The Emperor Xuanzong Visits the Shu Region

Similar line drawings, coloring methods, and rock formations found in Emperor Xuanzong Visits the Shu Region suggest a connection to the wall paintings in Crown Prince Yide's tomb. Scholars debate the authorship and dating of this scroll painting, believed to be a copy from around 800 AD by a disciple of Li during the Song Dynasty. Despite being created nearly a century later, differences abound. The scroll emphasizes decorative landscapes, with mountains taking center stage, their steep peaks adorned with swirling clouds and vibrant colors. Divided by winding valleys, the composition draws the viewer's gaze into the distance.

Tang Dynasty (618-907) Li Zhaodao (so said). Colored, silk, hanging scroll. 55.9cm*81cm. Collection of the Taipei Palace Museum.

This piece is compiled from the Chinese edition of Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting by Foreign Languages Press and Yale University Press, translated by Chen Ying.