Painting: seascape

One horizontal painting of a seascape with islands, which depicts the Taoist mountains and isles. The long colophon is an explanation of the painting, describing five yue (high mountains), three shan (mountains or hills), and ten zhou (islands). The literary content of the colophon is based on the Great Mystery (Taixuan太玄部) section of Taozang 道藏 (Taoist Canon) with many modifications. Written by Aisin Gioro Hongwu 爱新觉罗·弘旿 (1743-1811), grandson of Qing Dynasty Emperor Kangxi.
Four seals at the end of the colophon:
Two belong to the calligrapher Aisin Gioro Hongwu: 1. 弘 (hong) 2. 瑤華道人 (yaohua daoren)
Two are collector's seals: 1. 陳伯潛 (Chen Boqian) 2. 澄秋館鑒藏善書畫印 (Seals for Calligraphy and Painting Collection of Chengqiu Studio)
Inscription as follows:
海內有大五岳，一曰廣桑之山，天之東岳也，在東海之中，為發生之首，上有碧霞之闕，瓊樹之林，紫雀翠鸞，碧藕白橘，主歲星之精，居九氣青天之內。二曰長離之山，天之南岳也，上有朱宮絳闕，赤室丹房，紫草，紅芝，霞膏，金醴，主熒惑之精，居一氣丹天之內。三曰麗農之山，天之西岳也，在西海之中，上有白華之闕，三素之城，玉泉之宮，瓊林瑞獸主大白之精，居七氣素天之內。四曰廣野之山，天之西岳也，在北海弱水之中，上多瓊樓碧簌，金液龍芝，主辰星之精，居五氣玄天之內。五曰崑崙之山，天之中岳也，在八海之間，上當天心，形如偃蓋，東曰樊桐，西曰玄圃，南曰積石，北曰閭苑，上有瓊華之闕，光碧之堂，瑤池翠水，金井玉梁主鎮之，精居於中元一氣天中焉。又有三山。一曰蓬萊山，又名蓬丘，又名雲萊，在東海中，上有金臺之地，海水正黑而為溟渤，無風而波浪萬丈，不可往來，惟飛仙有到者，上有九氣丈人九天真王宮，蓋太山真人所居。一曰扶桑山，在東海中，山有木如桑，長者數千丈，大者三百圍，兩相扶倚，同根而生，故曰扶桑，椹子甘香赤色，千歲一實，仙人採食，體生金光，飛翔太空，有金鳳皇九色鳥，其鳳一鳴叫天下雞皆鳴，日即生x，上有天帝宮，太真東皇君所治處。一曰方丈山，又名鸞治東方龍場，方千里，玉瑤為林，雲色皆紫，在東海中心，四面x岸各五千里，上十群龍所聚，有金銀琉璃之宮，三天司命所治之處，有太元之宮，金漿玉髓，飲之長生，瑞禽奇木莫可名狀，群仙不欲升天者皆往來此島，上有九源丈人主領天下水神，龍蛇水獸。又有十洲。一曰生洲，在東海中，上有仙家萬眾，天氣安和，地無寒暑，安養萬物，仙草眾芝，水味如飴酪。一曰祖洲，在東海中，上有不死草，似菰，地生瓊田芝草，名養神芝，其狀如瓜苗，長數尺，人死三日以芝蓋面即活。一曰瀛洲，上有青州，立翠水二仙宫，生神芝仙草，又有玉石高千丈，出泉如酒味，名玉醴泉，又名玉膏，飲之長生；產昆吾之鐵，鍊石切玉如泥。一曰阮洲，在北海中，有玄澗，澗水味如蜜漿，飲之長生，與天地相畢。一曰炎洲，在南海中，四面烈焰亘天，海水騰沸，飛鳥不敢度，上有火林，山火鼠，毛長，仙人採為布，名活浣布，又有風生獸，青色如狸，雖死觸風即活。一曰鳳麟洲，在西海中，四面有弱水，毛羽不浮上，多麒麟鳳凰，上有青華之宮，丹林素府。一曰長洲，又名青丘，在南海中，多大樹，有仙草靈藥，甘液玉英，又有風山，恆震聲，有紫府宮，天真仙女遊於此。一曰流洲，在西海中，上有奇花異木，瑞草靈芝。一曰玄洲，在北海中，仙伯真公所治，上多太玄仙宮，金芝玉草。一曰聚窟洲，在西海中，上多真仙靈官，宮第及獅子辟邪，鑿齒天鹿，長牙銅頭，鉄額之獸，有大山形似人鳥，因名人鳥山，生返魂香樹，大如桐柏，花香聞數百里，鍊液為香，名驚精香，又名霹靂香，又名返生香，又名x檀香，又名欲死香，此六香神仙異物，人死聞氣即活 瑤華道人

Rewi Alley

Chen Boqian (1848-1935), more famously known as Chen Baochen, served as sub-chancellor in the Grand Secretariat and as vice-president of the Board of Rites during the last years of the Qing Dynasty. He also served as tutor and advisor to the last emperor Pu Yi. Both collector's seals belong to Chen Baochen.

Painting: 300x1195 (lxw)
Colophons: 300x1580 & 300x2570 (lxw)

C1956.670

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