Zhai Xiang@ZhaiXiang5
The "Five Oxen" is a masterpiece by Han Huang (韩滉), the Chancellor from the mid-Tang Dynasty (618-907) and is the oldest surviving paper-based paintings in China. The painting features five oxen side by side, each displaying a unique posture: one lowers its head in contemplation, another comfortably scratches against thorns (upper left), a third coyly turns its head with a flick of its tongue, while another stands proudly with its head held high, exuding an air of grandeur (upper right). The ox on the far left is even more distinctively shaped. A close examination of its eyes seems to reveal an undeniable sense of discontent (lower left). Some interpreters believe that this ox reflects the artist's own yearning for retiring to a pastoral life. Anyhow, the Five mirrors the philosophy of the traditional agrarian thought in China.
Throughout the ages, "Five Oxen" has been collected by famous and cultivated individuals: treasured by Emperor Huizong of the Northern Song dynasty (宋徽宗), it remained prized by Emperor Gaozong (宋高宗) after Huizong was unfortunately captured by nomadic tribes from the north (1127); during Mongolian reign in the Yuan dynasty, cultural giants such as Zhao Mengfu (赵孟頫), the Crown Prince, and in the Ming dynasty, the renowned collector Xiang Yuanbian (项元汴, I would say he's China's Warren Buffett during the 16th century and almost all the best paintings and calligraphy in Beijing and Taipei's Palace Museums came from his collections) . By the Qing dynasty, it was presented to Emperor Qianlong by a governor. Qianlong held it in high esteem, placing it within the Forbidden City and Zhongnanhai (中南海), admiring it frequently and never tiring of affixing his imperial seals and inscriptions there.
However, during the war caused by the Eight-Nation Alliance in 1900, the whereabouts of "Five Oxen" became unknown...All we know is German troops, stationing Zhongnanhai as their headquarters, took it away. Until the 1950s, when a Hong Kong businessman sold it due to financial needs, the Chinese government resolutely purchased it for 60,000 Hong Kong dollars, bringing it back to the Palace Museum. This amount was roughly equivalent to 300 months' income for a middle-class member in Hong Kong at the time, or a dozen thousand kilograms of meat.
Despite being recovered, this unparalleled painting was severely damaged, with numerous holes(lower right). In January 1977, a restoration expert from the Palace Museum set out to restore its former glory. After meticulous searching and careful repair work, and eight months of relentless effort, "Five Oxen" was finally rejuvenated to its original vitality.
Today, the "Five Oxen" is well-known throughout China. It has been reproduced in calendars, ornaments, and other forms, appearing on many walls and desks of Chinese families and offices. Its loss, recovery, and restoration reflects resilience of a nation in holding onto its cultural identity and heritage.
