HISTORICAL COURT SCENES

According to the inscription in Chinese and Manchurian in the upper right of the painting, it illustrates the story of the military general Sima Shi's overthrow of Emperor of Wei's Cao Fang’s government in 248 A.D. After an unsuccessful attempt to gain revenge, the Emperor was forced to leave court and turn over power to the Empress Dowager. In the painting, Sima Shi is represented in green, the Emperor in white, and the Empress sitting on the throne receiving the imperial seal.

The other work illustrates the story of Sun Quan and Sun Liang, two emperors of Eastern Wu, when Sun Quan fell severely ill after a storm hit and caused a tree to topple in 252 A.D. Aware of his imminent death, Sun Quan immediately proclaimed his son Sun Liang as his successor. On the left side of the painting is the uprooted tree, with the sick Sun Quan in the upper corner; Sun Liang is portrayed sitting on the throne surrounded by his senior ministers.