Mt. Biyan (Green Cliff)

Series Title: Eighteen Views of Huzhou, 湖州十八景圖

壁巖山

c. 1588

Song Xu 宋旭

(Chinese, 1525-c. 1606)

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Culture

China, Jiaxing, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)

Medium

Album leaf; ink and color on silk

Measurements

Sheet: 26.4 x 28.4 cm (10 3/8 x 11 3/16 in.)

Credit Line

The Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund 1998.78.4

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Location

Not on view

Description

This album of landscape paintings depicts the famous scenic areas located in and around the city of Wuxing in southeastern China. These places were all known for their natural beauty, but in addition, a number were distinguished by their links to eminent historical figures and events. The artist, Song Xu, was not a native of Wuxing, but must have visited it when he accepted the commission, for he carefully depicted all eighteen views and wrote comments on each of them.

Song's gazetteer-like notation on this leaf reads:
Green Cliff Mountain used to have a primeval forest, with a temple hidden within it. Now, those primeval forests have been wantonly and completely cut down. Consequently, with its devastated look, few travelers are coming. Still, with its peaks, cliffs, waterfall, there is no lack of scenic beauty.