Chapter 5
独妙
Unique Excellence
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of 659
Page 338

English Translation

Gu Jingzhou's creation, the "Swan Ashtray," is delicate and elegant. On the round bowl-shaped body, wings extend outward on both sides, their curves naturally rising upward, as if flapping and splashing water. The short, rounded tail feathers naturally rise along the ends of the wings, dignified and graceful. The head and neck echo the tail feathers, forming an inverted S-shape. The large, flat beak presses close to the chest, as if gently preening feathers by the water's edge. The entire work flows smoothly and gracefully. Using the most concise approach and employing a block-surface structure, it is rich in rhythm and three-dimensionality, vividly expressing the form of a swan. When this vessel is placed upon a desk or table, it is both practical and pleasing to the eye, "washing away the dust and grime of the mundane world, clearing the mind and delighting the spirit." --- > Another swan ashtray > > Illustrated in the album