Hidden in Painting
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Summary
In 1923, a mysterious guest appeared at the Beijing calligraphy and painting shop Dingyixuan. His surname was Cao, given name Heng, and he came from Bozhou, Anhui, carrying a thousand-year secret scroll and claiming it to be Cao Ba's authentic work, "The Shadowless Steed." Zhou Ding and Zhou Yi, the owners of Dingyixuan, were greatly shocked, and layer upon layer of suspicion shrouded Dingyixuan...
Painting is no ordinary matter. The reappearance of "The Shadowless Steed" in the world draws out a earth-shaking affair; a mere scroll of ancient painting is unexpectedly tied to the safety of the nation. For a time, from great warlords to petty thugs, all were entangled in it—those seeking wealth and those scheming for position plotting against one another; those seizing the painting and those stealing the nation wielding extreme power; a remarkable woman and a "living Zhang Fei" matching wits and courage; and a common scholar and a modest gentleman, possessing only a loyal heart and满腔 hot blood. From the painting studio to the parliament, from before the mourning hall to inside the prison—painting theft, painting burning, murder, prison escape... bottomless greed for wealth and murder, principled sacrifice for righteousness—and "The Shadowless Steed" is innocent; caught in a chaotic age, where will it ultimately go?
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers who enjoy Republican-era suspense and treasure-hunting themes
- Readers interested in traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting connoisseurship
- Readers who prefer ensemble power struggles and contests among multiple factions
- Readers who want a novel with cultural depth and a tight plot
Not a good fit for
- Readers who only want pure romance and are not interested in suspenseful power struggles
- Readers expecting light, humorous, fast-paced easy reading
- Readers sensitive to violent scenes in the troubled Republican era
Reading tips
- The opening passages on Du Fu viewing a painting and Cao Ba painting horses deserve close reading; they set the tone for the legend of the painting lineage in the whole book.
- Pay attention to the trajectory of The Shadowless Steed as it passes through the hands of various characters; you can trace a line of the contest over the painting yourself.
- When the scenes shift among the painting studio, the parliament, and the prison, it is worth pausing to clarify the demands of each faction before continuing.
About the publisher
Flower City Publishing House focuses on literary publishing, covering categories such as classic works, foreign literature, folk literature, Eastern philosophy, essays and miscellaneous writings, and social novels. Representative books in the library include Lu Xun's Call to Arms, Lao She's Camel Xiangzi and Four Generations Under One Roof, editions related to Confucius's The Analects, and Chinese translations of foreign classics such as Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and Charles Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities. Its author resources include classic writers such as Lu Xun, Lao She, and Confucius, as well as translators and scholars such as Li Gang, Chen Puqing, and Zhang Ling. The publisher's characteristic approach is to organize editions around literary classics and celebrated Chinese and foreign works, while also including folk literature and Eastern philosophy titles. Public information is limited, so this introduction emphasizes the publishing directions reflected in the books held in the library.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 作者简介
- 01 英雄帖
- 02 魏武子孙
- 03 天凉好个秋
- 04 丹青引
- 05 心猿意马
- 06 猪仔议员
- 07 刺客
- 08 盗御马
- 09 灰飞烟灭
- 10 别亦难
- 11 真相
- 12 绝笔
- 后记 从《听画》到《丹青隐》
- 链接 画里画外，众家评说
FAQ
What is the origin of The Shadowless Steed in the story?
What types of conflict does this book involve?
Can I understand it without knowledge of calligraphy and painting?
Comments
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About the author
Wang Weizheng is a Chinese author about whom limited public information is available. At present, only one work can be confirmed, Dan Qing Yin (literally "The Hidden in Painting"). Judging from the existing classification, his writing leans toward mystery and detective fiction, and this representative work is accordingly placed within that genre. Since no reliable records of his birth and death dates, education, or creative career have been found, it is difficult to sketch a complete biography, and excessive speculation about his development as a writer would be inappropriate. Based on what is known, Wang Weizheng's profile as an author remains thin: readers have access to only this single work, whose choice of subject and narrative orientation form the main window into understanding him. Dan Qing Yin is positioned as mystery and detective fiction; the word "danqing" in the title carries connotations of painting and art, suggesting that the mystery may be set against a traditional cultural or artistic backdrop, lending the genre novel an added cultural flavor. For readers who enjoy homegrown mystery and detective fiction, Wang Weizheng is currently an author known for just one work, and his future writing remains to be seen.
