Three Laughing Friends

By the tenth century, Tao Yuanming emerged in literary and artistic references as one of three men celebrated for their reclusive natures and buoyant spirits. Joining Tao were Lu Xiujing (406–477), a Daoist monk based in Jiankang (Nanjing), and Hui Yuan (334–416), a Buddhist monk from a temple in Mt. Lu in southeastern China. For many years Hui had never ventured beyond Tiger Stream—the other side of which was the haunt of tigers—even when walking with his two friends. One day the three, immersed in conversation, unintentionally crossed the stream and heard tigers roaring in warning. Laughing by the water, the three departed. They became known as “the three laughing men.”

In this painting by Gao Qipei, Hui, flanked by Tao and Lu, stand on a hill in front of the gushing waterfall just after crossing a bridge. Tao’s long hair, covered with a winged hat, identifies him as a mountain man in seclusion.