莲蓬水丞

English working translation

Gu Jingzhou's Lotus Water Vessel

Gu Jingzhou had exceptionally rich experience in cultivating and growing lotus flowers, and his flowers were famously beautiful throughout the region.

In 1952, Gu Jingzhou was recuperating at home from tuberculosis and quitting smoking. He devoted himself to growing flowers and raising fish, finding solace in the world of flowers, birds, fish, and insects. It was during this period that he created the "Lotus Water Vessel."

The "Water Vessel" takes the form of a temple lotus, vividly lifelike with remarkably authentic textures. It stands as a representative masterpiece among Gu Jingzhou's floral works.

Throughout his life, Gu Jingzhou maintained noble integrity and was especially fond of the lotus. In creating the "Lotus Water Vessel," he perhaps likened himself to the lotus heart, hidden within the lotus seedpod—a metaphor for his humble and low-key approach to life. Or perhaps he sought to maintain his moral purity, aspiring to be like the lotus flower that emerges unstained from the mud.