An artwork on Galleree from The Art Institute of Chicago.
About the artwork
Yang Pu Moving His FamilyArtist Unknown
Chinese
Yuan dynasty (1279–1368) 元朝
China
52.7 × 231.1 cm (20 3/4 × 91 in.)
Handscroll; ink and light color on paper
Kate S. Buckingham Endowment
['Chinese (culture or style)', 'yüan']
['folklore', 'children', 'animals', 'boats', 'rivers', 'trees', 'scholars', 'families', 'landscapes', 'Chinese']
['handscroll', 'painting', 'asian art']
['paper (fiber product)', 'ink']
['painting (image making)']
['Essentials', 'Arts of Asia 100']
With a lively combination of realism and caricature, this detail of the painting Yang Pu Moving His Family depicts a group of peasants transporting a rustic scholar and his family across a stream. Distinguished by his official government cap, with its long streamers, the otherwise disheveled, bare-legged scholar bids farewell to his neighbors on the shore. Servants valiantly attempt to carry children and the family’s belongings—scrolls, furniture, and dishes—through the water. The scholar depicted here may represent Yang Pu, a character described in stories of the Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279). According to folklore, Yang Pu initially declined, and then reluctantly accepted, his appointment to a government position in the capital city. Chinese law forbade civil officials from working in their native districts, and as a result, many were required to relocate to distant cities. Painters and poets frequently depicted the theme of farewell, or “noble parting,” exemplified by the story of Yang Pu. The twigs that protrude from the official caps of the men depicted here may allude to the ancient Chinese custom of presenting departing friends with small branches from a willow tree.
| attributed to Art Institute of Chicago under CC-By license
In a gentle embrace of realism and caricature, the painting titled *Yang Pu Moving His Family* springs to life, inviting the onlooker into a poignant moment frozen in time. A group of peasants, etched with determination in their features, is captured in the act of transporting a scholar and his family across a serene yet rippling stream. The air is thick with emotion, as the rustic scholar, distinguished by the tall government cap perched atop his head, nods farewell to the familiar faces lining the shore. His cap, with long, fluttering streamers, almost seems to wave in unison with the farewell he's conveying, while the rest of him—a disheveled figure with bare legs—stands in stark contrast to the solemnity of the moment.
Behind him, the real struggle unfolds. Servants groan under the weight of the family's belongings—an echo of love and labor splashed in scrolls, delicate furniture, and untamed dishes. Each item tells a story of home, of laughter, of many shared meals, and of the imprints of life that are now to be left behind. The scholar, whispered to be Yang Pu, is not just a character suspended in history; he represents the hopes and reluctance of many who faced a similar destiny during the Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279).
According to storytelling traditions, Yang Pu hesitated at first, feeling the tug of his roots, only to yield to the call of duty—a government position awaiting him in a distant capital city. The weight of such a decision loomed over him, as Chinese law at the time demanded civil officials forsake their native lands. In his plea for farewell, Yang Pu embodies the essence of “noble parting,” a theme that resonates through ancient poetry and painting alike.
A sweet detail emerges in the painting: twigs sprouting from the caps of the men beside him, a nod, perhaps, to an ancient custom where friends bid farewell, offering small branches from a willow tree. This delicate gesture adds layers of meaning and connection to the scene, serving as a bridge between past and present emotions, deepening the viewer's understanding of such farewells.
As you stand before this artwork, you can almost hear the quiet rustle of the water, the soft murmurs of the villagers, and the bittersweet tug of farewell lingering in the air, reminding us all of the paths we must traverse and the farewells we inevitably face.
About the artist
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