Domesticated and wild geese, belonging to the same species, are both referred to by ancient Chinese as "yan," which translates as "wild goose." This painting shows the corner of a pond on an autumn day touched by a slight breeze. The geese are resting on a shoal surrounded and complemented by dry reeds, red polygonum, and withered lotuses. A kingfisher has just taken flight, interrupting the tranquil scene as one of the geese looks up at it, unaffected by the sudden disturbance.

The artist has combined the bank, water plants, and withered lotuses into a circular space-cell arrangement. Then, using the goose's pose and line of vision, he created a reciprocal relationship between it and the surroundings. The scenery and brushwork overall are similar to the style of Cui Bo (fl. latter half of the 11th c.), demonstrating the artist's keen observation and detailed description of the natural habitat. Such a large and outstanding example of Northern Song bird-and-flower painting is rare and a masterpiece probably from Emperor Huizong's (1082-1135) painting academy on the theme of waterfowl and autumn shoals.