Lim Tze Peng

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About the artwork

Lim Tze Peng brings to life 临江仙 (Lin Jiang Xian), a poignant poem by Ming Dynasty poet Yang Shen (1488–1559). Featured in the classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, this timeless piece reflects the turbulence of the Three Kingdoms era—a time of relentless power struggles and fleeting glory. Yang Shen’s verses resonate with the inevitability of time and the emptiness left by ambition, echoing the rise and fall of heroes whose legacies fade into history. Through Lim’s expressive calligraphy, the poem captures the transient beauty of life and the unchanging truth of fate. The poem《临江仙》reads：滚滚长江东逝水，浪花淘尽英雄。是非成败转头空。青山依旧在，几度夕阳红。白发渔樵江渚上，惯看秋月春风。一壶浊酒喜相逢。古今多少事，都付笑谈中。 The Yangtze River rolls eastward, and the waves wash away all heroes. Success and failure are nothing. The green mountains remain, and the sunsets are red. The white-haired fisherman and woodcutter on the river bank are used to watching the autumn moon and spring breeze. A pot of muddy wine is a happy reunion. So many things in the past and present, all turned into jokes.

About the artist

Born in Singapore in 1921, Lim Tze Peng is one of Singapore’s most significant artists and a living legend. Renowned for his Chinese ink creations of post-independence Singapore, he also practices Chinese calligraphy. Alongside local and international exhibitions, his masterpieces are exhibited in prominent Singapore institutions and part of many prestigious collections. Lim has been bestowed several awards including the Special Prize at the Commonwealth Art Exhibition in England in 1977 and the prestigious Cultural Medallion in Singapore in 2003. In May 2012, he broke records with the sale of his works at a Christies auction in Hong Kong.