Good News | "Portrait of Geshan" Selected as One of the "Top Ten Treasures of Jiangxi Museum"

Organized by the Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau and the Jiangxi Provincial Museum Society The selection and promotion event for the “Top Ten Treasures of Museums Across the Province” concluded on June 10, “Cultural and Natural Heritage Day.” The collection of the Eight Great Mountains Memorial Hall... A Small Portrait of Geshan Selected List of the “Ten Treasured Artifacts of the Jiangxi Museum” 。

Eight Great Mountains was a master of the highest caliber in the history of Chinese painting; yet, regarding his identity, dates of birth and death, family background, and life experiences, there has long been considerable scholarly debate. As for... After the discovery of “A Small Portrait of Geshan” in 1954, many mysteries were finally solved and substantiated. Not only have his true appearance and dates of birth and death been confirmed, but his royal status and genuine personality have also been revealed.

"Portrait of Geshan" by Bada Shanren At the age of 49, his old friend Huang Anping painted a portrait of him—a unique and authentic depiction of Bada Shanren that remains to this day. In the painting, the figure has a sharp, refined appearance, with a light beard, wearing a loose robe and a straw hat, and clad in cloth shoes with double soles. He does not adopt the attire typical of monks or Taoist priests, but rather exudes the air of a free-spirited scholar wandering beneath the forest canopy. Around the edges of the painting, there are nine inscriptions, six of which were penned by Bada Shanren himself, while the other three were written by his friends Cai Shou, Rao Yupu, and Peng Wenliang. Additionally, the painting bears fourteen seals and other inscription marks from various periods of Bada Shanren’s life—altogether twenty-one in all. The inscriptions on the painting are written in the styles of regular script, running script, cursive script, clerical script, and seal script, showcasing Bada Shanren’s exquisite and profound calligraphic skill.

Chinese civilization is the solid foundation that enables us to stand firm amidst the vibrant interplay of world cultures. The list of “Ten Treasured Artifacts of the Jiangxi Museum” was unveiled on Cultural and Natural Heritage Day 2023, inspiring us to further strengthen the protection and utilization of cultural relics, promote cultural confidence and self-reliance, and ensure that these relics remain vibrant and relevant in the course of continuous adaptation to the times.

Going forward, the Eight Great Mountains Man Memorial Hall should, on the basis of strengthening the protection and utilization of cultural relics, carry out comprehensive and in-depth research on these relics, bringing more cultural artifacts and heritage to life. In doing so, we can firmly bolster our cultural confidence and achieve cultural self-reliance, thereby contributing our part to promoting cultural prosperity and building a culturally strong province.