Zhao Lingrang's Whiling away the Summer by a Lakeside Retreat is a painting from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) that depicts rural scenery. How does this painting draw on the poetry of Tang-dynasty (618-907) poet Du Fu? How does this poet-like painter break through the limits of the horizon and guide viewers' line of sight freely? Martin Powers, a visiting professor at the School of Arts, Peking University, and emeritus professor at the University of Michigan, provides his insights.