"Clearing at Dusk," A Poem by Tu Fu,

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Fu Shan was a scholar of the Chinese classics and a medical doctor who specialized in women’s health. As an artist, he was a talented seal carver, painter, and calligrapher. This work demonstrates Fu’s characteristic style in which brushstrokes twist and turn chaotically, resembling tangled ribbons, and dark and light strokes create a dynamic rhythm. A Ming loyalist, Fu refused to serve the Manchus when they established the Qing dynasty in 1644. Instead, he adopted the lifestyle and dress of a Daoist and devoted himself to erudite activities such as writing essays, composing poetry, painting, and practicing calligraphy. In this work he transcribes the poetic verses of the great eighth- century poet Du Fu.