ZOUYU, CRY THE DEER
Laying beneath the silvered peach tree,
the velvet fur of the fawn blends with the downy fallen fruits.
From the silence of the forest, a white tiger softly paces, glassy eyes shining.
Its gaze rests far into the distance toward the river crossing
as it takes a bite of the succulent fruit, savouring the immortal nectar.
A ritual jade tiger faces west;
a paradise flycatcher looks on.
Could this be the mystical, herbivorous zouyu, licking its lips?
The deer’s melodious cry is clear and sweet in the morning mist.
Zouyu, Cry The Deer was inspired by the legend of the zouyu, a mythical white tiger-like beast with a gentle, herbivorous nature. The benevolent, vegetarian, and virtuous zouyu only appears when a sagacious ruler reigns and a sighting is an auspicious omen. The design title was inspired by the ancient poem, Yu, Yu, Cry The Deer.
Within this design, the protagonist absentmindedly feasts on the rare and precious Peaches of Immortality, while the soft, quiet fawn blends unnoticed into the fallen fruit. The nature of the beast and the fate of the fawn are open to the viewers discretion; herbivorous zouyu, or ferocious white tiger? An empty porcelain vase represents peace, while, like the main subject, a tiny jade tiger ornament faces west. Strategically placed cinnabar seals identify the artist and the provenance of the work while balancing the composition. Knots and bows represent a rebus; tying each symbolism and metaphor together as one. Sabina Savage is noted in a traditional, calligraphy-style brush script.
Click the button below to discover Sabina's detailed research text for this illustration, offering a breakdown of each specific reference and wider symbolism within the design.
