calligraphy and other literary creations. Artistic appeal, which is similar in meaning to such terms as artistic charm and literary charm, is an aesthetic appreciation gained through experiences and feelings. Expressed in a work of art, artistic appeal reflects an author’s unique approach to art and inspiration, something that he is born with rather than acquired.
引例 Citations：
◎六法者何？一曰气韵生动是也，二曰骨法用笔是也，三曰应物象形是也，四曰随类赋彩是也，五曰经营位置是也，六曰传移模写是也。（谢赫《古画品录》）
（绘画的六个法则是什么呢？其一是作品要充满生气，富有神韵；其二是运笔能自如呈现各种线条变化；其三是造型要顺应对象外形特征；其四是要根据对象特征进行着色；其五是构图要合理搭配，呈现整体效果；其六是要临摹佳作以传承前人画技。）
There are six rules for painting. A painting should be full of vitality and artistic appeal; the painting brush should be used in such a way as to make changes in lines natural; image painted should suit the appearance of the painted object; coloring should suit the features of the object portrayed; the painting should be well structured to present an overall visual effect; and masterpieces of past painters should be copied to draw inspiration from them. (Xie He: An Appraisal of Ancient Paintings)
◎气韵有笔墨间两种。墨中气韵，人多会得；笔端气韵，世每鲜知。（方薰《山静居画论》）
（气韵有两种，分别在笔之间、墨之间。用墨当中的气韵，人们多能领悟；笔端的气韵，世上很少有人知道。）
There are two types of artistic appeal in the use of ink and of the painting brush respectively. The artistic appeal created through the use of ink is readily appreciated; however, such appeal created through the use of the painting brush is not easy to appreciate. (Fang Xun: On Painting in the Quiet Mountain Studio)
