Mei, as a painting theme, appeared in the Liang Dynasty in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. According to the records of famous paintings in past dynasties, Zhang Sengyou painted a picture of Yongmei, which was made the finishing touch by the legendary dragon painter Zhang Sengyou. By the Tang Dynasty, flower-and-bird painting had become an independent branch, and the image of Mei had increased. The plum in this painting is accompanied by birds or other flowers. Teng Changyou painted plum blossoms in the Five Dynasties, which is the earliest record of Mei's independent painting. Plum blossoms were widely painted in flower-and-bird paintings in Song Dynasty, and a painter named Hua Guang appeared who painted plum blossoms specially. Huaguang regards ink halo as plum and Jimo as plum. Some people think that ink plum painting began with Huaguang. Six people were handed down by Huaguang, the most outstanding of which was Yang Bu. Mei Pu appeared in the Song Dynasty, which indicated that the theory and techniques of writing and painting plum in the Song Dynasty had reached a certain degree of perfection. In the plum blossom spectrum, Huaguang plum blossom spectrum is the most respected, which has been passed down for thousands of years. Song Boren's XiShen of Plum Blossoms is the first plum blossom in the history of China. There are 100 pictures of plum blossom in various States, such as self-sprouting, blooming, blooming, withering and perfection, and each picture is accompanied by a five-character quatrain poem.

Plum painting in Yuan Dynasty is a continuation of Hua Guang and Bu Zhi. Wang Mian learns from others' strengths, and his pen, ink and flowers are all excellent. At this time, the overall painting style is that literati pen and ink are extremely prosperous, pursuing simplicity and indifference, seeking artistic conception rather than similarity. Tang Yin, Xiang Shengmo and Chen Hongshou all have their own characteristics and new ideas. Due to the perfection of theoretical techniques, painting plum gradually entered the stylization. By the early years of Qing dynasty, antique style was popular. In the middle of Qing Dynasty, Mei painting developed in personality and made a breakthrough in form, which typically appeared in Yangzhou painting school, represented by Jin Nong. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, Xu Gu, Zhao, Wu Changshuo and other plum painting masters appeared. The Painting Biography of Mustard Garden in Qing Dynasty is a famous painting spectrum, which consists of three episodes. The second episode is an American drama in Zhu Lan. The American drama has collected 25 paintings, songs, tricks, and ancient and modern celebrities. It is absolutely wonderful and breathtaking.

Modern plum painting, especially after the founding of New China, is full of talents and diverse styles. Qi Baishi and Pan Tianshou have profound traditional skills; Xu Beihong and Liu Haisu merged into western France; Huang and Shilu highlight their individuality; Dong Shouping and Guan Shanyue are full of energy. Their exploration and practice have brought brilliant prospects for painting plum.