This work features a poem inscription from Ink Bamboo Album by Wu Zhen, a Yuan dynasty painter. Wu Zhen, along with Zhao Mengfu, Huang Gongwang, and Wang Meng, is known as one of the "Four Masters of the Yuan Dynasty." The Yuan period placed great emphasis on brushwork and expressive charm, elevating the development of literati painting to new heights. This poem, composed by Wu Zhen, exhibits a rustic and sincere style, depicting wild bamboo growing lushly with an elegant balance of density and openness. It embodies resilience and unyielding integrity, thriving in adversity as it pierces through rocks and walls.
Throughout history, literati have expressed personal emotions symbolically through objects. PU Tzu, an admirer of wild bamboo, finds both delight and resonance in this poem. It is widely known that PU Tzu’s artistic creations are never mere imitations of antiquity. As an artist well-versed in the history of calligraphy and painting, his understanding of art stems from both knowledge and deep self-introspection, which equals his technical mastery. Because of this, PU Tzu’s works have earned him a reputation for "tracing the ancient and transcending the modern."
This piece takes wild bamboo as its subject, with PU Tzu cleverly integrating the text of the poem into the imagery. For instance, the vertical strokes of characters such as jing (荊) and pu (樸) are intentionally extended downward to create a "bamboo node" effect through controlled pauses and variations—an approach frequently used by painters depicting bamboo. This practice demonstrates PU Tzu’s profound understanding and application of traditional literati principles. His ability to navigate between calligraphic strokes and pictorial composition allows him to excel in contemporary cursive works. Additionally, he employs curved horizontal strokes to depict the movement of bamboo leaves swaying in the wind. Through the skillful use of various techniques, this work vividly captures the appearance of wild bamboo as described in the poem, along with its natural environment.
Titled Breeze Swaying, the imagery of wind runs throughout the piece. While constructing the impression of a bamboo grove, PU Tzu also evokes the sensation of wind weaving through the bamboo—at times rushing, at times settling. This resonates with the poem’s serene sentiment and effortlessly intertwines bamboo, wind, and poetry, reflecting PU Tzu’s profound appreciation for nature and his innovative interpretation of traditional culture.