A Myriad Bamboo 萬竹圖
Item
Title
A Myriad Bamboo 萬竹圖
Description
Artist Inscription: (1) – Song Ke 宋克 (1327–1387)
Panting, upper left.
2 columns (thirteen characters), standard script.
己酉歲，宋仲溫為長卿寫《萬竹圖》。
In the jiyou year [1369], Song Zhongwen [Song Ke] drew A Myriad Bamboo for Changqing
[unidentified].
Signature: 宋仲溫
Song Zhongwen
Date: 己酉歲
the jiyou year [1369]
Seals: (1)
Song Ke siyin『宋克私印』(square intaglio)
Panting, upper left.
2 columns (thirteen characters), standard script.
己酉歲，宋仲溫為長卿寫《萬竹圖》。
In the jiyou year [1369], Song Zhongwen [Song Ke] drew A Myriad Bamboo for Changqing
[unidentified].
Signature: 宋仲溫
Song Zhongwen
Date: 己酉歲
the jiyou year [1369]
Seals: (1)
Song Ke siyin『宋克私印』(square intaglio)
Source
https://asia.si.edu/object/F1938.18
Creator
Song Ke 宋克
annotates
Outside label slip: (1) – Chu Deyi 褚德彝 (1871–1942)
Ink on dark brown paper.
Eight characters, clerical script; plus 2 columns, smaller standard script
元宋仲溫《萬竹圖》卷。虛齋秘匧，丁丑八月，松窗。
A Myriad Bamboo, handscroll by Song Zhongwen [Song Ke] of the Yuan dynasty. In the private
collection of Xuzhai [Pang Yuanji, 1864–1949]. Eighth lunar-month of the dingchou year
[September 5–October 3, 1937], Songchuang [Chu Deyi].
Signature: 松窗
Songchuang
Date: 丁丑八月
Eighth lunar-month of the dingchou year (September 5–October 3, 1937)
Seal: (1)
undeciphered (square relief)
Inside label slip: Geng Zhaozhong 耿昭忠 (1640–1686)
Ink on dark brown paper.
Seven characters, standard script; plus 2 columns, smaller standard script
元宋仲溫《萬竹圖》。董昶諸家題跋三則。妙品。古軒藏。
A Myriad Bamboo, by Song Zhongwen [Song Ke] of the Yuan dynasty. With three colophons
inscribed by Dong Chang and others. Of the marvelous class. In the collection of [Ban]guxuan
[Geng Zhaozhong].
Signature: none
Date: none
Seal: (1)
Xingong jianshang『信公鑒賞』(rectangle intaglio)
Colophons: (3) — On two separately mounted pieces of paper, with one colophon on
first sheet, followed by a strip of paper (W 0.5 cm); and two colophons on the second sheet,
followed by another strip of paper (W 0.5 cm) and mounting silk 3 (see below).
1. Dong Chang 董昶 (ca. 1335–ca. 1408)
Ink on brown paper. Dimensions: 24.9 x 47.6 cm (9-3/4 x 18-3/4 in)
14 columns, standard script. Prose, and poem (4x7).
吳郡夏彥哲氏，博雅好古。嘗於市肆中購得手卷一枚，出示與余，乃故人宋公仲溫之所作
《萬竹圖》也。觀其筆法臻妙，蕭閒浟遠，多而不繁，葉葉不苟作，頗似澹游、房山意味
。公平日好鼓琴，有伯牙之趣，況能乎其書得二王筆訣，又善鳥身之術。公極聡敏，好多
為之，以其所能種種不在人下，乃莫不有所敬也。聊賦短章于後：
鳳翔別駕已仙游，一別俄驚二十秋，展卷叢篁餘墨在，使人披覽動新愁。 同郡董昶。
Mister Xia Yanzhe of Wujun [modern Suzhou] is broadly cultured and fond of antiquities. He
once purchased a handscroll in the marketplace, and when he brought it out to show me, it
[turned out] to be A Myriad Bamboo by my late friend, master Song Zhongwen [Song Ke].
