Page 470 - Art In The Age Of Exploration (Great Section on Chinese Art Ming Dynasty)
P. 470
White clouds and red leaves
flying together
My home right in the very
depths of mountains
The sound of reading within bamboo,
a tiny couch, a humble gate.
Signed Shen Zhou. Seal: Shi Tian
Leaf 4:
The red of autumn comes to river trees
The mountain smokes freeze fast the
purple evening.
Are those who long for home,
Returning from a thousand 111
Signed: Shen Zhou. Seal: Qi'nan
Leaf 5:
Deep and dark, emerald trees of mottled green,
Anglers' punts loll at the [Zha's] western shore.
Travelers on the bank look back in vain,
Each departing, by horse's hoof or
carriage wheel.
Signed: Shen Zhou. Seals: (below signature)
Qi'nan; (lower right) Shi Tian
Leaf 6:
The spring flood carried the rain,
swifter by evening.
And at the wild ford, no one —
only the empty, lurching boat.
Seals: Tingyun Sheng, Wen Bi yin
Colophon by Wen [Zhengming]:
Venerable [Shi, i.e., Shen Zhou] was lofty
in spirit when wielding the brush;
He was by nature placid as the
languorous clouds.
Do not think he follows
[Yuanhui's, i.e., Mi Youren's] style,
For he himself depicted [Suzhou's] mountains
after rain.
What [Suzhou] place did he portray in
drippy wet ink?
Pre-eminent were the western hills, so striking
after rain
Who can capture even one part of this
scenery's mood?
In a thousand years, only the painted poetry
of [Mo-Qi, i.e., Wang Wei].
Years ago his poetry was noted for
its excellence;
In later years greatness in painting all
but obscured this earlier fame.
Life's affairs are vast and uncertain,
who knows what will obtain ?
Your old pupil, though white-headed now,
is still inept and ashamed.
Shen [Xiuwen, i.e., Shen Yue],
that noble man, is no longer seen;
And how many times since has the sun set on
[Yuzisha]?
TOWARD CATHAY 469