Former Prime Minister Zhang Liang (d. 189 BC) Presenting the Straw Sandal to the Sage at Yi Bridge c. late 17th century

Curator: This ink wash painting at the Harvard Art Museums by Ch'ui-on depicts a scene of Zhang Liang presenting a straw sandal to a sage. The interaction between the men is at the center of the composition. Editor: It feels like a deliberately muted, almost bleached rendering. The landscape is merely sketched, and it makes the figures seem vulnerable, almost lost in the immensity of it all. Curator: This scene references a famous act of humility and respect. Zhang Liang, a high-ranking official, dutifully retrieves a lost sandal for an old man, a sage, who then rewards him with a book on military strategy. Editor: Right, and it’s about the act of labor. The sandal itself is an object of everyday use, but here it becomes a symbol of service and the exchange of knowledge. Look at the delicate brushwork that renders the folds of their robes. Curator: Indeed. The artist is highlighting the virtue of humility as a path to wisdom, reflecting a social hierarchy where respect for elders and teachers was paramount. Editor: I see the painting pushing against those hierarchies, by elevating a mundane object and act. It makes me think about the value we assign to different forms of labor, then and now. Curator: It's a narrative about recognizing wisdom in unexpected places. Editor: Yes, wisdom found in the giving of a sandal.