Wk 6 china

Chinese Art HistoryI. Theories of REPRESENTATION

in Chinese Art: “MIMESIS”II. Ancient ORIGINSIII. Art in the TOMBIV. NATIONALISM & ExpressionV. TAOISM & Taoist Art

GOOGLE ART GALLERY: Tang Courtly Sculpture & Painting

I. Theories of REPRESENTATION in Ancient Chinese Art

“MIMESIS” (mimic, realism in art)

Tomb Relief Sculptures

“Death approximates Life.”

“QILIN” Sculpture (Mythical Tomb Guardian)

Fu Xi’s Dragon-Horse Helper

“Mimesis” (imitation)

Feng Shui

Timeline of Chinese Dynasties and Other Key Events ca. 2100-1600 BCE Xia (Hsia) Dynasty ca. 1600-1050 BCE Shang Dynasty Capitals: near present-day Zhengzhou and Anyangca. 1046-256 BCE Zhou (Chou) Dynasty Capitals: Hao (near present-day Xi'an) and Luoyang Western Zhou (ca. 1046-771 BCE) Eastern Zhou (ca. 771-256 BCE)

Spring and Autumn Period (770-ca. 475 BCE) Confucius (ca. 551-479 BCE) Warring States Period (ca. 475-221 BCE)221-206 BCE Qin (Ch'in) Dynasty Capital: Chang'an, present-day Xi'an Qin Shihuangdi dies, 210 BCE206 BCE-220 CE Han Dynasty Western/Former Han (206 BCE-9 CE) Capital: Chang'an Confucianism officially established as basis for Chinese state by Han Wudi (r. 141-86 BCE) Eastern/Later Han (25-220 CE) Capital: Luoyang220-589 CE Six Dynasties Period Period of disunity and instability following the fall of the Han

Buddhism introduced to China Three Kingdoms (220-265 CE) Cao Wei, Shu Han, Dong Wu Jin Dynasty (265-420 CE) Period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (386-589 CE) 581-618 CE Sui Dynasty Capital: Chang'an618-906 CE Tang (T'ang) Dynasty Capitals: Chang'an and Luoyang907-960 CE Five Dynasties Period 960-1279 Song (Sung) Dynasty Northern Song (960-1127) Capital: Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng) Southern Song (1127-1279) Capital: Lin'an (present-day Hangzhou)1279-1368 Yuan Dynasty The reign of the Mongol empire; Capital: Dadu (present-day Beijing)1368-1644 Ming Dynasty Re-establishment of rule by Han ruling house; Capitals: Nanjing and Beijing1644-1912 Qing (Ch'ing) Dynasty Reign of the Manchus; Capital: Beijing1912-1949 Republic Period Capitals: Beijing, Wuhan, and Nanjing1949-present People's Republic of China Capital: Beijing

II. Ancient ORIGINS• Paleolithic Beginnings• Neolithic Crafts• Hieratic Art & the Bronze Age

(Shang)• Status & Decoration (Zhou)

Paleolithic Beginnings“PALEOLITHIC”• From c. 2.5 million years—

10,000 years ago• Stone Tools• Hunting & Gathering

PALEO-CHINESE PEOPLES:

“Homo-Erectus”:• Yuanmo Man• Lantian Man• Peking Man

Early “Homo-Sapiens”: • Dingcun Man

Late “Homo-Sapiens”: • Upper Cave Man

“HOMO-ERECTUS” in China

YUANMO Man (SW China): PEKING Man (NE China): c. 1.7 million BCE c. 700,000-200,000 BCE

“HOMO-SAPIENS” in China

DINGCUN Man (N China): UPPER CAVE Man (N China): c. 100,000 BCE c. 50,000 BCE

Neolithic CraftsNeolithic River Valley Settlements: c. 4000-1700 BCE

Jade Ax

Neolithic JADE Ritual Object

Neolithic JADE Pendant

BANPO (modern Xi’an): Best Preserved4800-4300 BCE

Banpo Settlements:1) Dwelling Area2) Community House3) Burial Area4) Potters’ Area

Banpo Round Hut Dwellings

Banpo Potters’ Area Distinctive Motifs

Banpo = “PAINTED POTTERY CULTURE”

Snake Motif

“BLACK POTTERY CULTURE”

“BLACK POTTERY CULTURE”

