Arthur Szyk was a master of ornate and detailed illumination. He was equally gifted in drawing together various and diverse elements of a national heritage into one composite summary. He accomplished both in this presentation of China's long and illustrious history.
The center red and yellow section displays "Republic of China" in traditional Chinese characters, rayed over the yellow circular Chinese symbol of "long life" and surrounded by four circular blue and white star logos of the Nationalist government founded by Sun Yat-sen. The Nationalist government under Chiang Kai-shek fled mainland China in 1949 after their defeat by Mao and the Communists. The government of present day Taiwan is the Republic of China. Present Taiwan is the heritage of Sun Yat-sen who overthrew the last Imperial dynasty (the Manchus) in 1911.
Historic Imperial China is represented by the Imperial dragon at top center; by the Imperial yellow color utilized so prominently by Szyk, and by the scholar bureaucrat at bottom left whose kind served as civil administrators for dynastic rulers.
Szyk illustrates Chinese philosophy and religion in terms of Confucius (551-479 B.C.), whose teachings formed the basic values of Chinese life for centuries. Buddhism and Taoism have enjoyed varying degrees of popularity throughout the centuries. The latter is illustrated by the eight "immortals" right and left of center. The common Asian symbol for Yin and Yang at top center, symbolizing opposite forces, was also found in traditional Chinese culture. The porcelain at bottom left, next to the scholar-bureaucrat reminds the viewer of the many Chinese contributions to the world of fine arts over the centuries.
The peasant woman completes the picture of traditional Chinese society. Most of China's population has lived off the land. Rice production has sustained China as much as the scholar bureaucrat who parallels the peasant woman.
The four vertical and four horizontal columns contain the names of Chinese provinces. These same columns may be seen to mimic the configuration of the hallways of the Imperial Palace near Tienanmenn Square.
The Nationalist China logo dominates the entire print at the lower bottom, even as the entire painting takes on a shape common in traditional Imperial China.
