Appreciate some help with translation of Chinese painting

[Guest BeeVee]

A few years ago when visiting Beijing my wife and I bought a beautiful Chinese painting. I would really appreciate some help in translating the Chinese characters that adorn the right hand side of the painting.

I've split the line into 3 parts:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vernon.jenner/misc/Painting_top.jpg

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vernon.jenner/misc/Painting_middle.jpg

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vernon.jenner/misc/Painting_bottom.jpg

Thank you.

Vernon

[confucius]

"Huang Shan Yun Hai" Huang Shan Sea of Clouds

Huang Shan is a famous mountain range in Anhui province that has inspired many painters. The painting you bought in Beijing likely depicts this scenery.

[cometrue]

黄山云海huang2 shan1 yun2 hai3

松海丁丑之秋写于京华云烟堂song1 hai3 ding1 chou3 zhi1 qiu1 xie3 yu2

jing1 hua2 yun2 yan1 tang2

松海书画 song1 hai3 shu1 hua4

let's see if anyone would offer a nice translation, i would post my version later...

[confucius]

I'll let my colleague "cometrue" handle the other fine details. Who knows? He might discover the name of a famous Chinese artist!

[cometrue]

oh, really, so i m weak right now, haha, just kidding!

[Guest BeeVee]

Thank you for your replies confucius & cometrue, much appreciated.

So, am I right in assuming:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vernon.jenner/misc/Painting_top.jpg = 黄山云海 / "Huang Shan Yun Hai" (Chinese) Huang Shan Sea of Clouds (English)

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vernon.jenner/misc/Painting_middle.jpg = 松海丁丑之秋写于京华云烟堂 / song hai ding chou zhi qiu xie yu

jing hua yun yan tang = Artist's signature (seems like a very long)?

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vernon.jenner/misc/Painting_bottom.jpg = 松海书画 / song hai shu hua = Artist's seal (how does this differ to the signature - part of the artist's name, I see 'song' 'hai' is repeated)?

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[cometrue]

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vernon.jenner/misc/Painting_middle.jpg = 松海丁丑之秋写于京华云烟堂 / song hai ding chou zhi qiu xie yu

jing hua yun yan tang = Artist's signature (seems like a very long)?

松海artist's name丁丑之秋date=the fall of the year of Ding ox 写于=画于=painted at京华=beijing云烟堂=cloud and mist Tang(the main room of a house)artist's sanctum or studio's name

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vernon.jenner/misc/Painting_bottom.jpg = 松海书画 / song hai shu hua = Artist's seal (how does this differ to the signature - part of the artist's name' date=' I see 'song' 'hai' is repeated)?

[/quote']

yep, it's artist's name, acording to chinese painting's tradition, we usually have a 落款 including the above information and one or several seals. and the seal may be artist's name, studio's name, the painting's title or some other reletive information for example the expression of the scene. wish it helps...

and 孔子 is right as always, the first one is its title.

[Guest BeeVee]

Interestingly, when we bought the painting the storekeeper told us that it was by a well known artist. Now I have his name - thanks to you guys (Song Hai) I've done a search and came across the following:

http://www.china.org.cn/english/NM-e/61808.htm

Wonder if it's the same guy?

Looking at the painting is this article (bottom right) I'd say it could well be (if only I could compare the signature/seal to the one in the picture).

http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/English/e20034/art.htm

You mention it was painted in the fall of the Ding Ox, which I believe equates to the Fall of 1997 in the English calender. That tie up nicely as we visited China in the Fall of 1998.

Never expected to learn so much, I'm well chuffed!

[cometrue]

it could be, i m not sure, but i believe your good luck...

[Guest BeeVee]

it could be, i m not sure, but i believe your good luck...

Oops, added an extra bit to my above post (regarding the date) after you posted this comment. Sorry.