I ask those who know: if I am limited only by these sheets of paper and the scale of the bamboo, while these orchids may not fully demonstrate my strengths, do they not at least serve to hide my clumsy attempts? original: 藏吾拙 (cáng wú zhuō). A common scholarly trope of "hiding one's clumsiness," expressing humility regarding the quality of one's own artwork.

Two days before the Mid-Autumn Festival in the Renxu year of the Kangxi reign [1682]. Inscribed by Zhu Sheng of Qiantang at the Mist and Clouds Retreat in the Southern Mountains.

Seal of Zhu Sheng
Xizhi Zhu Sheng's courtesy name.

Introductory Remarks for the Collected Painting Manuals

I. When the first collection of these Painting Manuals was completed, my friend’s father-in-law, Mr. Li Liweng original: 李笠翁. Also known as Li Yu (1611–1680), a famous Qing dynasty playwright, novelist, and publisher who wrote the preface for the first edition of this manual., saw it and was delighted. He remarked that the profound principles of the landscape masters of the past—those secrets that could previously only be understood through intuition and were difficult to express in words—were now being committed to jujube and pear wood original: 棗梨 (zǎo lí). Traditional Chinese printing blocks were made from the wood of jujube or pear trees; the term became a metonym for the act of publishing or woodblock printing. to be shared with the entire world. This, he said, truly revealed the hidden mysteries of Heaven and Earth.

However, he noted that landscapes are but one genre of painting. The universe is vast; what does it not contain? From every blade of grass and single tree to flying birds and tiny insects, the ancient masters each excelled in their own specialty. Those who achieved great renown in their eras are too numerous to record. If these works could also be committed to jujube and pear wood and shared with the world, would that not be one of the greatest joys to be found between Heaven and Earth? My friend has therefore exerted every effort to visit collections and compile these works. From the estates of old families to the most distant regions, there was nowhere he did not seek them out. Fortunately, the paintings collected are now as numerous as a forest, ready for appreciation. However...