Observing the utterly marvelous [quality] of his brushwork—[the scene] desolate and lonely
stretching off into the distance, with numerous [bamboo] but not too much, and not one leaf
carelessly done—[the painting] rather resembles [the works of] Danyou and Fangshan in concept
and flavor.1 Every day [Song Ke] loved to play his qin [zither], for which he possessed the
inclination of a Boya, and even more capable was he in calligraphy, capturing the secret brush
[techniques] of the Two Wangs, while he was also skilled in the art of bird-forms.2 Exceedingly
clever and intelligent, he put [his talents] to many uses, and as he was inferior to none in any of
the sundry things [he undertook], there was no one who did not have respect for him. So I have
composed a short stanza, as follows:
The vice-prefect of Fengxiang has become an immortal,3
Since he left, I’m suddenly surprised twenty years have passed.
I unroll this scroll of bamboo thickets, where his ink remains, And
am moved to renewed sorrow as I open it and look.
Dong Chang, from the same county [as Song Ke]4
Signature: 董昶
Dong Chang
Date: ca. 1407 (see poem, line 2)
Seals: (2)
Dong Chang yin『董昶印』(square intaglio) – following signature
Dong shi Weiming『董氏惟明』(square intaglio) – following signature
2. Yang Zhu 楊翥 (1369–1453)
Ink on light brown paper, with scrolling cloud design. First of two colophons.
Dimensions: 24.9 x 72.5 cm (9-3/4 x 28-9/16 in)
8 columns, standard script. Poem (16x5).
猗猗渭川種，煙雨萬竿綠，軒前儼相對，宛若篔簹谷。日映色篩金，風來聲戛玉，寧知炎
暑薰，不憚冰霜肅。虛心似有容，勁節持幽獨，蒼翠恆不移，根本異凡俗。七賢樂清趣，
武公詠淇澳，俛焉比其德，前脩以自勗。吳郡楊翥。
[Poem not translated.] Yang Zhu of Wujun.
Signature: 楊翥
Yang Zhu
Date: none
Seals: (3)
Sanrang liren『三讓里人』(rectangle intaglio) – top right
Yang shi Zhongju『楊氏仲舉』(square intaglio) – following signature
Cilin beiyuan『詞林備員』(square intaglio) – following signature
3. Qian Bo 錢博 (ca. 1410–1480)
Same sheet of paper, left. Second of two colophons.
9 columns, running script; plus 1 column, running-standard script. Poem (8x7).
南宮書法妙天下，更愛臨池寫墨君，八法縱橫如籀畫，萬竿瀟灑絕塵氛。冰霜勁節凌寒直
，竽籟秋聲入夜聞，安得相過尋二仲，清風一榻擬平分。
雲間錢博為公叙題。
[Poem not translated.] Inscribed for Gongxu by Qian Bo from Yunjian.5
Signature: 錢博
Qian Bo
Date: none
Seals: (2)
Ruxintang『如心堂』(rectangle relief) – top right
Yuanbo『原博』(square relief) – bottom right
Ink on dark brown paper.
Eight characters, clerical script; plus 2 columns, smaller standard script
元宋仲溫《萬竹圖》卷。虛齋秘匧，丁丑八月，松窗。
A Myriad Bamboo, handscroll by Song Zhongwen [Song Ke] of the Yuan dynasty. In the private
collection of Xuzhai [Pang Yuanji, 1864–1949]. Eighth lunar-month of the dingchou year
[September 5–October 3, 1937], Songchuang [Chu Deyi].
Signature: 松窗
Songchuang
Date: 丁丑八月
Eighth lunar-month of the dingchou year (September 5–October 3, 1937)
Seal: (1)
undeciphered (square relief)
Inside label slip: Geng Zhaozhong 耿昭忠 (1640–1686)
Ink on dark brown paper.
Seven characters, standard script; plus 2 columns, smaller standard script
元宋仲溫《萬竹圖》。董昶諸家題跋三則。妙品。古軒藏。
A Myriad Bamboo, by Song Zhongwen [Song Ke] of the Yuan dynasty. With three colophons
inscribed by Dong Chang and others. Of the marvelous class. In the collection of [Ban]guxuan
[Geng Zhaozhong].
Signature: none
Date: none
Seal: (1)
Xingong jianshang『信公鑒賞』(rectangle intaglio)
Colophons: (3) — On two separately mounted pieces of paper, with one colophon on
first sheet, followed by a strip of paper (W 0.5 cm); and two colophons on the second sheet,
followed by another strip of paper (W 0.5 cm) and mounting silk 3 (see below).
