Laura: How is your painting going?劳拉：你画画学得怎样了？Agnes: Fairly well, I guess. I started with still life, now I've moved on to portrait.艾格尼丝：还算顺利。我最开始画静物，现在已经开始画肖像了。Laura: Come on，show me some works.劳拉：给我看看你的作品嘛。Agnes: Here is a peony flower painted in Gongbi style, or traditional realistic painting.艾格尼丝：这是一幅工笔牡丹，就是传统写实画法。Laura: In such minute details! Even small thorns on the stalk are depicted.劳拉：画得好精细！连枝干上的小刺都画出来了。Agnes: Unlike the free style of Xieyi, Gongbi should be very accurate in perception. The contour of the objects forms the basis of the picture. Therefore, lines are the cornerstone of Gongbi painting.艾格尼丝：与写意画不同的是，工笔要求视觉精确，物体的外形构成整幅画的基础，因此线条是工笔画的基础。Laura: Which has more merit then, Gongbi or Xieyi?劳拉：那么工笔和写意哪种画法更好呢？Agnes: Opinions vary. But I suppose Xieyi requires more ingenuity while Gongbi presents true-to-life objects and scenes.艾格尼丝：这点仁者见仁，智者见智。但我认为写意需要更多的独创性，而工笔呈现物体和场景的原貌。