Painting: 43.8cm x 67cm ≈ 17¼" x 26¼"
Silk Scroll: 53cm x 129cm ≈ 20¾" x 50¾"
Width at Wooden Knobs: 62cm ≈ 24½"Information about caring for your new Wall Scroll
Close up view of the warrior artwork mounted to this silk brocade wall scroll
This is one of the more famous of all Chinese Deities.
Some give him titles like "Vanquisher of Demons", "King of the Ghosts of Hell" or simply "Ghost Warrior". Images of Zhong Kui were traditionally painted on the courtyard gates of homes. Though this practice has faded in history with the advent of the urban apartment. Still, you will see paintings of this mythical character in people's homes as a guardian spirit.
According to the myth, Zhong Kui travelled with his close friend, Du Ping to take imperial examinations at the capital. Zhong Kui achieved top honors in the exams, but was stopped from taking the title earned after the emperor saw how truly ugly Zhong Kui was. In protest, Zhong Kui committed suicide upon the palace steps by crushing his own skull against the palace gate.
Zhong Kui's close friend, Du Ping personally buried him. After Zhong Kui became king of ghosts, he returned from hell to the living earth on Chinese New Year's Eve. To repay Du Ping's kindness and friendship, Zhong Kui gave his sister in marriage to Du Ping.
Later, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, (the sixth emperor of the Tang Dynasty 712 to 756 AD), the Emperor fell ill. He had a dream in which he saw an evil ghost. The ghost was stealing from the emperor (symbolically stealing his soul). A powerful ghost suddenly appeared and smited the evil ghost, then introduced himself as Zhong Kui. He said that he had sworn to rid the empire of evil.
From this episode in Chinese mythology / history, Zhong Kui became a famous figure of protection from evil.
This is a very detailed painting that is mounted to a silk wall scroll. A lot of work went into this. It actually takes the artist almost a full day to complete.
You won't be disappointed if you become the owner of this work of art. I guarantee it personally or your money back.
The artist's name is Jing Bin. He was born in Guanxi Province (southern China). His specialty is paintings of mythological and historical figures of ancient China.
This item was listed or modified
Jan 13th, 2012
Gary's random little things about China:
Everyone is going to hate me for this, but here is the truth:
Some people who currently prefer to call themselves "Asian-Americans" woke up one morning and decided that "Oriental" is now a word to be used only for Oriental rugs, Oriental art and lamps, or any other inanimate object from Eastern Asia.
When I was teaching English in China, many of my students would refer to themselves as "Oriental", and I would correct them and say, It's better to say that you are Asian or Chinese rather than Oriental, but I was at a loss as to explain why.
My Chinese students were very smart, and came back at me with the fact that being from Asia was too broad a term, and asked if Persians and Saudi Arabians should also refer to themselves as "Asian".
I then had to make excuses for my geographically-challenged fellow Americans* who had long ago replaced the correct term of "Oriental" (meaning the bio-geographic region including southern Asia and the Malay Archipelago as far as the Philippines, Borneo and Java), and replaced it with "Asian" which in truth encompasses half the world's population - many of whom do not consider themselves to be of the same race as those from the Orient.
(For those Americans reading this and who've slept through their high school geography class: It's true, the whole Middle East, and half of Russia are located in the Asian continent)
But I admit I am not helping the problem. You see, almost half the people that find our website did so while searching for "Asian art" and I have done a lot to promote our business as "Purveyors of Asian art". So you can blame me too.
To truly be an Asian art gallery, we would have to offer artwork from beyond the Orient, from places like India, Persia (Iran), most Arab nations, and Russia.
There are a lot of things that present problems in the English language.
Usually these problems are thanks to mistakes of the past.
That's why we have to say, "He's an Indian from India" versus "He's a Native-American Indian" (Thanks to Mr. Columbus).
Things to learn:
Do not refer to a Persian (Iranian) as Arab.
If you refer to an Arab-American as being Asian, they will look at you funny and possibly be offended.
If you refer to a person from India as Asian, you will mildly amuse them.
If you refer to a Russian as being Asian, they will pour borsch on you (my ex-wife is Russian, so I know this to be true from experience).
Using "Asian" to refer to a person from Singapore is okay, but they will later, as if by accident, mention that they are in fact from the most civilized country in Asia.
*We citizens of the USA call ourselves "Americans" which seems a bit arrogant to our neighbors who reside on the continents of North and South America. Keep in mind, Canadians and Mexicans are also from North America, but refer to themselves in more correct geographic terms.
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