The Bamboo Slope 竹坡圖 Possibly 1644 - 1912

Wang Hui painted The Bamboo Slope with ink on paper in China during the Qing Dynasty. The image presents a scholar’s retreat nestled within a landscape dominated by bamboo. Wang belonged to a group of literati painters who sought to revive the styles and ideals of earlier dynasties. This return to the past was no simple matter of taste. During the Qing Dynasty, the ruling class was made up of Manchus, an ethnic minority from the North. By consciously emulating the art of earlier dynasties populated by Han Chinese, Wang subtly asserted the cultural authority of the Han people. The bamboo itself is significant: its ability to bend without breaking makes it a symbol of resilience. To understand this painting more fully, we can turn to historical sources that reveal the complex dynamics of identity and power in Qing China. In doing so, we appreciate how artistic choices can reflect and even resist the social order.