text:
The names, birth date, and email you give us are used only in the preparation of your Name and Birthdate Report. We do not share or give this information to anyone. [Privacy Policy]
Although some names possibly appear suitable and have some of the qualities you are looking for, the name may not harmonize with your last name and the baby's birth date and could create restrictions and lack of success.
Call us before choosing a baby name at 1-866-489-1188 (toll-free in North America) or 604-263-9551. We would be happy to assist you or visit our Baby Name Page for more information.
Look up the meaning of thousands of first names.
Alphabetical list of first names
Updated July 25, 2024
Your name of Pura has given you a pleasant, easy-going, ... All names are not equal. Pura, the names you use create your life experiences. Find out how the meaning of Pura and the energy of your name have shaped your life. Request a Free Name Report.
Alphabetical First Name Meaning Index
Pura - Detailed Meaning
As Pura, you are a pleasant, easy-going person, appreciating settled and stable conditions. You enjoy working with people especially where you are teaching, demonstrating, or assisting others in some way. Since you are easy to approach, people look to you for advice and assistance with their problems. You are practical and analytical with an interest in facts and figures, and scientific ideas. Your interest in music and the arts focuses on the technical, rather than the inspirational, aspects. Deliberate and thoughtful in your work, you cannot be hurried. You suffer a great deal of frustration and unhappiness if you are constantly under pressure, or expected to be spontaneous. You like to plan, to work your plan, and to finish what you start before embarking on something new. You are steadfast, stable, and trustworthy in your own work but, as you lack the confidence to assume responsibilities for others, you prefer to do a job yourself. This lack of confidence makes you indecisive and causes you to rely on encouragement from others in making decisions. You must learn to face issues and not make promises for the sake of being polite or pleasing others. Fond of home and settled conditions, you would enjoy the responsibilities that come with being a homemaker and parent, or in serving people such as in nursing or social work. Working with your hands—crafting, cooking, sewing, or on other projects that require close attention to detail—also appeals to you. Until forced to take action, you often procrastinate, especially when faced with a difficult task or decision. At times, you are accused of being too fussy and set in your ways. You are not overly versatile or adaptable because you have to have a very good reason for making changes. You need time to think ideas through before coming to conclusions. Although you enjoy sociability and chatter, it is not easy for you to express your deeper thoughts and feelings, especially toward the ones you care for. Your regard for family and friends is shown in what you do for them rather than what you say. You tend to enjoy heavier foods that could cause weight problems or difficulty in the digestive system. Weaknesses could also affect the fluid functions of the body.
Health Analysis
Your date of birth defines your unique core purpose, the reason for your life. In living your purpose, you will find your greatest happiness, contentment, and success.
Whether your purpose fully expresses depends upon all the names you use, because your names create the basic blueprint of your thinking pattern and reveal your destiny.
Is your name in harmony with your purpose?
Find out by requesting a Free Name and Birthdate Report below and it will be emailed to you immediately.
Prepare My Free Name Report
[Show Extended Form for an Even More Detailed Analysis]
Prepare My Free Name Report;
Pura, we thank you for your interest and we look forward to talking with you further about the Kabalarian Philosophy after you have read your Name and Birth Date Report. If you require further assistance, please call our head office in Vancouver, Canada toll-free at 866-489-1188 (or 604-263-9551 if outside of North America.)
Click here to read reviews.
Call us before choosing a baby name at 1-866-489-1188 (toll-free in North America) or 604-263-9551 (local and international). We would be happy to assist you or visit our baby name page for more information.
Want more out of life? You can discover your core purpose and make it a reality through a Kabalarian Balanced Name - ancient wisdom for a modern world.
Link to master list of quotes


text:
Particle physics is one of the most intriguing scientific fields, probing the nature of the very makeup of the universe itself. However, over the last half decade, due to the growing economic crisis and various items such as war funding taking precedence in government budgets, the budget to help the U.S. stay leaders in the field of particle physics has been slipping.
The U.S. currently is down to only one remaining particle physics lab, the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) in Batavia, Illinois, associated with the University of Chicago and the lab was looking to be on the way out. It had started in February rolling furlough program that slashed already scarce employee pay by 12.5 percent and forced them to take periodic unpaid leave.
Now an anonymous donor has stepped in and donated $5M USD to the University of Chicago to try to alleviate these cuts and keep the lab open. Even with the extremely generous donation the lab is still in trouble. It plans to lay off 140 employees now, though it would have been an even larger number before the donation. The donation has allowed the lab to offer voluntary layoffs before the involuntary ones start.
Fermilab Director Piermaria Oddone spoke of the gift stating, "This is very unusual. It's not a building that carries a name. It's really a commitment to science and the nation and in particular to particle physics as a long-range important undertaking for our nation."
The good news has somewhat buoyed the sunken spirits of physicists at the lab. Says Consolato Gattuso, an engineering physicist at the lab, "This is definitely a weight that has been lifted. It gives us some light at the end of the tunnel."
Throughout the last five years, FermiLab's budget has been falling. The U.S. Congress's last minute budget for 2008 cut FermiLab funding from $372 million requested by the Department of Energy (DOE) to $320 million, $22 million less than the lab had received in 2007. The lab went into a state of crisis, forcing employees to take one week off unpaid every other month and work shorter hours. Further, 200 of the lab's 1950 employees were scheduled to be cut.
The U.S. is in a particle physics competition of sorts with Europe to find the legendary Higgs boson particle first. The cuts will allow Fermi's Tevatron Collider to stay operational, and continue the search. Researchers remain optimistic that Fermi may find the particle before Europe's CERN lab turns on its more powerful Large Hadron Collider this summer.
Legally, Fermilab cannot officially accept the gift, but it will allow the University of Chicago to contract employees to work in the lab. Over 50 employees have already left the lab, allowing it to scrape $1M USD in savings.
This is not the first time in recent years that the Congress has chronically underfunded the Department of Energy's physics research labs. In 2006, Congress gave the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York so little money that it would have to shut down its Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. James Simons, a theoretical physicist and billionaire hedge-fund guru saved the Collider with a gift of $13M USD.
The officials at Fermi are extremely grateful for a gift, but fear it's only prolonging the inevitable. Brendan Casey, a Fermilab particle physicist states, "The grain of salt is that it really does nothing to change the uncertainty with regard to the future. So there's some relief, but the underlying tension is still there."
The U.S. government may be forced to reevaluate its spending priorities as more experimental physics labs and other science programs go under and U.S. leadership in the sciences slips. This would truly be an unfortunate loss for the country, most would agree.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Goal: 1955 tk DOUBLE SQUIRT FOR YOU🥵
💖 I'm Ritta💖 my fav pattern 111 131 151 161💖 Control Toy free in PVT💗666 tks squirt
King of the room:
THIS WEBSITE CONTAINS MATERIAL THAT IS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT. You must be at least eighteen (18) years of age to use this Website, unless the age of majority in your jurisdiction is greater than eighteen (18) years of age, in which case you must be at least the age of majority in your jurisdiction. Use of this Website is not permitted where prohibited by law.
This Website also requires the use of cookies. More information about our cookies can be found at our Privacy Policy. BY ENTERING THIS WEBSITE AND USING THIS WEBSITE YOU AGREE TO THE USE OF COOKIES AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRIVACY POLICY.
All models were 18 and over at the time of the creation of such depictions.


text:
A bag of dried catnip is included to provide an added incentive for cats to use the pad.
Midlee Designs started creating pet clothing because finding cute clothes for large dogs, like our German Shepherd, was extremely hard. Now we make clothing for pets of all sizes! We specialize in unique pet supplies for dogs, cats, and other pets. So, whether you're looking for the perfect outfit, toy, or pet health supplies, we've got it all!


text:
Floor Mats For BMW 8 Series E31 2-door Coupe With 3 Color Carpet
Couldn't load pickup availability
We are proud to offer international FedEx Express Delivery, ensuring that our customers worldwide receive their vehicle floor mats quickly and efficiently. With a delivery time of just 3-5 business days, you can enjoy the benefits of our high-quality floor mats without delay. Since we ship globally, the tax and custom fee obligations will depend on the destination country's regulations. Shop with confidence, knowing that your order will be shipped promptly and delivered right to your doorstep, hassle-free.
*Tailored For Perfect Fit: BMW 8 Series E31 2-door Coupe (1989-1999)
Protecting your vehicle's floors with all-weather floor mats doesn't mean sacrificing your interior's looks. With Aries Floor Liners, the look of your front and back seat is not only clean, but enhanced. They provide you with the durable protection of all-weather rubber floor mats without the rugged styling. And, your original carpets stay looking brand new.
Perfect for your front and back seat. No matter what color interior you chose at the dealership.
100% Brand New
Durability: All Weather
*LHD Left Hand Drive
Quality: High
Custom: Perfect Match Comes with Complete 4pcs Set. 2pcs Front and 2pcs Rear.
Features Nibbed Backing to Keep it Securely in Place.
Waterproof & Stain-Resistance Design. Prevents Mud, Debris, Snow, Water or Grease from Dirtying Car Interior. Easy to install & remove. Fully washable.
Experience the perfect blend of style and protection with our top-of-the-line floor mats. Expertly crafted from high-quality materials, these floor mats provide exceptional durability and resilience in various weather conditions, ensuring your vehicle's interior remains pristine for years to come.
Key Features:
- Superior Material: Our floor mats are made from high-grade materials that offer long-lasting performance and resistance against wear and tear.
- Precision Fit: Custom-designed to match the exact contours of your vehicle, these floor mats deliver unparalleled coverage and protection for your car's floors.
- Enhanced Traction: Featuring a nibbed backing, our floor mats stay securely in place, minimizing slippage and ensuring a safe driving experience.
- Easy Maintenance: Our waterproof and stain-resistant design keeps your vehicle's interior clean and free from dirt, debris, and spills. Simply remove, wash, and reinstall the floor mats for effortless upkeep.
Invest in our premium quality floor mats and elevate your driving experience while preserving your car's interior with unmatched protection and style.
Our vehicle floor mats are specifically designed for Left Hand Drive (LHD) versions of vehicles, ensuring a perfect fit for the USA, Europe markets. By tailoring the mats to the unique specifications of LHD vehicles.


