Traditional Chinese Paintings Traditional Chinese painting does not rely on drawing technique alone. It is part of a 3000-year-old culture in which painting is intermingled with the arts of music, calligraphy, poetry, and religion. It is difficult to tell how long the art of painting has existed in China. Pots of 5,000-6,000 years ago were painted in co lour with patterns of plants, fabrics, and animals, reflecting various aspects of the life of primitive clan communities. These may be considered the beginnings of Chinese painting.