{"product_id":"zouyu-cry-the-deer-135cm-silk-wool-fir-fawn","title":"Zouyu, Cry the Deer, 135cm silk\/wool, Fir\/Fawn","description":"\u003cp\u003eMeasuring 135cm sq (appr. 53\"sq), 70% wool, 30% silk with fringed edges, dry clean only.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eZouyu, Cry the Deer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLaying beneath the silvered peach tree, the velvet fur of the fawn blends with the downy fallen fruits.\u003cbr\u003eFrom the silence of the forest, a white tiger softly paces, glassy eyes shining.\u003cbr\u003eIts gaze rests far into the distance toward the river crossing as it takes a bite of the succulent fruit, savouring the immortal nectar.\u003cbr\u003eA ritual jade tiger faces west; a paradise flycatcher looks on. Could this be the mystical, herbivorous zouyu, licking its lips?\u003cbr\u003eThe deer’s melodious cry is clear and sweet in the morning mist.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eZouyu, Cry The Deer\u003c\/em\u003e takes its inspiration from the zouyu—a mythical white, tiger-like creature who is, somewhat unexpectedly, gentle, virtuous and vegetarian. Legend says the zouyu appears only during the reign of a wise and benevolent ruler, making a sighting a very good omen indeed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut Sabina leaves a little room for doubt. Here, the zouyu casually snacks on the rare Peaches of Immortality while a quiet little fawn nearly disappears among the fallen fruit. Is our protagonist truly the benevolent, herbivorous zouyu—or a rather more dangerous white tiger? That part is left up to you.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs always with Sabina, nearly every detail means something: an empty porcelain vase represents peace, a tiny jade tiger faces west, and knots and bows quite literally tie the design’s many symbols together. Red cinnabar seals balance the composition while identifying the artist and provenance, and Sabina Savage’s name appears in traditional calligraphy-style brushwork. The title itself is a nod to the ancient poem \u003cem\u003eYu, Yu, Cry The Deer\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCultural Context for This Collection\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Song Dynasty (960–1127) was a remarkable period of cultural and creative transformation in China. Its government placed extraordinary value on the arts, and the painting, poetry and calligraphy that flourished under its patronage would help shape Chinese culture for centuries to come—\u003cstrong\u003ea compelling reminder of what can happen when creativity is treated as something worth preserving and cultivating\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt was during this period that the literati artist emerged: scholars who practiced the “Three Perfections” of painting, calligraphy and poetry, often bringing all three together in a single work. Art became not simply a means of recording the world accurately, but a way to interpret it—more personal, lyrical and philosophical.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnimal painting flourished alongside this new way of thinking. The vast imperial art catalogue commissioned by Emperor Huizong divided these works into three categories: \u003cstrong\u003ewild and domestic animals, flowers and birds, and dragons and fish.\u003c\/strong\u003e The most admired possessed \u003cem\u003eqiyun shengdong\u003c\/em\u003e—roughly, “spirit resonance” or a sense of life and vitality. The goal was not merely to capture an animal’s appearance, but something of its essential character and its place within the natural world.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnimals, then, were never chosen simply because they were beautiful. They carried meaning. And in the hands of Song artists, nature became a language all its own.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sabina Savage","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50575968698543,"sku":"133851","price":600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0316\/9838\/7003\/files\/ec6fbfdd33.jpg?v=1791211703","url":"https:\/\/shopteaandoranges.com\/products\/zouyu-cry-the-deer-135cm-silk-wool-fir-fawn","provider":"teaandoranges","version":"1.0","type":"link"}