Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove

Liu Yanchong Chinese

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In a bamboo grove surrounded by pine trees and rocks, four men listen to a friend play the zither. Nearby, a man washes his feet in the stream as a seventh and final companion approaches on a dirt path. These are the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, men of the third century who retreated from the chaos of society to cultivate themselves amid the quietude of nature. Secluded from politics, they played music, drank wine, and conversed about lofty subjects. They were frequently depicted by artists in a variety media.

Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, Liu Yanchong (Chinese, 1808–1847), Handscroll; ink on paper, China

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Section 5 of 10