I am glad to share with you another of my Chinese ink and colour brush paintings. It features the scene of a river and its riverbank after heavy snowfall. A thick layer of snow covers the reeds and the riverbank, shrubs, and branches of willow trees along the river. Even the canopy and deck of the fishing boat are covered with snow.
A fisherman in blue attire is seen holding a pole, looking for the best place to drop his fishing line. A moon is showing half its face, rising from behind a mountain. The cool moonlight shining upon the river and its surroundings make one feel even more desolate and deserted!
The inspiration for the painting came from the poem “Fisherman” by Sun Chengzong 孙承宗 (1563－1638) in the late Ming Dynasty of China. The following is the full text of the poem:
” My frozen hands holding a punting pole of the boat could not be warmed by blowing warm air from my mouth. The moon cast a cool light over the entire boat, and the flying snowflakes blurred my vision. “
Artists often do not realise the hardship fishermen have to endure and suffer. They love to portray them in pictures happily fishing on freezing rivers on a cold, snowy day.》
Many poets and painters often assume the life of a fisherman as a leisurely and comfortable one. This belief is reflected in their writings and paintings. Sun Chengzong, however, thinks otherwise. His poem on fisherman, therefore, reflects his feeling of hardship suffered after he resigned from his high-ranking official appointments.
呵冻提篙手未苏，
满船凉月雪模糊。
画家不识渔家苦，
好作寒江钓雪图。
Tan It Koon
Before retirement, Dr Tan It Koon was, among many appointments, Head of Clinical Biochemistry at SGH’s Dept of Pathology. He was the Deputy Chairman of the National Theatre Trust and Chairman for Grants and Scholarships of the Spore Cultural Foundation. He received the National Day Awards, PBM, and PPA, for his contribution to cultural and community development and excellence in Public Administration.
