The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove (also known as the Seven Worthies of the Bamboo Grove, ) were a group of Chinese scholars, writers, and musicians of the third century CE. Although the various individuals all existed, their interconnection is not entirely certain. Several of the seven were linked with the
Qingtan
''Qingtan'' () was a Chinese philosophical movement and social practice among political and intellectual elites which developed during the Wei- Jin () period and continued on through the Southern and Northern dynasties. Originating among Daoist sc ...
school of
Daoism
Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the ''Tao'' ...
as it existed in the
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
: *''ŋjweiC'' < Jin dynasty of the Sima clan came to power. Among other things, some of the seven wrote poems criticizing the court and the administration, and wrote Daoist-influenced literature. Not all seven sages had similar views. Some of the seven tried to negotiate their way through the difficult political positions by self-consciously adopting the roles of alcohol-fueled pranksters and eccentrics avoiding government control (for example, Liu Ling), yet some ended up joining the Jin dynasty (for example Wang Rong). However much they may or may not have been personally engaged in "witty conversation or debates" (''
qingtan
''Qingtan'' () was a Chinese philosophical movement and social practice among political and intellectual elites which developed during the Wei- Jin () period and continued on through the Southern and Northern dynasties. Originating among Daoist sc ...
Ji Kang
Ji Kang (, 223–262), sometimes referred to as Xi Kang, courtesy name Shuye (, "shu" means the 3rd son of the family, "ye" means night), was a Chinese writer, poet, Taoist philosopher, musician and alchemist of the Three Kingdoms period. He w ...
Ruan Xian
Ruan Xian (fl. 3rd century), courtesy name Zhongrong, was a Chinese scholar who lived in the Six Dynasties period. One of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, he was a skilled player of the Chinese lute, an old version of pipa which has been ca ...
(阮咸),
Xiang Xiu
Xiang Xiu () is one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove.
His most famous contribution is a commentary on the Zhuangzi, which was later used and amended by Guo Xiang. After his friend Xi Kang was killed by the ruling Jin dynasty, Xiang carefu ...
(向秀), Wang Rong (王戎) and Shan Tao (山涛). Ji Kang was especially close to Ruan Ji; their relationship was described as "stronger than
metal
A metal (from ancient Greek, Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, e ...
and fragrant as
orchids
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant.
Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...
". The wife of Shan Tao was said to be impressed by Ruan Ji and Ji Kang's prowess when she spied on them during
sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse (or coitus or copulation) is a sexual activity typically involving the insertion and thrusting of the penis into the vagina for sexual pleasure or reproduction.Sexual intercourse most commonly means penile–vaginal pene ...
.Hinsh, Bret. (1990). ''Passions of the Cut Sleeve''. University of California Press. pp. 68- 69
As it is traditionally depicted, the group wished to escape the intrigues, corruption and stifling atmosphere of court life during the politically fraught
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms () from 220 to 280 AD was the tripartite division of China among the dynastic states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. The Three Kingdoms period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and was followed by the West ...
period of Chinese history. They gathered in a
bamboo
Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, ...
grove near the house of Ji Kang in Shanyang (now in
Henan
Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is a ...
province) where they enjoyed, and praised in their works, the simple, rustic life. This was contrasted with the politics of court. The Seven Sages stressed the enjoyment of
alcoholic beverages
An alcoholic beverage (also called an alcoholic drink, adult beverage, or a drink) is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of alcohol that acts as a drug and is produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar. The cons ...
,
cold-food powder
Cold-Food Powder () or Five Minerals Powder () was a poisonous psychoactive drug popular during the Six Dynasties (220–589) and Tang dynasty (618–907) periods of China.
Terminology
Both Chinese names ''hanshisan'' and ''wushisan'' have the su ...
personal freedom, spontaneity and a celebration of nature.
It would be Ji Kang's refusal to work for the new regime which would eventually lead to his
execution
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that ...
. The group's rural life became a common theme for art, and they inspired other artists who wished to retreat during times of political upheavals.
Another person associated with the Seven Sages is
Rong Qiqi
Róng Qǐqī () is a mythological Chinese folk hero. He is depicted as a recluse, who shuns material possessions in favour of an ascetic life. Rong was known in Ancient China for a fable involving an alleged encounter with the philosopher Confuci ...
(榮啟期), who in fact lived quite earlier. This association is depicted in some apocryphal art from the fourth century CE, in a tomb near
Nanjing
Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), Postal Map Romanization, alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu Provinces of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and t ...
.
The Seven Sages, or the symbol that they became, have been remarked to be influential in Chinese poetry, music, art, and overall culture.
Gallery
The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove have inspired not only generations of poets, but also painters and other artists.
File:SevenWorthies.JPG, The seven worthies of the bamboo grove (Cao Wei-Jin dynasties).
File:Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove.jpg, Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove (with the addition of an anachronistic or immortal
Rong Qiqi
Róng Qǐqī () is a mythological Chinese folk hero. He is depicted as a recluse, who shuns material possessions in favour of an ascetic life. Rong was known in Ancient China for a fable involving an alleged encounter with the philosopher Confuci ...
). From rubbing of
Eastern Jin
Eastern may refer to:
Transportation
*China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai
*Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways
*Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991
*Eastern Air Li ...
molded tomb bricks.
File:Shan Tao and Wang Rong.jpg, Details of the molded-brick relief "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove and Rong Qiqi", found from an Eastern Jin or Southern dynasties tomb near Nanjing, which depicts Shan Tao (left) and Wang Rong (right).
File:Rong Qiqi and Ruan Xian.JPG, Details of the molded-brick relief "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove and Rong Qiqi", found from an Eastern Jin or Southern dynasties tomb near Nanjing, which depicts Rong Qiqi (left) and Ruan Xian (right).
File:WLA vanda The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove.jpg, The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove embroidered on dark blue satin woven silk, 1860–1880.
File:Sevensaintsinthebamboowood.jpg, "The Seven Saints in the Bamboo Wood" painted inside the
Long Corridor
The Long Corridor () is a covered walkway in the Summer Palace in Beijing, China. First erected in the middle of the 18th century, it is famous for its length in conjunction with its rich painted decoration (more than 14,000 paintings).
History ...
on the grounds of the Summer Palace in Beijing, China.
File:7 sages of the bamboo grove wittig collection painting 16.jpg, The ''Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove'' (with a boy attendant), in a Kano school Japanese painting of the Edo period
See also
*
Seven Scholars of Jian'an
Seven scholars of Jian'an (), also translated as the "seven philosophers of Jian'an", or the "seven masters of Jian'an", were a group of seven Chinese intellectuals of the Eastern Han dynasty. The name was coined by Cao Pi. "Jian'an" refers to the ...
*
Six Dynasties poetry
Six Dynasties poetry refers to those types or styles of poetry particularly associated with the Six Dynasties era of China (220 CE – 589 CE). This poetry reflects one of the poetry world's more important flowerings, as well as being a u ...
References
Further reading
*
*
*''A New Chinese Tomb Discovery: The Earliest Representation of a Famous Literary Theme'' in
Artibus Asiae
''Artibus Asiae'' is a biannual academic journal specialising in the arts and archaeology of Asia. Along with the '' Ostasiatische Zeitschrift'' (founded in 1912) it was one of the most successful journals in its field in the German-speaking part o ...
, 1961 -
Alexander Coburn Soper
Alexander Coburn Soper III (February 18, 1904 – January 13, 1993) was an American art historian who specialized in Asian art. He was a longtime editor of the journal '' Artibus Asiae'' and professor at the Institute of Fine Arts of New York Un ...