PROPERTY FROM VARIOUS OWNERS SCENES FROM THE LIFE OF SU HUI WITH A PALINDROMEAnonymous, 17th century Handscroll, ink and color on silk, the first half of the palindrome located prior to the painting, followed by two scenes from the life of Su Hui, followed by the second part of the palindrome mounted after and two colphones, with a total of fourteen seals. palindrome part I :10 ½ x 9 3/4in (26.8 x 24.6cm) the painting: 10 ⅞ x 75in (27.7 x 190.5cm) palindrome part II: 10 ½ x 21 1/8in (26.8 x 53.7cm) 佚名 蘇蕙璇璣圖 設色絹本 手卷 十七世紀 The images and text in this handscroll illustrates Su Hui's (360- ?) famous palindrome as well as two scenes from the author's life focusing on the creation of the enigmatic poem. Su Hui's husband Dou Tao, was set to the West as the governor of Qinzhou. Once he arrived he took a concubine, which et Su Hui. She wove an 840 character poem, which could be read horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Dou Tao was so impressed, he renounced his concubine and was reunited with Su Hui. In addition to the palindrome itself, this scroll features two scenes from the story, "Weaving the Brocade" and "Presenting the Brocade". For more on the history of this poem, see Wang, Eugene. "Patterns Above and Within: Picture of the Turning Sphere and Medieval Chinese Astral Imagination." In Wilt Idema, ed., Book by Numbers , 49-89. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2007.