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Untitled

Collection: Gray's School of Art Collection
Object Type: Drawing
Artist/Maker: Unknown Oriental artist
Date: Unknown
Media/Materials: Pen and ink
Dimensions: 39 x 26.5 cm
Classification: Drawing

Description:

A Japanese illustration featuring a woman bearing her back and a man brandishing a whip. Gestural linear drawing and wash.


During the time of Emperor Huan in the Eastern Han Dynasty, on July 7th of a certain year, the immortal king came to the home of a man named Cai Jing in Wu County, Jiangsu Province. Cai Jing's family had already prepared a sumptuous meal and food to welcome the advent of the gods. When the gods got up to drive, people heard the noise of people, horses, gongs and drums in the sky. Wang Yuan arrived, and saw this man of medium build, wearing a travel crown on his head, wearing a red robes, wearing a colorful gentleman's belt, and a sword on his back; riding on a feather cart, the car was dragged by the colorful flying dragon.
After Wang Yuan met with Cai Jing's family, he sent an envoy to invite the fairy Magu to a banquet. After the messenger conveyed Magu's meaning, not long after, there was a loud voice in the sky again, and Magu went down to earth. I saw that Magu was a pretty girl of seventeen or eighteen years old; she wore a bun on her head, and her remaining long hair fell to her waist, wearing a dazzling glamorous look. After the fairy and Wang Yuan exchanged greetings, each of them took out the food they brought, most of which were fruits and dried meat. Magu said: "Since I met you last time, I have seen Donghai turn into Sangtian three times. Not long ago, I went to Penglai again. The water in this place is half less than when the Fairy Conference was held in the past. I think it won't be long before it will become land!" Wang Yuan also sighed: "Ancient saints once said that dust would fly up in the sea." Magu was also the wife of the Cai family, and suddenly stopped Cai Jing's sister-in-law. She only gave birth to a child a few days ago. Magu asked her to take out some rice, and then sprinkled the rice on the ground. As a result, the rice turned into grains of cinnabar. Upon seeing this situation, Wang Yuan also mixed the one liter of wine he had brought from Heavenly Court with a bucket of water, and invited the Cai family to drink with it. When Cai Jing saw Magu's fingers like bird claws, he suddenly had a thought: using those claws to scratch his back and scratch it, it must be very comfortable. Unexpectedly, Wang Yuan had an insight into his thoughts and shouted loudly: "Ma Gu is a god, you actually want to scratch your back with her claws, bold!" After speaking, he tied up Cai Jing and beat him. Everyone witnessed Cai Jing being whipped, but they didn't see the tormentor. Wang Yuan said: "Ordinary people are not blessed to be flogged by me."
After the banquet was over, Wang Yuan and Magu ascended to heaven. At this time, the heavens uploaded the same fairy music as they did when they descended to the earth. Source Lixin Wang
Object Number: ABDRG638