Scene of a Mill at the Weir Gate

Ever wondered how art can vividly document industrial processes?

Scene of a Mill at the Weir Gate, housed in the Shanghai Museum, does just that. This boundary painting meticulously details every step of the flour-making process, from grain delivery to market sale. It even includes a newly built wine shop promoting autumn wine, highlighting the Song Dynasty's thriving commercial activity. Much like Guo Zhongshu’s Traveling on the River in Snow, which captures commercial river transport, this painting links art with the economic dynamics of its time, showcasing the era's rapid growth and industrious spirit.

Song Dynasty (960-1279) Anonymous. Silk scroll, colored. Collection of the Shanghai 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.