Emotions in Brushstrokes: How "The Nymph of the Luo River" Transforms Our Brain

In the vast canvas of Chinese art history, Gu Kaizhi (345-411 AD) is regarded as the creator of traditional painting, whose legacy has endured through the centuries. A painter, poet, and calligrapher, he authored three books on painting theory that profoundly influenced Chinese painting. Of his artistic works, three survive, reaching us through copies: “The Wise and Benevolent Women,” “Admonitions of the Palace Ladies,” and “The Nymph of the Luo River.”

The latter stands out as a jewel of incomparable beauty and emotional depth, narrating a story that transcends its time, resonating with universal themes that still touch the human heart.

As CGTN narrates: “The story goes that in the year 222, Cao Zhi returned to his fief from the capital Luoyang. At dusk, the weary traveler arrived at the Luo River, and the coachmen and horses took a brief rest. At that moment, a breeze blew, and a beautiful woman appeared before them all. Among the misty waves, that gleam, as fresh as the rising sun, instantly pierced the heart of the traveler.

How beautiful was she?
He described her thus: “Her body rises slightly like a startled swan; as agile as a dragon in flight. Her splendor shines brighter than the autumn chrysanthemum, and her beauty is more captivating than the pine in spring. As faint as the moon wrapped in light clouds, like snow swirling in the wind, like the sun jumping between the pink clouds of dawn.”

The traveler expressed his feelings through the waters of the Luo River, with a jade pendant as a sign of invitation. He gazed toward the flowing waters along with his aspirations into the distance. But fate is precisely like hidden currents, whose temporality inevitably leads to difficult times. Although the promise to the nymph of the Luo River was about to escape from his lips, the gap between humanity and divinity made the traveler hesitate and distrust.

All the deities sighed for that encounter that ended before it began. The god of the Wind held back the breezes, the goddess of Water intercepted the waves, the god of the River beat the sacred drum, and the goddess Nüwa sang with a clear and sweet voice. But the beauty finally boarded her cloud carriage drawn by six dragons and drifted away. The traveler went upstream to seek her but did not find her. Defeated, he had to embark on his way back.”

The ephemeral encounter between Cao Zhi and a divine nymph in the Luo River encapsulates a profound message about the fleeting nature of beauty, human longing, and the gap between the earthly and the divine.

Cao Zhi, the protagonist, experiences a moment of awe and admiration at the appearance of the nymph, but his attempt to connect with her is thwarted by his own doubt. From the perspective of neuroscience, such visual and poetic narratives offer significant benefits for the human brain, fostering empathy, reflection, and cognitive development, helping individuals understand and manage their own emotions.

The observation of art consistently activates brain regions associated with vision, pleasure, and emotions. Thus, stories that generate intense emotions activate key brain regions, such as the amygdala (responsible for emotional processing) and the prefrontal cortex (linked to reflection and decision-making), creating a multisensory experience that facilitates emotional connection with the viewer.

They also have a lasting impact on memory. The hippocampus, a key brain region for memory formation, is activated more intensely when narratives are associated with strong emotions. This facilitates learning and retention of information.

By immersing ourselves in Cao Zhi's experience, our mirror neurons activate, allowing us to "feel" his emotions as our own. This process of emotional identification is fundamental for developing social skills and building meaningful interpersonal relationships.

On the other hand, the poetic description of the nymph, with her beauty compared to natural elements such as the sun, moon, and clouds, stimulates the viewer's imagination. The visual cortex and associative areas of the brain work together to create vivid mental images, which not only strengthens our creative capacity but also enhances our ability to solve problems innovatively.

Gu Kaizhi's "The Nymph of the Luo River" transcends its status as a work of art to become a bridge: between the past and the present, between emotion and reason, between the individual and the universal. In each brushstroke, in each evoked verse, we find not only the mastery of a legendary artist but also a mirror reflecting our own quests, longings, and reflections on the human condition.

Ultimately, this masterpiece reminds us that art, in its highest expression, not only delights our senses but also nourishes our spirit, challenges our intellect, and expands our capacity to feel and understand the world around us.

Prof. Lic. Beatriz Pizarro (Translated for original in Spanish)