The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove

Folding fans could be carried in the long, loose sleeves of gowns and casually displayed before others at desired moments. Since the twelfth century, they became prevalent among Chinese elites and their images show a variety of subjects and motifs reflecting the owners’ preferences. Ming artists such as Qiu Ying sparked a new fashion in Suzhou when they painted fans on gold-flecked paper. The gold ground symbolizes the high value of the fans and thus the wealth of their owners. Such fans were among the most sought-after luxury goods of the time, and the ownership of a Qiu Ying fan painting was a symbol of social status and sophistication.

 
This group of fan paintings showcases popular stories and mythical tales with symbolic implications. The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove portrays seven reclusive scholars, free from social obligations, drinking and discussing in a bamboo grove. The Peach Blossom Spring depicts a Shangri La-like world immune from the wars and turmoil of the human world. Viewed as auspicious signs of achieving immortality, the gathering of the sixteen Buddhist arhats in clouds and the descent of the Daoist deity Queen Mother of the West are depicted on the other two fans on view here.