text:
Top Mattresses For Comfort and Style
You may not be ready to buy a new mattress or your old one might have lost its comfort. The right top mattress will breathe new life into your bed.
Pillow top mattresses have extra padding sewn to the top of the mattress cover. They are usually comfortable, but not suitable for all sleeping styles.
A mattress topper is an inexpensive way to give your bed a comfortable makeover. It is placed directly on top of the mattress and is held in place with straps. They can vary in thickness from about an inch or two to as thick as eight inches or more. The thinner ones are not as supportive or cushioning but can hide lumps and bumps on your mattress.
Memory foam conforms with the body and relieves pressure points. It also offers good motion isolation so that partners will not be disturbed as much by each other when changing positions in bed.
This topper comes in six sizes and is made from sustainably cultivated natural latex in the U.S. It's breathable, helping to keep the sleep surface cool and dry. It is encased with a cotton cover which looks and feels luxurious. It's washable and hypoallergenic, resisting mildew and dust mites. It is backed by a generous warranty.
This mattress is built with foams that create a plush feel and medium amount of body contouring. It offers solid support that promotes spinal alignment and can help relive back pain. It's a great choice for back, stomach, or side sleepers.
Flip it over to choose between the firm or soft side. It's made with a layer of softer memory foam and a layer of firmer latex, so it's ideal for all types of sleepers.
Comfort varies by person and can be hard to quantify, but this mattress has plenty of positive feedback from our team, including anecdotal evidence like waking up without back pain or never sweating through sheets. It's also affordable and comes with a generous trial period. It doesn't provide the same comfort as an all-foam mattress and tends towards compression around the edges. You'll also need a deep fitted sheet to properly cover it.
A pillow top mattress has a thick layer of soft material that is glued or stitched to the mattress cover. It is usually between 2 and four inches thick and made from a variety of materials.
The cushioned top helps to reduce pressure at key points such as the hips and shoulders. It also distributes weight evenly for a better night's sleep. This is especially important for people with back, shoulder or hip pain.
Pillow top mattresses tend to sag with time. It is difficult to avoid this, but rotating your mattress every few months will help extend its life. Also, pillow top mattresses tend to be deeper than standard mattresses, so it's important to select sheets that can accommodate the additional cushioning.
The Allswell is the latest mattress-in-a-box from Walmart, and it offers great value at $699 for a queen. It's a hybrid bed with layers of temperature-regulating foam and copper-gel-infused memory foam. It isn't as plush as the top ten mattresses but is still comfortable enough for most people.
It also has a very good edge support for a foam mattress. It is available in a wide range of sizes, including California king and a huge 80 x 76-inch king for heavyweight couples.
As Tom's Guide's mattress expert, Claire is responsible for all sleep product testing for the site. She has years of experience in product testing and is a certified Sleep Coach to help readers find their perfect bed. She has written for The Spruce and Apartment Therapy as well as Livingetc. She loves helping readers solve their sleep problems and wind down well at night. Her favorite mattress is the Nest Bedding Alexander Medium Firm.


text:
ASAT target satellite
The Russian Space Forces are a branch of the Russian Aerospace Forces, that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty, and protection for Russia. Having been reestablished following August 1, 2015 merger between the Russian Air Force and the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces after a 2011 dissolving of the branch. The Russian Space Forces were originally formed on August 10, 1992 and the creation of the Russian Armed Forces.


text:
What We Offer
Whether you're buying, selling or building your home, National Property Inspections offers comprehensive home inspection services that help you make informed decisions regarding your investment.
NPI's commercial inspections can provide a thorough and accurate assessment of your property. With our diverse skill set and comprehensive training, our inspectors can help you identify the good and the bad.
Both NPI's residential and commercial inspections give our clients the option to choose from many additional services. From infrared to pool and spa inspections, we'll put your mind at ease knowing your property is safe.
Why Choose NPI Phoenix
NPI is among the oldest and most widely-respected names in the inspection industry. We are North America's Premier Inspection Service.
NPI stands behind each inspection we perform. That's why we offer all of our clients a free warranty on any full home inspection.
All of our property inspectors are state-licensed professionals. Our practices exceed industry-accepted standards.
At NPI Phoenix, we realize your time is valuable. That's why we guarantee your report within 24 hours of your inspection time.
We offer a paperless option to all of our clients. With our digital inspection reports, you receive your results faster and simpler.


text:
Happy Birthday Amparo GIF. Want to make Amparo smile with these collections of funny gifs? Here we have the best funny and unique Happy Birthday GIF images for Amparo on her birthday. We have fun designs of cats with cake, dogs with cake and characters. Disney favorites so that Amparo's birthday is exciting and joyful, Happy Birthday with cake, with candles and balloons, Happy Birthday with cake with a surprise with which you can convey a fun message full of emotions due to its animation.
Share these funny birthday gif images to congratulate Amparo on her birthday. These animated images are unique and beautiful, of good quality, adaptable for any device. Download and share on WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Tiktok, and other social networks. This is completely free for Amparo's birthday to make her feel happy with these images.
© Derechos reservados GIFHAPPYBIRTHDAY | Políticas de privacidad | 2024


text:
Bracelet - JOELLE - Gold Plated
In stock - Ready to ship! Out of stock
More Details
- Adjustable
- Brass - gold plated
- CZ Zirkonia stones
- Nickel free
- Comes in a giftbox
Delivery & Returns
Delivery & Returns
For click & collect orders, the store will be open until 4pm for collection. Local delivery will be made by our very own team by the end of the day. All other orders placed will be sent via UPS within 24 hours.
Changes to Delivery Procedure
Message from the Post Office and Parcel Force.
In order to protect both our staff and customers as much as possible, we will not be handing over our hand-held devices to customers to capture electronic signatures. Instead, our drivers will log the first and last name of the person accepting the item and will record the geolocation of the delivery. This will apply to all deliveries that normally require a signature.
If customers are unable to come to the door, they will post a contact card in the normal way, advising of other ways they can arrange to get their items.
Deliveries from Danish Collection of Larger Items
Providing your delivery address is in reasonably close proximity to our store in Sevenoaks, Kent, we will delivery larger items to you. If you are not able to come to the door, please send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com providing us with details of a safe place to leave the item.
Free delivery in the UK on orders over £50.00, except for larger furniture items.
UK STANDARD DELIVERY - £3.95, which will arrive within 3-4 working days. Orders over £50 are free with the exception of furniture and heavy items, where the delivery costs will vary and can be obtained upon request on 01732 452620.
UK NEXT DAY DELIVERY - £6.95, orders made before 1pm will be delivered the next working day. Orders placed on a Friday after 1pm or on a Saturday/Sunday will be dispatched the following Monday. Delivery costs will vary for furniture and heavy items, however, these can be obtained upon request on 01732 452620
OVERSEAS DELIVERY ( Europe Only )
£17.50, Please allow 7-10 days for delivery.
OVERSEAS DELIVERY ( Outside Europe )
We regret that at the present due to timings and costs, we only deliver to Europe. However, if you live outside of Europe and desire some of our products, please call +44 1732 452620 and we will be happy to ship your chosen goods, if possible.
To receive a refund, the purchaser must return the goods with the original receipt together with written confirmation of the reason for return within 30 days of purchase.
The return of goods will be permitted, however, providing the goods are returned in pristine condition for resale with their original packaging, complete with all labelling, any accessories, manuals or other documentation. Earrings are non-refundable due to hygiene reasons.
Any postage and packaging return costs will be incurred by the customer.
Secure Checkout With
Bracelet - JOELLE - Gold Plated
Recently viewed products


text:
The Childminding Forum is the UK's largest online meeting place for Registered Childminders.
Our community of over 30,000 members are here to provide help and advice on all aspects of childminding.
You can ask questions, give advice or just have a friendly chat with other members!
You need to register with us before you can post.
To start viewing posts, select the forum that you wish to visit from the selection below. Guests can only see limited areas. To view the whole Forum and member areas you must register first. It is well worth joining us, there is so much more once inside.
If you have any problems or do not receive your activation email you can contact us via this link and we will do all we can to help: Contact the Administrator
Looking forward to welcoming you as a member!
Tag: spreaders
Forum:Activity Ideas
You can also find us on:


text:
After that I was inspired by a bunch of scattered Japanese street style photos I have in my head, the sunny suburbia in Edward Scissorhands (photo 3) and this Jamie Nelson for Elle Mexico shot (photo 6), and dishevelment and stuffiness of the late 90s (pictured here: Margiela, Comme des Garcons) and especially the way Mark Borthwick captured it. The rest of the pictures here are scanned from his book, which is seriously really beautiful and one of the most special things I own. And throughout the whole thing are his writings which sound all stream of consciousness and are really inspiring.
And at school today I got Princess Leia, "someone who would own a farm called the Aw, Shucks! Cherry Farm", and this lovely drawing:
These Goody barrettes are maybe my favorite thing:
My friend grew out of these old Jil Sander shoes and I was happy to take them off her hands. They're the same color as crosswalk stripes so walking around is really a delight.
For you fashionistas who need to know where one finds such a fashionable fridge, it's from Sears about 15 fashion-filled years ago. And if you are wondering about the stylish magnets, you will be sorely and un-stylishly disappointed to learn that they are one-of-a-stylin'-kinds made by style-possessing elementary schoolers many years ago and are not for sale. Style. Fashion. Fashion. I'm tired.
Hand-me-down dark blue dress and light blue slip, Old Navy flowered tank top.
The shirt was sent to me for review by beso.com. I ordered it a size larger because Comme des Garcons smalls are usually too small on me but this one is too big so yo, Comme, work out your sizing nonsense.
Brand: Junya Watanabe
Pros: The flowers are somewhere between botanical illustration and cartoon daisy, allowing for more versatility. The holes make it more fun to style and it makes it different than something you could find in a thrift store. Asymmetry is also obviously awesome. And it's comfortable and I kept forgetting I was wearing something nice.
Cons: That green! Just gimme a couple pigments lighter! Right now it's wavering between light and dark, and it looks like the most basic kind of Crayola green, which is so boring that they give it to you with kids' menus at restaurants. And you could say that makes it more versatile, but not necessarily because basic green doesn't call for many other good colors. Plus I feel like gingham should be in pastels.
I'm writing all choppy because I'm reading Girl by Blake Nelson at the moment and it's hard to get out of a writing style when all you've been doing is reading it because you've been bored and your bangs could only take so much cutting.