2 QUALITIES:

1. EVERYDAY: heavy & cord impressions

2. SPECIAL: thin & brittle

BLACK: More Diverse FORMS than Painted

IMPRESSED POTTERY-MAKERS

• Rich SURFACE• Smooth Finish• High-fired

NEOLITHICCeramic Tripod

SUMMARY Neolithic Pottery:RICHNESS & VARIETY

Quiz #6: China1. What is the BEST PRESERVED prehistoric Chinese

settlement site called? B________

III. Art in the TOMB

Hieratic Art & the Bronze AgeSHANG:c. 1766—1111 BCE:• Imp Cap: ANYANG• BRONZE

Chinese Bronze Tech: UNIQUE!• “ALLOY”• Added LEAD• Complex Technique: Multiple “PIECE-MOLDS”

Two SHANG Bronze-Casting Techs:1. “Piece Mold” (clay orig)2. “Lost Wax”

Shang SOCIETY“GOD-KING”: Ruled thru:1. Ritual2. Warfare3. Oracles

RITUAL = Heart of Shang:4. Imp for Rulers/Elite5. Required ART!

“Oracle Bones”(more later)

Shang Tomb Guard Horse-Drawn Chariot (Shang Invention)

Altar

TOMB SCULPTURE

Pre –> Early SHANG: L: Bronze JUE w/ Gold Leaf & Lacquer R: Bronze/Turquoise

Inlay Plaque

SHANG Ritual Wine Vessels: L: Ivory, R: Bronze

Main Shang Art = BRONZE! Shang “LIDING” (3 legs)

Shang “DING” (vessel)• Impressed geometric dec• “KUI” (abstract Dragon)

Confronting KUI “TAOTIE” Mask

“TAOTIE” Mask

“TAOTIE” Masks

Bronze DING w/ Taotie Motif

BRONZE = EPITOME of Shang Art• SHAPES• SCALE• SURFACE DEC

SHAPES

SHANG: L: Liding R: Gu

SCALE

Fangding

SURFACE DECORATION

“HIERATIC MOTIFS”• Symbolic (ritual)• Decorative

EXPRESSIVE Art Form!

Liding with “THREAD RELIEF”

Liding with “THREAD RELIEF”

c. 12th Century FANG DING

LATER Shang Bronze Li-Ding

2 Shang ANIMAL MOTIF Themes1. “REALISTIC”2. “MYTHICAL”

1: Owl-shaped Wine Vessel

2: Taotie Motif

Some combine BOTH!

Wine Vessel

Bronze YU (bucket):

• Monster• Human • KUI• Cat• Deer

1. “REALISTIC” Examples:

Round Vessel w/ RAM Heads

Owl & Boar Bronze Containers

LATER ShangBronze Ding

(“Realistic Style”)

2. “MYTHICAL” Examples:

“TAOTIE” Mask

Bronze AX (Yue) w/ Taotie

Bronze Bell w/Taotie Motif

Fang Ding Taotie (detail)

Some Shang RITUAL VESSEL TYPES…

LIDING = 3 LEGS

LI-DING

FANG-DING

GU: Tall Wine Goblet

TREAGER Fig 14

ZUN: Wide-Mouth VASE

See TREAGER Fig 20

2. What’s the “epitome” of Shang art (medium)?

3. What’s this MOTIF called? T_______ mask.

Shang Bronze INSCRIPTIONSand Origins of Writing

The SIMUWU Ding (Shang)

Cast by Shang Emperor for Mother

3 characters inscription (inside):

• SI = sacrificial ceremony• MUWU = mother’s name

Shang ORIGINS of WRITING

Shang Dynasty

“ORACLE BONES”

ORACLE BONES:• Used by ancient “Diviners”• For Shang Kings• TOPICS include: good days for

hunting, warfare, weather, ceremonies, etc.

Bronze Inscriptions

Beginnings of WRITING• c. 5th cent BCE: writings on BAMBOO STRIPS • Hist & Admin writings• Earliest ms’s of famous phil texts (Laozu)• “Classical Chinese" (wenyan): same 19th century

• Standardization of writing by 1st Emperor of Qin (unified China in 221 BCE)

• Qin script: official style• Calligraphic style = “Clerical

Script" (LISHU): still readable today!

