The portrait was said to have been done while Ko xing a was still alive in Tainan ( đài nam ) and to have been commissioned by Ko xing a himself. After Zheng Keshuang ( Trịnh khắc sảng, 1670-1717, Ko xing a's grandson) surrendered to the Qing dynasty, Zheng Zhang ( Trịnh trường, Ko xing a's cousin) took this painting to Houshanbei ( sau núi pha ) in Taipei for safekeeping. In 1911, the painting was passed down to Zheng Weilong ( Trịnh duy long, Zheng Zhang's fifth-generation descendant), while Taiwan was under Japanese rule. Governor-General Sakuma ( tá lâu gian ) suggested that the painting be sent to the then Taiwan Shinto Shrine ( Đài Loan thần xã ), which was later changed to the Ko xing a Shrine ( duyên bình quận vương từ ). After the restoration of Taiwan to Chinese rule in 1945, the painting was transferred to the Taiwan Provincial Museum, which is now the National Taiwan Museum.

The painting was in a severe state of deterioration. Thus, from 2004, the National Taiwan Museum requested from the Preparatory Office of the National Center for the Research and Preservation of Cultural Properties to investigate and analyze the painting. In the end, the painting was handed over to the Mounting Room of the National Palace Museum for conservation with the restoration being completed in December 2008. Afterwards, it was displayed in the National Palace Museum from January to March 2009 before its return to the National Taiwan Museum.

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  Same original painting, post-restoration by National Palace Museum
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  Same original painting, before it was restored by the National Palace Museum
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  Copy made by Nasu Hokei in 1911
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  Copy made by Nasu Hokei in 1911
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