text:
Mobile Drug Testing ,
We Come To You On-Site!
Land, Air or Sea
24 Hours A Day, 7 Days A Week
Local Mobile Drug Testing and Mobile Alcohol Testing services in , and the surrounding areas is provided at your business or other specified locations such as a Construction Site, Warehouse, Port, Office Building, Accident Scene or Hospital. Mobile Drug Testing in , is available for DOT and NON-DOT Testing. Both laboratory analysis and instant result testing is offered.
How To Schedule A Mobile Drug Testing Service in ,
To schedule any type of Mobile Drug or Alcohol Test in , , call our local scheduling department at (800) 221-4291. Information we will need includes, number of employees to be tested, type of test, preferred date and time and if the employees are DOT or NON-DOT regulated.
Mobile Drug Testing in ,
Our laboratories are SAMHSA certified and all test results are verified by our in-house licensed physicians who serve as Medical Review Officers (MRO).
Mobile drug testing is utilized in most cases by companies needing multiple employee drug tests performed on-site which will eliminate the need for employees to leave the worksite and go to a testing center; this prevents "down time".
Mobile drug testing is also available when an employer wishes to conduct a "sweep" due to reasonable suspicion of drug use in the workplace.
Mobile drug testing services are also utilized for post-accident situations for DOT and NON-DOT drug and alcohol testing requirements.
Mobile Drug Testing for , Employers
Mobile drug testing is used by many businesses including:
- Construction Sites
- Motor Pool Facilities
- Car Dealerships
- Trucking/Transportation Companies
- Schools
- Sports Venues
- Hospitals
- Oil & Gas Drilling Sites
Mobile DOT Drug and Alcohol Testing Services in ,
We also specialize in providing Mobile/On-site Drug Testing Services for all DOT Modes including Trucking Industry (FMCSA), Maritime Industry (USCG), Aviation Industry (FAA), Public Transportation (FTA), Railroad Industry (FRA) and Pipeline Industry (PHMSA) in accordance with Part 40 of the US Department of Transportation Compliance Regulations. Additional DOT Services include Consortium Enrollment, MVR reports, Supervisor Training and Policy Manual Development. In addition, we offer a complete DOT Compliance Program for single operators and small trucking companies.
Additional DOT Services:
- Consortium Enrollment
- DOT Physicals
- Supervisor Training
- Employer Drug Policy Development
- MVR Reports
- Employee Training
- Background Checks
- FMCSA Clearinghouse Verification/Search
The Opioid Overdose Crisis
Every day, more than 130 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids. The misuse of and addiction to opioids, including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, is a serious national crisis that affects public health as well as social and economic welfare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the total "economic burden" of prescription opioid misuse alone in the United States is $78.5 billion a year, including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal justice involvement.
- Roughly 21 to 29 percent of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them.
- Between 8 and 12 percent develop an opioid use disorder.
- An estimated 4 to 6 percent who misuse prescription opioids transition to heroin.
- About 80 percent of people who use heroin first misused prescription opioids.
- Opioid overdoses increased 30 percent from July 2016 through September 2017 in 52 areas in 45 states.
- The Midwestern region saw opioid overdoses increase 70 percent from July 2016 through September 2017.
- Opioid overdoses in large cities increase by 54 percent in 16 states.
In the late 1990s, pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not become addicted to prescription opioid pain relievers, and healthcare providers began to prescribe them at greater rates. This subsequently led to widespread diversion and misuse of these medications before it became clear that these medications could indeed be highly addictive.3,4 Opioid overdose rates began to increase. In 2017, more than 47,000 Americans died as a result of an opioid overdose, including prescription opioids, heroin, and illicitly manufactured fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid.1That same year, an estimated 1.7 million people in the United States suffered from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers, and 652,000 suffered from a heroin use disorder (not mutually exclusive)
Drug Testing Locations in ,
In addition to providing Mobile/On-Site Drug Testing, Accredited Drug Testing has drug testing locations in , and the surrounding areas. Many of our drug testing centers open early and have evening hours to accommodate a person's work schedule. Our drug testing locations in , have certified and trained drug testing specialists ready to serve your testing needs in a friendly, knowledgeable and confidential manner.
Drug testing purposes for employers include pre-employment, random selection, post-accident and reasonable suspicion. Testing purposes for individuals can include court ordered, probation, child custody or for any other personal reason.
Accredited Drug Testing is a nationwide drug testing company with testing centers in , specializing in Drug, Alcohol, DNA testing, DOT Physicals and Background Checks.
With over 20,000 testing centers throughout the United States, Accredited Drug Testing has testing centers in all States and in most cities and towns.
Certified Mobile Drug Testing ,
All Accredited Drug Testing specialists are certified and qualified for urine, hair and saliva drug collections and breath alcohol screenings for DOT and NON-DOT Drug and Alcohol Testing.
Which Drug Testing Panel Is Right For You?
Drug test screening groups are commonly referred to as a drug testing panel. The most common panels used are a 5 panel, 10 panel and 12 panel drug tests, (panels specify how many drugs will be screened) however customized screening can be analyzed for drugs such as opiates, bath salts, synthetic cannabinoids and a wide range of prescription drugs.
What Is A Drug Test?
A drug test is a technical analysis of a biological specimen, for example urine, hair, blood, breath, sweat, and/or oral fluid/saliva to determine the presence or absence of specified parent drugs or their metabolites. Major applications of drug testing include detection of the presence of performance enhancing steroids in sport, employers and parole/probation officers screening for drugs prohibited by law (such as cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin) and police officers testing for the presence and concentration of alcohol (ethanol) in the blood commonly referred to as BAC (blood alcohol content). BAC tests are typically administered via a breathalyzer while urinalysis is used for the vast majority of drug testing in sports and the workplace. Numerous other methods with varying degrees of accuracy, sensitivity (detection threshold/cutoff), and detection periods exist. A drug test may also refer to a test that provides quantitative chemical analysis of an illegal drug, typically intended to help with responsible drug use.
More Information About Mobile Drug Testing in ,
Mobile Drug Testing can also provide instant drug tests, where the result is available on-site. However, if an instant test has a non-negative result the specimen will be sent to a certified laboratory for confirmation testing.
Mobile drug testing is convenient and a cost-effective method when a company has multiple employees needing a drug or alcohol test.
When providing mobile drug testing for DOT employees, Accredited Drug Testing can provide all required documentation including the Federal Chain of Custody Forms.
Were you looking, instead, for:
Mobile Drug Testing Costs/Fees in ,
The fees for mobile drug testing can vary depending on the number of employees being tested, on-site location address and the time in which the on-site testing is needed. Call for more information or to schedule your Mobile/On-Site Drug Testing service in , .
"When You Need a Test, Choose the Best"
Accredited Drug Testing Inc