1. Dong Chang 董昶 (ca. 1335–ca. 1408)
Ink on brown paper. Dimensions: 24.9 x 47.6 cm (9-3/4 x 18-3/4 in)
14 columns, standard script. Prose, and poem (4x7).
吳郡夏彥哲氏，博雅好古。嘗於市肆中購得手卷一枚，出示與余，乃故人宋公仲溫之所作
《萬竹圖》也。觀其筆法臻妙，蕭閒浟遠，多而不繁，葉葉不苟作，頗似澹游、房山意味
。公平日好鼓琴，有伯牙之趣，況能乎其書得二王筆訣，又善鳥身之術。公極聡敏，好多
為之，以其所能種種不在人下，乃莫不有所敬也。聊賦短章于後：
鳳翔別駕已仙游，一別俄驚二十秋，展卷叢篁餘墨在，使人披覽動新愁。 同郡董昶。
Mister Xia Yanzhe of Wujun [modern Suzhou] is broadly cultured and fond of antiquities. He
once purchased a handscroll in the marketplace, and when he brought it out to show me, it
[turned out] to be A Myriad Bamboo by my late friend, master Song Zhongwen [Song Ke].
Observing the utterly marvelous [quality] of his brushwork—[the scene] desolate and lonely
stretching off into the distance, with numerous [bamboo] but not too much, and not one leaf
carelessly done—[the painting] rather resembles [the works of] Danyou and Fangshan in concept
and flavor.1 Every day [Song Ke] loved to play his qin [zither], for which he possessed the
inclination of a Boya, and even more capable was he in calligraphy, capturing the secret brush
[techniques] of the Two Wangs, while he was also skilled in the art of bird-forms.2 Exceedingly
clever and intelligent, he put [his talents] to many uses, and as he was inferior to none in any of
the sundry things [he undertook], there was no one who did not have respect for him. So I have
composed a short stanza, as follows:
The vice-prefect of Fengxiang has become an immortal,3
Since he left, I’m suddenly surprised twenty years have passed.
I unroll this scroll of bamboo thickets, where his ink remains, And
am moved to renewed sorrow as I open it and look.
Dong Chang, from the same county [as Song Ke]4
Signature: 董昶
Dong Chang
Date: ca. 1407 (see poem, line 2)
Seals: (2)
Dong Chang yin『董昶印』(square intaglio) – following signature
Dong shi Weiming『董氏惟明』(square intaglio) – following signature
2. Yang Zhu 楊翥 (1369–1453)
Ink on light brown paper, with scrolling cloud design. First of two colophons.
Dimensions: 24.9 x 72.5 cm (9-3/4 x 28-9/16 in)
8 columns, standard script. Poem (16x5).
猗猗渭川種，煙雨萬竿綠，軒前儼相對，宛若篔簹谷。日映色篩金，風來聲戛玉，寧知炎
暑薰，不憚冰霜肅。虛心似有容，勁節持幽獨，蒼翠恆不移，根本異凡俗。七賢樂清趣，
武公詠淇澳，俛焉比其德，前脩以自勗。吳郡楊翥。
[Poem not translated.] Yang Zhu of Wujun.
Signature: 楊翥
Yang Zhu
Date: none
Seals: (3)
Sanrang liren『三讓里人』(rectangle intaglio) – top right
Yang shi Zhongju『楊氏仲舉』(square intaglio) – following signature
Cilin beiyuan『詞林備員』(square intaglio) – following signature
3. Qian Bo 錢博 (ca. 1410–1480)
Same sheet of paper, left. Second of two colophons.
9 columns, running script; plus 1 column, running-standard script. Poem (8x7).