Shang TOMB EXCAVATION

STONE CHIME

JADE BLADES

Other Shang Tomb Treasures: JADE

Jade “BI” =RITUAL DISK

Ritual Jade ZONG (TREAGER Fig 24)

Jade “ZONG” Ritual Objects

Shang JadeKneeling Figure

(Note royal Hairstyle& fancy Girdle-Knot)

JADE PLAQUES & PENDENTS

STATUS & DECORATION

ZHOU DYNASTY: 1111-221 BCE

SHANG Dynasty: 1766-1111BCE ZHOU Dynasty: 1111-221 BCEShang defeated by ZHOU Warrior Clan. ZHOU = DIVIDED Period:

> W. ZHOU: 1111-771: Chang’an > E. ZHOU: 771-481: Luoyan > WARRING STATES: c. 481-221

ZHOU Changes:• No more “GOD-King”• STATUS: now relative

King Wen of Zhou(Founder of the Zhou Dynasty)

Zhou BRONZESCHARACTERISTICS:1. SECULAR motifs2. EXAGGERATION (“flanges”)3. More INSCRIPTIONS

Zhou BRONZESCHARACTERISTICS:1. SECULAR motifs2. EXAGGERATION (flanges)3. More INSCRIPTIONS

TREAGER Fig 25

Zhou YU (Bucket)Zhou YU (Bucket)

SHANG vs ZHOU c. 1766 – 1111 BC c. 1111 – 221 BC

(Bronze)

Key Differences

Zhou STATUS “Culture of COMPETITION”

W. ZHOU:

Bronze Bustw/ Gilt Mask

Bronze Priest (?)

ZHOUBronze & GiltBuckle

ZHOUPectoral found in a Tomb:Jade, Agate, Turquoise

W. ZHOU

Bronze (Horse Ornament)

W. ZHOU

Bronze “Fantastic Being”sculpture

W. ZHOU

Bronze Ding

2 Types of ZHOU DEPOSITS:HOARDS & TOMBS

TOMB Treasure: Zhou Jade “BI”

Chinese “Mausoleums” (Tombs)

Neolithic Burial: Banpo

Shang & Zhou:Human & Animal SACRIFICES

“DARK PALACES” (Burial Mounds)

Feng Shui

Zhou Tomb Treasures

Outer& Inner Coffins

Marquis Yi

LACQUER Coffin of Yi

Tomb of Yi: ZUN

TOMB Treasure: Zhou Jade “BI”

Tomb of KING CUO (c. 320-308 BCE)

“Center” (ideogram)

Tomb of King Cuo

“Center”

Tomb of King Cuo

Gilded Bronze Belt Buckle Bronze Candlestick Holder

King Cuo’s Gilt Bronze Buckle (w/ gold, silver, turquoise)

Bronze w/Inlaid Gold “BIXIE”

Bronze “BIXIE”:• Mythical Son of Dragon• Good Fortune• Attracts Wealth• Repels Evil

Tomb: A DOOR to the AFTERLIFE

Embroidered Silk SHROUD (detail)

Making SILK

4. List the 2 TYPES of Zhou DEPOSITS:a. ____________________b. ____________________

5. Zhou KING CUO’s tomb is shaped like an IDEOGRAM that MEANS WHAT?

Warring States: EXPLOSION OF ART!“Culture of COMPETITION”

“Warring States” Demise of ZHOU

“Culture of Competition”!!!

SummarySHANG (1766—1111 BCE):• Rituals & Ceremonies• Divine Ruler• Hieratic Motifs

ZHOU DYNASTY (1111-221 BCE):• Social Status• “Culture of Competition”• Exaggerated Style: “Flanges”

III. Nationalism & ExpressionSHANG: God-King, Rituals, Hieratic MotifsZHOU: Secular, Social Status, Exaggerated

“Culture of Competition”

QIN & HAN: Myths & DAILY LIFENarrative & EXPRESSIVE ArtPolitical UNITY

Timeline of Chinese Dynasties and Other Key Events ca. 2100-1600 BCE Xia (Hsia) Dynasty ca. 1600-1050 BCE Shang Dynasty Capitals: near present-day Zhengzhou and Anyangca. 1046-256 BCE Zhou (Chou) Dynasty Capitals: Hao (near present-day Xi'an) and Luoyang Western Zhou (ca. 1046-771 BCE) Eastern Zhou (ca. 771-256 BCE) Spring and Autumn Period(770-ca. 475 BCE) Confucius (ca. 551-479 BCE) Warring States Period (ca. 475-221 BCE)221-206 BCE Qin (Ch'in) Dynasty Capital: Chang'an, present-day Xi'an Qin Shihuangdi dies, 210 BCE206 BCE-220 CE Han Dynasty Western/Former Han (206 BCE-9 CE) Capital: Chang'an Confucianism officially established as basis for Chinese state by Han Wudi (r. 141-86 BCE) Eastern/Later Han (25-220 CE) Capital: Luoyang220-589 CE Six Dynasties Period Period of disunity and instability following the fall of the Han


QIN Dynasty: 221 - 206 BCSHANG & ZHOU: King = “Wang”

246 BC: “Wang Zheng of Qin”221 BC: Unites 7 Warring StatesFrom “Wang” “Huangdi” (Emperor) “Qin Shihuangdi”

Qin Shihuangdi: The 1st “YELLOW EMPEROR”

Xin’s Insanity & DEATH

Qin’s Terra Cotta Army (Xi’an)

Key “Aesthetic” Characteristics:• Realism• Technical Skill• Individualized • Lively

Innermost Sanctum?