text:
"The Divine Class of Shitao's Ink Landscape" (Shitao mobi shanshui shenpin 石濤墨筆山水神品)—these are the words written in the title slip on the exterior brocade of this handscroll, known to us today as Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng, a short form for its full title, Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng Prior to My Northern Journey (Liubie Wuweng xiansheng beiyou shanshui juan 留別五翁先生北游山水卷), a phrase taken directly from Shitao's inscription toward the end of the painting. The scroll, formerly in the Wang Nan-p'ing Collection, was acquired by the Seattle Art Museum in 1997, a partial gift from Karen Wang, Wong Nan-p'ing's daughter, and partial purchase.See Richard Barnhart et al., The Jade Studio: Masterpieces of Ming and Qing Painting and Calligraphy from the Wang Nan-p'ing Collection, cat. no. 48 (New Haven: Yale University Art Gallery, 1994), 172-175.
Holding the scroll today, we can feel the weight of history and ponder the meaning of the "Divine Class," the highest ranking in traditional Chinese art connoisseurship. Although we do not know who wrote the title slip or when it was written, it evokes a strong sense of awe for Shitao (1642–1707), who has long been considered, in James Cahill's words, "the supreme master among the individualists, the painter with greatest breadth of vision and the finest technician" in early Qing China.Cahill, Chinese Painting (Geneva: Skira, 1960), 176. Today, Shitao is considered among the great artists in the history not only of Chinese art but also of world art. Not surprisingly, modern scholarship on the master has grown into a global phenomenon.Scholarship on Shitao has grown into an enormous industry and global phenomenon of "Shitao xue" 石濤學. Here I only mention three recent publications of extreme importance cited frequently in the present study: Jonathan Hay, Shitao: Painting and Modernity in Early Qing China (Cambridge University Press, 2001), translated by Qiu Shihua and Liu Yuzhen et al into Chinese and published by the Rock Publishing International (Taipei 2008) and by Sanlian shudian (Beijing 2010)—Hay's book includes a valuable comprehensive (though not exhaustive) bibliography; Zhu Liangzhi朱良志, Shitao Yanjiu 石濤研究(Shitao Studies) (Beijing University Press, 2005); and Wang Shiqing汪世清, Shitao shilu 石濤詩錄(An annotated anthology of Shitao's poems) (Hebei jiaoyu chubanshe, 2006). In addition, for an informative study of Shitao's northern journey in Chinese, see Cui Jin 崔錦, "Shitao beixing jiqi Jinmen jiaoyou kao 石濤北行及其津門交遊考(A Study of Shitao's northern journey and His social contacts in Jinmen [Tianjin]), Meishu shilun 13 (no. 1, 1985): 33-38; for a survey of modern scholarship from mainland China, see Zhang Changhong 張長虹, "Liushinian lai Zhongguo dalu Shitao yanjiu zongshu 六十年來中國大陸石濤研究綜述,"Meishushi yanjiu 97 (2000): 73-79. For an excellent discussion of Shitao as "an icon for modernity" in modern China and Japan, see Aida-Yuen Wong, "A New Life for Literati Painting in the Early Twentieth Century: Eastern Art and Modernity, a Transcultural Narrative?" Artibus Asiae 60, no. 2 (2000): 311-24.
The opening frontispiece of the Seattle scroll carries four large characters of calligraphy (reading from right to left while unrolling the painting in the same direction): 境與神會 (Jing yu shen hui) or "A union of scenery and spirit" written by the literati artist Wu Zhao 吳照 (1755–1811), who describes the succeeding painting as a "marvelous ink work by Shitao" (Shitao mo miao 石濤墨妙).
Unrolling the scroll from right to left,For an informative discussion of the handscroll format in Chinese painting, see Jerome Silbergeld, Chinese Painting Style: Media, methods, and Principles of Form (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1982. the first half of the landscape composition opens abruptly with a high mountain range, moving dynamically from lower right to upper left the highest peak cut off by the paper's edge. Nestled between the two diagonal ranges of mountains are thatched houses and temple buildings. Although the two diagonals of mountains are parallel: the front diagonal is visually dominant, occupying the large central space, and painted in rich, dark ink. Its diagonal movement, from a stable cone-shaped peak in the foreground to overhanging rock behind, is broken only by a diminutive waterfall close to two temple buildings. A lone figure seated by the window inside the left building leads our focus further left, to the second half of the landscape—there the mountains recede diagonally into distance and a spacious river flows under open skies.
Toward the end of the painting Shitao informs us of the circumstances under which the painting was made. His inscription begins with a poem:
The mountain's hue look like rain but there is no rain,
The paper windows are suddenly bright, suddenly dark;
The mountains are placid, the rocks are pale, and the pines are pale,
The glinting light of the ebbing water mirrors a disturbed heart.
"In the jisi year (1689) before I journey north, I leave this as a farewell [gift] for Master Wuweng and ask for his response."
—Shitao, the monk from Jishan.For some odd reason Wang Shiqing does not include this poem in his seminal anthology of Shitao's surviving poems but only cite it in his chronicle of Shitao's life, see Shitao shilu, 207 and n. 128.
The inscription tells us that the year is 1689, the occasion is a farewell, and a certain Mr. Wuweng is the recipient of the painting, which properly gives the painting its title Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng. Despite the fact that Mr. Wuweng and his relationship with Shitao is yet to be identified,For the possible identity of this "Mr. Wuweng," Wang Shiqing suggests two names: one is Liang Jiaji梁嘉稷, zi Wumu 五楘, a native of Jiangdu 江都, and the other is Shi Weisong 石為崧, zi Wuzhong 五中, a native of Rugao 如皋 (both Jiangdu and Rugao in modern Jiangsu province), Shitao shilu, 294 (n. 128). we will come back to this inscription to explore the many layers of meaning in the painting and the circumstances surrounding its creation.
For Shitao, the key word here is beiyou 北遊 or "northern journey," which he made from Jiangnan to the dynastic capital Beijing and visits to nearby Tianjin, from the early spring of 1690 to the autumn of 1692, a journey which is richly documented in his writings and inscriptions on paintings. He first mentioned his intent to make a northern journey as early as 1686 in his inscription on a landscape titled The Pavilion Overlooking the River (Linjiangge tu 臨江閣圖). By 1689, the date of the Seattle painting Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng, Shitao was ready to travel to Beijing. In a third painting, the famous Searching Everywhere for Extraordinary Peaks (Soujin qifeng dacaogao 搜盡奇峰打草稿), painted by Shitao in Beijing upon the request of a Mr. Shen'an in the early spring of 1691, Shitao first expresses his intent to return south.
All three landscapes belong to a long-standing Chinese tradition of farewell paintings. Most importantly, each expresses Shitao's thoughts and feelings from his first ideas to travel north to his final return to the south. In this regard, these three scrolls can be considered Shitao's "northern journey trilogy" and each can be better understood in association with the other two. By positioning the Seattle landscape chronologically, emotionally and psychologically in the middle of the trilogy, this study intends to contextualize Shitao's art during this period by exploring interrelationships between the artist's style, life experiences, and autobiography.
For Shitao, the most unforgettable events of the 1680s were the two brief imperial audiences granted to him by the Kangxi Emperor (r. 1662–1722) during the emperor's first two southern inspection tours, first in Nanjing in the eleventh month of 1684 and the other in Yangzhou on the twenty-eighth day of the first month (February 17) in 1689.Kangxi's first two southern tours are officially recorded in Zhao Erxun et al, Qingshi gao: Shengzu benji er 清史稿•聖祖本紀二(Qing History Drafts: Biography of Shengzu [Kangxi], Part 2), 4a-b and 10a-b, cited in Wang, Shitao shilu, 198-99 and 206. For a recent art historical study of Kangxi's southern tours, see Maxwell K. Hearn, "Art Creates History: Wang Hui and The Kangxi Emperor's Southern Inspection Tour," in Fong, Wen C., Chin-Sung Chang, and Maxwell K. Hearn, Landscapes Clear and Radiant: The Art of Wang Hui (1632-1717), ed. Maxwell K. Hearn (New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008), 129-83. The impact of these two imperial audiences on Shitao was so profound that he did two paintings to commemorate the events.For a critical analysis of the impact of these two imperial audiences on Shitao, see Hay, Shitao, 98-99 and 132. One is an album leaf with the politically-charged and flattering title, The Seas Are at Peace and the Rivers Are Pure (Hai yan he qing海晏河清) (National Palace Museum, Taipei), humbly signed "Servitor-monk Yuanji [Shitao's other name] prostrates himself nine times (Chen seng Yuanji jiu dunshou臣僧元濟九頓首)," clearly intended for presentation to the emperor. The other is a handscroll, On an Audience with His Majesty on the Road to Pingshan during My Stay in Yangzhou (Ke Guangling Pingshan daoshang jianjia客廣陵平山道上見駕) (Princeton University Art Museum), accompanied at the end of the painting with two interconnected poems under the same title (fig. 1), the first of which reads:
I cannot make out the road, in darkness passing through the city gate;
Dawn breaks as I push on toward Pingshan.
The trip is a rare opportunity to meet the Sage of Benevolence;
Every step forward is a step closer to the Heavenly Visage.
Amid pine-scented breeze and dripping dew, the horse moves swiftly;
The fragrance of flowers surrounds me as I take a steep path.
Two generations have enjoyed Imperial benevolence, far to the realm of Maitreya;
Among men and in Heaven above perfect understanding has returned.Shitao's two poems are collected in Qingxiang laoren tiji 清湘老人題記 (Anthology of Shitao's inscriptions and colophons) compiled by Wang Jun 汪鋆, in Zhongguo shuhuaquanshu (hereafter ZGSHQS) 中國書畫全書(Complete Texts on Chinese Calligraphy and Painting), compiled by Lu Fusheng盧輔聖 et al., 8:594b (Shanghai: Shuhua chubanshe, 1994). The translation of the two poems is cited in Hay, Shitao, 103-4, with modifications.
Contemporary scholars like Jonathan Hay have commented upon the artist's practical desire to approach Kangxi as made clear in the above poems: Shitao "hoped that, just as Shunzhi 順治 (Kangxi's father and founder of the Qing, r. 1644-61) had favored Muchen [Daomin] 木陳[道忞] (1596–1674) and Lü'an [Benyue] 旅庵[本月] (Muchen's pupil and Shitao's teacher, d. 1676), so now Shunzhi's son would favor the son of Lü'an and grandson of Muchen (as his prominently placed seal proclaims him to be), presumably by offering him a temple responsibility."See Hay, Shitao, 102-4 and figs. 57-58; the quote is from 104. For an earlier and detailed analysis of Shitao's relationship with Muchen and Lü'an to fulfill his political-religious ambition, see Zhang Zining張子寧, "Shitao de Baimiao Shiliu zunzhe juan yu Huangshan tu ce 石濤的《白描十六尊者》卷與《黃山圖》冊 (Shitao's Sixteen Luohans in the Baimiao Manner Scroll and Huangshan Album), Guoli lishi bowuguan guankan 3:1 (1993): 80-82, which Hay's above discussion generally follows. It was to fulfill his hopes for imperial patronage in his pursuit of a significant Buddhist temple post that may well have motivated Shitao to take the northern journey.
The above two audience paintings and poems, presented to the emperor on the occasion of the artist's audiences, manifest Shitao's changing attitude toward the Manchu rule in the 1680s. Thus, Shitao's northern journey, as stated in the inscription on Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng, only several months following the artist's heartening imperial audience, should have been a highly anticipated event in the artist's life. Why then did Shitao state: "The mountains are placid, the rocks are pale, and the pines are pale/The glinting light of the ebbing water mirrors a disturbed heart," when he bid farewell to Mr. Wuweng for his journey to Beijing in that winter of 1689? To find answers to that question, we need to look deeper into Shitao's earlier preparations for this northern journey.
Although Shitao's initial thoughts of journeying to Beijing may have been triggered by his first audience with the Kangxi Emperor in Nanjing of 1684, only in the early autumn of 1686 did Shitao openly state his plans to travel north in an inscription on The Pavilion Overlooking the River. Our knowledge of this now-lost painting comes only from an informative record by Yamamoto Teijirō 山本悌二郎 (1870–1937), which describes a composition of a large river; a pavilion on top of a high cliff overlooking sailboats below and a panoramic view of distant mountains. Shitao's inscription on the painting begins with a poem and then concludes: "In the seventh month of the bingyin year (1686) on my northern journey, in remembrance of the Master of the Pavilion Overlooking the River, Written by Shitao, the monk from Jishan 丙寅七月北上,憶臨江閣主人,石濤濟山僧寫."While the authenticity of the lost painting cannot be verified now, Yamamoto's reputation as a discerning collector of classical Chinese painting persuades me not to discard this painting as a possible clue to understanding Shitao's life and art. See Yamamoto Teijirō, Chōkaidō shoga mokuroku 澄懐堂書晝目錄(Catalogue of works of calligraphy and painting from the Chenghuai Studio collection) Tokyo: Bunkyūdo Shoten, 1932), juan 5, 46b-47a. The current whereabouts of this painting is unknown and this record is mentioned only in a footnote by Zheng Wei in his Shitao石濤 (Shanghai Museum, 1990, 122 and no. 16), but oddly not included by Wang Shiqing in his Shitao shilu. Based on the other two paintings dated to the same 丙寅七月 (see Wang's Shitao shilu, p. 202), this painting should have been done in Nanjing. Yet did Nanjing have a Linjiangge臨江閣? Was there a Master of Linjiangge 臨江閣主人among Shitao's circle of friends? If this is a reliable record of a genuine lost Shitao painting, the painting would be the earliest known visual evidence of Shitao's anticipated northern journey.
At an art auction held in Nanjing on January 2, 2011, a long handscroll painted by Shitao in 1686 titled Farewell Landscape of Journeying to Min (Minyou zengbie shanshui juan)閩游贈別山水卷, (fig. 2 ) was sold at a record high price of RMB¥135,000,000 (slightly above $20,000,000).The January 2 auction was part of the Nanjing Classic 2010 Autumn art auction and this Shitao painting (cat. no. 0883) had been specially featured in the pre-auction publicity; for the auction information of the painting, including a low-resolution reproduction of the scroll, see its registration record at the website of Nanjing Classic Auction Co. Ltd: http://www.njjdpm.com/auctiondetail.aspx?id=1452. It is reported that the successful bidder of the painting is an anonymous entrepreneur in Zhejiang. The sale was widely reported by the media and the news created an immediate sensation in the art markets of traditional Chinese painting, both in China and internationally.
What interests us most here, however, is not so much the extraordinary market value of the painting as its close relationship with the Seattle painting. This painting sold at auction, formerly in the collection of C.C. Wang, has not drawn scholarly attention except for a few brief literary records. The earliest is by the nineteenth-century literati collector Pan Zhengwei潘正煒 (1791–1850), under the title of Landscape by the Daoist of Qingxiang (Qingxiang daoren shanshui juan 清湘道人山水卷).See Pan, Tingfanlou xuke shuhuaji 聼帆樓續刻書畫記 (Record of Works of Calligraphy and Painting from the Collection of the Tower of Listening to the Sail: A Sequel), in ZGSHQS, 11:924a. "The Daoist of Qingxiang" (Qingxiang daoren清湘道人) was a hao name Shitao started to use for himself in the 1670s during his early life in Xuancheng, Anhui. Xu Bangda 徐邦達had a good reason to change Pan's generic shanshui, or "landscape," title to the more descriptive Minyou zhengbie shanshui juan閩游贈別山水卷or Farewell Landscape of Journeying to Min, based on an inscription written by Shitao at the beginning of the painting.See Xu, Gaiding lidai liuchuan huihua biannianbiao 改定歷代流傳繪畫編年表 (A Revised Chronicle of Surviving Paintings from the Successive Dynasties) (Beijing: Remin meishu chubanshe, 1996), 197. This scroll had been in the private collection of C.C. Wang until it suddenly surfaced under the same title given by Xu Bangda in the recent Nanjing art auction. Intriguingly, a good-quality color reproduction of the entire scroll was published yet under a strangely different title, see Yang Dongsheng 楊東勝ed. Jiangshan shenglan tu《江山勝攬圖》(A Panoramic View of Mountains and Rivers)(Hefei: Anhui meishu chubanshe, 2010); I am grateful to Zhang Changhong for timely sending me digital images of the scrolls from this new publication. This long handscroll, whatever its title may be, is a painting of import in Shitao's development as painter, representing a place where his earlier Xuancheng-Anhui style meets with his newly-acquired Nanjing style. It deserves a separate case study and this author only regrets that he is unable to discuss the painting per se with the time and space constraints of the present essay. Since this inscription is not only essential for reading the painting but also connects the 1686 hanging scroll to the Seattle painting dated three years later, it deserves our attention. The inscription reads as follows:
In the winter months of the bingyin year (1686), I took Zaican to watch the snow at the abbot's Elm Tree Lodge of the Daoist Temple of the Nine Heavens. Zhiqi told me that he would be journeying to Minhai (Fujian) next spring. [I told him that] I was also planning privately to go on a spring outing to You-Ji (Beijing). Believing our parting would come some day soon, he took out a long blank handscroll and laid it out on the table; he did not say a word but his meaning was clear. The mountain monk [Shitao himself] was intuitive enough to know exactly what he [Zhiqi] wanted, thus lighting the candles and painting the scroll to make 'a laughing stick' for our future reunion in order to bring back memories. —Written by Shitao of Qingxiang and Ji."藂宿有榆方丈" in Shitao's inscription means "叢霄有榆方丈": "藂" (cong) is a popular form of "叢" (cong) in classical Chinese with the same pronunciation; "宿", according to Zhu Liangzhi's study, should be "霄" as "叢霄有榆方丈" was a well-documented Daoist temple in Nanjing and the residence of Shitao's close Daoist friend Zhou Jing (see discussion of Zhou Jing's colophon at the end of the painting below), see Zhu, Shitao Yanjiu, 251-55; see also Wang, Shitao shilu, 203. Bai Qianshen suggests that "宿" (su) might have been a pronunciation variant for "霄" (xiao) in a certain southern local dialect Shitao spoke or knew about—personal communications.
The inscription informs us that in winter of 1686, at the Elm Tree Lodge of the Daoist Temple of the Nine Heavens in Nanjing, at least three people were present at the gathering—Shitao, his attendant or assistant Zaican, and someone named Zhiqi. Zhiqi's identity is not clear, as modern scholars disagree if he was a Chan or a Daoist monk.Zhiqi's identity seems to have been largely ignored or overlooked in modern scholarship. Here are the only two brief mentions I can find: Mingfu 明復 identifies Zhiqi as a Chan monk from Panshan 盤山 in Jizhou 薊州 (present-day Jixian, Tianjin), see Shitao Yuanji Chanshi xingshi kao 石濤原濟禪師行實考 (Studies on the life and art of Chan master Shitao Yuanji) (Taipei: Xinwenfeng chubanshe, 1978), 87; Zhu Liangzhi, on the other hand, considers Zhiqi to be a Daoist, see Shitao yanjiu, 255 and 717. Neither, however, offers any reference sources for each's identification. Mingfu also identifies Zaican, another person mentioned in Shitao's inscription, as Shitao's attendant or assistant (shizhe 侍者), who would accompany the master on his northern trip to Beijing in 1690, Shitao Yuanji, 89. A fourth important person was also present at that winter snow gathering, as revealed in a colophon by Zhou Jing周京 (active late 17th century) at the very end of the painting, which offers further details of the event. Zhou noted his six-year friendship with Shitao and continued: "Seated in my Elm Tree Lodge, [Shitao] was spontaneously playing with brush and ink to write out this scroll坐我有榆,慨然弄筆墨為寫此卷." Zhou was amazed to watch Shitao paint this 18-foot-long landscape for Zhiqi from start to finish so quickly in one night, as if "in a single movement of the brush (yihui er jiu一揮而就)"; the colophon concludes: "At night on the twenty-sixth day, tenth month of winter (December 12, 1686), [written by] Zhou Jing, the Floor Sweeper of the Nine Heavens [Temple] 時是冬之十月二十六夜,叢霄灑掃人周京."Zhou's record of Shitao's painting process is in the third vertical line from right and his signature is located in the middle of the colophon (the sixth line) followed by four poems he composed while watching Shitao paint the long scroll during the night. See also Wang, Shitao shilu, n. 114 on p. 291, though Wang does not give the full text of Zhou's colophon. Thus, the exact date of Shitao's painting, Shitao's friendship with Zhou Jing, and the Elm Tree Lodge first mentioned in Shitao's inscription as Zhou's residence in the Nine Heavens Temple are all documented.Zhou was among the first acquaintances Shitao made when he arrived in Nanjing in the fifth month of the summer, 1680, before settling down in his humble yet famous "Single Branch Lodge" at Changgansi; at that time Shitao visited Zhou Jing's thatched studio Xiangshan Caotang 向山草堂 and painted the hanging scroll Shouyi tu 授易圖for Zhou; for a reproduction, see Zhang Daqian 張大千, Qingxiang laoren shuhua biannian 清湘老人書畫編年 (Painting and calligraphy of Shitao: A chronological study). Hong Kong and Taipei: Gaoshi dongfan yishu gongshi, 1978, pl. 18), see Wang, Shitao shilu, 190. Zhou remained a close friend to Shitao throughout Shitao's life; later Zhou recalled his friendship with Shitao with these words from an inscription on Shitao's album of The Eight Views of Jinling(Jinling bajing tu 金陵八景图) "When Mr. Qingxiang [Shitao] lived in the Single Branch Lodge in Jinling (Nanjing), he and I were together from dawn to dusk, discussing literature and composing poetry, and we had never missed even one day," cited in Zhu, Shitao yanjiu,134; see also Wang, Shitao shilu, 366-8.
Having the new information in Shitao's inscription and Zhou Jing's colophon, the recipient Zhiqi's name may be added to the title, thus Farewell Landscape for Zhiqi Journeying to Min (Zhiqi Minyou zengbie shanshui juan 智仚閩游贈別山水卷),This helps clarify the confusion of Jonathan Hay who thought that in the same winter of 1686 Shitao painted a landscape for Zhiqi and another for Zhou Jing under the title of Streams and Mountains without End (Xishan wujin 溪山無盡) formerly in the C.C. Wang collection(see Hay, n. 78, ch. 3 on p. 347)—now we know for sure the two were actually one and the same painting. both for the sake of clarity and to align in a parallel fashion with the title of the Seattle landscape, Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng,of 1689. Thus, the paintings share two important similarities: Each landscape is a parting gift for a friend; and more significantly, in both farewell landscapes, Shitao mentions his own plan for a northern trip. In this way each painting references two journeys: a pictorial journey (i.e. the painted landscape) to bid farewell to a friend—Zhiqi, or Mr. Wuweng—and an actual planned journey of the artist, or of both the artist and the recipient, as in the case of the 1686 scroll. When Shitao heard of Zhiqi's upcoming journey to Fujian in the spring, he revealed his own personal plan to "go on a spring outing to You-Ji"—You-Ji is an ancient geographical name for the Manchu capital Beijing and its vicinity.
Around the same time of his Farewell Landscape for Zhiqi, Shitao also wrote a long autobiographical poem, Song of My Life (Shengping xing 生平行), to bid farewell from his "Single Branch Lodge (Yizhige 一枝閣)" to his friends in Nanjing. The following lines from the last part of the poem express once again Shitao's plan for the northern journey:
Last night, as if blown by the wind, I dreamt of going to the capital,
The sound of the carrier pigeon's bell relays afar with the cries of wild geese in flight.
A letter from an old friend comes in with great details, [Cao Binji] Asking a southern wind to hasten me northward.
I compose this song while seeking out the distant journey
That will extend my aspirations to the eight corners of the universe.
I promise you that we will meet again in some future years,
As the riverside city that I leave behind is my witness.For the full text of Shitao's Song of My Life, see Qingxiang laoren tiji in ZGSHQS, 8:599a-b; see also Wang, Shitao shilu, 18-19. My translation is cited with modifications from Hay, Shitao, 83, which draws on the translations by Wen C. Fong, Returning Home: Tao-chi's Album of Landscape and Flowers (New York: George Braziller, 1976), 22 and Richard K. Kent, "The Sixteen Lohans in the Pai-miao Style: From Sung to Early Ch'ing" (Ph.D. dissertation, Princeton University, 1995), 277-83.
Shitao had been invited by his old friend Cao Binji 曹賓及 (d. 1689), who had encouraged his journey to Beijing. Cao Binji was the second son of Huizhou prefect Cao Dingwang曹鼎望 (1618–1693, jinshi 1659), both of whom Shitao was acquainted with since the late 1660s at Huangshan黄山.For Shitao's acquaintance and friendship with the Cao family at Huangshan and beyond, see Wang Shiqing, "Shitao xingji yu jiaoyou buzheng—Shitao sankao zhi liu" 石濤行跡與交遊補證—石濤散考之六(Odd Notes on Shitao no. 6: Further Evidence for Shitao's Travels and Contacts), in Juanhui tiandi zhi you zhen: Wang Shiqing yiyuan chayi buzheng sankao (xia) 卷懷天地自有真:汪世清藝苑查疑補證散考(下) (Taipei: Rock Publishing International, 2006), 590 (first published in 1982); Zhang Zining, "Sixteen Luohans," 69-79; Hay, Shitao, 91-92. According to Zhu Zhiliang's study, Cao Binji was among the courtiers accompanying Kangxi in the emperor's first southern tour. He might have met his old friend Shitao at Changgansi (Bao'ensi) in Nanjing and might have even played a role in Kangxi's audiences with Shitao, see Shitao yanjiu, 452-57. The last four lines of the Song of My Life paint a vivid portrait of Shitao at that moment in his life: the excitement of being invited by Cao; his self-confidence and his ambition for widespread renown are evident. The last two verses are parting words, so overwhelmingly positive in tone that it seems as though future success is assured. What a stark contrast to the image of a perturbed Shitao sitting alone before a rainstorm with "a disturbed heart" as declared in the poem on the Seattle painting!
What happened to Shitao during the three years between the two farewell poems and paintings? More specifically, if Shitao had already been on his way from Nanjing to Beijing in 1686, as stated in both his Song of My Life and his inscription on Farewell Landscape for Zhiqi, why was he still commenting on journeying north by the time of the Seattle painting, Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng in 1689? One answer can be found in a 1688 colophon Shitao wrote at the end of a Ming scroll painting of Luohans, in which the artist talked about an extraordinary scroll of Sixteen Luohans in the baimiao白描 or plane-line-drawing manner that took him three years to finish in the late 1660s. He ended with an account of the tragic fate of the Sixteen Luohans scroll that had accompanied him for some twenty years:
"… Last year of dingmao [1687], in the third month, I took a boat trip northward… left the boat and stayed over at Zhailu'an of Qingjiangpu [modern Qingjiang, Jiangsu]. I was surrounded by an assembly of demons and the scroll was stolen by an evil serpent. To this day [1688, seventh month] I don't dare to think about it. Even though I don't dare to think about it, for two years now I have fallen into depression."The Ming Luohan scroll is by an unidentified artist named Chen Liangbi 陳良壁 (active ca. 1600) and Shitao's colophon is dated to "wuchen qiyue" 戊辰(1688)七月 both of which are currently in the Shanghai Museum; see Zhang Zining, "Sixteen Luohans," fig. 1. The translation is cited in Hay, Shitao, 102, with slight modifications.
… 昨年丁卯三月,渡江北上,捨舟… 客清江浦之摘蘆庵中。群魔圍繞,此卷為毒龍所攝。至今不敢動一思。然雖不敢思,而余已墮痴愚二載矣!
So, Shitao did start his northern journey in the third month of 1687 but the journey seems to have been aborted because of the assault by the "assembly of demons" en route and the loss of the important Luohans scroll to "an evil serpent." The contemporary scholar Joseph Chang [Zining] has identified the "assembly of demons" and the "evil serpent" as followers of Yulin Tongxiu 玉林通琇 (1614–1675), a rival of Muchen and Lü'an in Chan politics; in other words, Shitao fell victim to the contemporary intense rivalry and conflicts between Chan factions, including a more recent event in the fifth month of 1688, in which the woodblocks used to print Muchen's writings were destroyed and burnt at a public Chan Buddhist ritual.Zhang Zining, "Sixteen Luohans," 82; see also Hay, Shitao, 102.
These happenings within Chan politics as well as other worries and concerns regarding the northern journey were likely on the mind of Shitao in 1689 when he painted Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng. These circumstances also shed light on Shitao's poem on the Seattle painting. In it, he seems to be expressing not only his anxiety over the impression he made at his previous imperial audiences, but also his trepidation at his forthcoming northern journey.
Now that we have examined the poem, let us return to the painting to see how the artist expressed his unsettling thoughts by connecting word and image. The majority of this vigorously painted handscroll, from top to bottom, is filled with mountain peaks and valleys, rocks, trees, and streams. Only in the last section does space dramatically open up. Here a broad bay with a spacious expanse of water recedes into the distance, suggesting the northern boat journey.
Does the systematic alternation of light and dark monochrome ink across the composition correspond with that of "like rain" and "no-rain" over the mountains, and of "suddenly bright, suddenly dark" seen in the reflections on the paper windows? How could the artist's heart not be disturbed when it is sandwiched and squeezed in the depths of a valley between two diagonally looming mountain ranges? And if "The glinting light of the ebbing water mirrors a disturbed heart," would not all the images of the "placid mountains, pale rocks, and pale pines" be a psychological projection of Shitao's state of the mind rather than a representation of any actual landscape the artist sees and tries to depict? The tension concentrated in the first half of the scroll, and accelerated by the ever-increasing pictorial intensity, seems suddenly released into the open expanse at the end, becoming the visual equivalent of a departure.
The density and homogeneity of Shitao's composition and his use of repetitive ink dots and curvilinear contours are characteristic of his painting style of the Nanjing period in the 1680s. Shitao's use of ink dots clearly refers back to two earlier paradigmatic masters of the ink dot style—Dong Yuan 董源 (d. 962) and Mi Fu 米芾 (1052–1107)—but his ink dots were always fresh and innovative, as a 1682 inscription on a landscape album leaf specifically addresses his own method of applying ink dots: "Like Dong but not Dong/Like Mi but not Mi 似董非董,似米非米."The album leaf was formerly in the Dafengtang collection; see Zhang Daqian, Qingxiang laoren, pl. 21R. An example par excellence of Shitao's painting in the ink-dot style is the 1685 handscroll Ten Thousand Ugly Ink Dots (Wandian e'mo 萬點惡墨) currently in the Suzhou Museum. The painting was dedicated to for a certain Canggong 蒼公, whom Wang Shiqing has identified as Buddhist monk Changxiu 常岫, zi Canglin 蒼林, Shitao shilu, 200 and 290 (no. 109). In Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng, ink dots are numerous, dark, and restless; they cover the mountain tops along the diagonal ranges; they surround the two central buildings in the valley with the lone figure inside; they even look like rain drops, as if trying to confirm the rain so ambiguously forecasted in the poem (The mountain's hue looks like rain but there is no rain).
In every aspect, the abrupt opening, the diagonally oriented movement, the method of restless ink dots, the lone figure and its placement, the unsettling and disturbing tone of the poem, the difference between the two halves of the composition, and the tension between the painting and the poem, Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng is a painting par excellence of the qi 奇or "extraordinary/eccentric" category in the period style of seventeenth-century China.For an informative discussion of the qi aesthetics in the late Ming and early Qing, see Qianshen Bai, Fu Shan's World: The Transformation of Chinese Calligraphy in the Seventeenth Century (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Asia Center, 2003), 10-20; Bai's footnotes include further references on the qi phenomenon. Qi's definition includes strange, extraordinary, marvelous, original, or eccentric, depending on the given context. Shitao was considered rightly by his contemporaries, from his patron Cao Dingwang to his biographer Li Lin 李驎 (1634–1710), as a qishi 奇士or an eccentric scholar with frequent qimeng 奇夢 (strange dreams) and experiences of qibian 奇變 (extraordinary transformation).See Li Lin's "Dadizi chuan" 大滌子傳 (Biography of Dadizi [Shitao]) in his collected works Qiufeng wenji 虬峰文集, juan 16, and Hay's discussion of it, Shitao, 284-86. Three Qing colophons on the Seattle scroll that praise Shitao as qishi and qiren 奇人 (eccentric man) and his art as qi and full of qiqing奇情 (extraordinary passion) are characteristic of eighteenth- to nineteenth-century literati views of the artist.These three of the six Qing colophons at the end of the Seattle scroll were written respectively by Liu Daguan 劉大觀 (1753-1834), Yi Bingshou 伊秉綬 (1754-1815), and Wu Zhao (see no. 2). The colophons are transcribed and translated in the 'Inscriptions' section of this catalogue.
Shitao himself was not only fully aware of the qi aesthetics of his time but also participated in its practice. One example was his use of qi as the subject for a very important painting in 1691, Searching Everywhere for Extraordinary Peaks, with the seven-character title, 搜盡奇峰打草稿 Soujin qifeng da caogao, written conspicuously on the opening of the painting(fig. 3)."搜盡奇峰打草稿" came from an exact artistic statement of Shitao that first appeared in the form of a rectangular intaglio seal used first by Shitao, according to the study of Richard Edwards, in the artist's late Nanjing years before he left for Beijing and more frequently on paintings after he returned to Yangzhou in 1692 toward the end of his life: for example, the stamps of the same seal appear on Waterfall at Mt. Lu (Sumitomo collection) and Drunk in the Autumn Woods (Crawford collection)—both undated but probably around 1692-96—and also on Peach Blossom Spring dated 1705 (Freer Gallery), see Edwards, The Painting of Tao-chi: 1641-ca. 1720 (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Art Museum, 1969), 68. Although this 1691 farewell landscape painting has been the subject of numerous scholarly discussions, its richness deserves a separate case study. Like Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng in the Seattle Art Museum, Searching Everywhere for Extraordinary Peaks is a farewell landscape, according to Shitao's own inscription, painted in Beijing "in the second month of xinwei (1691) when I am about to return south時辛未二月,余將南還." The recipient of the painting is a "Mr. Shen'an 慎安先生, master of the Qiehan Studio (Qiehanzhai 且憨齋)," who has been identified by Wang Shiqing as the retired Left Vice-Minister of the Personnel Wang Fengying 王封溁 (d. 1703).For a critical account of Shitao's sojourn and social life in Beijing, including his reasons to return south, see Hay, Shitao, 104-9; my discussion here draws on Hay, 104-5 and Wang, Shitao shilu, 294-95 (n. 133). The pinyin for the character溁, as in the name of王封溁, is ying, not rong as spelled in Hay, 104-5.
Wang Fengying was only one of the many high-ranking court officials Shitao came to know during his Beijing sojourn of 1690-92, while the most important was the influential Manchu noble art collector Bordu, who became a close patron-friend to Shitao.For an informative recent study of the close relationship of Shitao and Bordu, including discussions of several paintings Shitao made for Bordu, see Zhu, Shitao yanjiu, 271-78. Bordu's friendship and patronage helped introduce Shitao not only to high-ranking court officials but also to some of the most prominent court painters. For example, in the same second month of 1691, while painting Searching Everywhere for Extraordinary Peaks for Wang Fengying, Shitao did a picture of bamboo and orchids for Bordu, who brought it to the influential Orthodox-school master Wang Yuanqi 王原祁 (1642–1715) to have some rocks added.For an insightful analysis of the different roles of Wang Yuanqi and Shitao in relation to the Orthodox school and the Individualist movement in the history of Chinese painting, see James Cahill, The Compelling Image: Nature and Style in Seventeenth-Century Chinese Painting (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1982), 185-225 (Chapter 6). This hanging scroll under the title of Orchid and Bamboo (Lanzhu tu 蘭竹圖), currently in the collection of the National Palace Museum in Taipei, is often considered by scholars to be a friendly collaboration between Shitao and Wang Yuanqi mediated by Bordu as an effort to promote Shitao, see Hay, Shitao, 105; Shih Shou-chien 石守謙, however, views it as "a distorted collaboration" (bianxing hezhuo 變形合作) manipulated by Bordu, see Shih, "Shitao-Wang Yuanqi hezhuo Lanzhu tu de wenti" 石濤王原祁合作蘭竹圖的問題(A study on an Orchid and Bamboo scroll by Shitao-Wang Yuanqi), in Proceedings of the International Colloquium on Chinese Art History, 1991 (Taipei: National Palace Museum, 1992), 491-511. Only a month later Shitao was invited by the then Right Vice-Minister of the Rites Wang Zehong 王澤弘 (1626–1708) to view apricot blossoms; Shitao painted Under the Shade of an Ancient Tree (Gumu chuiyin tu古木垂蔭圖), for Wang in return of the host's hospitality.See Zhang Zining張子寧 (Joseph Chang), "Qing Shitao Gumu chuiyin tu jian luexi qi hualun yanjin zhi suoyi清石濤《古木垂陰圖軸》兼略析其畫論演進之所以 (Qing Shitao's Under the Shade of an Ancient Tree with an analysis of the evolution of his painting theories), Yishuxue 2 (1988): 141-55. Around the same time Shitao also collaborated with the brilliant literati court painter Wang Hui 王翚 (1632–1717)—Shitao painting bamboo, the orchids and rocks by Wang Hui.The painting, a hanging scroll, is presently in the Zhilelou 至樂樓 collection, Hong Kong. Like the above-mentioned Shitao-Wang Yuanqi work, this collaboration was also arranged by Bordu. For a thoughtful discussion of both paintings in relation with each other, see Marilyn and Shen Fu, Studies in Connoisseurship: Chinese paintings from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections in New York, Princeton and Washington, D.C. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1973), 49-50 and figs. 15-16.
The delight and pleasure of such an active social life within Beijing high society may have left noticeable traces in Shitao's landscape of Searching Everywhere for Extraordinary Peaks, especially compared to the anxiety and uncertainty as visualized in Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng. If the opening of the 1689 Nanjing landscape is abrupt, an unexpected surprise, in contrast the opening of the1691 Beijing landscape, even with the word "extraordinary" incorporated in the inscribed title, Searching Everywhere for Extraordinary Peaks, looks ordinary: a meandering river runs quietly through to the foreground. Despite the different, more placid opening, the overall composition of Searching Everywhere for Extraordinary Peaks essentially follows that of Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng. The two landscape paintings end similarly with a small island and a large body of open water, as if indicative of the boat as the means of transport in both the departure for Beijing and the return from Beijing of Shitao's northern journey. Lastly, an inscription written by Shitao fills the space of the open river to mark the very end of each landscape painting.Shitao's long inscription at the end of the 1691 painting states his knowledge and reception of the 11th-century imperial academy master of landscape painting Guo Xi, which deserves a separate study. Shitao turned to Guo Xi once more later in the monumental hanging scroll, Waterfall on Mt. Lu (Sumitomo Collection), with another important inscription; see Cahill, The Compelling Image, 207-8.
In spite of the many similarities in the compositional structure, Searching Everywhere for Extraordinary Peaks and Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng differ sharply in style. In the former, the brushwork is dry and meticulous; the execution is slow and patient; and the organization is clear and controlled with repetitive long and linear texture strokes over the entire surface except for a few scattered dark ink dots—reflective of Shitao's indebtedness to the Anhui school from his Xuancheng years of 1667-78.Cahill observes that the Anhui school style persists in some of Shitao's landscape paintings through his Nanjing period and beyond , though often superbly transformed (The Compelling Image, 200)—this here is another good example of such stylistic persistence and transformation; see also n. 39 below.
The contrast between this and the Seattle scroll is striking. In the Seattle scroll the brushwork is wet and heavy with washes; the execution is fast and spontaneous; improvisation replaces organization to create tensions between light and dark and between lines and dots, as well as spatial and representational ambiguities— reminiscent of the artist's 1685 painting Ten Thousand Ugly Ink Dots (fig. 4) inspired probably by the style of Nanjing school during his stay there.See Cahill, The Compelling Image, 202 and also n. 27 and n. 38 above. For an excellent case study of Shitao's selective use of the Anhui and Nanjing school styles in 1695, see Richard Vinograd, "Reminiscences of Ch'in-huai: Tao-chi and the Nanking School," Archives of Asian Art 31 (1977/1978): 6-31. These different stylistic characteristics contribute to the different emotional and psychological moods in the two paintings: anxiety and uncertainty in the 1689 landscape prior to Shitao's departure from Nanjing, and delight and exuberance in the 1691 landscape during the artist's Beijing sojourn.
The same delight and exuberance can be seen even more directly in the fourteen figures Shitao depicts in the Beijing landscape by following the order of their appearances. Such well-organized configuration—that is, the forming of the fourteen figures in groups engaged in their various leisurely engagements—brings out a sharp contrast with the depiction of the one lone figure inside the mountain pavilion before an imminent rainstorm in the Seattle landscape. What do these figures in landscape mean? It is not enough to see them solely as motifs illustrative of the Northern Song academy master Guo Xi's (ca. 1010–ca. 1090) three landscape categories of "those in which one may sightsee, those through which one may wander, and those in which one may live (kewangzhe 可望者, keyouzhe可遊者, kejuzhe可居者) as cited in Shitao's inscription written on the end of the 1691 painting (See fig. 3).See no. 34 above.
In his analysis of the meaning of figures as depicted in tenth- to eleventh-century Chinese landscape painting, Richard Barnhart points out that "they are surrogates for the painter who, in painting them, paints an aspect of himself" and "metaphors of the artist's mind and presence."Barnhart, "Figures in Landscape," Archives of Asian Art 42 (1989): 64 and 69. Barnhart's analysis can well be used in our exploration of the meaning of Shitao's figures in the two landscape paintings under discussion, as the figures symbolize certain aspects of Shitao, his life, his mind and his emotions, however ambiguous they are. For example, the fourteen figures in the Beijing landscape can be regarded as a continuous narration, in which Shitao plays multiple roles and assumes different identities as fisherman, villager, traveler, scholar-poet, observer (the seated figure by the cliff). In the Seattle painting, on the other hand, the lone figure serves, without any ambiguity, both as the surrogate for Shitao and as "the eye of the painting… from which the artist unexpectedly speaks and reveals himself" and through which a discerning viewer is able to share the artist's viewpoint and emotions.Barnhart, Ibid. 64. That is what Shitao presents as himself in his paintings; and that is how we should view the paintings in order to see aspects of the artist and his art.
It would be simplistic, however, to conclude from the above comparison that Shitao must have enjoyed his life with the Beijing high society because the narrative and the style in Searching Everywhere for Extraordinary Peaks look delightful, exuberant, and neat, or that Shitao must have lost his confidence for his northern journey because his portrayal of the self appears lonely and uneasy in face of a rainstorm in Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng. Yes, Shitao's life in Beijing might have been enjoyable but only to certain extent; otherwise, why write at the end of his inscription on the painting:"I am about to return south (yu jiang nanhuan 余將南還)"? Remember that Shitao had been in Beijing only for a year by the second month of 1691 when painting Searching Everywhere for Extraordinary Peaks for Mr. Shen'an. We can only surmise that Shitao must have already been so disappointed as to start planning his return to south—even though the actual return did not take place until another eighteen months later, after the artist's failed effort to attain imperial patronage. By the same token, Shitao must have experienced some crisis of identity and self-confidence, but he was strongly and optimistically determined to face any challenge.
It was these complexities and contradictions that made Shitao into, in Jerome Silbergeld's words, "a contradictory figure in contradictory times," who "repeatedly reoriented and reinvented himself, negotiating between opposition and reconciliation with the larger-than-life forces of his day."Silbergeld, "Review of Shitao:Painting and Modernity in Early Qing China by Jonathan Hay (Cambridge University Press, 2001)," Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies 62, no. 1 (2002): 231. These "larger-than-life forces" refer not only to social, political, religious and economical conditions but also to culture, literature, art and its competing schools and style, as exhibited so fully and brilliantly in Shitao's three beiyouor northern journey landscapes in the present study.
Shitao's style and his life experiences seem to have been in sync around 1689 when he painted Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng, Searching Everywhere for Extraordinary Peaks, and the earlier Farewell Landscape for Zhiqi Journeying to Min. Each painting, with its poetic inscription, records the painter's feelings and emotions of that particular moment. The three paintings belong to what Jonathan Hay has characterized as "Shitao's art of autobiography," in which the artist endows his painting "with a 'diary' nature, closely related to his lyric poetry and often accompanied by such poems."Hay also cites Pei-yi Wu's study, Confucian's Progress: Autobiographical Writings in Traditional China (Princeton, 1990, 235-37) that the period from roughly 1585 to 1680 constituted the "golden age" of autobiography as a highly personal mode of writing in literature. See Hay, Shitao, 109-11 and no. 117. Hay notes that the possibility of this art of autobiography in painting comes from a long tradition of lyric painting, in which "a fundamental rhetoric of authenticity around the brush trace, understood as a psychomaterial trace of the self, was combined with such iconographic possibilities of self-representation as the presence of a human figure within the painting who functioned as a surrogate 'I' (this was especially important for Shitao)…"See Barnhart's discussion of figures in landscape and n. 41 above. In this regard, Hay holds that Shitao's art of autobiography can be matched only by the art of Bada Shanren; Hay, Ibid. 111. Another practitioner extraordinaire of the art of autobiography earlier than Shitao was the Wu-school master Shen Zhou 沈周 (1427-1509), see Richard Edwards, "Shen Chou and the Scholarly Tradition," Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 24, no. 1 (1965): 45-52, and Kathlyn Liscomb, "The Power of Quiet Sitting at Night: Shen Zhou's (1427-1509) Night Vigil," Monumenta Serica 43 (1995): 381-403.
Nowhere in the art of Shitao is this diary nature, this lyricism, this surrogate "I" combined so expressively into so brilliant a painting as in the 1689 Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng prior to My Northern Journey. Here the artist opens to the viewer his deep feelings and emotions of anxiety, uncertainly, and even fear mixed with determination and hope in a rare manner—by means of dangerous verticals, strong diagonals, heavy ink dots, spatial ambiguities, and the lone figure. The poem inscribed by Shitao over the open river at the end of the painting, brief as it is, both anchors the pictorial composition and determines the narrative and its meaning, not only in the work of Shitao but also in the history of Chinese art. Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng is an example par excellence of Shitao's art of autobiography.
© 2013 by the Seattle Art Museum
Questions for thought
| Add an answerAdd Answer:
Quick Facts about the Artist
inscriptions and seals
"The Divine Class of Shitao's Ink Landscape" (Shitao mobi shanshui shenpin 石濤墨筆山水神品)—these are the words written in the title slip on the exterior brocade of this handscroll, known to us today as Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng, a short form for its full title, Farewell Landscape for Mr. Wuweng Prior to My Northern Journey (Liubie Wuweng xiansheng beiyou shanshui juan 留別五翁先生北游山水卷), a phrase taken directly from Shitao's inscription toward the end of the painting.


