<P> The first books illustrated with colored woodcuts appeared around this time; as color - printing techniques were perfected, illustrated manuals on the art of painting began to be published . Jieziyuan Huazhuan (Manual of the Mustard Seed Garden), a five - volume work first published in 1679, has been in use as a technical textbook for artists and students ever since . </P> <P> Some painters of the Ming dynasty (1368--1644) continued the traditions of the Yuan scholar - painters . This group of painters, known as the Wu School, was led by the artist Shen Zhou . Another group of painters, known as the Zhe School, revived and transformed the styles of the Song court . </P> <P> During the early Qing dynasty (1644--1911), painters known as Individualists rebelled against many of the traditional rules of painting and found ways to express themselves more directly through free brushwork . In the 18th and 19th centuries, great commercial cities such as Yangzhou and Shanghai became art centers where wealthy merchant - patrons encouraged artists to produce bold new works . </P> <P> In the late 19th and 20th centuries, Chinese painters were increasingly exposed to Western art . Some artists who studied in Europe rejected Chinese painting; others tried to combine the best of both traditions . Among the most beloved modern painters was Qi Baishi, who began life as a poor peasant and became a great master . His best - known works depict flowers and small animals . </P>

When did painting in china achieve high cultural status