Judge Zhong Kui, Hanging Scroll
Luo Pin
Qing Dynasty
- MEDIUM:Ink and color on paper
- FORMATS:Hanging scroll
- DIMENSIONS:Height 81 cm; Width 28.5 cm
Introduction
Painted by Luo Pin in 1798 during the Dragon Boat Festival, when the artist was 66 years old and living in Beijing, this work was created at the invitation of a friend and stands as one of his late masterpieces. The figure of Judge Zhong Kui is modeled after Wu Daozi’s Tang-dynasty ‘Eight Legions of Devas and Nagas’. Luo himself described the image as “white-bearded, pig-eared, and of extraordinary form—mounted for my own enjoyment, not to be shown to others.” In Chinese folklore, Zhong Kui is famed as the exorcist of demons. One legend tells that he ranked first in the imperial examinations, but was denied his degree due to his disfigured appearance. In outrage, he took his own life. The Jade Emperor, moved by his fierce and unyielding spirit, appointed him as judge over both the living and the dead.
This painting was later admired and sealed by Wang Li, a founding figure in modern Chinese linguistics, and Gao Ye-hou, a noted modern painter and connoisseur.
