Chapter 255: Procession Carriage Painting

【Reward for ranking: author Han Hong, ten years added to lifespan!】

A blue light fell.

In some place of the Tang dynasty, Prime Minister Han Hong, who was handling state affairs, suddenly felt the fatigue of days of toil swept away, his thoughts unusually clear, his body as if returned to his prime.

He was first stunned, then recalled the sky, set down his brush, and gave a solemn bow to the heavens:

"Han Hong, I bow in thanks to the immortal! I shall diligently serve the kingdom, not betray Heaven's grace!"

He glanced at the desk, a thought stirred in his mind—perhaps… he could paint a few more pictures urging agriculture and moral instruction?

"Cattle? Painting a cow can also rank eighth?"

Liu Bang scratched his head again, "But… it's truly lifelike! Look at the cow's eyes, as if it could speak!"

"Is this Han Hong a prime minister? A prime minister who doesn't stay in office, runs off to paint a cow? And paints it so well… impressive!"

Ying Zheng commented, "This painting is plain and grand, mastering complexity with simplicity; truly a good work."

【Seventh entry: "Han Palace Spring Dawn Painting"】

【Era: Ming】

【Artist: Qiu Ying】

【Type: Polychrome meticulous court ladies long scroll】

The scene becomes extremely resplendent and bustling.

A finely detailed scroll several zhang long slowly unfurls, depicting an imagined Han dynasty court spring morning.

In the painting, towering halls and pavilions loom, exotic flowers and strange plants dot the scene, and over a hundred court women in splendid attire, each with a distinct posture, appear.

Some comb their hair before a mirror, some lean on railings watching fish, some play music and dance, some tease infants, some play chess or read…

The multitude of figures is abundant yet orderly, the composition exquisitely masterful, colors vivid as gems yet harmonious and unified, showcasing the utmost meticulous skill, rendering the court's luxury, leisure, and refinement in vivid detail.

【"Han Palace Spring Dawn Painting", a masterpiece by Qiu Ying, one of the Ming "Wu Men Four Families", also the longest Chinese polychrome court ladies scroll.】

【Qiu Ying, originally a lacquer worker, rose to fame through extraordinary talent and hard work, becoming a master of his generation.】

Though titled "Han Palace", the painting actually embodies Ming court aesthetics and bustling urban splendor.

Its figures are rendered with minute precision; costumes, objects, and architecture are meticulously ornate, and the meticulous brush technique has reached its pinnacle.】

【This painting is a popular IP among classical masterpieces; later guofeng creations and film/TV dramas often use it as a model, granting it great fame in literary circles. It represents the ultimate achievement of Ming academy-style meticulous painting.】

【Reward for ranking: artist Qiu Ying, ten years added to lifespan!】

The blue light fell into the Ming dynasty.

Suzhou, Qiu Ying was immersed in painting in his workshop; he came from a humble background, earning a living by his skill, and was very hard‑pressed.

The blue light entered his body; he felt the chronic back and waist aches and blurred vision from years at his desk instantly improve, his energy abundant, as if he had endless vigor.

"Heaven blesses me!"

Qiu Ying, excited, repeatedly bowed toward the sky.

"Qiu Ying will work even harder, not repaying the immortal's generous gift!"

He decided to make the "Peach Blossom Paradise Painting", which had just received a deposit and was ready to be painted, even more brilliant!

"My dear! This painting… this will take so much effort!"

Liu Bang stared in amazement, "This must take several years to paint, right?"

"One person painting so many figures, each different, dressed flamboyantly… Qiu Ying must be a deity? Won't his eyes go blind from painting?"

Zhang Liang smiled, "This painting's intricate detail and brilliant colors are beyond ordinary mortals."

"The bustling Ming urban life is evident in a fragment. To create with such patient craftsmanship earns ten years of longevity; Heaven's way is just."

Ying Zheng slightly frowned, "Overly delicate and ornate, it loses naturalness. Yet, achieving such skill is a supreme technique."

【Sixth entry: "Han Xizai Night Banquet Painting"】

【Era: Five Dynasties (Southern Tang)】

【Artist: Gu Hongzhong】

【Type: Figurative documentary narrative long scroll】

The scene suddenly turns deep, mysterious, even with a hint of oppression and decadence.

The scroll slowly unfurls, depicting the complete scene of Southern Tang minister Han Xizai hosting a night banquet at his residence.

