1 - Central Question
What's the contribution of Su Tungpo when comes to Chinese scholar painting?
2 - 閱讀感悟
（1）林語堂描寫“Gathering of Scholars at the Western Garden”（“西園雅集”）時，畫面感很強，描寫十分到位。（P583-584）
Present were the three great painters of Sung dynasty, Su Tungpo, Mi Fei and Li Lungmien, and Su's brother and his four disciples. Stone tables are spread beneath the tall cypresses and bamboos in the garden. At the top, a cascade flows into a great river, covered on both banks with flowers and bamboos. Two concubines of the host, wearing high coiffures with many hair ornaments, are standing behind the table. Su Tungpo, in his black cap and yellow gown, is leaning over the table writing, while Prince Wang Shien sits near by looking on. At another table, Li Lungmien is writing a poem by Tao Chien, while Tseyu, Huang Tingchien, Chang Lei, Chao Puchih are all grouped around the table. Mi Fei, standing, head upturned, is inscribing something on a rock near by. Chin Kuan seats himself among the gnarled roots of a tree listening to someone playing on a stringed instrument, while others are scattered about, kneeling or standing in diilerent postures. Monks and other scholars make up the rest of the crowd.
這段話既描寫了當時人們所處的方位，還寫了所做的事情和衣著儀態等，讀完仿佛一幅畫面已呈現在眼前。而且，林語堂靈活使用主被動語態、從句和介詞短語等，使文章讀起來毫無枯燥，韻律十足。
（2）
Calligraphy provides the technique and aesthetic principles for Chinese painting, while poetry provides the spirit, the emphasis on tone and atmosphere, and the pantheistic delight in all the smells and ?colors and sounds of nature.
原來，中國書法、繪畫和詩詞都是可以打通的，長見識了。因此，國畫與西方素描等相區別，更注重動態和內在精神的表達。
3 - Words & Expressions
（1）scholar painting 文人畫（也翻譯成literati painting）
蘇軾與文人畫：“蘇軾第一個比較全面的闡明了文人畫理論，對于文人畫體系形成起到了決定性的作用。首先，他提出了“士人畫”這一概念，“觀士人畫，如閱天下馬，取其意氣所到。乃若畫工，往往只取鞭策皮毛槽櫪芻秣，無一點后發，看數尺許便倦。漢杰真士人畫也?！保ā稏|坡題跋·跋宋漢杰畫》），其次，他抬高了畫家王維的歷史地位，表現出將文人畫家與職業畫家（畫工）分開來的愿望：“吳生雖絕妙，猶以畫工論。摩詰得之于象外，有如仙鬲謝龍樊。”（鳳翔八觀·王維吳道子畫） 再次，他倡導詩情畫意的文人畫風格，反對完全追求形似的畫工風格，“味摩詰之詩，詩中有畫。觀摩詰之畫，畫中有詩?！保ㄕ园俣劝倏疲?/p>
（2）nurture
【動詞】1.to help a plan, idea, feeling etc to develop發展〔計劃、想法等〕; 培養〔感情等〕:
?a hatred of foreigners nurtured by the media由媒體助長的對外國人的憎恨
2.to feed and take care of a child or a plant while it is growing養育; 培育:
?plants nurtured in the greenhouse在溫室里培育的植物
【名詞】the education and care that you are given as a child, and the way it affects your later development and attitudes〔兒時所受的〕教育; 教養; 培育
（3）scatter about 分散，散布在各處
（4）minute
文中用到了形容詞的意思：
1.extremely small極小的:
?Her handwriting is minute.她的字非常小。
2.paying careful attention to the smallest details非常仔細的，極詳細的:
?a minute examination of the rock對那塊巖石的仔細檢查
?He explained the plan in minute detail .他非常詳細地解釋了那個計劃。
