Gongbi is the Chinese brushwork method of painting precise outlines and carefully controlled color.
The term gongbi means “meticulous” or “careful brushwork.” Artists build images through fine contour lines and multiple layers of pigment, often depicting figures, flowers, birds, animals, or court life. The method demands controlled brushes, prepared surfaces, and patience.
Gongbi developed prominently in court painting, especially during the Tang and Song periods, although artists continued refining it in later dynasties. It is frequently contrasted with xieyi, or “sketching ideas,” which uses freer, more spontaneous brushwork.
Gongbi is a technique or style rather than a single subject. A gongbi painting may be richly colored, monochrome, religious, botanical, or narrative, provided it uses the characteristic precision and controlled execution.