Primary sources are materials in a variety of formats that serve as original evidence documenting a time period, an event, a work, people, or ideas.1
For Chinese art they include artist's writings and correspondence, as well as the artwork itself. For ancient works and monuments primary sources include plans, drawings, and contemporary texts.
1. Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy. Developed by the ACRL RBMS1-SAA2Joint Task Force on the Development of Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy, 2018