This expression highlights the connection between poetry and painting in their ability to create aesthetic imagery. This idea was first put forward by Su Shi（1037-1101）in his “Notes to Wang Wei’s Painting 'Mist and Rain over Lantian'.” Painting creates an aesthetic effect through images presented. Poetry, on the other hand, is a language art, which creates an aesthetic effect through the use of words. The former is an art that has shape but no sound, while the latter is an art that has sound but no shape. The term means that good poetry and painting should be fused so that a spontaneous and novel aesthetic realm can be created by a “picturesque poem” or a “poetic picture.” This idea of Su Shi’s had a far-reaching influence on the subsequent development of literature and painting in China.

When reading Wang Wei’s poems, one can conjure up a picturesque image. When viewing Wang Wei’s paintings, one can experience a poetic sentiment.

(Su Shi: A Collection of Su Dongpo’s Prefaces and Postscripts)

Painting in poetry is a natural creation deriving from a poet’s true aspiration; such poems cannot be composed by imitating others’ paintings. Poetry in painting is inspired by a specific scene or sentiment at a given time, so it is not possible to artificially insert a poem into a painting. The way that a mind interacts with nature is as direct and unaffected as a life-like image reflected in a mirror. The effect is not deliberately intended at first. Nowadays, people do not understand this point. No wonder poetry and painting have become abused.

(Shi Tao: Dadizi’s Comments on His Own Poems Inscribed on Paintings)