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]?

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