Chinese landscape painting differs from European nature painting in its philosophical influences and portrayal of nature. Chinese landscapes were inspired by Taoism and aimed to capture the essence and spirit of nature rather than a realistic depiction. The document discusses several influential Chinese landscape painters from the 13th to 15th centuries like Chen Rong, Ni Tsan, Tai Chin, and Shen Zhou. Their paintings depicted nature as more symbolic and mystical compared to the romanticized portrayal of nature in later European works.