Wind in Pines Among a Myriad Valleys
| Support Type: | Silk |
| Paint Type: | Ink |
| Current Location: | In the National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan |
| Location History: | The scroll transitioned from the Northern Song imperial court to the Southern Song, surviving in the Qing imperial collection before being relocated to Taiwan in 1948. |
The style of Southern Song landscape painting is evident in Li Tang's "Wind in Pines Among a Myriad Valleys", pictured, which is a hanging scroll of silk , using ink and mineral-based paints. It has tall mountains, rock cliffs, waterfall cascades and thick fog covered pine forests. Li Tang employs his customary "axe-cut" method to outline the rocks, creating a rough and pointed shape. He uses gentle ink strokes to add depth and create a sense of space and atmosphere. Nature's vastness is showcased by the fact that there lies a narrow mountain path with small figures, which is almost hidden from view. This pattern of high and low areas moves the viewer's eye upward, creating a sense of motion and calmness. Thus the painting reflects the Daoist notion of balance and the paradox that ambitions are insignificant when nature endures. This is illustrated through the depiction of humans as they interact with each other.