Painting a bird is just like painting a person’s portrait: everything depends on "dotting the two pupils." Dotting the eyes requires the proper method; only then will the form and spirit seem truly life-like. The subtleties of this have their own logic, which has been sufficient to pass this knowledge down from ancient times to the present.

Formula for Painting Roosting Birds

Everyone knows the various states of birds—flying, singing, drinking, or pecking—but few understand how they look when they roost. To place a roosting bird on a branch, you must close its eyes. In birds, the lower eyelid covers the upper; this is how they differ from four-legged animals original: 禽之異乎畜 (qin zhi yi hu chu). Unlike mammals, many birds have a more mobile lower eyelid that moves upward to close the eye..

The beak is tucked into the wing, and the feet are hidden within the belly feathers. We can verify the habits of roosting birds by looking at old proverbs: "A roosting chicken must raise its spurs; a roosting duck must lower its beak." "Lowering the beak" means tucking it into the wing; "raising the spurs" means pulling up one leg. Though these proverbs speak specifically of the nature of chickens and ducks, they contain the principles for all birds. This is what a painter must know; all other types of birds can be understood by following this example.

Formula for Distinguishing the Two Types of Beaks and Tails

When painting birds, you must distinguish between two types: mountain birds referring generally to forest or land birds and water birds. Mountain birds always have long tails; they fly high with light, fluttering feathers xuanqing (翾輕): a term describing the light, agile flight of small birds. Water birds naturally have short tails, which allow them to float and dive in the water. You must capture their specific natures before you can illustrate their forms.

A long tail is always paired with a short beak; these birds sing well and take flight easily. A short tail is paired with a long beak, which is used to search for fish and shrimp at the bottom of the water. Cranes and herons have long legs, while gulls and wild ducks have short legs. Although they all belong to the category of water birds, you must still make these distinctions.

Mountain birds live among the forest trees, and their feathers possess many colors. The Phoenix and the Golden Pheasant display a brilliant array of cinnabar red and jade green. Water birds bathe in clear waves, and their bodies are mostly clean and simple. Wild ducks and geese are mostly grey; gulls and herons are mostly white.

Only the pair of Mandarin ducks requires a distinction between male and female forms. The male possesses many colors, while the female resembles a wild heron The author suggests the female's plumage is more muted or camouflaged, similar to common water birds. The Kingfisher is also full of luster; its feathers are a lush, verdant green. Its emerald feathers carry tints of blue and purple, while its beak and claws are as red as cinnabar. We admire the colors of these two—the Mandarin duck and the Kingfisher—as they stand supreme among all water birds.