During the Wei-Jing dynasties （AD240-250）, Xi Kang, Ruan Ji, Xiang Xiu, Liu Ling, Shan Tao, Wang Rong, and Ruan Xian gathered in a bamboo forest in Shanyang County, engaged in Xuantan （meaning “mysterious talking” on Neo-Taoism) , singing, and drinking to their hearts’ content. They were then commonly referred to as the Seven Sages.
In the painting, the Seven Sages in their artistic gathering are attended to by five child servants. Xia Jing Shan enlarges the figure proportion between the child servants and the intellects to highlight the host-guest relationship. The S-shaped composition puts the cluster of characters in close connection with the line of traffic. The simplistic character depiction and detailed portrayal of objects, cloth patterns and rugs are all in coordinated color schemes, accompanied by the lakeside rocks and bamboo forests for a mutually-enhancing effect.
简中｜竹林七贤
Paintings
Xia Jing Shan
ink and color on silk
107x52
1970
題跋：楠竹居士
印記：楠竹居士畫缽、楠竹居士
NB-00002
