-by Wei Xueyi (Ming Dynasty)
In the Ming dynasty, there was a remarkably skilled craftsman named Wang Shuyuan, who could carve palaces, vessels, human figures, birds, beasts, trees, and rocks – all from a piece of wood no larger than an inch in diameter. He shaped each object according to the natural form of the material, capturing not only likeness but also vivid expression and character.
He once gave me a walnut boat he had carved, depicting the great Su Shi (Su Dongpo) cruising on the Red Cliff.
The boat is slightly over eight-tenths of an inch long and about two grains of millet high. The central part is an open cabin, covered with a bamboo-leaf awning. On each side are four small windows – eight in total. When opened, intricately carved railings face each other. When closed, the right side bears the inscription:”The mountains rise high, the moon appears small; the water recedes, stones emerge,” and the left:”A gentle breeze blows; ripples do not stir the water.” These lines are inlaid with azurite pigment.
Seated at the bow are three figures. In the center, wearing a tall hat and sporting a full beard, is Su Dongpo. To his right sits the monk Foyin; to his left, Huang Tingjian (styled Luzhi). Su and Huang are reading a handscroll together. Su holds the right end of the scroll with his right hand and rests his left on Huang’s back. Huang grasps the left end with his left hand and points to the scroll with his right, as if speaking. Su shows his right foot; Huang shows his left – both bodies slightly turned so their knees nearly touch, though hidden beneath the folds of their robes under the scroll.
Foyin resembles the Bodhisattva Maitreya: bare-chested, head raised, gazing upward with an expression utterly distinct from the scholarly calm of Su and Huang. His right knee is bent and resting on the boat; his right arm supports his body while his left knee stands upright. A rosary hangs from his left arm – each bead clearly countable.
At the stern lies an oar horizontally across the boat. On either side sit two boatmen. The one on the right has his hair coiled in a bun, face upturned, left hand leaning on a crossbeam, right hand grasping his right toe – as if whistling or calling out. The one on the left holds a palm-leaf fan in his right hand and rests his left on a stove, atop which sits a teapot. His gaze is fixed, his expression serene – as if listening for the sound of boiling tea.
On the slightly flattened underside of the hull is an inscription: “Carved by Wang Yi, styled Shuyuan of Yushan, on an autumn day in the Renxu year of the Tianqi reign.”
The characters are as fine as mosquito legs, yet every stroke is sharp and legible, ink-black in color. Beside it is a seal in red cinnabar, bearing the seal-script characters:”Chuping Shanren” (Chinese characters, translates to “Mountain Man of Chuping”).
In total, the boat contains:
- five human figures
- eight windows
- one bamboo awning, one oar, one stove, one teapot, one handscroll, and one rosary
- a pair of poetic couplets, an inscription, and a seal script – thirty-four Chinese characters altogether
And yet, the entire vessel measures less than one inch in length – carved from a slender, narrow peach pit.
Ah! What astonishing, almost supernatural craftsmanship!
Note
Wei Xueyi (c. 1566–1624) was a scholar and writer of the late Ming Dynasty, best known for his exquisitely detailed prose piece “Record of a Walnut Boat.” Though not among the most famous literary figures of his time, his vivid description of a miniature carved peach pit immortalized both the artisan Wang Shuyuan and the cultural legacy of Song Dynasty literati.
Su Shi (1037–1101), also known by his courtesy name Dongpo, was one of China’s greatest poets, essayists, and statesmen of the Song Dynasty. He was also very famous for his calligraphy, see one of his most well-known works – The Cold Food Poem Scroll. Celebrated for his wit, philosophical depth, and resilience through political exile, he is central to Chinese literary culture. He was also a statesman who experienced political ups and downs. The walnut boat depicts him on a legendary boating trip at the Red Cliff – a moment symbolizing poetic friendship and reflective joy.
Foyin (1032–1098) was a real-life Buddhist monk and close friend of Su Shi. Known for his wisdom, humor, and spirited philosophical debates with Su Dongpo – often blending Chan (Zen) Buddhism with Confucian and Daoist ideas – Foyin represents spiritual insight and unorthodox freedom in contrast to scholarly restraint. Foyin was was a close friend of Su Shi, and their interactions are filled with witty anecdotes, reflecting their deep friendship and wisdom, see One puff of wind vs. Eight.
Huang Tingjian (1045–1105), styled Luzhi, was a leading poet, calligrapher (see his calligraphy work – Pavilion of Pine Breeze), and one of the disciples of Su Shi. He was one of the “Four Scholars of the Su School,” closely associated with Su Shi. His poetry is known for its unique style, and he excelled in cursive script calligraphy. Alongside Su Shi, he was a pillar of the Northern Song literary renaissance. In the carving, he sits beside Su Dongpo, sharing a handscroll—a testament to their deep intellectual companionship.
《核舟记》明·魏学洢
明有奇巧人曰王叔远，能以径寸之木，为宫室、器皿、人物，以至鸟兽、木石，罔不因势象形，各具情态。尝贻余核舟一，盖大苏泛赤壁云。
舟首尾长约八分有奇，高可二黍许。中轩敞者为舱，箬篷覆之。旁开小窗，左右各四，共八扇。启窗而观，雕栏相望焉。闭之，则右刻“山高月小，水落石出”，左刻“清风徐来，水波不兴”，石青糁之。
船头坐三人，中峨冠而多髯者为东坡，佛印居右，鲁直居左。苏、黄共阅一手卷。东坡右手执卷端，左手抚鲁直背。鲁直左手执卷末，右手指卷，如有所语。东坡现右足，鲁直现左足，各微侧，其两膝相比者，各隐卷底衣褶中。佛印绝类弥勒，袒胸露乳，矫首昂视，神情与苏、黄不属。卧右膝，诎右臂支船，而竖其左膝，左臂挂念珠倚之——珠可历历数也。
舟尾横卧一楫。楫左右舟子各一人。居右者椎髻仰面，左手倚一衡木，右手攀右趾，若啸呼状。居左者右手执蒲葵扇，左手抚炉，炉上有壶，其人视端容寂，若听茶声然。
其船背稍夷，则题名其上，文曰“天启壬戌秋日，虞山王毅叔远甫刻”，细若蚊足，钩画了了，其色墨。又用篆章一，文曰“初平山人”，其色丹。
通计一舟，为人五；为窗八；为箬篷，为楫，为炉，为壶，为手卷，为念珠各一；对联、题名并篆文，为字共三十有四；而计其长曾不盈寸。盖简桃核修狭者为之。嘻，技亦灵怪矣哉！
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