南宮書法妙天下，更愛臨池寫墨君，八法縱橫如籀畫，萬竿瀟灑絕塵氛。冰霜勁節凌寒直
，竽籟秋聲入夜聞，安得相過尋二仲，清風一榻擬平分。
雲間錢博為公叙題。
[Poem not translated.] Inscribed for Gongxu by Qian Bo from Yunjian.5
Signature: 錢博
Qian Bo
Date: none
Seals: (2)
Ruxintang『如心堂』(rectangle relief) – top right
Yuanbo『原博』(square relief) – bottom right
Abstract
34 Total
1. Geng Zhaozhong 耿昭忠 (1640–1686) – (15)
Dancheng『丹誠』(circle intaglio) – mounting silk 1, mid right
Qianshan Geng Xingong shuhua zhizhang『千山耿信公書畫之章』(square relief) –
mounting silk 1, lower right
Zhenshang『真賞』(gourd relief) – mounting silk 1/painting join
Banguxuan shuhua yin『半古軒書畫印』(square intaglio) – mounting silk 1/painting join,
middle – (1/5)
Zhenmi『珍祕』(square relief) – painting, lower right
Yi er zisun『宜爾子孫』(square intaglio) – painting, lower right
Gong『公』(square relief) – painting, lower left
Xin’gong zhenshang『信公珍賞』(square relief) – painting, lower left
Banguxuan shuhua yin『半古軒書畫印』(square intaglio) – painting/mounting silk 2 join,
middle – (2/5)
Qinshutang『琴書堂』(square intaglio) – mounting silk 2, left
Duwei Geng Xingong shuhua zhizhang『都尉耿信公書畫之章』(square intaglio) –
mounting silk 2, left
Banguxuan shuhua yin『半古軒書畫印』(square intaglio) – mounting silk 2/colophon
paper 1 join, middle – (3/5)
Banguxuan shuhua yin『半古軒書畫印』(square intaglio) – colophon paper 1/paper
mounting strip/colophon paper 2 join, middle – (4/5)
Banguxuan shuhua yin『半古軒書畫印』(square intaglio) – colophon paper 2/paper
mounting strip/mounting silk 3 join, middle – (5/5)
Geng Zhaozhong Xingong shi zi Zailiang biehao Changbai Shanzhang shoucang shuhua
yinji『耿昭忠信公氏字在良別號長白山長收藏書畫印記』(square intaglio) – mounting
silk 3/end paper join
2. Geng Jiazuo 耿嘉祚 (late 17th–early 18th century) – (5)
Geng Huihou jianding shuhua zhi zhang『耿會侯鑑定書畫之章』(square relief) –
mounting silk 1, lower left – (1/2)
Huihou zhi zhang『會侯之章』(square relief) – mounting silk 1/painting join
Huihou zhencang『會侯珍藏』(square intaglio) – painting, lower right – (1/2)
Geng Huihou jianding shuhua zhi zhang『耿會侯鑑定書畫之章』(square relief) –
mounting silk 2, lower right – (2/2)
Huihou zhencang『會侯珍藏』(square intaglio) – colophon 1, lower right – (2/2)
3. Pang Yuanji 龐元濟 (1864–1949) – (11)
Tuixiu’an zhu『退脩盦主』(square relief) – mounting silk 1, mid right
Laichen xinshang『萊臣心賞』(square relief) – mounting silk 1, mid right
Wuxing Pang shi zhencang『吳興龐氏珍藏』(rectangle relief) – mounting silk 1, lower
left
Xuzhai shending『虛齋審定』(square relief) – painting, mid right
Pang Laichen zhencang Song Yuan zhenji『龐萊臣珍藏宋元真跡』(square relief) –
painting, lower right
Xuzhai zhijing zhi ping『虛齋至精之品』(rectangle relief) – painting/mounting silk 2, join
Laichen shencang zhenji『萊臣審藏真跡』(square relief) – mounting silk 2, right
Xuzhai moyuan『虛齋墨緣』(square relief) – mounting silk 2, right
Xuzhai miji zhi yin『虛齋秘笈之印』(square relief) – colophon 1, lower right
Xuzhai jianding『虛齋鑑定』(square relief) – mounting silk 3, lower right
Pang Yuanji shuhua yin『龐元濟書畫印』(square intaglio) – mounting silk 3, lower right
4. Yuan Lizhun 袁勵準 (1875–1936)6
– (1)
Konggaohan cang zhenmi『恐高寒藏珍祕』(rectangle relief) – painting, mid left
5. Zhou Dawen 周大文 (1890–after 1966)7
– (1) – ?
