清 鄭燮 遠山煙竹圖 軸|Misty Bamboo on a Distant Mountain

Art Historical Context

In the Qing dynasty's vibrant artistic scene, Zheng Xie (1693–1765), known as Zheng Banq, created *Misty Bamboo on aistant Mountain* in 1753. This exquisite set of four hanging scrolls rendered in ink on paper, captures the ethereal beauty of bamboo swaying amid hazy, distant peaks. Measuring over 107 inches tall each, these monumental works exemplify the traditional Chinese hanging scroll format, designed for intimate contemplation when unrolled in a scholar's studio. Zheng Xie, a scholar-official and one of the famed Yangzhou Eight Eccentrics, infused his paintings with bold, expressive brushwork that broke from orthodox styles. Bamboo, a timeless motif in Chinese art, symbolizes resilience and integrity—qualities Zheng embodied after resigning his post to pursue art full-time. The misty atmosphere evokes the literati ideal of harmony with nature, blending poetic landscape with technical mastery in ink washes and fluid lines. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art collection, this Tang family gift highlights Qing-era innovation. Visitors will appreciate how Zheng's dynamic bamboo—clustered yet free-spirited—transforms simple ink into a meditation on endurance and the sublime.