Written language is combination of form, tone and meaning. When artists use written language as a media for painting, various kinds of forms will be presented depending on how they use them.
In the history of fine arts, appropriating the form of written language is one means of representation. That means words themselves are regarded as an art presentation or play a role of decoration. Other ways of using written language in painting is to appropriate written language's tone and meaning. This kind of method we will call "Setting Characters in Painting". The most important function of written language itself is being a symbol of concept. And, painting's character can achieve its goal for beauty through how artists arrange the form, color and composition in their painting.
Thus, written language and painting have their different functions and characteristics. Different from harmonizing written language and painting together, in this way of painting, they are arranged on the same image.
How do those artists try to arrange written language and painting on one image? What is their goal? What will they develop? In this article, I will try to establish the history of "Setting Characters in Painting", and clarify the problems mentioned above.