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於寸缣尺楮之中

English translation: spread out onto each and every inch of the picture

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Chinese term or phrase:於寸缣尺楮之中
English translation:spread out onto each and every inch of the picture
Entered by: Wenjer Leuschel (X)

09:45 Nov 9, 2004
Chinese to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - History / Qing period
Chinese term or phrase: 於寸缣尺楮之中
善于绘影，剖析分，以量度阴阳向背，斜正长短，就其影之所著，而设色分浓淡明暗焉。故远视人畜、花木、屋宇皆植立而形圆，以至照有天光，蒸为云气，穷深极远，均灿布於寸缣尺楮之中

my translation (please point out BIG ERRORS):
Very well painted shadows, precisely according to amount of light and shadow with reference to the north. The distances of inclined and vertical lines are achieved with their shadows. Coulours are dense or light, depending on whether (the objects) are illuminated or not. Therefore people and animals, trees and flowers, houses and eaves, seen from far, all are ? and in relief, the places illuminated under the sun, the dark places under clouds，the perspective of the picture is very deep. All splendid fabric 於寸缣尺楮之中.
Malgorzata Souffez
Poland
Local time: 16:18
my compliment
Explanation:
The last sentence need a verb and that is the 布. It means "to spread" or "to scatter."
So, allow me to make the following suggestion with most parts staying the same as your translation.

Very well painted shadows, precisely according to the amount of light and shadow with reference to the north. The distances of inclined and vertical lines are achieved with their shadows. Color shades are dense or light, depending on whether illuminated or not. Therefore people and animals, trees and flowers, houses and eaves, seen from afar, all are upright and in relief with the places illuminated under the sun while the dark places under clouds, creating a very deep perspective of the picture, as all these splendidly spread out on (each and) every inch of the fabricated material.

The last part of the sentence can be changed to "creating a very deep perspective, as all these splendidly spread out onto each and every inch of the picture."

寸缣尺楮 is a kind of idiom. However, it refers as well to the material on which the picture is introduced. It is obviously made of precious fibers, kind of fabricated material, both of silk and pulp.

The two Chinese character, 寸 and 尺, can be understood as (each and) every inch (and foot). But it is unusual to have a picture of several feet. I would say, "each and every inch" suffices. (Just as I would tell my wife that she is "every inch a woman," but never would I tell her that she is "every inch and foot a woman.")

I hope the explanation helps a bit. But you've already done a great job, indeed.
Selected response from:

Wenjer Leuschel (X)
Taiwan
Local time: 22:18
Grading comment
many many thanks
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4suggestion
Shang
4my compliment
Wenjer Leuschel (X)
4...they (shadows, light, clouds, the deep and far...) are all splendidly deployed on the scroll..
haikumist (X)


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


40 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
於寸缣尺楮之中
suggestion


Explanation:
缣：thin silk used as paper in ancient China
楮: synonym of 纸
寸缣尺楮: precious paper (similar to parchment in West)

Shang
China
Local time: 22:18
Native speaker of: Chinese
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
於寸缣尺楮之中
my compliment


Explanation:
The last sentence need a verb and that is the 布. It means "to spread" or "to scatter."
So, allow me to make the following suggestion with most parts staying the same as your translation.

Very well painted shadows, precisely according to the amount of light and shadow with reference to the north. The distances of inclined and vertical lines are achieved with their shadows. Color shades are dense or light, depending on whether illuminated or not. Therefore people and animals, trees and flowers, houses and eaves, seen from afar, all are upright and in relief with the places illuminated under the sun while the dark places under clouds, creating a very deep perspective of the picture, as all these splendidly spread out on (each and) every inch of the fabricated material.

The last part of the sentence can be changed to "creating a very deep perspective, as all these splendidly spread out onto each and every inch of the picture."

寸缣尺楮 is a kind of idiom. However, it refers as well to the material on which the picture is introduced. It is obviously made of precious fibers, kind of fabricated material, both of silk and pulp.

The two Chinese character, 寸 and 尺, can be understood as (each and) every inch (and foot). But it is unusual to have a picture of several feet. I would say, "each and every inch" suffices. (Just as I would tell my wife that she is "every inch a woman," but never would I tell her that she is "every inch and foot a woman.")

I hope the explanation helps a bit. But you've already done a great job, indeed.

Wenjer Leuschel (X)
Taiwan
Local time: 22:18
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
many many thanks
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

15 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
於寸缣尺楮之中
...they (shadows, light, clouds, the deep and far...) are all splendidly deployed on the scroll..


Explanation:
This paragraph sounds to describe that someone is good at using shadows to bring out the reality in his painting. The last sentense is not emphasizing the splendid fabric--均means都(all), 灿means "splendidly",布means "deploy",於means在(in, at); 寸缣尺楮 refers to the thin silk or paper the artist uses. 寸和尺are small length measure units, and sometimes Chinese use partial or small units to refer to the large and whole pictures;in other cases can be used to emphasize,as someone suggested "each and every inch" 缣和楮are different materials, but can be the same thing(either silk or paper,depending on what the artist used in that time period) because one rhetoric function of classic Chinese is 偏指, which means in a phrase AB, B is the actual reference. I think the last sentense can be translated into: ...they are all splendidly deployed on the scroll (either silk or paper).

haikumist (X)
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
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