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Lot Essay
The recipient of this painting was Fei Zibin (1891–1981), a native of Menghe, Jiangsu, who came from a distinguished family of five generations of medical doctors. Fei originally studied economics and politics before turning to medicine, eventually establishing himself as a practicing physician in Shanghai. After 1949, he settled in Hong Kong, where he continued to practice medicine throughout his life. Following his passing, his wife, Hou Biyi (1900–2003), compiled his medical case notes, dietary observations, and surviving poems into The Complete Works of Fei Zibin, in which the present lot is illustrated.
After relocating to Hong Kong in 1949, Fei cared for the health of Zhang Daqian’s family whenever the artist visited the city. In 1952, he treated Zhang’s wife, Hsu Wenpo, for her postpartum ailments until she fully recovered. Deeply grateful, Zhang painted Two Scholars and inscribed in detail his appreciation for Fei, offering the work as a tribute to his exceptional medical skill. The painting depicts two figures and alludes to a story from the Liezi about the renowned Warring States physician Wen Zhi. When a patient named Long Shu sought his help, Wen Zhi diagnosed his heart condition simply by observing his back as it faced the light. The painting thus serves as a metaphor for the extraordinary medical abilities of Fei Zibin.
After relocating to Hong Kong in 1949, Fei cared for the health of Zhang Daqian’s family whenever the artist visited the city. In 1952, he treated Zhang’s wife, Hsu Wenpo, for her postpartum ailments until she fully recovered. Deeply grateful, Zhang painted Two Scholars and inscribed in detail his appreciation for Fei, offering the work as a tribute to his exceptional medical skill. The painting depicts two figures and alludes to a story from the Liezi about the renowned Warring States physician Wen Zhi. When a patient named Long Shu sought his help, Wen Zhi diagnosed his heart condition simply by observing his back as it faced the light. The painting thus serves as a metaphor for the extraordinary medical abilities of Fei Zibin.