text:
Tips For Safe and Comfortable Pet Costumes
Safety is an important consideration if your pet will be dressing up for Halloween or another festive occasion this year. Keeping these recommendations in mind when you shop will help you ensure that the costume you choose is safe and comfortable for your companion.
Costumes Should Allow Your Pet to Move Freely
Can your pet walk, run, jump, sit, and move normally when wearing the costume? If not, it may be best to keep shopping. Look for costumes made of soft, stretchy material that moves with your furry friend. Be sure to put the costume on your pet before the big day. If it restricts your pet's mobility or doesn't fit well, you'll have plenty of time to find a better choice.
Although costumes should allow plenty of room for movement, make sure they aren't too big or loose. Loose or large costumes may pose tripping hazards.
Stay Away from Flammable Materials
Costumes made with synthetic materials are more likely to catch fire than those made of natural fibers. If a fire does occur, your pet may try to run in an attempt to escape the blaze, increasing the risk of severe burns.
Reading the tags or online product descriptions for all of the costumes you're considering can help you avoid inadvertently selecting a highly flammable costume.
Make Sure Masks and Hats Fit Well
Masks, hats, wigs, and headbands can interfere with vision if they're not the right size for your pet. Make sure eye holes on masks are large enough to allow your pet to see in all directions. Poorly fitting hats, headbands, headpieces, or wigs can drift into your cat or dog's field of vision, making it difficult to spot obstacles. Make sure these items fit your pet snugly to avoid vision problems. Avoid masks that cover your pet's nose and make it hard to breathe.
Look for Choking Hazards
Dangly decorations, buttons, and elaborate trim make any costume look more authentic but can pose a choking risk. If your pet is a chewer, it may be best to bypass these types of costumes. In addition to triggering choking, swallowed decorations might damage your pet's stomach or intestines.
Choose Costumes That Can Accommodate Leashes and Harnesses
Parties and celebrations can be a little overwhelming for some pets, particularly if other people and animals are wearing costumes. If your pet tries to run away from a spooky witch or scary clown, a harness or leash will prevent him or her from dashing into the street or disappearing into the bushes.
The ASPCA recommends that pets wear identification tags when in costume. ID tags are a good idea even if your pet is microchipped. Good Samaritans who find your pet won't have microchip scanners, which could delay your reunion with your dog or cat.
Make Sure Your Pet's Costume Can Be Seen in the Dark
That black vampire costume may be a hazard if your pet will be outside when it's dark. Choose costumes that contain bright colors or include reflective trim and materials if you'll be spending time outdoors in the evening.
Be Patient
Your cat or dog may not like wearing a costume at first. Place the costume on your pet for a few minutes initially, then gradually increase wearing time. If your pet is obviously unhappy, fearful or anxious, or tries to bite and tear the costume, it may not be the best option. Try another costume, or buy your pet a decorated collar or bandana instead. Collars and bandanas offer a festive touch and are well tolerated by many pets.
If your pet doesn't like dressing up, consider a more creative approach. Pulling your pet in a small decorated wagon may be a better option than forcing your cat, dog, or small animal to wear a costume.
Do you have a few questions or concerns about your pet's physical or mental health? Contact our office to schedule your furry friend's appointment.
ASPCA: Tips on Costumes, Candy and Celebrating Safely with Your Pets This Halloween, 10/26/16
The Humane Society of the United States: Halloween Safety Tips for Pets
American Kennel Club: 10 Tips for Dressing Up Your Dog Safely, 10/26/16


