Throughout our lives, we understand the world and acquire wisdom through words and images. When we first read Chinese classic poetry or view traditional paintings and calligraphy, their deeper meanings can be elusive. Only as time passes and life experience accumulates, do we return to these works and find ourselves truly moved by them.
Themed “Reading and Re-reading”, this exhibition explores the historic union of literature and art, inviting you to reconnect with the foundational memories of your youth. In the Chinese tradition, painting and calligraphy are inextricably linked to classical literature and philosophy. Sharing a common spiritual essence, poetry and painting blend seamlessly in subject, aesthetics and form—weaving together the philosophies of life with artistic expression.
Featuring a curated selection of works from the Xubaizhai Collection complemented by other Chinese painting and calligraphy from the museum’s collection, the exhibition takes you into the spiritual world of the literati through four chapters: “Timeless Elegance”, “The Way of the Gentleman”, “Landscape Reveries”, and “Sentimental Years”. Here, the literary treasures of your childhood are reawakened by familiar verses, inviting you to journey through the brushwork, contemplate the hidden messages within, and rediscover the timeless wisdom of the ages.