Philosophical and methodological foundations of Xie-yi art: the theory of the trinity of the sign

The article reveals the cultural-linguistic structure of Xie-yi art (freehand brush work) and its philosophical foundation rooted in Confucian, Daoist, and Chan Buddhist thought and identifies the cultural value of this tradition as it developed through the historical evolution of artistic forms. The aim of the study is to determine the theoretical core of Xie-yi culture – its origins, philosophical concepts, and aesthetic ideas – and to substantiate the argument that Xie-yi represents a continuation of the traditional Chinese worldview and aesthetic sensibility. The methodological framework combines semiotics, cultural hermeneutics, iconological, and phenomenological analysis. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the substantiation of the “theory of the trinity of the Xie-yi sign” (object – image – cultural emotion), which goes beyond the traditional “form – spirit” model and allows works of art to be interpreted as multilayered semiotic systems. The findings demonstrate that Xie-yi is not merely a painting technique but a form of cultural self-expression that integrates the philosophical, aesthetic, and symbolic meanings of Chinese tradition.