Zhen da da wen『貞大大文』(square relief) – painting/mounting silk 2 join, middle
6. Unidentified – (1)
Jinshi’an『金石盦』(square relief) – painting, lower right
1. Geng Zhaozhong 耿昭忠 (1640–1686) – (15)
Dancheng『丹誠』(circle intaglio) – mounting silk 1, mid right
Qianshan Geng Xingong shuhua zhizhang『千山耿信公書畫之章』(square relief) –
mounting silk 1, lower right
Zhenshang『真賞』(gourd relief) – mounting silk 1/painting join
Banguxuan shuhua yin『半古軒書畫印』(square intaglio) – mounting silk 1/painting join,
middle – (1/5)
Zhenmi『珍祕』(square relief) – painting, lower right
Yi er zisun『宜爾子孫』(square intaglio) – painting, lower right
Gong『公』(square relief) – painting, lower left
Xin’gong zhenshang『信公珍賞』(square relief) – painting, lower left
Banguxuan shuhua yin『半古軒書畫印』(square intaglio) – painting/mounting silk 2 join,
middle – (2/5)
Qinshutang『琴書堂』(square intaglio) – mounting silk 2, left
Duwei Geng Xingong shuhua zhizhang『都尉耿信公書畫之章』(square intaglio) –
mounting silk 2, left
Banguxuan shuhua yin『半古軒書畫印』(square intaglio) – mounting silk 2/colophon
paper 1 join, middle – (3/5)
Banguxuan shuhua yin『半古軒書畫印』(square intaglio) – colophon paper 1/paper
mounting strip/colophon paper 2 join, middle – (4/5)
Banguxuan shuhua yin『半古軒書畫印』(square intaglio) – colophon paper 2/paper
mounting strip/mounting silk 3 join, middle – (5/5)
Geng Zhaozhong Xingong shi zi Zailiang biehao Changbai Shanzhang shoucang shuhua
yinji『耿昭忠信公氏字在良別號長白山長收藏書畫印記』(square intaglio) – mounting
silk 3/end paper join
2. Geng Jiazuo 耿嘉祚 (late 17th–early 18th century) – (5)
Geng Huihou jianding shuhua zhi zhang『耿會侯鑑定書畫之章』(square relief) –
mounting silk 1, lower left – (1/2)
Huihou zhi zhang『會侯之章』(square relief) – mounting silk 1/painting join
Huihou zhencang『會侯珍藏』(square intaglio) – painting, lower right – (1/2)
Geng Huihou jianding shuhua zhi zhang『耿會侯鑑定書畫之章』(square relief) –
mounting silk 2, lower right – (2/2)
Huihou zhencang『會侯珍藏』(square intaglio) – colophon 1, lower right – (2/2)
3. Pang Yuanji 龐元濟 (1864–1949) – (11)
Tuixiu’an zhu『退脩盦主』(square relief) – mounting silk 1, mid right
Laichen xinshang『萊臣心賞』(square relief) – mounting silk 1, mid right
Wuxing Pang shi zhencang『吳興龐氏珍藏』(rectangle relief) – mounting silk 1, lower
left
Xuzhai shending『虛齋審定』(square relief) – painting, mid right
Pang Laichen zhencang Song Yuan zhenji『龐萊臣珍藏宋元真跡』(square relief) –
painting, lower right
Xuzhai zhijing zhi ping『虛齋至精之品』(rectangle relief) – painting/mounting silk 2, join
Laichen shencang zhenji『萊臣審藏真跡』(square relief) – mounting silk 2, right
Xuzhai moyuan『虛齋墨緣』(square relief) – mounting silk 2, right
Xuzhai miji zhi yin『虛齋秘笈之印』(square relief) – colophon 1, lower right
Xuzhai jianding『虛齋鑑定』(square relief) – mounting silk 3, lower right
Pang Yuanji shuhua yin『龐元濟書畫印』(square intaglio) – mounting silk 3, lower right
4. Yuan Lizhun 袁勵準 (1875–1936)6
– (1)
Konggaohan cang zhenmi『恐高寒藏珍祕』(rectangle relief) – painting, mid left
5. Zhou Dawen 周大文 (1890–after 1966)7
– (1) – ?
Zhen da da wen『貞大大文』(square relief) – painting/mounting silk 2 join, middle
6. Unidentified – (1)
Jinshi’an『金石盦』(square relief) – painting, lower right
Rights Holder
National Museum of Asian Art (Freer Sackler)
Identifier
F1938.18
References
Yu Fengqing 郁逢慶 (active late 16th–early 17th century). Yu shi shuhua tiba ji 郁氏書畫題跋
記. Postscript 1634. Shanghai: Shenzhou guoguangshe, 1911. 6:19b–20a.
