Chiang yee cows in derwent water lake district

An exhibition opens next week in the English Lake District, which celebrates the work of a Chinese artist, poet and travel writer who visited the area in the s. Chiang Yee, who grew up in Jiangxi, wrote an illustrated journal about his visit to the area in , which was published the following year with the title The Silent Traveller: A Chinese Artist in Lakeland.

It will run from 16 February to 31 October Chiang, who had left China in , missed the lakes and mountains that he had grown up with. He was born at the foot of Lu Shan. The Lake District, which is also known as Lakeland, is famous for its scenery of lakes and mountains and attracts visitors from across the world. The area includes castles, historic houses and forests and quaint, picturesque villages.

Chiang Yee Poetry - Cows

It is also popular with people who enjoy walking, cycling and sailing. Chiang was also attracted to the Lake District partly because of its links with English poets like William Wordsworth, who lived there, as well as famous artists who had visited and painted the area, such as John Constable and J M W Turner. He shared their love of natural beauty and their desire to capture it in their work.

At Windermere, Chiang took a trip on one of the boats that travel up and down the lake. He quoted Wordsworth:. Chiang uses a mix of descriptive narrative and illustrations to convey the distinctive character of the Lakeland landscape and the people he met during his two-week stay. The book is also interwoven with references to China, and reflections on Chinese cultural history and traditions.

This exhibition will show how Chiang made his own distinctive contribution to the artistic legacy of the Lake District.