text:
Okay this one's crazy - not just for the fact for what I now have on the trading block, but for the way it happened. I just got a phone call about this. I said yes on the spot.
The person who lives in the other half of Jody Gnant's duplex in Phoenix is named Leslie. Leslie pays rent on her half of the duplex. Leslie had an idea on how to not pay rent for one year in her duplex. Leslie works at Alice Cooper's restaurant in Phoenix, Alice Cooper'stown. Leslie didn't have anything to trade but had a valuable resource - her boss! She asked Alice Cooper if he would help her get free rent for one year. She told him her idea. Alice Cooper listened. Alice Cooper was honored to help out one of his staff in such an awesome way, and jumped at the chance.
And that's how it played out. Alice Cooper agreed to spend an afternoon with a fan so that Leslie can get one year of free rent. Yes, as far as Leslie and I are concerned, Alice Cooper is pretty much the coolest living legend/restaurant owner of all time.
"one afternoon with Alice Cooper" includes:
-one afternoon with Alice Cooper.
One of a variety of activities is possible: golfing, songwriting, jamming, hanging out, dining, Alice's courtesy laughs at your clever "We're not worthy's" ... the sky's the limit. Maybe he'll even invite you to hang out with him on his radio show in Phoenix or chill backstage at a show....it really depends on whether you meet up with Alice in Phoenix or meet him on one of his days off while he's on the road for his upcoming tour!
So that's how it is: Leslie now has one year of free rent in her duplex (well, actually, she has to move to the other half of the duplex - I really think we should hold her to it.), and I now have one afternoon with Alice Cooper. Now I'm a huge Alice Cooper fan, and would love nothing more than spend an afternoon boring him silly with my favorite Milwaukee-related lines from Wayne's World, but I pledged to keep making trades until I get up to a house. And "one afternoon with Alice Cooper" isn't a house, so I've gotta make a trade!
Yeah, I can't believe it either.
Big thanks to the combined force of a packed Fargo house and Alice Cooper for making one red paperclip rock harder than I'm sure any of us ever imagined. Tonight was insane. A balloon was filled with blood. It exploded all over the crowd. I "never saw it coming." I then got hosed off stage by a giant stream of blood. The giant red paperclip got ripped to shreds by the crowd. 20/20 from ABC caught the whole thing on tape. I then autographed pieces of giant red paperclip. None of this has ever happened before. To me at least.
Thanks Alice. You rock.
Safe to say I won't ever wash that shirt.


