- Chiu Fung Poon (1913-2003)
- Night Festival in the Peach and Plum Garden
- oil on silk
- 79 x 157 in (200.66 x 398.78 cm)
- Inv: 3468
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Available
A tu-aunqua piece depicting a gathering with music and dancers on a full moon night in a lush garden. Birds, deer, goldfish and a dog are part of the fauna painted. A mural in the background shows 5 bats, an auspicious symbol of the 5 blessings: virtue, health, long life, wealth and peaceful death. Most likely Chiu Fung Poon's interpretation of Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai's "Preface to the Feast in the Peach and Plum Garden on a Spring Night".
The poem reads and translates as:
夫天地者,萬物之逆旅。
光陰者,百代之過客。
而浮生若夢,為歡幾何?
古人秉燭夜游,良有以也。
況陽春召我以煙景,大塊假我以文章。
會桃李之芳園,序天倫之樂事。
群季俊秀,皆為惠連;
吾人詠歌,獨慚康樂。
幽賞未已,高談轉清。
開瓊筵以坐花,飛羽觴而醉月。
不有佳作,何伸雅懷?
如詩不成,罰依金谷酒數。
The universe is a temporary inn for all living things.
Time is the transit visitors over the span of one hundred generations.
This drifting life is like a dream. There is too little time to enjoy the pleasure of living.
Thus, it was quite appropriate for ancient people to, with candlelight in hand, roam at night.
Now, the sunny spring draws my attention to the misty and beautiful scenes. The great earth inspires me to come up with ideas for my writings.
Today we are so happy to gather in this fragrant garden of peach and plum trees. What a joy to recount the fun events in our family!
You, my younger brothers, are so talented and gifted that you remind me of Weilian.
But in chanting poetry, I alone feel ashamed for not being on a par with Ling Yun.
Before we are through with sightseeing, we change the subject of conversation from talking freely to more elegant topics.
In the midst of blooming flowers, we hold our dainty feast. In moonlight, we pass our wine cups swiftly, from seat to seat, until we all feel tipsy.
If we don't compose a good poem for the occasion, how can we elegantly express our feelings?
Anyone who fails to come up with a poem will be fined the number of drinks as agreed upon at Jin Gu Yuan.
From: https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21882/lot/42/, snuff bottle incised with the poem.
The painting is mounted on heavy paper that is rolled up. The image is from a book published posthumously of Poon's decorative artwork.
- Subject Matter: Chinese Poem Depiction
- Collections: Chiu Fung Poon (Poon Chiu Fung/Pan Qiaofeng) & Yan Cheung Yip, Tu-Aunqua