High MuseumTomb Fly-Thru Animation???

6. Who was Qin Shihuangdi? China’s 1st ___________.

7. Qin built Great Wall to protect Empire from WHO?

(Note EXPANSION)

QIN (221-206 BC) HAN (206 BC – AD 221)

6th – 5th CENTURY BCE: Major WORLD Philosophers:•Buddha (563-483)•Lao-Tzu (c. 6th – 5th? cent BCE): Tao Te Ching •Xenophanes (560-478) •Confucius (551-479) •Heraclitus (540-480)

LAO TZU CONFUCIUS

CONFUCIANISMConfucius = “Master K’ung” (551-479 BCE)

(During ZHOU Period)

The Analects• Written by

Confucius’s STUDENTS

• They took detailed NOTES when he spoke

• “The Master” = Confucius

Confucius with his Students

Confucius (551-479 BCE):A TRAVELING PhilosopherImportance of “Hierarchical” Society

5 “Confucian Virtues”:1) Benevolence2) Righteousness3) Propriety4) Wisdom5) Trustworthiness

• Ideal Ruler rules by MORAL EXAMPLE

• Supreme VIRTUE: OBEDIENCE

From HAN on…Confucianism institutionalized (gov)• Ideal of Scholar/Administrator• Growth of Bureaucracy • Focus of Ancestor Veneration: Tombs & “SHRINES”

HAN Dynasty: 206 BC – AD 221Period of EXPANSION:

HAN = A “Golden Age”CalligraphyPainting“Literati”

CalligraphyPainting (expressive)“Literati”

HAN = “Golden Age”

HAN DYNASTY TOMB MURALS: Narrative Paintings

Guardians of Day & Night Paintings on Ceramic Tiles

Impressed Designs & Low-Relief Carvings

Stamped Brick

Hunting

Farming

Han “Paradise Realm” Later Landscapes

Mawangdui Tomb Funeral Banner (c. 168 BC)

4 Mythocentric Levels:1: Top (HEAVENS)

Mawangdui Tomb Funeral Banner (c. 168 BC)

4 Mythocentric Levels:1) Top (HEAVENS)

2nd: EARTHLY REALMS

3rd: “HOUSE Offerings”

4th: UNDERWORLD

Tomb Door

Han JADE BURIAL SUIT

Note ORIFICE PLUGS

Tomb Treasures of Prince Liu Sheng& Princess Dou Wan

Liu Sheng: Tomb Entrance Archaeologists at Work

Gilt bronze tsun wine vesselwith mountain scenes and animal feet

Gilded bronze double cups with turquoise inlay (jade ring in mouth)

Inlaid bronze incense burner

Bronze Bear

Bronze leopards inlaid with gold and silver.

Glazed Earthenware Watchtower (model)

Bronze Oil Lamp Kneeling Servant Girl

Han JADE Horse Head

“CELESTIAL Horses”

Flying Horse Of Gansu (bronze)

Southern: W. JIN (219-316)E. JIN (317-419)Cap = NANJING

Northern: N. WEI (386-532)W. WEI (534-554)

Northern & Southern Dynasties

E. JIN Tomb Mural (Nanjing)

Eastern JIN Tomb Art: “CULTURAL REFINEMENT”

“7 Sages of Bamboo”

E. JIN Tomb Art: “CULTURAL REFINEMENT”

Northern Styles (WEI): 386-554

Screens from Tomb of Sima Jinlongd. 484 AD (N. WEI)

Subject: Biographies of Exemplary Women

Screens from Tomb of Sima JinlongSubject: Biographies of Exemplary Women

Mythical Sage-Emperor

3 Exemplary Zhou Mothers

A Respected Woman Teacher

Story of Legendary Concubine (Ban)

“Didactic” Purpose

Copies of S. WEI scrolls

Lady Yuan Coffin?: Scenes of Filial Piety

SUMMARYNationalism & Expression:• Myths / Daily Life• Narrative / Expressive Art• Political Unity

IV. TAOISM & TAOIST ART• Intro to Taoism• Taoist Art

Chuang Tzu’s “Butterfly Dream”Was he then a man dreaming that

he was a butterfly?

