Media: Chinese ink and color on fibrous yellow Chinese paper with traditional paper backing
Date: 2017
Inscription: In Portland, Oregon in the Lan Su Chinese Garden in the courtyard of the Celestial Hall of Permeating Fragrance above the moon gate is a ceramic plaque in the shape of a scroll with the words “Listen to the Fragrance.” Painted by Lu Kesi in 2017.
Seals: Lu Kesi (upper left, under inscription); Seal [the Chinese character for the marine animal—a play on words] (lower right)
Click on the magnifying glass in the upper right corner of the image to see a larger version.
Created by Lu Kesi as an illustration for the book The Beyond Within: the Downtown Dao of Lan Su Chinese Garden by Daniel Skach-Mills. This is one of many alternate views of this scene that were made for the book but went unused.
The text on this painting is incorrect in that the words “Listen to the Fragrance” are on the other side of the moon gate in Portland, Oregon’s Lan Su Chinese Garden. Above this side of the moon gate is actually written “Read the Landscape.”