Thousands of Miles of Mountains and Rivers

During the Zhenghe period of the Northern Song Dynasty, the 18-year-old painter Ximeng was taught by Emperor Huizong and determined to paint splendid mountains and rivers. He traveled across mountains and rivers, using azurite as his bones and silk as his veins. He vomited blood for half a year and finally completed the masterpiece. On the snowy night when the painting was completed and submitted, he coughed up blood and fell outside the palace. He was only twenty years old. Huizong caressed the scroll and sighed: Thousands of miles of mountains and rivers are finally the last words that a young man has paid for with his life.