The Dragon of Algorithm: Forging “Synergistic Qiyun” in the Age of Computational Art

Abstract

This paper explores the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) art and the classical Chinese aesthetic category “Qiyun Shengdong,” proposed by Xie He as the highest standard of painting. It brings this concept of cosmic vitality into dialogue with computational creativity theory and human–AI co-creation. Using a triangulated method—classical philosophy, contemporary theory, and art psychology—the study first situates AI’s strength in Boden’s “exploratory creativity” and its structural limits in “transformational creativity.” Audience reception studies further reveal a “perception gap”: experts detect the absence of embodied, processual traces that constitute “qiyun,” while general viewers are more accepting. Building on posthumanist thought, the paper repositions AI not as an autonomous creator but as a synergistic partner. It proposes the construct of “Synergistic Qiyun,” where vitality emerges from networks of human intention, algorithmic generation, data heritage, and audience perception, and outlines an MVP framework linking philosophical argument with empirical evidence.