Zhi and Xu's Pure Conversation

1643

Lan Ying

Lan Ying (Chinese, 1585-aft 1664)

Chinese Art

Zhi and Xu's Pure Conversation, 1643. Lan Ying (Chinese, 1585-aft 1664). Hanging scroll; ink on paper; painting: 141 x 56 cm (55 1/2 x 22 1/16 in.); overall with knobs: 246 x 80 cm (96 7/8 x 31 1/2 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Stephen O. K. Chen 1970.128

Original Source

Maker/Artist: Lan Ying
Classification: Painting
Formatted Medium: hanging scroll; ink on paper
Medium: hanging, scroll, ink, paper
Dimensions: Painting: 141 x 56 cm (55 1/2 x 22 1/16 in.); Overall with knobs: 246 x 80 cm (96 7/8 x 31 1/2 in.)
Inscribed: Inscription: 六朝多奇人，寄隱玄與釋。支遁許道士，情意合相適。長松古巖下，高譚對終日。大志擲流水，好句聯袂覓。世事世之外，千秋我自識。五雲禪師道古行潔，與世無涉。喜山水，喜文墨。至老神逾王。余與方外交，遂作支許清言圖，乞為開示。蝶叟藍瑛癸未七月杪。 Translation: Artist's inscription, signature, and 2 seals: The time of Six Dynasties was full of eccentrics. They took refuge in Daoism or Buddhism. Thus came [the pair of] Zhidun and the Daoist priest Xu [Xun]: Their sensibilities and ideals were fully in tune. Under a tall pine and ancient cliff, They chatted away all day long. Grand ambitions were cast away like the flowing stream In quest for linked poetic lines. Practical affairs were outside of their concerns. Thousands of autumns later, I come to realize the truth. Regarding the Chan Master Wuyun, his way is ancient and his actions pure. He has not involved himself in worldly affairs. He loves landscape and also belles lettres. In his old age, his spirit exceeds that of a king. He and I share much in common, he being a priest and I a layman. Consequently, I painted this Zhi Xu qing yan tu, and hope that he would enlighten me. Diesou Lan Ying, in the end of the seventh month, [the year of] kuiwei [1643]. Inscription: 2 additional seals of Cheng Qi 程琦 (1911–1988)
Departments: Chinese Art
Accession Number: 1970.128
Credit Line: Gift of Stephen O. K. Chen
Exhibitions: Year in Review: 1970, The Colors of Ink, Conversations: Past and Present in Asia and America, <em>Eight Dynasties of Chinese Painting</em>. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (November 7, 1980-January 4, 1981); The Cleveland Museum of Art (February 10-March 29, 1981); Tokyo National Museum (October 4-November 17, 1982)., <em>Main Asian Rotation (Gallery 119)</em>. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (March 12, 2003-July 16, 2003).
Rights Statement: CC0