The Vinegar Tasters (???; three sours; ???; vinegar tasting old-men; ???; ???); is a traditional subject in Chinese religious painting. The allegorical composition depicts the three founders of China's major religious and philosophical traditions: Confucianism; Buddhism; and Taoism. The theme in the painting has been interpreted as favoring Taoism and critical of the others.
The three men are dipping their fingers in a vat of vinegar and tasting it; one man reacts with a sour expression; one reacts with a bitter expression; and one reacts with a sweet expression. The three men are Confucius; Buddha; and Laozi; respectively. Each man's expression represents the predominant attitude of his religion: Confucianism saw life as sour; in need of rules to correct the degeneration of people; Buddhism saw life as bitter; dominated by pain and suffering; and Taoism saw life as fundamentally good in its natural state. Another interpretation of the painting is that; since the three men are gathered around one vat of vinegar; the 'three teachings' are one.
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Details
Creative#:
TOP20179634
Source:
達志影像
Authorization Type:
RM
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須由TPG 完整授權
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No
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No
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