The Meaning of Metaphor

"Discourse on Birds and Flowers" in Xuanhe Painting Manual from circa 1120 states, "…in the 'six types of poetry,' much is known about the names of birds and animals as well as plants and trees. And the four seasons in the calendar record their periods of flowering and withering as well as singing and silence. Therefore, the wonders of painting are often lodged here in their feeling, which is comparable to the expression of poets." In praising the wonders of Nature, painters, like poets, used homophones and metaphors to express subtle forms of meaning. For example, the peony in China symbolizes wealth and social position, while the character for hibiscus is a homophone for splendor. In addition, the subject of birds and flowers became a vehicle for the artist's thoughts and emotions, serving a didactic purpose or even being a satirical commentary on current politics. For example, in the Ming dynasty, Lü Ji in his "Wild Pheasant in Winter Snow" depicted a solitary pheasant raising its head in the freezing cold to represent the determination of literati in persevering through difficult times. "White Hawk," with its fierce and penetrating stare, has also long been considered an auspicious subject reflecting the ideas of loyalty and integrity.

The peacock's dazzling beauty, especially with its tail feathers, has fascinated people for centuries. The binome for "peacock" in Chinese also has a character that means "nobility," making this bird a symbol of promotion in official rank as well. The peacocks in both of these works are shown gazing at leisure, their plumage extravagant and beauty eye-catching.

Lü Ji combined the marvels of "fine-line" and "sketching" traditions in painting. The work of his here is bright and attractively colored with refinement, expressing elegance that also has a touch of opulence.

The tapestry here, woven with colored silk threads on a plain background, depicts a pair of peacocks, their tail feathers overlapping. The forms are realistic, the blank background highlighting the spirited movement of these birds. The weaving is also fine and delicate, the layering rich and dense, making this a masterpiece of Song dynasty silk tapestry.

This embroidery of a white falcon on a plain silk background features white embroidered threads for the body feathers using the plain-stitch technique, creating layer upon layer following the natural growth of the feathers. The different directions of the embroidery needlework produce varied reflections when light is shown on the work, making the feathers exceptionally natural and lustrous in appearance. The stand upon which the bird rests was first filled with plain-stitch embroidery and then golden threads added to create outlines highlighting the decoration. The tasseled tether was arranged in coarse threads and then stitched in place for a highly realistic effect. Unfortunately, this work has suffered much degradation of the colored threads, such as for the beak and talons. Although revealing the underlying embroidery threads, it in no way detracts from the fierce presence of the bird. The embroidery threads also vary in thickness, the weaving still refined and orderly for an elegant and smooth manner.