8 x 18-1/4 in.
Martha Delzell Memorial Fund
Asian Art (Chinese and other Asian)
Absorbed in conversation as he saw off two friends who had come to visit him, the Buddhist monk Huiyuan inadvertently broke his vow to never cross over Tiger Ravine, at the boundary of the grounds of Donglin Temple. When the three realized Huiyuan’s vow of seclusion had been broken, they burst out in laughter.
The scene is an allegory referring to the unity of three religious doctrines: Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. The laughter signifies their realization—and thus their enlightenment—that narrow-minded adherence to one religion or philosophy is counter-productive to the attainment of true understanding.
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