The three characters, Tao Jingjie, is a posthumous name given by Tao Yuanming's friends. The inscription is from an entire classical poem by the artist and poet Tao Yuanming (364-427), entitled Guiqu Laici, 'Returning Home'. The poem was composed by Tao during the tumultuous years of the Eastern Qin period when he resigned as an official and returned home to live an honourable life of simplicity, away from corrupt and ineffectual officials.