The painting is divided into sections: listening to music, watching dance, resting, gentle blowing, dispersing the banquet, with dozens of guests, hosts, singing courtesans, and musicians, each bearing different expressions—some intoxicated, some perfunctory, some alert, some reckless.

Host Han Xizai, amid the revelry, constantly bears a lingering shade of melancholy and detachment in his brows.

The artwork's lines are refined, its colors elegant, the psychological portrayal of the figures penetrates deeply, as if one could hear the strings and whispers on site, feeling the helplessness and sorrow beneath the apocalyptic revelry.

【"Han Xizai Night Banquet Painting", Gu Hongzhong of the Five Dynasties Southern Tang, commissioned by the later ruler Li Yu, infiltrated Han Xizai's residence, observed and recorded with heart, and later silently painted it upon return.】

This was a special "political mission", yet produced an eternal masterpiece.】

【This painting records history, faithfully recreating the Southern Tang aristocracy's decadent yet perilous night life, serving as a valuable resource for studying Five Dynasties history, music, dance, and costume.】

Its profound psychological depiction and narrative pacing have reached the pinnacle of Chinese figure painting.

Within the painting lie schemes of power, the turmoil of chaotic times, balancing storytelling and historical value.】

【This painting is a textbook staple, highly recognizable. Its artistic and historical value is irreplaceable.】

【Reward for ranking: artist Gu Hongzhong, ten years added to lifespan!】

The blue light fell into the Five Dynasties.

In the Southern Tang court painting academy, Gu Hongzhong had just finished a work, anxiously awaiting the later ruler's appraisal.

The blue light entered his body, his spirit revived, years of depression and anxiety seemed to dissipate.

"The immortal… approved my painting?"

Gu Hongzhong felt a flood of emotions, looked toward the deep palace, then at his "commissioned work", and let out a long sigh.

"This painting… looks lively, yet makes one feel a choking in the heart?"

Liu Bang furrowed his brows, "That big‑bearded man (Han Xizai) seems displeased? Hosting a feast yet wearing a worried frown?"

Zhang Liang stared at the painting and said slowly, "This is no ordinary banquet scene."

"The host in the painting harbors fear and anxiety, forcing a smile. The guests each hold their own thoughts."

"The artist was even ordered to spy, using the painting as history."

"This painting depicts a feast but speaks of the sorrow of a state that will not be a state."

"To see desolation amid splendor, to see tear marks amid laughter—Gu Hongzhong, a great talent indeed."

Ying Zheng's gaze was sharp: "Spying on subordinates and reporting with a painting? This Southern Tang Later Lord, unskillful in governance, harbors filthy thoughts."

"But this painter faithfully rendered the state of drunken life and dreamlike death, the looming collapse of the great hall. Ranked sixth, not in vain."

【Fifth: "The Sedan Chair Painting"】

【Era: Tang】

【Artist: Yan Liben】

【Genre: Political Historical Figure Painting】

The scene becomes solemn and dignified.

In the painting, Emperor Taizong Li Shimin sits upright on a sedan chair (a type of palanquin), his demeanor majestic and composed, carried by several palace maids.

Ahead, three envoys dressed in Tubo attire stand respectfully; the leader appears to be Tubo Chancellor Lu Dongzan, holding a tablet and bowing to the Emperor.

The composition is spacious and clear, with a striking focus; the hierarchy of figures is distinct, expressions precisely rendered—the Emperor's heavenly authority, the envoys' reverence, the palace maids' elegance—all leap from the paper.

Overall colors are subdued, lines vigorous, exuding the solemnity of political ceremony and historical veracity.

【'The Sedan Chair Painting', a work by Tang‑era painter Yan Liben, records the significant historical event of Emperor Taizong Li Shimin receiving Tubo envoy Lu Dongzan and granting Princess Wencheng in marriage.】

【This painting is a paradigm of ancient Chinese political historical art, and a symbol of ethnic unity and national unification.】

It artistically recreates the openness, inclusiveness, and the grandeur of the flourishing Tang that subdued the four barbarians.

Its figure modeling is accurate, its expressions vivid, and its historical documentary value is irreplaceable.】

【This painting is a classic illustration in primary and secondary school textbooks, widely known among the populace, having long transcended the realm of art to become a visual symbol of family‑nation culture and ethnic integration.】