A royal barge at sea

16th-17th century

Judging from their features, the people on the barge in this painting are probably non-Chinese. Their stout bodies, dark skin, moon-shaped faces, and shaved heads with braids indicate that they may be Jurchen, a nomadic tribe of the Jin dynasty (1115-1234) from Manchuria. The king, who appears disproportionately larger than the other figures, sits on the top level of his royal barge, attended by his concubines. His men are scattered about the barge, seemingly struggling to navigate the turbulent waters of Bohai Wan, a gulf of the Yellow Sea.