Abstract: In late Qing Dynasty and early Republic China, the social role of Chinese artist groups experienced fundamental changes from "scholars" or "craftsmen" to professional artists in modern sense. Within the framework of knowledge sociology, the paper probes into the transition, as well as its underlying mechanism, of painting modality and value during that period, including how painting knowledge was justified, specialized and sanctified to be valid capital and to facilitate the socialrole switching of Chinese artists.

Key words: Cultural capital, artist, social role, knowledge sociology