Comments on: Hua Yan’s Snow on Mount Tian http://unurthed.com/2007/12/27/hua-yans-snow-on-mount-tian/ Tue, 15 May 2012 07:58:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Greg Pass http://unurthed.com/2007/12/27/hua-yans-snow-on-mount-tian/comment-page-1/#comment-125 Greg Pass Fri, 25 Jan 2008 04:06:21 +0000 http://unurthed.com/?p=230#comment-125 Hi Susan — This is one of my favorite paintings. In their parallel gazes, I see man and camel "thinking" the same thing. The shared thought cannot be a human, analytical thought, of which the camel is not capable; rather it is, exactly as you say, an "alert mindfulness": a deeper thought that is simply EXPERIENCING what it sees: the bird, the peaks. Hi Susan —

This is one of my favorite paintings.

In their parallel gazes, I see man and camel “thinking” the same thing. The shared thought cannot be a human, analytical thought, of which the camel is not capable; rather it is, exactly as you say, an “alert mindfulness”: a deeper thought that is simply EXPERIENCING what it sees: the bird, the peaks.

]]> By: susan lowell http://unurthed.com/2007/12/27/hua-yans-snow-on-mount-tian/comment-page-1/#comment-115 susan lowell Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:17:01 +0000 http://unurthed.com/?p=230#comment-115 What first struck me, with a giggle, was the elongated steep mountains and deep valleys, with snow-softened curves at top and bottom, being echoed in the body of the camel. Even the human, with his winter coverings, has become an elongated hump. Travelers unconsciously harmonizing with their environment. The theme of isolation is interesting; even though the man and his camel are together, they are separated by the difference of species, so there is an absence of community. The man has his camel but no other human; the camel has his human, but no other camel. For the bird things are different; this is her home and her home condition, soaring alone. The man and the camel are visitors. I don't think the visitors are looking up at the bird; I think she's behind them, and they may not even see her. She sees them, though, and it's her business to keep an eye on them. If the visitors don't make it through this rough home of hers, they will become dinner. I think the travelers are looking up at the peaks ahead, the ones we don't see, the path to be negotiated. There's something about alert, mindful perseverance here. Thanks for this What first struck me, with a giggle, was the elongated steep mountains and deep valleys, with snow-softened curves at top and bottom, being echoed in the body of the camel. Even the human, with his winter coverings, has become an elongated hump. Travelers unconsciously harmonizing with their environment.

The theme of isolation is interesting; even though the man and his camel are together, they are separated by the difference of species, so there is an absence of community. The man has his camel but no other human; the camel has his human, but no other camel.

For the bird things are different; this is her home and her home condition, soaring alone. The man and the camel are visitors.

I don’t think the visitors are looking up at the bird; I think she’s behind them, and they may not even see her. She sees them, though, and it’s her business to keep an eye on them. If the visitors don’t make it through this rough home of hers, they will become dinner.

I think the travelers are looking up at the peaks ahead, the ones we don’t see, the path to be negotiated. There’s something about alert, mindful perseverance here.

Thanks for this

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