Ten Thousand Bamboo in Mist and Rain

Because it retains its leaves year round, even during the cold winter season, the bamboo symbolizes strength in the face of adversity; paired with the pine and plum, it is regarded as one of the "Three Friends of Winter." Confucians, in particular, see the bamboo as an appropriate symbol of the cultured gentleman, and hence, it became a popular subject of scholar-amateur painting. This long handscroll depicts a species of bamboo noteworthy for its slender stalks and leaves. Growing on the bank of a river, the bamboo are enveloped by heavy mists that virtually obscure the plants in the background. The artist, Jin Yanhui, specialized in paintings of ink bamboo and was particularly fond of depicting slender bamboo. Thirteen inscriptions by scholars and officials, some of whom were his contemporaries, are written on the painting. The artist's own dated inscription appears at the end of the scroll.