Ribbon Bird: Rushing to eat the most delicious?
Part of Lü Ji's Guiju Mountain Fowl Map, Ming Dynasty, about 510 years ago
On the left is three ribbon birds fighting over a fat bug on the grass, not giving in to each other. The tail of the ribbon bird is long and upturned high, and the two tail feathers in the middle can be four or five times as long as the body, and are shaped like ribbons.
That's how the name of the ribbon bird comes from.
The ribbon bird in the painting has a dark blue with a metallic luster, and the feathers on the neck are particularly heavy in color, which is blue-black. Interestingly, in old age, their full body feathers turn white.
Butterflies love flowers
Part of Wen Li's Autumn Flower Butterfly Diagram, Ming Dynasty, about 380 years ago
This is a painting of flowers and birds by the female painter Wen Li of the Ming Dynasty, and all the details are depicted in a very real way.
The flowers and grasses surrounding the blue stone are easy to identify; the tallest white flower is the jade hairpin, the spike-shaped pink flowers with the head bowed are red indigo, and the white and transparent pink with wide leaves is the begonia...
It is said that she happened to see strange flowers and grasses and interesting insects and butterflies on weekdays, and she would draw them casually and integrate a thick drawing. No wonder her sketches are so superb!
Only envy Mandarin ducks do not envy immortals
Part of Chen Hongshou's Lotus Mandarin Duck Diagram, Ming Dynasty, about 380 years ago
In the corner of the pond, the clusters of lotus leaves are like umbrella covers.
On the surface of the water, the strings of duckweed connected by fine water streaks are like exquisite necklaces. A pair of Mandarin ducks swim together, and the blue feathers on the top of their heads and wings are extremely gorgeous.
Look closely at the mandarin duck on the right, there is a frog lurking on the lotus leaf, the color and the lotus leaf are integrated, you have to look carefully to distinguish it.
It is well hidden, staring at a beetle, ready to attack...