Admonitions Scroll (Song Dynasty Baimiao Copy) - Main Painting 1
This elegant scroll segment is a Song dynasty 'white-line' (baimiao) copy of the legendary 'Admonitions of the Instructress to the Court Ladies,' a masterpiece originally attributed to the 4th-century painter Gu Kaizhi. The text floating in the center, 'Fan Ji moved Zhuang by not eating fresh game,' tells the story of the standing couple: the wise consort Fan Ji refusing to eat meat to protest her husband King Zhuang's excessive hunting, eventually shaming him into becoming a better ruler. To the left, a woman sits gracefully with an impossibly long, swirling dress train near a table of vessels, showcasing the fluid, ribbon-like lines famous in Chinese art. The numerous red seals, including the large square imperial stamp, reveal this was a treasured gem in the collection of Emperor Qianlong.
- Technique
- Ink outline (Baimiao)
Location: Palace Museum, Beijing