中国国画的根源可以追溯到新石器时代的陶器（Neolithic pottery），比如鱼、青蛙、鹿、鸟、花、树叶的形状。最早的中国汉字是象形文字（pictograph）。由于相似的工具被使用于最早期的绘画和书写，绘画被认为是与书法（calligraphy）有着相同的起源。这样一来，中国国画就有着一种非凡的特征，也就是说，诗意和书法被印刻（inscribe）在画中，从而三者合为一体，给人们一种更加强烈的美的享受。
The roots of Chinese painting can be traced back to paintings on Neolithic pottery, such as figures of fish, frogs, deer, birds, flowers and tree leaves. The earliest Chinese characters were pictographs. Since similar tools were used for the earliest painting and writing, painting is said to have the same origin as calligraphy. Thus, Chinese painting has an outstanding characteristic, that is to say, poetry or calligraphy are inscribed on paintings so that the three are integrated, giving people a keener enjoyment of beauty.

1. 第一句中，“追溯到”还可以译为date back to 或go back to。
2. 第三句中，“被使用于”含被动含义，且此处表达过去的情况，故译为were used for；“被认为是”还可以译为is deemed to或is considered to。
3. 第四句中，“这样一来”还可以译为therefore；“也就是说”还可以译为in other words；“三者合为一体”应该使用被动语态结构，可译为the three are integrated；“给人们一种更加强烈的美的享受”为结果状语，故用现在分词结构作状语，可译为giving people a keener enjoyment of beauty。