The Treasure Chest
by Rosalind Wang
Holiday House, 1995
In this Chinese folktale retold by Rosalind C. Wang, a pastoral world of delicate bloom and simple peasant life is disrupted by the evil Funtong who eyes the lovely Pearl and schemes to marry her by challenging her betrothed Laifu to three impossible deeds.
With its roots deep in 13th century China, The Treasure Chest moved Will to study its time and locale, especially as depicted in the southern Sung paintings. The story of Laifu and Pearl is given a backdrop of a small coastal village in harmonious relationship with the sea.
In pastel colors Will shows small sampans floating near shore and an underwater kingdom that mirrors the tranquility of the village above. By contrast Funtong¹s entrance shows him dark and mottled, encumbered by armor and surrounded by chaos. The land around him is barren and his ghoulish countenance threatens much more than a marriage promise.
With the assistance of a rainbow fish and three benevolent monks who appear in swirls of color, Laifu defeats Funtong and restores tranquility to both kingdoms. Through compliant postures and steady expression, Will manages captures the moral strength of these small characters, whose faces are ever turned upward, without sacrificing their vulnerability, as the sea lays in protective watch beneath them.
