Aiming at showing atmospheric quality in paintings, the southern Sung (1127-1279) artists experimented with six representational schemes for creating illusionistic space (liu-yuan 六遠 ) in their landscape paintings. They are high-dis-tance (kao-yuan 高遠 ),deep-distance (shen-yuan 深遠 ),level-distance (P'ing-yuan 平遠 ),misty-distance (mi-yuan 迷遠 ),obscure-distance (yu-yuan 幽遠 ), and open-distance (k'uo-yuan 闊遠 ). The Southeren Sung artists skillfully employed these spatial devices and delicately manuevered principles of solid and void. by doing so, they successfully created fantastic landscape patings characterized by simple forms, succinct calligraphic brushwork, and rich varieties of ink tones. The stylistic development of the Southern Sung landscape paintings as such, however, experienced three stages; each stage is represented by important paintings of innovative artists. The first stage, ranging from the Kao-tsung 高 宗 to the Hsiao-tsung 孝宗 periods (1127-1189), was marked with paintings, such as Pavilion on the Mountain (Shan-yao lo-kuan 山腰樓觀 ) by Hsiao Chao 蕭照 (fl.early 12th c.) and Old Trees by the Flowing Water (Ku-mu liu-ch'uan 古木流泉 ) by Ma Ho-chih 馬和之 (fl. ca. 1131-1187) . These two paintings are characterized by one-sided com-positions, with an intention to create more void space for the picture. The second stage, covering the Kuang-tsung 光宗 and the Ning-tsung 寧宗 periods (1189-1224), was distinguished with paintints, such as Egrets by the Snowy Brook (Hsueh-t'an shuang-lu 雪灘雙鷺 ) by Ma Yuan 馬遠 (fl. ca. 1190-1224) and Freezing Birds on Snow-covered Branches (Mu-hsueh han-ch'in 暮雪寒禽 ) by Ma Lin 馬麟 (fl. ca. 1195-1264). Both paintings show strong innovative elements, such as using a onecornered composition, emphasizing the foreground scene, abbreviating the middle ground, and simplifying the scene in distance. Such a device results in providing an obscure sense of space from near to far and creates an atmospheric quality for the visual effect. The third stage, expanding from the Li-tsung 理宗 period to the end of the Southern Sung (1224-1279), was marked with paintings, such as Sunset (Hsi-yang t'u 夕陽圖 ) by Ma Lin and A Clear and Remote View of Streams and Moun-tains (Hsi-shan ch'ing-yuan 溪山清遠 ) by Hsia Kuei 夏珪 (fl.ca.l195-1264). In both paintings the void space overwhelms the solid, the images are created by taut economic brushwork, and the ink, fully saturated with water, shows rich tonal varieties. In the Hsi-shan scroll in particular, Hsia Kuei skillfully demonstrates his talent in manipulating the six schemes of sptaial representations. At first, he employed the schemes of level-distance, high-distance, and deep-distance to represent topographical varieties of different passages of scenery along the river. Then, with the devices of misty-distance and obscure-distance, he organized all those passages of scenes on a river with an open vista. As seen in the scroll, Hsia Kuei especially favors in applying calligraphic brushwork and moist ink to create images. These technical characteristics not only show his innovative aesthetic value but also reveal a new direction for the development of Chinese landscape painting.