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pine
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Pine and Cho-yüeh In this painting is a depiction of a bird known as a “cho-yüeh” perched alone on an outcropping by a magnificent pine, turning its head with wing outstretched to preen its feathers. This bird is native to the regions west of China. The bird in this painting was taken back to court from the region of I-li and presented by the official A-kuei. The imperial poem inscribed on the painting is also found in the Ch’ien-lung emperor’s published collection of poetry. Composed in 1763, we thus know from this poem that Castiglione was 75 at the time painting was done.