Chapter 62: Literary Competition - The Peak of Painting Skills (1/2)

Voices exclaiming their admiration across the hall continued on. Even though Lin Xiao’s facial expression was calm, his eyebrows revealed how pleased he was. For this painting, he did not hold back the slightest bit of his skill. Bare in mind that the simpler the painting, the more it is able to reflect a person’s painting skills.

Long Yin nodded his head contentedly, then voiced out and asked, “Wuchen of Ye, what do you think about this painting?”

The crowd quieted down, all the gazes were fixed on him, waiting for his “step down gracefully” speech..

Ye Wuchen’s eyes flatly swept across Clear Water Lakeside at once, then said: “Not bad…but if master Lin only had this level of talent, then he cannot even compare to me.”

Putting forth this kind of extremely arrogant words stupefied all who were present, even the expression on Long Yin’s face appeared to be astonished for quite a long time. Sounds of confusion erupted from the crowd, some criticizing, some reacted with disdain, some sneering. None of them showed any signs of expectation. Based on their thoughts, Ye Wuchen’s arrogant and pretentious words were only to safeguard his reputation. A man dressed up like a high scholar even step forward and yelled, “How dare you insult such astonishing work, how shameful!!”

Ye Wuchen glanced at that person and said, “If this painting is the so-called astonishing work in your point of view, then that shows that you’ve never seen a genuinely great painting. This painting, in my opinion, regardless of painting skills or scenery, only deserves to be called a rough and excessive piece of art!”

These words are no doubt was even more arrogant than the previous comment, even more ruthlessly mocking Lin Xiao. Lin Xiao’s face turned green, then momentarily restored his tranquility and calmly said, “My painting certainly does not look pleasing to your magical eye, I’m requesting young master Ye to please give advice and counsel.”

“I’m flattered, since Master Lin sincerely asked for guidance, then I’ll provide some.”

Lin Xiao’s facial muscle twitched a little bit. The people’ eyes grew wide, observing how this arrogant young master Ye will give his advice and comments.

Ye Wuchen approached in front of the Clear Water Lakeside painting board, inclined his eyes and asked, “I dare to ask if master Lin has been to Clear Water Lake before?”

“Of course I have.”

“Then this painting depicts the scenery of the Clear Water Lakeside from which season?”

“Autumn”

“Is that so? Then…where is the autumn wind?”

“...Autumn wind?”

Ye Wuchen shook his head disappointedly: “Did you consider this in your painting? It seems that the picture is lifeless and dull with no trace of lively movement. The place in the painting is worn out to a pitiful condition. It must be borne in mind that for the lakeside willow tree, a lake without wind is stagnant, and a willow without wind is a dead willow. The wonderful lakeside cool breeze is not even present in this painting, even just a tiny bit of its reflection. In the end, it is just rough and excessive work.”

Before Lin Xiao could answer, the previous scholar yelled again, “You say it so simply! The graceful autumn wind cannot be seen, and also cannot be touched. How could you paint it. If you have the ability to do so, why don’t you show us!”

Lin Xiao also nodded smiling, “That being said, master Ye, please show us how to do your lakeside cool breeze.”

Ye Wuchen smiled indifferently, saying, “Then watch carefully!”

Ye Wuchen scooped up a painting brush, lightly dipped it in the ink, then traced some strips of the inclined willow branch. Deliberately decorating them with fluttering willow leaves.

“The so-called ‘Willow leaves on the willow branch sprouts on the west but faces the east’, this is not a painting style for a true willow. While unable to depict actual wind on paper, one relies on the willow branches to demonstrate, this is using the willow to describe the wind, the wind simply cannot be seen, but the wind blowing on the willow tree is clear!”

(Author’s Note: This seven character quatrain comes from Jiang Ti’s Accomplished Dash Painting Willow and Swallow)