石渠寶笈三編(延春閣),第四冊,頁1525&*故宮書畫錄(卷八),第四冊,頁59&*故宮書畫圖錄,第二冊,頁257-258&*錢選(約西元一二三五—一三○七年前),浙江吳興人,字舜舉,號玉潭,又號霅谿翁。為人豁達有氣度,宋亡不仕,流連詩畫,其畫人物師李公麟,山水師趙令穰,又善折枝花卉。 庭院一角,有兩株梧桐傍石而生,桐蔭下,三名童子聚精會神的觀賞著畫。軸中畫的花禽,分別是香椽與喜鵲,與三「元」送「喜」諧音。三元指狀元、會元、解元,故本圖有科考高中之吉祥寓意。&*Ch'ien Hsüan, a native of Chekiang province, refused to serve the Mongols in the Yüan dynasty after the fall of the Sung. He was especially noted for his paintings in the styles of earlier masters. In a corner of a courtyard, two firmiana trees grow beside a rock. Three children gather to unroll and appreciate a painting much like scholar-officials. The painting they examine depicts trees and magpies, a homonym and symbol of happiness. In fact, the title of this painting is also a play on words. If one's children grow up to hold the top three spots in the civil service exams (the path to success in traditional China), the family is ensured of wealth and honor. Thus, these children are also a blessing to the family, making this a painting for good luck.