Manual of Painting, Opening Volume

Preface II

Master LiwengLiweng is the courtesy name of Li Yu (1611–1680), a renowned playwright and aesthetician whose estate, the Mustard Seed Garden, gave the manual its name. was once recovering from an illnessThe original term is "yangke" (養疴), a refined way of saying he was nursing his health. at Mount WuMount Wu (Wu Shan) is a famous scenic hill in Hangzhou, offering views of both the city and West Lake.. He struck the table in great joy and said:

“From my high-set rafters, I can look down upon the city walls and take in the gathering of mountain peaks and the waters of the lake. The scenery first appears and is then steeped in the mist and clouds; the shifting states of morning and evening, sun and shade, are unpredictable. I have long felt the regret of not being able to dip my own brush into the inkA metaphor for the act of painting; Li Yu felt his technical skills could not match his aesthetic appreciation of the landscape. to capture this. Having this manual is enough to convey the very intentions of my heart!”

The Old Scholar’sReferring to the artist Wang Gai (Wang Anjie), whose meticulous labor created the woodblock designs. toil and refinement over these twenty-odd years are as clear and pure as the original drafts of the Mustard Seed Garden.