Creating the scroll

Artists Mo Xiangyi (at right) and Wang Jingwen work on the Harvest of Endurance. Remarkably, the 50-metre scroll was painted in 394 days. Photo: Jeff Culnane.

In 1987 Mo Yimei, a university lecturer from Shanghai, was undertaking post-graduate studies at the Australian National University in Canberra. Concerned that the contribution of Australian Chinese to the development of Australia had been largely overlooked, she devised a plan for an epic illustrated history. This creative approach would also provide members of her talented family with a unique opportunity to demonstrate their artistic abilities. Her brother, Mo Xiangyi, and his wife, Wang Jingwen, are both highly skilled artists. The Australia–China Friendship Society agreed to sponsor the Harvest of Endurance as an Australian Bicentenary project and the intensive process of investigation, research and creation of the scroll began.

The scroll, painted in gong bi style on special, scroll-grade paper, took just over 12 months to complete. The 18 panels, each measuring 2.65 metres by 0.65 metres, were sent to the Beijing Art Work Company to be mounted onto a silk scroll fabric.

Mo Xiangyi prepares some preliminary sketches. Photo: Jeff Culnane

On the scroll's return from China, the artists worked meticulously to integrate the segments and add calligraphy to the beginning and end.

The Harvest of Endurance was first displayed in December 1988 at the official opening of the Museum of Chinese Australian History in Melbourne. In 1992 the National Museum of Australia acquired the scroll for the National Historical Collection.

> Return to the Harvest of Endurance scroll homepage