This hand painted watercolor, or sumi-e, is rendered on silk and mounted on course handmade paper with a brocade fabric boarder. This traditional method of mounting allows the painting to be displayed with or without a frame and matte board. The style and technique follows centuries old conventions in Chinese brush painting. Painted in the early to mid 1970s in the Sichuan region of China, the scene captures customs and landscapes that are disappearing as China modernizes. The three gorges dam is filling the beautiful valleys seen in the painting. Majestic mountains, twisted pine trees and almost ethereal water elements make for stunning scenery in this highly crafted display of natural beauty with vast and breathtaking views. Both an artistic expression and a philosophical one the painting is executed in the Kung Pi or "laboring brush" style. The pairing of mountains with water is a classic example of Yin and Yang and is a practiced depiction of ancient Eastern philosophy. The flowing feminine water (Yin) and the solid masculine mountains (Yang) are opposing energies (Chi) that exist harmoniously. Depicted together they strike a balance that is deeply rooted in Taoist thought. As is typical in this style of Asian paintings, the mountains fade into the sky to illustrate the coming together of heaven and earth. The human elements are comparatively small in the landscape, showing nature's overwhelming magnitude as well as the intrinsic role of humanity in the completeness of the universe. The concepts of balance and harmony are mainstays of eastern Philosophy, from Feng Shui to Zen to Buddhism.

Mounting size 15x24 inch; actual painting area 12x20 inch

Original hand painted watercolors circa 1970

Traditional landscape scenery on 100% silk

Representative of Taoist philosophy and themes

Acquired from Yangtze River valley, China