Almost a month ago, I traveled to Shanghai on assignments. I saw three exhibitions and one was Diligence and Intelligence, an ongoing show at the Long Museum (West Bund) of paintings and calligraphic pieces of Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties. Some are the museum’s collections and others are on loan from private collectors.
大约一个月前，我去魔都出差，看了三个展览。其中一个是正在龙美术馆西岸馆举办的“敏行与迪哲——宋元书画私藏特展”，展品一部分来自美术馆的馆藏，还有一部分借展自私人收藏。
At this exhibition, I saw one masterpiece that I had longed for a close look at: Xiesheng Zhenqin Tujuan (A Scroll of Precious Birds Based on Studies from Nature), a 5-meter-long hand scroll of flowers and birds. The painter vividly portrayed in 12 parts different species of birds that make various poses, revealing his refined, meticulous techniques and extraordinary taste of art.
在展厅中，我终于得以近距离欣赏一幅向往已久的画作：约5米长的花鸟画手卷《写生珍禽图卷》。作者分12个部分栩栩如生的描绘了不同种类的鸟，姿态各异，由此可看出画家精炼、细致的笔墨功夫和非凡的艺术品味。
The creator was named Zhao Ji (1082-1135), or you may know his temple name better: Emperor Huizong of Northern Song.
画卷的作者名叫赵佶，也许你们更熟悉他的庙号，北宋徽宗。
The emperor spent the first half of his life in opulence, dragging his country into a period of darkness and corruption. He lost his empire to invading armies of Jin Dynasty (1116-1234) established by Jurchens. His royal capital was conquered in the Jingkang Incident that took place in 1127, following which he, then as Taishang Huang (retired emperor) and his whole imperial family were transported to Jin’s capital in today’s Harbin. He was humiliated and died tragically after eight years in captivity.
关于徽宗，认真上了历史课的同学肯定不陌生。这位亡国之君前半辈子在骄奢中度过，将国家带入黑暗和腐败，最终导致北宋王朝覆灭于金朝入侵者的铁蹄之下。1127年的靖康之难，皇城陷落；已是太上皇的赵佶和整个皇室被女真军队押送到位于今天哈尔滨的金国首都。受尽屈辱的他在被囚禁8年后客死他乡。
A rather incompetent ruler, Zhao Ji was however a versatile artist, being achieved in painting, calligraphy and poetry. He specialized in flowers and birds and was also adapt at figure and mountain-and-water painting. He invented a highly distinctive style of kaishu script, shou jin ti (slender gold). He ordered to compile Xuanhe Manual of Painting and Xuanhe Manual of Calligraphy to catalog imperial collection of artworks. He established an art academy in the imperial court.
虽然皇朝统治者这项本职没干好，赵佶却在多才多艺的道路上追求极致。他诗书画兼备，热衷花鸟画，也工于人物和山水。他独创了一种极具个性的楷书书体——瘦金体。他授意编纂了《宣和画谱》和《宣和书谱》来收录内廷收藏的历代名家书画。他还在宫廷内设立翰林书画院。
Xiesheng Zhenqin Tujuan is said created when Zhao Ji was around 17 before he ascended the throne.
《写生珍禽图卷》据说是赵佶17岁左右的时候画的，当时他还没有继位。
Huizong is recognized as the most talented emperor of Chinese history. Nevertheless, his obsession with art and extravagant life style posed great financial burden on his people.
徽宗被誉为中国历史上最才华横溢的皇帝。然而，他对于艺术的狂热和“高冷”的生活方式也给国家带来了极大的财政负担。
Zhao Ji’s paintings are of majestic, imposing splendor. His works are quite rare in existence, mostly housed at art museums.
赵佶的画富丽而高雅，存世量极少，主要存于博物馆中。
▲Here is one of his most famous works, Cranes, at Liaoning Provincial Museum in Shenyang.
这是他最富盛名的画作之一，《瑞鹤图》，藏于沈阳的辽宁省博物馆。
▲Dragon-shaped Stone, at the Palace Museum.
《祥龙石图卷》, 藏于北京故宫博物院。
小百科
咨询了中科院西双版纳植物园的王老师，《写生珍禽图卷》里出现了11种常见鸟类：
（由上至下）领雀嘴鹎，画眉，灰喜鹊，戴胜，麻雀，黄胸鹀(wu)，白头鹎(bei)，麻雀，珠颈斑鸠，小太平鸟，蒙古百灵，凤头百灵
我是城市乡巴佬，只认得麻雀和灰喜鹊。你们呐？
IF YOU GO
10 am-6 pm, closed on Mondays, through March 31. 3398 Longteng Avenue, Xuhui district. 021-6422-7636. 50 yuan.
Photos courtesy of Long Museum 图片致谢上海龙美术馆
林琦
Lin Qi自出道起专注特稿写作10余年，担任艺术报道是这两年的事。周一到周五去高大上的博物馆跑活儿，周末在798/草场地/黑桥出没。
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