(lists title as Shuimo congzhu juan 水墨叢竹卷 (Bamboo thickets in ink; handscroll);
transcribes all three colophons)
Sun Yueban 孫岳頒 (1639–1708), Wang Yuanqi 王原祁 (1642–1715) et al., comps. Peiwenzhai
shuhua pu 佩文齋書畫譜. Preface 1708. Yangzhou 揚州: Yangzhou shiju 揚州詩局, 1708.
86:32a. (quotes most of first colophon from Yu Fengqing catalogue above)
Tō Sō Gen Min meiga taikan 唐宋元明名畫大觀 (Catalogue of the Works of Chinese Master
Painters held at Tokyo in the Art Gallery, November-December, 1928, under the auspices of the
Japanese Government). Eds. Tō Sō Gen Min meiga tenrankai 唐宋元明名畫展覽會. Small
edition. 2 vols. Tokyo: Otsuka Kōgeisha 大塜巧藝社, 1929. Vol. 2, 223.
__________. Large edition. 4 vols. Tokyo: Otsuka Kōgeisha 大塜巧藝社, 1930. Vol. 3, plate 47.
Hushe yuekan 湖社月刊 85 (December 1934): 4; and 86 (January 1935): 4. Reprint. Issues 1–
100. 3 vols. Tianjin: Tianjin guji shudian, 1992. Vol. 3, 1384 and 1390.
Sirén, Osvald (1879–1966). A History of Later Chinese Painting. London: The Medici Society,
1938. Vol. 1, 16, plate 7.
___________ Chinese Painting: Leading Masters and Principles. 7 vols. New York: Ronald
Press, 1956–58. Vol. 4, 50–51 and vol. 6, plate 56.
Freer Gallery of Art. Freer Gallery of Art, China I. Tokyo: Kodansha, 1972. Plate 48 and pp.
161–62.
__________. Masterpieces of Chinese and Japanese Art: Freer Gallery of Art Handbook.
Washington, DC: Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, 1976. P. 53.
Nakata Yūjirō 中田勇次郎 (1905–1998) and Fu Shen 傅申. Ōbei shuzō: Chūgoku hōshō
meiseki shū 歐米收藏：中國法書名蹟集 (Masterpieces of Chinese Calligraphy in
American and European Collections). 4 vols. Tokyo: Chuokoron-sha, 1981. Vol. 1, 96–
101 (plates 80–83) and 143.
Xu Bangda 徐邦逹, ed. Zhongguo huihuashi tulu 中國繪畫史圖錄. 2 vols. Shanghai: Shanghai
renmin meishu chubanshe, 1981). Vol. 2, 457.
Zhang Guangbin 張光賓, ed. Zhongguo shuhua 3: huazhu hua 中國書畫 3﹕花竹畫. Taibei:
Guangfu shuju, 1981. Pp. 40-42 (plate 21).
Suzuki Kei 鈴木敬 (1920–2007), ed. Chūgoku kaiga sōgō zuroku 中國繪畫總合圖錄
(Comprehensive Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Paintings). 5 vols. Tokyo: University of Tokyo,
1982–83. Vol. 1, 204–05 (A21–045).
Haiwai cang Zhongguo lidai minghua bianji weiyuanhui 海外藏中國歷代名畫編輯委員會, eds.
Haiwai cang Zhongguo lidai minghua 海外藏中國歷代名畫. 8 vols. Changsha: Hunan meishu
chubanshe, 1998. Vol. 5, 2–
1
(no. 2).
1 During the early Ming dynasty, Song Ke (1327–1387) served for a time as vice-prefect (tongzhi
同知) of Fengxiang county (near Xi’an in Shaanxi Province), where some sources say he died.
This line of poetry is built around an elaborate play on words that supports this idea. The literal
translation of the placename Fengxiang is ―phoenix soaring,‖ while the term used here for Song
Ke’s rank, biejia 別駕, literally means ―departing carriage.‖ Finally, the expression xianyou 仙
游
, meaning ―to go off roaming as an immortal‖—which is to say ―becoming an immortal‖—is a
euphemism for dying. Taken literally, then, line 1 reads: ―Departing by carriage like a soaring
phoenix, he has gone off roaming as an immortal;‖ while stripped to its barest essentials, it says:
―Since Song Ke died as an official in Fengxiang county.‖
記. Postscript 1634. Shanghai: Shenzhou guoguangshe, 1911. 6:19b–20a.
