Fan Jin is awoken by Butcher Hu slapping him
The Scholars, written by Qing dynasty novelist Wu Jingzi (1701-1754), contains a series of short satirical stories about intellectuals struggling with the imperial civil service examination, the only way to a worldly success.
Fan Jin’s story is particularly well known as it is featured in school textbooks. The scholar had spent almost all of his life studying for the civil service exam without success. A poor old man, he was therefore despised by his father-in-law Butcher Hu. Fan eventually passes the provincial exam, which completely changes his status, securing his place as an official in the upper rank. Overexcited upon hearing this news, Fan suddenly starts acting strangely. In this painting, Fan (upper middle) is awoken by a slap on his face from Butcher Hu (lower right), who regrets that he just slapped ‘the God of Literature descending to the world’.
Details
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Title
Fan Jin is awoken by Butcher Hu slapping him
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Artist/maker
Zhang Youxian (born 1954)after Wu Jingzi (1701 - 1754) (author) -
Associated place
Nanjing (place of creation) -
Date
1954 - 2007 -
Material and technique
ink and colour on paper
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Material index
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Technique index
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Object type
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Dimensions
20.3 x 14.5 cm (height x width) -
No. of items
n/a
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Credit line
Presented in honour of the 75th birthday of Angelita Trinidad Reyes, 2007.
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Museum location
refer to main record
Museum department
Eastern Art
Accession no.
EA2007.218.h
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