Okada Hankō’s monumental work is a tour de force in the spirit of the Four Wangs, a circle of conservative Chinese painters who created stylized interpretations of classic works. This painting follows orthodox principles of composition—the foreground, middle-ground, and background are distinct yet well-integrated—maintaining order in this otherwise fantastical, complex setting.
The inscription reads:
The water is gone from the stony river that has a disorderly look.
The leaves are gone from the mountain that has a wonderful scene.
The thoroughly wet old man on the bridge, where will he go?
There is a western village where an unsettled game of Go is waiting for him.
