Vegetables

[There is] something to be cherished in its blandness.

Shao-an at the Lingnan Art Studio.

Baicai (commonly known as bok choy or Chinese cabbage) is one of the main vegetables of the Chinese diet. Scholar artists appreciate the simplicity and unassuming form of this humble vegetable, while its rather bland flavor also suits their sensibilities.

The white, straight stalks and intensely green leaves of this vegetable are an expressive vehicle for the spontaneous style of brush painting. According to the artist, the spirit of the composition lies in the root of the cabbage. He dipped his brush first in white, then in brown mixed with a bit of ink, and then in red mixed with ink. He shaped the root with a powerful twist of the brush, and strong black strokes were added as root hairs.