Wang Ximeng | A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains

A Painting Analysis by Carisse Joan Duran Kho and Ianna Carmel Yu Quitayen

A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains is a 51.5 x 1,191.5 cm, ink and color on silk, landscape

scroll painting made by Wang Ximeng (王希孟) during the North Song Dynasty in the late 11th century to

early 12th century. This painting is currently displayed in the Palace Museum of Beijing, China and known
to be one of the greatest artworks of ancient China.
The painting belongs to the Japanese, Chinese and Indoan art period. Wang, the artist of the
painting, conveyed a serene and meditative artwork through a beautiful landscape painting of China. He
showed the marvellous mountains of China, its remarkable architecture, and humans living in harmony
and peace. In addition, the strokes of vivid colours of black, green, blue may have portrayed China’s
strength and power as a country. Its background is placed with a soft touch of gold which symbolizes
China’s wealth and royalty. In sum, Wang’s artwork glorifies China. Based on what the eyes can see, the
painting displays the beauty of China and its landscapes but in its historical context, Wang’s A Thousand
Li of Rivers and Mountains showcased the prosperous China before it came to fall under the arms of
emperor Huizong of Song.