Page 73 - Fine Classical Chinese Paintings SOthebys Hong Kong April 1 2019

YU XING,
FISH POND

praises and bonuses. He practiced there for Yu Xing’s paintings that can be found in the should be noted that the motif “Fish and Algae”
thirty years, and retired due to old age.” Precious Collection of the Stone Canal Pavilion was commonly found on ceramics products
few and far between in the art market. Fish produced at the imperial kilns.
According to an archive record from the
nd
Imperial workshop for the year 1737 (2 year Pond, literally reads Fish and Algae in Chinese, is
of Qianlong’s reign), Yu Xing was recommended one such rare work. “Fish and Algae” originated This ink-and-colour painting depicts nine
kinds fish swimming among the algae, and are
from the Shijing (Classic of Poetry), in the
to the Imperial Household in the sixth lunar Xiaoya, of which “Fish and Algae” is among the accompanied by shrimps, clams, and toads
th
month of that year, “On the 12 day of this
month, Director Samuha, Eunuchs Hu Shi Jie “ten poems following Fish and Algae.” The poem in Xuande paper. In the margin of the work,
and Gao Yu passed on the Emperor’s decree: portrays the peaceful scene in the Western the painter inscribed “painted by Yu Xing” and
Zhou Dynasty capital, Haojing (near present-
imprinted with his two personal seals “Yu” and
Zhao Chuan and Hai Wang, shall provide day Xi’an). It reads, “Xing.” In the body of the painting, Emperor
painters Baiitangga and Wang Youxue two
teals of stipend besides their allowance. New ’Tis there, ‘tis there in the pond-weed now, Qianlong inscribed a poem, which reads, “Green
painters Yu Xing, Yu Zhi, and Zhou Kun are each The fish with the head so fine.— algae that look like jade scatter around the
pond, and fish are swimming freely among the
accorded eight teals of stipend every month.” In And here, and here is our king in Hau, algae. Such a scene makes me wonder if my
1741 (6 year of Qianlong’s reign), Yu Xing was Hale and hearty, sipping his wine.
th
recognized as a top-ranking painter. existence has become irrelevant. Seeing the fish
’Tis there, ’tis there in the pond-weed now, enjoy themselves gives me much pleasure.” Two
After working at the Painting Academy Office, studio seals are affixed, namely Qiwu, denoting
Yu Xing enjoyed Emperor Qianlong’s growing The fish with the mighty tail.— a free and unfettered mental state; Qing Yin
appreciation. According to the Shiqu Baoji And here, and here is our king in Hau, Ji Xiasi, meaning a poem composed at leisure
O’er his wine-cups hearty and hale.
(Precious Collection of the Stone Canal Pavilion ), to express his feelings at the time. The work is
Yu Xing created 37 art pieces, and in many of also imprinted with Emperor Qianlong’s seven
them, poems inscribed by Emperor Qianlong There, there is the fish in the pond-weed now, personal seals, as well as the seals of Guxi
himself were found. Hu Jing wrote in Guochao In its screen of reeds confiding.— Tianzi, a moniker the Emperor uses to refer to
And here, and here is our king in Hau,
Yuanhua Lu (The Album of the Imperial Court In comfort, in peace abiding. himself after his seventy, and of Jingyi Garden.
Art Academy), “Yu Xing was found to be
talented in depicting living things and animating In Xuanhe Huapu published during the Northern Yu Xing painted the work using a technique
objects. Emperor Qianlong instructed Yu Song Dynasty, a chapter is dedicated to known as “boneless washes,” which resulted
in a vivid depiction of fish full of character and
Xing to perfect his skills, complimented his “Dragon/Fish,” and it reads, “The subject matter swimming around algae. Emperor Qianlong’s
strengths, and encouraged him to improve on of the poem ‘Fish and Algae’ in the Classic
his shortcomings. As the Emperor imparted his of Poetry is fish with big heads and long tails poetic inscription corresponds perfectly to the
regal guidance, Yu Xing was deeply honoured that swim freely around bulrush. As the fish painting, and invokes Zhuangzi’s philosophical
debate that was also inspired by fish. Although
and flattered.” Emperor Qianlong lavished are far from the hustle and bustle, they seem other court painters in the Qing Dynasty, such
praises on Yu’s paintings in three instances of to suggest wise men who live in seclusion.
his imperial majesty’s inscription. Moreover, the images found in other works on as Giuseppe Castiglione, also painted fish and
fish/dragons can also be compared with the fish algae, very few of them has created similar
“[Yu] succeeded to invoke interest beyond works that are as lifelike and realistic as this
the painting, and the poetry in the painting” in ‘Fish and Algae’ in the Classic of Poetry and one.
(Inscription to Yu Xing’s Chrysanthemum) the fish turning into dragons in I Ching.” Although the painter did not denote the year
“Fish and Algae” had long been a theme or
“Yu Xing is talented in depicting living things and the work was created, we can find out the year
imitation. I have instructed Yu to showcase his motif in art, and over the centuries, a popular of its creation using the following clues. The
subject matter in painting. The debate on
talent, as I wanted to give my personal guidance the joy of fish between Zhuangzi and Hui first edition of the Precious Collection of the
to someone worthy of it.” (Inscription to Yu Xing’s Stone Canal Pavilion was published in 1745 (10
th
Three Leiothrix after Xuanhe Huapu ) Shi, philosophers during the Warring States year of the Qianlong reign), and this work was
Period, also endowed the work with another
“Such life like and marvellous depiction of living interesting humanistic and historical reference. painted after the first edition, and was included
things.” (Inscription to Yu Xing’s handscroll In addition, in Chinese, the word “fish” (Yu) is in the second edition. In the painting, Emperor
Flowers, Plants, and Insects) a homonym of “abundance” (Yu), so a painting Qianlong’s inscription was dated in 1753, or the
th
depicting fish could also be construed as having 18 year of the Qianlong reign. Therefore, this
Yu Xing was born in 1692 (30 year of the work was created some time between the 11
th
th
Kangxi reign). Therefore, he was initiated into auspicious meanings. Based on this desirable year and the 18 year of the Qianlong reign, or
th
the Palace at age 45. There were no records of semantic association elaborated in painting, between 1746 and 1753, corresponding to age
his passing, but it is generally believed that he the subject of “Fish and Algae” became an 54–61 in Yu Xing’s life.
nd
died after 1767 (32 year of Qianlong’s reign). important decorative motif in the ceramic made
during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. It
71