In addition to reflecting the beauty of nature, Asian works of art conveyed important symbolic meanings. The white heron or egret, for example, is a symbol of grace, divinity, and fidelity. Paintings of cranes and herons can be traced back to the Shang (1600 – 1046 B.C.) and Zhou (1046 – 256 B.C.) dynasties, when images of birds were engraved on bronze pottery. Beginning with the Wei Kingdom (A.D. 220 – 265), artists began to specialize in bird-and-flower painting to form a new genre, which progressed throughout the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279) and advanced further during the Yuan Dynasty (1206 – 1368), continuing to develop during the Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing (1644 – 1911) dynasties. This painting ‘White Heron in the Bulrushes’ is a Spadecaller hand painted digital work.