Rock and Grass in Circular Fan Shape -- Illustration from the Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Calligraphy and Painting (Shizhuzhai shuhua pu) before 1703

Editor: This is "Rock and Grass in Circular Fan Shape," an illustration from the Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Calligraphy and Painting by Hu Zhengyan. It feels so minimal, almost like a meditation. What do you see in this image? Curator: I see a world encapsulated. The circular fan shape, a symbol of completeness, frames the rock and grass, creating a microcosm. Rocks, in Chinese art, represent enduring strength and the earth's skeleton, while grass suggests resilience and renewal. Editor: So, it's not just a pretty picture, it's about something deeper? Curator: Exactly. Consider the absence of figures. We are invited to project ourselves into this landscape, to contemplate our place within the natural order and recognize the balance between permanence and transience. What do you make of the blank space? Editor: It feels calming, a space for reflection. I hadn't thought about it that way. Curator: It's a reminder that what is unsaid, or unseen, can be as important as what is depicted. The Ten Bamboo Studio Manual itself aimed to capture the spirit of things. Editor: I see now. It’s much more than just rock and grass.