{"product_id":"zk-tczk4527","title":"Zhong Kui | Portrait of Great Virtue | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Figure Painting | 101x50cm","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eZhong Kui | Portrait of Great Virtue | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Figure Painting | 101x50cm\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn ink, Zhong Kui stands upright sword in hand, face solemn and dignified, long beard falling to his chest, robe folds measured, the ink tones deep, warm and unaggressive. He commands awe without anger, his bearing grave, as though portraying a person of lofty virtue; the words \"portrait of great virtue\" and this upright, magnanimous figure are inner and outer of one another.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Portrait of Great Virtue\" depicts not an awe-striking god but the very face of virtue. The ancients held that one of abundant virtue has a peaceful heart: the highest worthiness lies not in harsh looks but in the depth of character. Through Zhong Kui the artist paints great virtue—a person broad of heart and upright in conduct carries a wordless dignity that settles and inspires respect. What truly persuades others is never authority but virtue itself. Painted in the spare freehand (xieyi) manner, the work uses bold, economical strokes in which ink and cinnabar range from dense to pale, bringing Zhong Kui to life in just a few assured marks. The figure is delightfully exaggerated yet disciplined, weaving a contemporary, good-humored spirit into the folk tradition of the demon-quelling, blessing-bringing deity—at once solemn and playful. In Chinese folklore the cinnabar-red Zhong Kui guards the home and wards off evil; the artist revitalizes this age-old theme in freehand spirit. Each piece is an original, non-reproducible hand-painted work.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSize: approx. 101×50cm (4.5 square chi) | Traditional hand-painted Chinese ink figure painting | On paper\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Treascol Collection","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47472901488828,"sku":"TCzk4527","price":6900.0,"currency_code":"CNY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/6291\/0652\/files\/69f4dcd8c1e95f376c6a48dda81f4714.jpg?v=1789295039","url":"https:\/\/treascol.com\/en-au\/products\/zk-tczk4527","provider":"Treasure Collection","version":"1.0","type":"link"}