On Nalan Xingde's Inscriptions on Paintings

The inscriptions are an important type in Nalan's lyrics. They show the author's subtle and minute mental process. This paper has sorted out 348 Nalan's lyrics, and selected 15 inscriptions on paintings among those concerning history, mourning for the dead and frontier fortresses. They can be divided into three groups: inscriptions on landscape paintings, flowers and plants paintings and figure paintings. The author of this paper has found that these inscriptions on paintings are not purely the objective description, but the imaginative expression of Nalan's life. They are also a way for him to pursue his temperament and interest and show the beauty of human feelings.