Pine and Crane for Longevity, Hanging Scroll
Li Shan
Qing Dynasty
- MEDIUM:Ink and color on paper
- FORMATS:Hanging scroll
- DIMENSIONS:Height 173 cm; Width 95.5 cm
Introduction
This work exemplifies Li Shan’s integration of meticulous gongbi and expressive xieyi techniques. The composition features pine trees, cranes, wisteria, and orchids. In Daoist symbolism, pines represent longevity and cranes signify immortality, making the subject a traditional emblem of purity, longevity, and auspiciousness.
Inscribed on the left, Li Shan wrote:
“Amid hardships, brush and ink reveal their sweetness,
Branches flourish, orchids bloom by living streams.
May pine and crane grant a thousand years of life,
Yet I, Li, at sixty, still feel youthful in spirit.”
Executed when the artist was fifty-four, during a prosperous period of his official career in Teng County, Shandong, the inscription reflects both his personal delight and his aspiration for enduring vitality. Through this work, Li Shan conveys a harmonious blend of personal sentiment, symbolic imagery, and an optimistic vision of life.
