The Shu Hua Shuo Ling - a treatise on painting and forgery - was written in the eighteenth century by the relatively obscure Chinese scholar, Lu Shih-hua. It might have vanished from the landscape of Asian art history, had the eminent Sinologue, R. H. van Gulik, not recognised its essential value to our modern understanding of Chinese connoisseurship. Its worth lies in the intellectual honesty of the author in his description of the artist, his motivations and the criteria by which his work was evaluated in traditional China. Of particular interest is Lu's observations on the issue of authenticity. An important, provocative work of interest to all who wish to acquire a deeper understanding of Chinese painting and Chinese art in general.