博
Artist: Zhao Puchu
Date: Modern
Material: Ink on paper
In Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan, stands a stone monument engraved with a vernacular poem composed by the young Zhou Enlai during his stay in Japan. Titled Arashiyama in the Rain, the poem was handwritten by Liao Chengzhi. 'Drizzles, thick mist, and a beam of sunlight piercing through the clouds, all (made the mountain) even prettier.' This depiction of rainy Arashiyama conveys Zhou Enlai's early pursuit of truth in saving China from darkness. The monument was unveiled by Mm. Deng Yingchao on 16 April 1979. She was accompanied by Mr. Zhao Puchu, who improvised this qilü (a regulated poem consisting of eight lines of seven characters each) on site. In this poem, Zhao portrays misty Arashiyama and praises the Premier's early patriotic endeavors. He also expresses his hope that the poetry monument will stand in Arashiyama forever, and that the two neighbouring brothers will always be close. This scroll is a copy of a calligraphic work that Zhao created for a friend in the summer of 1979, which he kept for himself. It features extensive use of fleshy brushstrokes in a flowing style and well-arranged characters and spaces. Zhao created it at the age of seventy-three.
