Page 437 - Art In The Age Of Exploration (Great Section on Chinese Art Ming Dynasty)

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Huang Ji
active late ±5th century
SHARPENING THE SWORD

Chinese
hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
3
1
170.7 x 111 (6'7 /4 x 43 /4J
Palace Museum, Beijing

A bearded, fiery-eyed, and muscular figure,
standing barefoot in a river, whets the blade of his
sword. The tattered gown and the double-gourd (a
medicine container) attached to his sash make him
a Daoist, and the nearby crutch — incongruous for
this strapping fellow—identifies him as Li Tie-
guai, "Iron-Crutch Li," one of the most potent of
the Eight Immortals of Daoism. As suggested by
the astral emanation rising from his head, Li was
able to roam the universe in spirit, leaving his
mortal body behind in the care of a disciple. Once,
however, the disciple was called away to the
deathbed of his mother and, hastily concluding
that his nearly overdue master was never return-
ing, cremated Li's body before leaving. When Li
did return, he found his own body in ashes, and
for mortal housing his spirit was forced to enter
the body of a crippled beggar who had just died
not far off. Lao Zi, the progenitor of Daoism, then
gave Li an iron crutch for the crippled leg and a
halolike gold band to restrain his disheveled hair.
A sword, on the other hand, was the standard
accouterment of the leader of the Eight Immor-
tals, Lii Dongbin, who used his "Exorcising Evil
Spirits" blade throughout the realm on behalf of
the forces of good. The tense posture and heedful
expression of the present figure suggests that the
powerful Daoist is in fact on guard, ready at a
moment's notice to fly with righteous sword in
hand to the defense of the realm. This interpreta-
tion of the iconography is supported by a label,
recorded as having belonged to the painting, the personal bodyguard of the emperor and came acquaintance with the work of Yan Hui of the
which read: "Single-handedly Guarding Court to court from coastal Fujian Province, the birth- early Yuan dynasty, manifests a didactic intent
Principles." place of a number of artists who served the court that is commensurate with a dating to the late
The unusual combination here of the whetstone during the fifteenth century. A local gazetteer fifteenth century.
rock and a river is also to be found in the oath of records that Huang Ji was summoned to court H.R.
allegiance sworn to the founder of the Han with Zhou Wenjing, but Zhou's dates are as elu-
dynasty, Emperor Gao Zu (r. 206-195 B.C.), by sive as those of Huang. Perhaps the clearest indi-
subjects being ennobled. Those so honored prom- cation of Huang's period of activity comes from
ised fealty until sacred Mt. Tai was reduced to the the legend on one of his seals appearing on this,
size of a whetstone and the mighty Yellow River his only known painting: Daily Approaching the
narrowed to the width of a sash. Thus the present Pure Radiance. This legend appears on the seals of
painting may also have connoted loyalty to the a significant number of artists who served the
throne, and might have been intended for presen- court of the Chenghua emperor (r. 1464-1487),
tation to an official charged with overseeing court the presumed source of "pure radiance" during his
ethics. reign. The succeeding Hongzhi emperor (r. 1487-
Virtually all that is known of the painter of this 1505) was himself a moral man and highly prin-
arresting image comes from his inscription here: cipled ruler who is known to have praised one of
"Painted by Huang Ji of Sanshan, a Judge in the his court artists for "skill in manipulating his craft
Embroidered Uniform Guard attached to the Hall for the purpose of admonishment." The present
of Humane Knowledge." Huang thus held rank in painting, which in expressionistic style suggests

436 CIRCA 1492