The term takjok, meaning “washing one’s feet in a stream,” symbolizes the life of a hermit scholar who has withdrawn from the secular world. In the upper left corner of the painting, an inscription states that in 1648, at the age of 72, Zhang Hong sought refuge from the
summer heat at Qingxiangzhai, the residence of the Ling family. There, the act of cleansing both body and mind in a cool spring is reflected in the painting, creating a sense of harmony between the act and the image. This piece is a fine example of Zhang Hong’s distinctive painting style, rendered with a brush with worn, blunt bristle tips.