text:
It sounded a bit far-fetched, and perhaps it was.
Iran's former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denied the Holocaust and threatened to wipe Israel off the map. But his successor, President Hassan Rouhani, considered a relative moderate by contrast, has taken a somewhat softer tone. So, when Rouhani allegedly tweeted the following, it quickly became news:
Several news organizations, including CBS, MSNBC and The Washington Post, picked up the story.
However, it's unclear whether the tweet really came from Rouhani. The account above appears at first blush to be legitimate, with some 30,000 followers (although many of them apparently have begun following in the last several hours). Also, there's another account for "Dr. Hassan Rouhani" that also looks and feels legit.
In any case, the Fars News Agency, considered Iran's leading independent news agency, quoted presidential adviser Mohammad Reza Sadeq throwing cold water on the authenticity of the message:
President Hassan Rouhani "does not have a tweeter account," Sadeq said, explaining that "proponents and fans of Mr. Rouhani were active in the cyberspace during the recent presidential election in Iran and used many web pages with titles similar or close to Mr. Rouhani ('s name) to run their activities."
Sadeq added that "any official news on him (the president) is released by the presidential office" and that "only the news released through this conduit is official."
In late August, the same Twitter account that's generated all the buzz had Hassan Rouhani condemning Syria's use of chemical weapons and inviting the international community to take action against Damascus.
It all comes amid another exchange of tweets getting lots of attention on Thursday — between a day-old account purportedly belonging to Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and Twitter user Christine Pelosi, the daughter of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.
It went like this:
Update At 4:10 p.m. ET:
Robin Wright, a journalist and foreign policy analyst at the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson Institute, tells NPR's All Things Considered that both Twitter accounts in question are in fact authentic.
Asked by ATC host Melissa Block whether we know that the account attributed to Zarif is real, she says "we do, because I asked him myself."
Wright says she's known Zarif for some two decades and she contacted him via email and confirmed the authenticity of the exchange with Pelosi.
As for Rouhani's account, Wright says has identified it as one of two real accounts used by the president's office.
"[It's] the one that we've been following since the spring and has been carrying the kind of interesting messages about outreach to the West," she says.
Alireza Miryousefi, the head of the press office at the Mission of Iran at the United Nations related for the The Two-Way an interview Zarif conducted with (the official) Iranian News Agency (IRNA):
Miryousefi quoted Zarif as saying: "[Jews] are a minority [in Iran] ... they have their rights ... and we congratulate [them on] their new year. He [also said that] we condemn [the] Jewish massacre by Nazis as we condemn [the] Palestinian massacre by the Zionists."
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
Part and donor vehicle info
Stock Number: 2318Part type: Chassis Brain Box
Year: 2018
Model: MERCEDES GLE CLASS
Kilometers: 94km
Tag Number 0000084195
Also fits (auto-generated, use as guideline only):
- The items are sold as depicted in the pictures. It is important to carefully review all photos as the item may have some damage that will be visible. Our aim is to be transparent and not hide any information about the item's condition.
- Before placing your order, confirm the compatibility of the item with your vehicle. Please be aware that even if the part number matches, computer modules may still need to be reprogrammed for proper operation. We cannot guarantee fitment and will not be held responsible for parts that do not fit or work with your vehicle. The compatibility information provided by eBay Motors is generated by eBay, not us, and may not be accurate.
- It is important to note that all our parts are pre-owned, unless otherwise stated. If applicable, the kilometers shown on the speedometer will be disclosed. Please be advised that no warranty or guarantee is provided on wear items, such as bearings, seals, gaskets, and belts.
- Please note that programming by an authorized mechanic is mandatory for electronic modules to be covered under warranty and to be eligible for returns. These modules are not plug-and-play and returns will not be accepted if proper programming has not been performed.
- If the photos on our listing do not match the eBay advertisement, kindly contact us first, and we will make every effort to resolve the issue. Scratches can be hard to see in pictures, these parts are pre-owned and may display signs of use and wear, such as scratches and scuffs. This is normal for previously used items and should be taken into consideration when making your purchase.
- Our location and shipping point is based in Alberta, Canada. Customers outside of Canada may be subject to brokerage fees and duties.
- Higher shipping costs may apply to orders destined for Alaska, Puerto Rico, territories, and some rural locations. Please contact us before making your purchase.
- We will make every effort to ship worldwide, but shipping quotes will need to be obtained for international orders.
- Expect a delivery time of 4-10 business days for your items to arrive in the US, taking into account customs clearance. Please note that the delivery time may vary and we cannot guarantee an exact delivery date.
- For larger, palletized, or heavier items, shipping by freight truck may be necessary and these items will require delivery to a commercial address equipped with a forklift. If a commercial address with a forklift is not available, the item can be shipped to the closest freight depot in your area for pickup.
- Orders valued at over $2500 will require a business tax ID or Social Security number to clear US customs as per US government regulations.


