Explore key developments in the history and culture of China, from the arts and crafts of the Song Dynasty up to the present day.
The artist Huang Zhou inscribes: ‘This extraordinary creature never tells a lie to itself; for a 1000 years it never has a spare moment. In wartime it runs between signal fire; in peace time it serves under all commands day and night. It suggests some grace to step on snow looking for plum blossoms, or to chant a hymn when carrying luggage in mountains on a clear day. In literature it is always looked upon with disdain; today I would like to restore its beauty.’
Vainker, Shelagh, Chinese Paintings in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, 2000), no. 55 on p. 76, illus. p. 77 fig. 55
Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.
Objects may have since been removed or replaced from a gallery. Click into an individual object record to confirm whether or not an object is currently on display. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis, so contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular Eastern Art object.
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