Poem of Farewell to Liu Man  Yelü Chucai (Khitan, 1190–1244)
Yuan dynasty (1271–1368) dated 1240 Handscroll; ink on paper
Image: 14 1/2 x 111 3/4 in. (36.8 x 283.8 cm) Overall with
mounting: 15 in. x 37 ft. 7 11/16 in. (38.1 x 1147.3 cm) Credit
Line: Bequest of John M. Crawford Jr., 1988 Accession Number:
• Description      Yelü Chucai played a pivotal role in
mitigating the harsh rule of the Mongols over the occupied
territories of North China. A trusted adviser to both Chinggis
Khan and his son Ögödei, he introduced fiscal reforms and an
amnesty for tax debts. Unfortunately, many of his administrative
reforms were short-lived.      The blunt, monumental writing on
this handscroll, with its emphatic hooks and dots and square
character forms, recalls the unrestrained style of Huang
Tingjian (1045–1105), a Northern Song master who advocated
"driving every brushstroke with full force." The poem lauds the
virtuous administration of a young official in an era of
widespread exploitation and reflects Yelü's own