Whatever its outward expression, human thought remains essentially unchanged and, throughout all of its manifestations, is fundamentally the same. Varying phases are but accidents and underneath the diverse wrappings of historic periods or different civilizations, the heart as well as the mind of man has been moved by the same desires. Art possesses a unity like that of nature. It is profound and stirring, precisely because it blends and perpetuates feeling and intelligence by means of outward expressions. Of all human achievements art is the most vital, the one that is dowered with eternal youth, for it awakens in the soul emotions which neither time nor civilization has ever radically altered. Therefore, in commencing the study of an art of strange appearance, what we must seek primarily is the exact nature of the complexity of ideas and feelings upon which it is based. Such is the task presented to us, and since the problem which we here approach is the general study of Chinese painting, we must prepare ourselves first to master the peculiarities of its appearance and technique, in order to understand later on the motives which inspired it.
Why does the writer say that the general study of Chinese painting is a 'problem' (last sentence)?
(a) Because art unifies all human experience, and is universal, hence understanding Chinese art is a problem.
(b) Because Chinese art has different forms – hence understanding it is difficult.
(c) Because the Chinese art is markedly distinctive – hence defies elucidation.
(d) Because it is difficult to understand the motives that created Chinese art.
Whatever its outward expression, human thought remains essentially unchanged and, throughout all of its manifestations, is fundamentally the same. Varying phases are but accidents and underneath the diverse wrappings of historic periods or different civilizations, the heart as well as the mind of man has been moved by the same desires. Art possesses a unity like that of nature. It is profound and stirring, precisely because it blends and perpetuates feeling and intelligence by means of outward expressions. Of all human achievements art is the most vital, the one that is dowered with eternal youth, for it awakens in the soul emotions which neither time nor civilization has ever radically altered. Therefore, in commencing the study of an art of strange appearance, what we must seek primarily is the exact nature of the complexity of ideas and feelings upon which it is based. Such is the task presented to us, and since the problem which we here approach is the general study of Chinese painting, we must prepare ourselves first to master the peculiarities of its appearance and technique, in order to understand later on the motives which inspired it.
Why does the writer say that the general study of Chinese painting is a 'problem' (last sentence)?
(a) Because art unifies all human experience, and is universal, hence understanding Chinese art is a problem.
(b) Because Chinese art has different forms – hence understanding it is difficult.
(c) Because the Chinese art is markedly distinctive – hence defies elucidation.
(d) Because it is difficult to understand the motives that created Chinese art.
Whatever its outward expression, human thought remains essentially unchanged and, throughout all of its manifestations, is fundamentally the same. Varying phases are but accidents and underneath the diverse wrappings of historic periods or different civilizations, the heart as well as the mind of man has been moved by the same desires. Art possesses a unity like that of nature. It is profound and stirring, precisely because it blends and perpetuates feeling and intelligence by means of outward expressions. Of all human achievements art is the most vital, the one that is dowered with eternal youth, for it awakens in the soul emotions which neither time nor civilization has ever radically altered. Therefore, in commencing the study of an art of strange appearance, what we must seek primarily is the exact nature of the complexity of ideas and feelings upon which it is based. Such is the task presented to us, and since the problem which we here approach is the general study of Chinese painting, we must prepare ourselves first to master the peculiarities of its appearance and technique, in order to understand later on the motives which inspired it.
Why does the writer say that the general study of Chinese painting is a 'problem' (last sentence)?
(a) Because art unifies all human experience, and is universal, hence understanding Chinese art is a problem.
(b) Because Chinese art has different forms – hence understanding it is difficult.
(c) Because the Chinese art is markedly distinctive – hence defies elucidation.
(d) Because it is difficult to understand the motives that created Chinese art.