Hong Si placed a tray on the stage, within which were two scrolls of paintings. He slowly unrolled the "Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains" scroll and lifted it up so that everyone present could clearly see it.
Wang Ximeng was a master painter, and although he died young, leaving behind few works, the "Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains" is indeed a rare authentic piece.
The painting method Wang Ximeng used combined the "pima" (hemp-fiber) texture strokes with the "fupi" (axe-cut) wrinkling technique to delicately express the underlying structure and light-and-shadow variations of rocks, just like this "Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains" before our eyes. With its richly detailed scenery and myriad atmospheric effects, the composition seeks change within density, achieving a coherent momentum that truly reflects painstaking craftsmanship.
