Manual of the Mustard Seed Garden, Volume 5

The Wang Family Edition

Volume Five

The following poem was written by Xu Wei (1521–1593), a renowned Ming dynasty painter, poet, and dramatist known for his wild, expressive style. Here, he interprets a painting style associated with the Song dynasty scholar-official Su Shi (Su Dongpo).

In the style of Layman Dongpo original: "倣東坡居士" (fǎng Dōngpō jūshì). Su Shi, also known as Su Dongpo, was a giant of Chinese culture who popularized painting withered trees and rocks as a means of expressing an official's inner resilience and moral integrity.

The Daoist paints the bamboo

along with the withered, drying wood;

Daoist道人 (dàorén): Literally a "person of the Way." In this context, it refers to the painter as a spiritual practitioner.

Finding that its flavor and essence

are identical to the practice of Zen.

Zen practice禪參 (chán cān): The act of sitting in meditation or contemplating Buddhist truths to reach enlightenment.

Reaching a state of solitary desolation,

where no flowers or leaves remain—

original: "孤絶" (gū jué). This describes a state of "absolute isolation," a prized quality in literati art that suggests a mind free from worldly distractions and superficial beauty.

A single image from an old master

within the arena of the brush.

A poem by Xu Wenchang

Inscribed on "Withered Wood, Bamboo, and Stone"

The "Withered Wood, Bamboo, and Stone" (Kumu Zhushi) genre is a quintessential "literati" (scholar-painter) subject. Unlike professional court painters who used bright colors and fine detail, scholars used simple ink to capture the "spirit" of objects that endure hardship, such as old trees and stubborn rocks.