text:
Upgrade your Audi 6.0L TDI EUR4 V12 with a STEINBAUER Power Module.
Stock Power (kW): 368
Stock Torque (Nm): 1000
Enhanced Power (kW): 441
Enhanced Torque (Nm): 1200
One of the easiest ways to modify your engines performance is to install a STEINBAUER Power Module – a highly advanced, completely programmable electronic computer module. Where some other methods compromise your engine by pushing it too hard to meet the power gains promised. STEINBAUER can get you those gains without compromising safety. It uses technology to get results, not just tuning. The STEINBAUER Power Module has been developed following years of research and testing. It's been subject to rigorous quality control measures on a range of vehicles|in different environments and under a variety of working conditions.
More importantly STEINBAUER technology is based on a system that is independent from the ECU offering "Intelligent Power Module" technology backed by a dedicated and experienced development team. When you install a STEINBAUER Power Module the results will be recognised as soon as you tow that heavy load or put your foot down up a steep hill.
It is the most trusted and reliable performance upgrade on the market and it's amazing what can be achieved.
*Results dependent on but not limited to: individual driver habits and experience; vehicle handling; type of engine and standard manufacturers engine variables; total load weight and distribution; weather road and terrain conditions.


text:
Here are a few photos of Pass Hunter Prototypes. Basically this new frame is a randonneuse, but with canti brakes. The cantis allow wider tires with fenders and more powerful braking. The Pass Hunter is built using slightly lighter tubing than the Polyvalent or Campeur. It has mid-trail geometry, much like the Campeur.
The term "pass hunter" refers to the sport of riding over mountain passes, more popular in France and Japan than here. Rules are explained on this page. In addition to randoneuring and pass hunting, the Pass Hunter would make a nice sportiff or even a fast credit card tourer. We hope to have them in stock in early fall.
Casey built this one up as a lightweight |
A new fork crow and plenty of fender/tire clearance |
The fork crown in red |
Cable stop with adjuster and integrated rack bosses |
Seat cluster with semi-wrap stays |
Scott is building this one up as his rando bike. |
One down tube decal, or two? Red or blue paint? |