Lofty Mountains, Endless Green Waters, A Far-Reaching Spirit Unbound
Leisurely Wandering Between the Heavens, Remembering Only the Kunlun Summit

These lines were inscribed by the artist Yu Peng on one of his paintings in 1998.
Tao Yuanming once said, "I built my hut in the midst of the world, yet there is no clamor of carts and horses," reflecting that "the heart's detachment makes the place remote." Similarly, Yu Peng’s “Guiyin Studio” was located in the bustling heart of the city, yet he proclaimed, "A far-reaching spirit makes no place remote."

In October 2015, during the golden autumn, the first anniversary of Yu Peng's passing was marked with a commemorative exhibition at the Wisteria Tea House. It is hard to believe that in the blink of an eye, October 2024 now brings us to the 10th anniversary of his passing.

The Wistaria Tea House's exhibition space may be small, but it exudes warmth. The first anniversary exhibition, “Cloud Roots Unbroken, Returning to the Mortal Realm: Remembering Yu Peng,” showcased a selection of his sparse and expressive final works, self-portraits from different periods, and pieces he casually gifted to close friends—rarely seen by the public. Though limited in number, these exhibits were focused and thought-provoking.

For the 10th anniversary commemorative exhibition, in addition to the previously unseen theme painting “Remembering Only the Kunlun Summit,” Yu Peng's family has generously provided a collection of his cherished small album works, most of which have rarely been exhibited. These delicate and intricate pieces reveal the artist’s authentic spirit and heartfelt emotions.

Old friends, old tea, old wine—Yu Peng, both in his art and in his life, stood apart, carving out his own distinctive path of elegance. This master, whose aspirations reached as far as Kunlun yet who reveled in the freedom of artistic play within the mortal world, continues to guide us through the undulating realms of the real and the illusory, savoring the true essence of life.