Geo-Narratives of a Filial Son: The Paintings and Travel Diaries of Huang Xiangjian (1609—1673)

Huang Xiangjian, a mid-seventeenth-century member of the Suzhou local elite, journeyed on foot to southwest China and recorded its sublime scenery in site-specific paintings.  Kindall’s innovative analysis of the visual experiences and social functions Huang conveyed through his oeuvre reveals an unrecognized tradition of site paintings, here labeled geo-narratives, that recount specific journeys and create meaning in the paintings. Ultimately these works were intended to create personas and fulfill specific social purposes among the educated class during the Ming-Qing transition.