With its small, almost inconspicuous but highly fragrant flowers, the Chinese orchid is a symbol of the Chinese scholar, who often works in the shadows, without an official position, but whose reputation reaches far and wide. The plant's long, slender leaves also lend themselves perfectly to the elegant play of ink. Here, a single brushstroke, modulated with the utmost precision, is drawn in a wide arc to the left as a slender leaf turned in space, determining the composition of the picture. Other leaves and the delicate orchis blossoms balance the composition perfectly on the right. With the simplest of means and the most economical of depiction – each detail is indicated by a single brushstroke – a supreme expression of the Chinese spirit.
Su Shan came from Changsha in Hunan Province. His style name was Guqing. Little else is known about him.