University of Alberta Museums Search

The handscroll is quite large, measuring 68.5 x 1686.5 cm, and is viewed from right to left. The painting begins with a poetry inscription by Yu Mingzhong (1714-1779) and has two small seals after his signature. Seven of Emperor Qianlong's seals are impressed on the scroll at the beginning of the painting, including three big square red seals. On the right side of the scroll, the painting features the emperor's escorts and procession. They are crossing the Grand Canal on a floating bridge, surrounded by crowds of local officials and other inhabitants kneeling on either shore, welcoming the Emperor’s procession.

Further along in Dezhou, we see officials and other residents anticipating the Emperor’s arrival, as well as architecture and daily life activities in the 18th century. After Dezhou, moving left along the scroll, we see the suburbs outside of the town. Several mounted officers, some of them pulling carts, seem to be part of an advanced imperial entourage going ahead to scout the path for Qianlong Emperor’s smooth journey (Tsang, Ka bo, 2008).

At the left end of the picture impressed a small rectangular red seal by the collector Jin Cheng (1879-1926). The seal inscribes six characters as “Jin Gong Bo jing jian yin.” The handscroll has an original carved jade clasp inscribed with the names of Emperor Qianlong, the artist Xu Yang, and the title of the handscroll.