Year: 2025
Dimensions: 47.5 x 25.5 cm
Title: Excerpt from A Tale of the Fountain of The Peach Blossom Spring
Medium: Solid wood frame, silk brocade, and paper finished with gold pigment
Content:
In the year of Taiyuan of the Jin Dynasty,there lived a man in Wuling Prefecture who earned his living by fishing.One day,he rowed his boat along a stream,unaware of how far he had gone when all of a sudden,he found himself in the midst of a wood full of peach trees in blossom.The wood extended several hundred footsteps along both banks of the stream.There were no trees of other kinds.The fragrant grass was fresh and beautiful and peach petals fell in riotous profusion.The fisherman was so curious that he rowed on,in hope of discovering where the trees ended.
At the end of the wood was the fountainhead of the stream.The fisherman beheld a hill,with a small opening from which issued a glimmer of light.He stepped ashore to explore the crevice.His first steps took him into a passage that accommodated only the width of one person.After he progressed about scores of paces,it suddenly widened into an open field.The land was flat and spacious.There were houses arranged in good order with fertile fields,beautiful ponds,bamboo groves,mulberry trees and paths crisscrossing the fields in all directions.The crowing of cocks and the barking of dogs were within hearing of each other.In the fields the villagers were busy with farm work.Men and women were dressed like people outside.They all,old and young,appeared happy.
They were surprised at seeing the fisherman,who,being asked where he came from,answered their every question.Then they invited him to visit their homes,killed chickens,and served wine to entertain him.As the words of his arrival spread,the entire village turned out to greet him.They told him that their ancestors had come to this isolated haven,bringing their families and the village people,to escape from the turmoil during the Qin Dynasty and that from then onwards,they had been out off from the outside world.They were curious to know what dynasty it was now.They did not know the Han Dynasty,not to mention the Wei and the Jin dynasties.The fisherman told them all the things they wanted to know.They sighed.The villagers offered him one hospitality after another.They entertained him with wine and delicious food.After several days,the fisherman took his leave.The village people entreated him not to let others know of their existence.
Colophon & Signature：
Excerpt from A Tale of the Fountain of The Peach Blossom Spring by Tao Yuanming. Inscribed by Wang Yunyun on the 21st day of the sixth month in the year of Yisi.
