embarrassing question...

[aardpaard]

I recently bought a reproduction of a painting by Wu Changshi, and I can't seem to figure out how to hang it on my wall. Could any of you tell me uhm... which side is up? Should it be as in picture 1 or as in picture 2? And errr... what does the calligraphy actually mean? Many thanks in advance...

[Xiao Kui]

rt side up is definitely picture 1, sorry I can't help you with what it says - I'm not a native and have difficulty reading handwriting not to mention calligraphy.

[imron]

Picture 1 is the right way up. I can't make out what the characters mean though.

[cintiaghimel]

I'm not that familiarized with ancient chinese characters, but IMHO the first picture is the right one...I can't tell you about the meaning, hope someone else can help you. Really nice calligraphy, btw.

[zhwj]

杏华春雨江南, "Apricot flowers and spring rains [in] the South", is the most famous line from the poem "Fengrusong" by the Yuan Dynasty poet Yu Ji link. It was liberally quoted by many later poets (Xu Beihong wrote 白马秋风塞上 杏花春雨江南).

[aardpaard]

Thanks, I did have a suspicion it was being sold upside down: http://www.allposters.com/gallery.asp?CID=5DCA3F278EBB4229A66F267B8126C394&startat=http%3A//www.allposters.com/GetPoster.asp%3FAPNum%3D1364361%26CID%3D5DCA3F278EBB4229A66F267B8126C394%26PPID%3D1%26search%3D8041%26f%3Dc%26FindID%3D8041%26P%3D2%26PP%3D3%26sortby%3DPD%26cname%3DChinese+Masterpieces%26SearchID%3D

[raincoat]

I think that's probably becos the person who took the pic or uploaded it doesn't read chinese as well