# Birds in wintry trees

- By: Formerly attributed to Li Di (active late 12th-early 13th century)
- Date: 16th-17th century
- Medium: Hanging scroll mounted on panel; ink and color on silk
- Classification: Paintings
- Dimensions: H x W (image): 195.1 x 97.5 cm (76 13/16 x 38 3/8 in)
- Culture: Chinese
- Credit line: Gift of Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer
- Museum: [Smithsonian Institution](https://asia.si.edu/object/F1970.32/)
- Rights: [CC0 (Smithsonian Open Access)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- Picture: https://invisiblenetwork.ai/thumbs/web/585b38a1ede8608d46f8a0e0127f9f82.jpg
- Who can see it: Little Ones profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

The philosopher Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.) once observed that pine and cypress are the last trees to wither in winter. Consequently, these two hardy evergreens became parallel symbols of longevity in traditional China, representing the virtuous gentleman who endures adversity with fortitude.