Brilliant porcelains, temples in mist-shrouded landscapes, a scholar in his studio, elegant ladies decked out in fine silks — these are some of the images conjured up by the Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing (1644 – 1911) dynasties, the period when the arts of China reached full maturity. The primary driving forces behind this artistic creativity were three distinct yet interconnected cultural milieus: the imperial court, the scholar or literati class and Buddhism.