The Street Vendor Li Sung

Today on Taiwan the itinerant street vendor is commonly viewed as an annoyance, whose presence only spoils the face of a modern city. Yet 800 years ago, the itinerant peddler moving from street to street carrying his great load of wares and calling out prices was a symbol of a rich and prosperous society. The academy painters of the Sung dynasty were particularly fond of using the street vendor as a subject for painting.

Li Sung (1166-1243), a court artist of the Southern Sung dynasty, painted "The Street Vendor". He skillfully portrays a thick-browed, curly-bearded peddler, balancing two great piles of household items atop his back, his hat and clothing decorated with small curios. In addition to household items and toys, Li Sung's vendor also carries wines, vinegar, garlic, and dried seeds and vegetables. A number recorded on a branch on the left side of the painting reveals that the total load includes 300 different items!

Although the painting depicts an ancient scene, many of the vendor's wares are still in use today. The dishes, pans, brooms, baskets, incense burners, paper toys, kites and dolls carefully detailed in the painting would not be out of place at a contemporary street market.

In ancient times, the arrival of the street vendor was always a joyous occasion, particularly for children. The hairstyles of the children in Li's painting are noteworthy. As it was believed that ghosts liked to take the lives of the smartest and most well-behaved children, parents would give their children vulgar, foolish nicknames and cut their hair in peculiar styles such as those depicted in the painting, in order to deceive the ghosts.

While Li Sung's delightful painting was composed solely for the emperor's enjoyment, it has provided later generations with a wealth of valuable historical data about the goods, styles, and customs of the Southern Sung dynasty.

(Jill Ardourel)

The Street Vendor Li Sung　Today on Taiwan the itinerant street vendor is commonly viewed as an annoyance, whose presence only spoils the face of a modern city. Yet 800 years ago, the itinerant peddler moving from street to street carrying his great load of wares and calling out prices was a symbol of a rich and prosperous society. The academy painters of the Sung dynasty were particularly fond of using the street vendor as a subject for painting.　Li Sung (1166-1243), a court artist of the Southern Sung

The Street Vendor Li Sung　Today on Taiwan the itinerant street vendor is commonly viewed as an annoyance, whose presence only spoils the face of a modern city. Yet 800 years ago, the itinerant peddler moving from street to street carrying his great load of wares and calling out prices was a symbol of a rich and prosperous society. The academy painters of the Sung dynasty were particularly fond of using the street vendor as a subject for painting.　Li Sung (1166-1243), a court artist of the Southern Sung