石渠寶笈三編(延春閣),第四冊,頁1692&*故宮書畫錄(卷五),第三冊,頁259&*故宮書畫圖錄,第五冊,頁193-194&*這是一組四幅的連作,內容描繪文人雅士寄興於琴棋書畫。四幅畫一共有十八位文士,徜徉於園林之中。 這類題材與唐宋時代的「十八學士圖」有密切的關係:唐太宗(在位於西元六二六—六四九年)時代禮賢下士,設立文學館,聘請杜如晦、房玄齡等十八位博學之士為文學館學士,並命當時大畫家閻立本圖像,是為「十八學士圖」。 本幅繪春景。垂楊繞榭,亭中一人撫琴,二人環聽,又一人自外來,奚奴抱琴隨之。&*This work is one of a set of four representing the elegant past-times of scholars in traditional China, including such activities as playing the zither, playing chess, appreciating painting, and practicing calligraphy. The four hanging scrolls here include altogether eighteen scholars depicted in garden settings. This subject matter is closely related to that of the Eighteen Scholars found in T'ang and Sung art. Emperor T'ai-tsung of the T'ang (r. 626-649) treated sages and scholars with respect. He established the Hall of Literary Achievements and invited eighteen learned scholars, including Tu Ju-hui and Fang Hsuan-ch'ih, to be academicians there. The emperor then ordered the court painter, Yen Li-pen, to render their portraits, which became known as "The Eighteen Scholars." This painting is a depiction of spring scenery; in a pavilion under a weeping willow, a figure plays the zither while another listens. A figure approaches in the lower left accompanied by a servant holding a wrapped zither.