Richard Weihe

These exquisite brief chapters have used the ink of words to describe the sea of ink that was the life of the Chinese painter Bada Shanren. They are delicate brush strokes that convey the movement of a life that became one with art. It is a poetic reflection of the minimalist beauty of the art of a painter who was "committed to capturing the essence of nature with a single brushstroke."

Lovely philosophical possible story of an enigmatic figure. What is the difference between this type of writing and historical fiction? Genuinely curious, because I love this and never like the other.

Fictionalized life of a famous Chinese painter Bada Sharen. A lovely, quiet book about art and life.

A mix of fact and fiction tells the life of a Chinese nobleman who becomes a monk and painter upon the overthrow of his family's dynasty. A you might expect from a book on ink drawings, the writing matches by being sparse and understated, with the reader left to extrapolate the unsaid.

Peirene Press is the best possible home for this English translation, with their high production standards this time including pictures of the artwork in the story of the book. As I write this, the 2013 Peirene show more titles have recently been announced, and I can't wait until December to read the next. http://www.peirenepress.com/newsletter/2012/october show less