Fifth of Ten Leaves from the Album of Ink Plum Blossoms (墨梅冊十開之五)

This painting is one of the ten leaves from Wang Yi’s *Ink Plum Album*. Rendered in monochrome ink, the composition features gnarled and weathered plum branches, twisting naturally across the page. The blossoms are sparsely yet rhythmically arranged, with subtle variations in ink tone that highlight the resilience and refined beauty of the plum flower. The brushwork is fluid and expressive, imbuing the scene with vitality and grace. The inscription quotes a line from Yuan dynasty poet Wang Mian: "Returning from the rivers and seas, I see one like a man—though scattered, still unstained by worldly dust." This verse likens the plum blossom to a noble recluse who, though shaped by adversity, remains unsullied by the mundane world. Through this poetic reference, the artist conveys an aspiration toward moral purity and integrity. Wang Yi combines traditional ink techniques with literary sentiment, uniting poetry, calligraphy, and painting in a harmonious whole. The composition is spacious and elegantly restrained, achieving a refined balance between emptiness and form, and exemplifying the spirit and sophistication of literati painting.