{"product_id":"high-mountains-flowing-water-yu-boya-and-zhong-ziqi-okura-ryuzan","title":"High Mountains, Flowing Water: Yu Boya and Zhong Ziqi - Okura Ryūzan","description":"\u003cp\u003eA traditional Bunjinga hanging scroll depicting the legendary friendship between the musician Yu Boya and his listener, Zhong Ziqi.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis hanging scroll depicts the classic Chinese narrative of Yu Boya and Zhong Ziqi, a story concerning the nature of friendship and musical appreciation. Yu Boya, a master of the qin, plays for his friend Zhong Ziqi, who possesses the unique ability to understand the intent behind the music. When Boya thinks of high mountains, Ziqi perceives them in the melody; when he thinks of flowing water, Ziqi identifies the theme. This theme of mutual understanding is a recurring subject in East Asian literati painting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOkura Ryūzan, a Japanese artist active during the late Edo and early Meiji periods, employs the conventions of the Bunjinga tradition. The composition is vertically oriented, typical of hanging scrolls, with the figures situated in the lower foreground. They are surrounded by a natural environment of pine trees, rocky outcrops, and a distant waterfall. The artist uses a palette of soft greens, ochres, and muted ink tones to create a sense of harmony between the scholars and their surroundings. The brushwork is controlled, reflecting the scholarly ideal of amateur, expressive painting rather than professional technical display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRyūzan was known for his adherence to these traditional Chinese-influenced styles, which were popular among the Japanese intellectual class. The work demonstrates a careful balance between the human subjects and the natural world, a hallmark of the genre. The figures are rendered with fine lines, while the mountains and foliage are built up with layered washes. This piece serves as a visual representation of the idealised life of the scholar-official, removed from the pressures of society and engaged in the pursuit of art and philosophy. The scroll format itself dictates the viewing experience, encouraging a slow, meditative engagement with the narrative as the eye travels from the bottom to the top of the silk surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/mount-utsu-tawaraya-sotatsu\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eMount Utsu - Tawaraya Sōtatsu — Tawaraya Sōtatsu\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/peaks-of-mount-huang-mei-qing\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003ePeaks of Mount Huang - Mei Qing — Mei Qing\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Okura Ryūzan","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58910060413263,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58910082040143,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58910082072911,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58910082105679,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58910082138447,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58910082171215,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58910082203983,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58910082236751,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58910082269519,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58910082302287,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58910082335055,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58910082367823,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/High-Mountains-Flowing-Water_-Yu-Boya-and-Zhong-Ziqi_Poster_CompositorV1_1790626566395.jpg?v=1790628068","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/high-mountains-flowing-water-yu-boya-and-zhong-ziqi-okura-ryuzan","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}