Song of One Year 1522

"Song of One Year" is a small image made with ink on paper by Tang Yin, a Chinese scholar, poet, and painter of the Ming dynasty. Tang Yin lived during a time of shifting social and cultural values. This fan painting embodies the literati ideals of artistic expression, blending calligraphy with personal emotion. The poem inscribed reflects on the passage of time and the fleeting nature of pleasure. Tang Yin writes, "One inch of time equals one thousand pieces of gold," revealing the deep significance of time and memory. As you contemplate this work, consider how Tang Yin reflects on the balance between the ephemeral and the enduring, the personal and the universal, against the backdrop of 16th-century China. The beauty of the natural world, the emotional depth of human experience, and the cultural values of the time create a layered and evocative viewing experience.