Bamboo -- Illustration from the Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Calligraphy and Painting (Shizhuzhai shuhua pu) before 1703

Editor: Here we have a delicate illustration of bamboo by Hu Zhengyan, taken from the Ten Bamboo Studio Manual. It feels so minimal, yet the bamboo almost dances on the page. What strikes you about it? Curator: It whispers of resilience. Look how the artist captures the essence of bamboo with such simple strokes. The negative space is just as important, wouldn't you say? It lets the imagination breathe. Editor: Absolutely! I hadn't considered the space as an active element. Curator: Precisely! Think of bamboo bending in the wind – strength in flexibility. It’s a visual poem about nature's quiet power. It makes you wonder about the artist, doesn’t it? Editor: It really does. I’ll definitely look at this differently now. Thanks for opening my eyes! Curator: My pleasure. Art is a conversation, after all!