In the deep shade of a bamboo grove

The Wu School was closely connected with Chinese landscape gardens, and this work reveals a picture of Wen's ideal garden. He has abandoned the garden banquet scene in favour of depicting the sophisticated outdoor activities favoured by the literati, but has strived for a sense of solace. Wen has depicted a scholar sitting alone in a solitary hut surrounded by a bamboo grove and enjoying his leisure time by playing the zither and appreciating the rocks and pine trees in his small world. The solitary mood of this small hanging scroll reflects the mindset of Suzhou's literati circle during the mid-Ming period.