(lists title as Shuimo congzhu juan 水墨叢竹卷 (Bamboo thickets in ink; handscroll);
transcribes all three colophons)
Sun Yueban 孫岳頒 (1639–1708), Wang Yuanqi 王原祁 (1642–1715) et al., comps. Peiwenzhai
shuhua pu 佩文齋書畫譜. Preface 1708. Yangzhou 揚州: Yangzhou shiju 揚州詩局, 1708.
86:32a. (quotes most of first colophon from Yu Fengqing catalogue above)
Tō Sō Gen Min meiga taikan 唐宋元明名畫大觀 (Catalogue of the Works of Chinese Master
Painters held at Tokyo in the Art Gallery, November-December, 1928, under the auspices of the
Japanese Government). Eds. Tō Sō Gen Min meiga tenrankai 唐宋元明名畫展覽會. Small
edition. 2 vols. Tokyo: Otsuka Kōgeisha 大塜巧藝社, 1929. Vol. 2, 223.
__________. Large edition. 4 vols. Tokyo: Otsuka Kōgeisha 大塜巧藝社, 1930. Vol. 3, plate 47.
Hushe yuekan 湖社月刊 85 (December 1934): 4; and 86 (January 1935): 4. Reprint. Issues 1–
100. 3 vols. Tianjin: Tianjin guji shudian, 1992. Vol. 3, 1384 and 1390.
Sirén, Osvald (1879–1966). A History of Later Chinese Painting. London: The Medici Society,
1938. Vol. 1, 16, plate 7.
___________ Chinese Painting: Leading Masters and Principles. 7 vols. New York: Ronald
Press, 1956–58. Vol. 4, 50–51 and vol. 6, plate 56.
Freer Gallery of Art. Freer Gallery of Art, China I. Tokyo: Kodansha, 1972. Plate 48 and pp.
161–62.
__________. Masterpieces of Chinese and Japanese Art: Freer Gallery of Art Handbook.
Washington, DC: Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, 1976. P. 53.
Nakata Yūjirō 中田勇次郎 (1905–1998) and Fu Shen 傅申. Ōbei shuzō: Chūgoku hōshō
meiseki shū 歐米收藏：中國法書名蹟集 (Masterpieces of Chinese Calligraphy in
American and European Collections). 4 vols. Tokyo: Chuokoron-sha, 1981. Vol. 1, 96–
101 (plates 80–83) and 143.
Xu Bangda 徐邦逹, ed. Zhongguo huihuashi tulu 中國繪畫史圖錄. 2 vols. Shanghai: Shanghai
renmin meishu chubanshe, 1981). Vol. 2, 457.
Zhang Guangbin 張光賓, ed. Zhongguo shuhua 3: huazhu hua 中國書畫 3﹕花竹畫. Taibei:
Guangfu shuju, 1981. Pp. 40-42 (plate 21).
Suzuki Kei 鈴木敬 (1920–2007), ed. Chūgoku kaiga sōgō zuroku 中國繪畫總合圖錄
(Comprehensive Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Paintings). 5 vols. Tokyo: University of Tokyo,
1982–83. Vol. 1, 204–05 (A21–045).
Haiwai cang Zhongguo lidai minghua bianji weiyuanhui 海外藏中國歷代名畫編輯委員會, eds.
Haiwai cang Zhongguo lidai minghua 海外藏中國歷代名畫. 8 vols. Changsha: Hunan meishu
chubanshe, 1998. Vol. 5, 2–
1
(no. 2).
1 During the early Ming dynasty, Song Ke (1327–1387) served for a time as vice-prefect (tongzhi
同知) of Fengxiang county (near Xi’an in Shaanxi Province), where some sources say he died.
This line of poetry is built around an elaborate play on words that supports this idea. The literal
translation of the placename Fengxiang is ―phoenix soaring,‖ while the term used here for Song
Ke’s rank, biejia 別駕, literally means ―departing carriage.‖ Finally, the expression xianyou 仙
游
, meaning ―to go off roaming as an immortal‖—which is to say ―becoming an immortal‖—is a
euphemism for dying. Taken literally, then, line 1 reads: ―Departing by carriage like a soaring
phoenix, he has gone off roaming as an immortal;‖ while stripped to its barest essentials, it says:
―Since Song Ke died as an official in Fengxiang county.‖