Listening to the Qin (Zither)
Liu Songnian (Chinese, c. 1150-after 1225)
1150–after 1225
Medium
Album leaf; ink and slight color on silk
Dimensions
image: 23.8 × 24.6 cm · with mat: 33.3 × 40.5 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Chinese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund
Accession Number
1983.85
Tags
male
About this artwork
Listening to the Qin recalls the story of Bo Ya, a musician who loved to play the qin (a seven-stringed zither) for Zhong Ziqi, who was a discerning listener. The cool shade of the pine trees and the incense wafting from the burner complemented the atmosphere created by the music. After Zhang died, Bo refused to play the instrument ever again. The intimate format of the album leaf focuses on the music as the key to stir the heart and soul of both player and listener.