Wu Yuan-chih: The Red Cliff

Handscroll / ink on paper

Handscroll : 51.9 x 697.7cm

Wu Yuan-chih (twelfth century), Shan-fu by style name, was from the Jurched's Chin dynasty. He was a gifted painter, talented in landscape paintings. Of the many paintings on the theme of the famous poetry "The Red Cliff" composed by Su Shi (Tung-p'o), this piece is surmised to be the oldest and most eminent. It is also a valuable work among the rare examples of the Jurched's Chin dynasty painting. The colophon in large semi-cursive script proceeding the painting is also a rare example of calligraphy from the same period by the renowned contemporary literati Chao Ping-wen.