Having experienced for centuries leadership under literati of Ming Dynasty， the painting circle started to be guided by retro trends at the early Qing Dynasty. The “Six Masters of Qing” composed of Wang Shimin， Wang Jian， Wang Hui， Wang Yuanqi， Wu Li and Yun Shouping inherited the theory and practice of Dong Qichang， making great influence on the painting directions in the following years.

清朝初年，畫壇在明朝文人意氣一統(tǒng)江湖之后涌現(xiàn)出一股復(fù)古的潮流，以“四王吳惲”為首的清初六家，繼承明末董其昌的理論和實(shí)踐，提倡仿古，左右時(shí)風(fēng)，以正統(tǒng)畫學(xué)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)畫壇，并影響著此后的繪畫學(xué)習(xí)方向。