OR now a butterfly dreaming that he is a man?

Cultural Contexts• The “Middle Kingdom”

• “Land of the Dragon”

The “Celestial” (Heavenly) DRAGON

Intro to Taoism: Cultural Contexts771-256 BCE (before China was unified):Eastern Zhou Dynasty "Spring & Autumn Period”: 771-481 BC: IRON discovered & used to help in Agriculture (Population Growth) CONFLICT between City-States

Burst in PHILOSOPHY (“The 100 Schools of Thought”)

Founder of Taoism: LAO TZU604-531 BCEOlder contemporary ofCONFUCIUS (551-479 BCE)LAO TZU (“Wise Old Man”):Author of the Tao-te-Ching(key text of Taoism)

Tao Te Ching

TAO = “The Way”

DE = Integrity & Virtue

CHING = Great Book/Classic

“Great Classic of the Way of Virtue”

Key Taoist ConceptsWei Wu Wei:

“Action without action”

“Effortless doing”

Key metaphor: WATER

Key Taoist ConceptsPu:

“The Un-Carved Block”

Passive state ofRECEPTIVENESS

Pure & limitlessPOTENTIAL

Key Taoist Concepts

The Tao:

“The WAY” of Life:

Harmony of “opposites”:No day without night,No light w/out darkNo male w/out femaleNo mountains w/out valleysetc…

Key Taoist Concepts“YIN-YANG”:

SYMBOL OF TAOISM

Inter-dependence of apparent opposites

Complementary oppositeswithin a greater whole

“YIN-YANG” symbolism:

YIN = black, female, receptive, yielding, negative, and nurturing. Associated with night, valleys, rivers, streams, water, metal, and earth.

YANG = white, male, active, dominating, positive, and initiating/creating. Associated with day, mountains, hills, fire, wood, and air.

Taoist “Sages” Admiring a “YIN-YANG Symbol Scroll”

Key Taoist Concepts

“LI” & “CHI”

“LI” = Physical, materialreality

“CHI” = Spiritual energy

TAOIST ARTInfluenced art for centuries (up to today!)Exemplifies “YIN-YANG” concepts:

Yin-Yang Symbol

Symbolizes “LI” & “CHI” Dynamics:“LI” = PHYSICAL/MATERIAL REALITY“CHI” = PURE SPIRITUAL ENERGY

A “TAOIST” VASE“CHI”: Spiritual Energy:

ideal perfection of the form of this vase

“LI”: The “crackling glaze”: reminds us of the Physical Reality of this vase

A Taoist “Hanging Scroll Painting”• “LI”: The PHYSICAL, MATERIAL

REALITY of the forbidding and treacherous terrain.

• “LI” + “CHI”: The immense SPIRITUAL ENERGY of the human Travelers (“CHI”) as they confront the “LI” of Nature on their Journey.

• PURE “CHI”: The Mountain as “the FACE OF GOD.”

FAN KUAN, Travelers in Mountains and StreamsChina: Northern Song Dynasty (c. 950 AD)

FAN KUAN, Travelers in Mountains and StreamsNorthern Song Dynasty

“He who paints the Mountain paints the “FACE OF

GOD.”

A Taoist “Hanging Scroll Painting”• “LI”: The PHYSICAL, MATERIAL

REALITY of the forbidding and treacherous terrain.

• “LI” + “CHI”: The immense SPIRITUAL ENERGY of the human Travelers (“CHI”) as they confront the “LI” of Nature on their Journey.

• PURE “CHI”: The Mountain as “the FACE OF GOD.”

FAN KUAN, Travelers in Mountains and StreamsChina: Northern Song Dynasty (c. 950 AD)

LI CHENG, Solitary Temple Amidst Mountain PeaksChina: Northern Song Dynasty (c. 950 AD)

8. WHY is China “The Middle Kingdom”?

9a. The TAO = “The ______ of __________.”b. ID this symbol:

LI CHENG, Solitary Temple Amidst Mountain PeaksChina: Northern Song Dynasty (c. 950 AD)

10. “He who paints the _______paints the face of _______.”

GOOGLE ART GALLERY:Tang Courtly Sculpture & Painting

Wk 6 china

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