The world of things in traditional Chinese painting

The relevance of the article. The formation of genre and the principles of genre classification in the art of East Asian countries is one of the least researched problems in the theory and history of art. It is generally accepted that still life appeared in the art of China as a result of the influence of the Euro-pean artistic system. Meanwhile, motifs related to the depiction of elements of the subject environment can be traced in other genres of Chinese painting. In modern artistic practice, still life is considered mainly as an element of academic education, but its creative potential remains little realized. Therefore, the relevance of the research is determined by the needs of both theory and artistic practice. 
The purpose of the article is to determine the main approaches to the depiction of things, their typological complexes, their role and significance in Chinese classical art. 
The methodology. In the research we used general scientific and special research methods. In particular, methods of systematization, content analysis and typology were applied; methods of formal, stylistic, semantic, comparative analysis. 
The results. The article outlines the main approaches to studying the origins of still life as a genre in the Chinese artistic tradition. As a result of the analysis of samples of easel and decorative painting, the main models of the representation of things were revealed, their typology, role and means of representation in the visual and content structure of the works were determined. The semantic aspects of pictorial motifs and their connections with the development of handicrafts, Confucian education, tastes and values of the privileged top of society and the development of collecting, are highlighted. 
The scientific novelty. For the first time, in the work we touched upon the issue of the formation of still life as a genre and its origins in Chinese painting, highlighted the previous artistic experience of depicting objects of the material environment, defined the main thematic complexes, established their role and significance in classical works. 
The practical significance. The results of the research can be used in the development of educational courses in the history of art and provide the necessary material both for creative experiments and for the development of various projects in the field of visual arts. 
Conclusions. The results of the analysis of various materials of fine art allow us to claim that in Chinese classical art, other, different from European, options for the representation of the world of things were formed. Typologically, they are represented by three models: a “portrait” of a thing (a close-up of one object with a careful depicting of form and decoration), a thing as a component of a portrait, a catalogue of things (a decorative composition on the theme “4 treasures of a scientist”, “4 noble arts”, “100 antiquities”). In all models, the depicted objects act as personifications of material and spiritual values of society, a sign of Confucian virtues, and as benevolent symbols. The “100 antiquities” complex, which was formed by XVIII century, combined previous lists of valuable things and became a reflection of craft achievements, educational tradition and awareness of its value, and the development of collecting.