Emperor Wen Of Han - Song Dynasty

This work depicts a historical event from the reign of Emperor Wen of Han (漢文帝; 179-157 BCE). The emperor, his empress, and his favored consort Lady Shen (慎夫人) went to Shanglin Garden (上林苑), where the upright official Yuan Ang (爰盎; ca. 200-148 BCE) remonstrated the emperor for allowing Lady Shen to sit by the ruler and thereby breach protocol. He argued that such an arrangement was counter to hierarchy and bring about disorder, laying the blame on Lady Shen. The emperor listens to Yuan intently, while Lady Shen refuses the seat. It expresses the idea of orderly court relations, in which the ruler open-mindedly accepts remonstration as officials offer advice based on reason and consorts act according to protocol.