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One of most interesting reasons why Dong was in favor of the Sothern school painting was because he believed that those who painted in southern school style usually leaved longer than their Northern school counterparts. He listed a number of artists such as Huang Gongwang, who lived over 90s, Mi Fu, who lived over 80s, Shen Zhou, and Wen Zheng Ming both lived over their 80s and 90s. Their painting styles were all kind of Yin or soft, following the Tao of painting, and doing their painting for fun and joy, their hand were in tune with the universal energy, and they saw nothing but vitality in their paintings. Dong also listed a number of Northern school painters, such as Qiu Ying, who produced colorful paintings in great detail, in slaved by the natural world, there was no vitality in his painting, which looks stiff and busy, lack of the scholar's breath, so this kind of painting would reduce life or 折寿 (cut short one's normal span of life). Qiu Ying painted like a hardworking craftsman rather than for his own pleasure and lived only 50 years old.
Here is a comparison table of the Northern and Southern school theory proposed by Dong Qichang:
School Northern Southern
Color Use heavy blue and green; ink and water, with no or very light color
Brushwork ax-cut strokes, golden line; hemp strokes
Style stiff, detailed, vulgar, uneducated; loose, scholarly trained spontaneity, simplicity
Creativity enslaved by details, with no vitality; breath of clouds and mist, following the vital Tao
Attitude technical, professional, tedious work; armature, ink play, painting for fun, relaxation
Life Quality shorten life; prolong life