This research talks about the methodology of the studies of literati paintings. Which is more important, the artwork image itself or the related documents in ‘an art-historical’ .  Due to the content limit from the painting images and the discrepancy of the theory of literati painting and the  historical documents, the study of literati paintings should be based on both image and documents. and the researchers should also be positivistic to all the painting artworks or non-painting artworks which are unearthed or be handed down from ancient times.