Beauty in Winter

This image is a rare example in which a man and woman are depicted as having almost equal status; rather than appearing to serve her husband, the woman seems to command an equal amount of space and attention. This concept, called ju an qi mei, can be understood as a respectful affection and harmony between spouses. The couple, an official and his wife, are wearing elaborate winter costumes. They are engaged in an intimate conversation in front of a hot stove, on which a pot of wine is warming. The bamboo branches and plum blossoms in the vase reinforce the winter setting: plum trees bloom in winter and bamboo is an evergreen. These plants, able to withstand the harsh winter season, are symbolic of the couple’s moral strength.

Gao Qipei was known for his “finger paintings”; the artist painted his works, including this one, with his fingernail rather than a brush.