Posthumous Posting
Please enjoy one of my large hanging scroll paintings, “A Classical Chinese Suzhou Garden in Golden Autumn.” The painting depicts the sentiments expressed in the poem of two verses (of five words each) written in the upper-right corner of the painting in running calligraphic script: 银杏披 “(Ginkgo biloba trees are covered with golden leaves.) 霜林隐画楼” (Frost-covered Maple trees hide the highly decorated buildings.)
The poem may be interpreted as follows: In autumn, the green leaves of the ginkgo trees have turned into a dazzling gold colour. Maple trees (in varying shades of red, orange, and brown) covered with frost earlier in the morning shield the ornately decorated pavilions from their full view.
Many large rocks (with big and small holes) in varying shapes and sizes are placed at strategic parts of the garden in the classical Chinese style in Suzhou. They are indispensable for creating the impression of a 3-D mini-version of a magnificent landscape of high rocky mountains. The rocks are piled up to simulate the high mountains in classical Chinese landscape paintings by great masters. Rocks selected for their uniqueness and value in enhancing the garden’s beauty are obtained from the bottom of the Taihu Lake in Jiangsu Province.
Several one and 2-storey, highly decorated buildings, pavilions and interconnecting picturesque long corridors can be seen scattered in the spacious grounds of the garden. Low, undulating walls with full-moon-shaped gateways separate different parts of the garden. A man in a red shirt and blue pants stands at the moon gate. An arched stone bridge is seen connecting two parts of the garden within a large pond in the garden. Some visitors are featured in the long corridor, pavilion, and stone bridge. Two groups of bamboo plants and a pebble walkway are prominently featured in front of the low wall at the front portion of the painting.
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.
