The paintings are mainly intricate portraits of deities, historical figures, and the contrasting lives of common people and tragedies, in an ornate style with rich use of vivid colors and patterns.
The paintings can encompass a wide range of mediums, including scroll-painting, murals, and even sculptures.
[1] The paintings preserve the intricacies of their respective eras' fashions and give a greater view of their cultural and spiritual landscape.
The visual similarities in the portraits between the divine figures and traditional Chinese opera costumes also illuminate the mutual inspiration between the two art forms.
[2] The history of Water and Land Ritual painting can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms period, with other early mentions during the late Tang dynasty,[3] and became popular during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties as a part of the Buddhist Liberation Rite of Water and Land to appease and enshrine spirits of the deceased.