Cai Wenji On The Way Back To Her Motherland
3 min readPainter:Zhang Yu
Painting Year:the Jin Dynasty
Material:silk scroll
Dimension:vertical length of 29 centimeters and horizontal length of 129 centimeters
Collection Place:Jilin Museum
Cai Wenji On The Way Back To Her Motherland is a historical painting of Zhang Yu（biography，birth date and death date remain unknown），a court painter in the Jin Dynasty.It depicts Cai Wenji who returned to her motherland from the Hun.11 figures appear in this artwork，including Cai Wenji，envoy of the Han Dynasty，offcials of the Hun region，warriors and escorts.Cai Wenji is the focus of composition，who is marching in cold wind under escort of many people.
This artwork features smooth ink，light color，powerful lines and primitive style.All figures and horses take different and echoing actions and postures，which are vivid and lifelike.Although there is no background，poor weather and severe environment are easily understood from futtering fag and ribbon and painstaking walking of figures and horses.The Hun region features roaring wind，freezing land，sand covering all the sky and desolate remoteness.
Showcase Window
Historical painting
Historical painting refers to the painting themed with historical events and historical stories.
Flag holder holds the flag pole with one hand，covers his face with the other hand and quivers.Flag is blown to spread backgrounds，and the fluttering sound seems to resound.The old horse lowers its head in cold wind and walks with difficulty.Little horse staggers to follow the old horse.”Little horse attached to its mother”implies Cai Wenji’s attachment to her hometown.
Like the Hun，Cai Wenji wears mink fur hat and fur shoes.She sits on the horse back with dinified facial expression，who is freshly contrasted with the Hhuns nearby.Here this painting implies Cai Wenji’s complex feelings.on one hand，she encdures the pain of separation from her husband and her son.On the other hand，she is impatient to get back home with stubborn beliet.
Story Corner
Cai Wenji returned to motherland
Cai Wenji was a native of Yu，Chenliu（in today’s south Qi County，Henan）.She is the daughter of Cai Yong，a scholar and calligrapher of the Han Dynasty.She had extensive experience，who was clever and profcient in musical tuning system，poem，song and ode.Unfortunately，she was plundered to the Hun.She was marred with Zuoxian King，and gave birth to two sons.She stayed in the Hun for 12 years.She endured the arduous life in strange land.
Cai Wenji’s father Cai Yong was a teacher for the young Cao Cao.After Cao Cao founded the north regime，Cai Yong had passed away.In order to express his remenbrance and respect for the teacher Cai Yong，Cao Cao decided to redeem Cai Wenji from the Hun with gold of 1，000 liang and a pair of white bi.
After returned to the Central Plains，she sighed for her fate with full of frustrations.She created the weepy Indignation Poem and Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute Do You Know？
Paintings of the Jin Dynasty
The Jin Dynasty was north regime opposite to the Southern Song Dynasty. Paintings of the Jin Dynastycarried forward the traditions of the Southern Song Dynasty, which fall into noble painting and folk painting. Noble painting was mainly rolling painting, including scholar painting and court painting. Folk painting was mainly mural and printmaking created by folk craftsmen. Paintings of the Jin Dynasty directly influenced paintings of the Yuan Dynasty.
Round fan in the envoy of the Han Dynasty proves the long journey. It turns out that he sets out from the Central Plains in sumer. The Hhun officials wearing fur hat seems to be unable to understand why Zuoxian King sends Cai Wenji back. He is reluctant with worry on the face.
