Art: From a Peking Palace

In the 5th century there lived in China a great painter named Chang Seng-yu, who one day finished a mural of four white dragons without eyes. When observers protested the omission, Chang pointed out that to give such fierce dragons sight might be dangerous. His critics persisted; Chang gave in and painted eyes on two of the dragons. "At once," the story goes, "the air became filled with thunder and lightning, the wall broke down, and the dragons ascended on clouds to heaven. But the two other dragons who had no eyes remained in their places."

The legend, one of a legion...

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