ART History - Chinese and Korean Art before 1279 PDF

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ART History - Chinese and Korean Art before 1279...

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Ceramic Soldiers - From the mausoleum of Emperor Shihuangdi - Qin Dynasty Discovered in 1974 by peasants digging a well. A vast underground army of 8,000 life-size terra-cotta soldiers with 100 life-size ceramic horses. (Lintong, Shaanxi)

Emperor Shihuangdi The ruthless ruler who first united the states of China into an empire, the Qin. (Qin Dynasty) The Chinese civilization arose several millennia ago, and was distinctive for its early advances in ... ...ceramics, metalwork, and the elaborate working of jade Technological advancements in Ceramics The Chinese are credited with early use of the potter's wheel, mastery of reduction firing, and the invention of high-fired stoneware and porcelain. Characteristics of early Chinese metalworking Proficient techniques of mold making and highly imaginative bronze castings. Jade objects Archaeological evidence suggests early technological competence with rotary tools and abrasion. Jade, a stone cherished by the Chinese throughout their history, is extremely hard and difficult to carve. Jade objects played a prominent role in burials and were connected to ritual practices. Among the cultures of the world, China's development dates back some ________ years. 8,000 The Middle Kingdom - the country in the middle of the world. The name the Chinese use to refer to the country westerners call China. Present-day China encompasses an area slightly larger than the continental United States. Within its borders lives one-fifth of the human race. The three great rivers of China the Yellow aka Huang Ho, the Yangzi, and the Xi. The ______ mountains divide Inner China into north and south, regions with strikingly different climates, cultures, and historical fates. Qinling ___________________ was the cornerstone technology of the Neolithic period. Agriculture Neolithic Cultures

Archaeological evidence has led scholars to believe that agricultural civilizations existed in China as far back as 5000 BCE. Other evidence of highly-developed societies dating back to 4000 BCE has been discovered. Painted Pottery Cultures Yangshao, Liangzhu Banpo Bowl An artifact of the Yangshao culture. This shallow red bowl was found in the village of Banpo, near the Yellow River. It was crafted sometime between 5000 and 4000 BCE.

Yangshao Culture A painted pottery culture centered near the Yellow River. Liangzu Culture A Neolithic culture, centered near the coast in the Hangzhou Bay/East China Sea area. Human-like images and masks over 5000 years old have been discovered in the area. Noted for their ability to carve and sculpt Jade. Drawing of the Mask Decoration on a Jade Cong (Neolithic Period, Liangzhu culture.) The drawing reproduces one of eight masks carved in low relief on the outside of a large jade cong. Chinese historians refer to the ancient mask motif as taotie. Similar masks are seen on objects created in the Bronze Age.

Taotie A stylized animal face commonly seen in Chinese bronzes.

Liangzhu Cong from the Neolithic Period A cong is a tube with a circular inner section and squarish outer section. The outer surface is divided vertically or horizontally such that the whole defines a hollow cylinder embedded in a partial rectangular block. The outer faces are sometimes decorated with mask-like faces.

China's Bronze Age - 2000 BCE Clear Archaeological evidence suggests that the piece-mold casting technique arose independently in China. The three Bronze Age Dynasties The Xia, the Shang, and the Zhou Shang Dynasty (1700-1100 BCE) A highly stratified society centered in the Yellow River Valley. Archaeologists have discovered walled cities, palaces, and vast royal tombs. The ruling group maintained authority by claiming that they were intermediaries between the supernatural and human realms. Oracle bones Shang priests communicated with the supernatural world with oracle bones. A bone was inscribed with a question and then heated until it cracked; the crack was then "interpreted" as an answer. Shang culture A warrior culture of great splendor and violence. Humans and animals were sacrificed to accompany the deceased into death. Shang artifacts Bronze vessels are the most admired and studied of Shang artifacts. Bronze objects, like oracle bones and jade objects were connected to ritual practices. Shang Dynasty Fang Ding A rectangular vessel standing on four elongated legs, used for food offerings in Shang rituals and buried in Shang tombs. Many dings had taotie motifs in horizontal registers on the sides and the legs.

Guang A guang is a particular shape used in Chinese art for vessels, originally made as Chinese ritual bronzes in the Shang dynasty, and sometimes later in Chinese porcelain. They were used for pouring rice wine at ritual banquets, and often deposited as grave goods in high-status burial sites.

Ritual wine-Pouring Vessel with Tiger and Owl A Shang dynasty ritual pouring vessel called a Guang. This one shows a highly sculptural rendition of animal forms combined with geometric decoration.

Zhou Dynasty Around 1100 BCE, the Shang were conquered by the Zhou from western China. The first 300 years of this longest-lasting Chinese dynasty were generally stable and peaceful. In 771, the Zhou were defeated by a nomadic tribe. From that point on, their authority was crippled. Zhou Society A feudal society, with nobles related to the king ruling over numerous small estates. In Zhou society, the supreme deity was known as _________. Tian, or Heaven. The king ruled as the Son of heaven. Later dynasties continued to follow the belief that imperial rule emanated from a mandate from Heaven. The Spring and Autumn period (722-481 BCE) The time when 10 or 12 states, later reduced to seven, emerged as powers. Social turmoil ensued. The Warring States Period (481-221 BCE) The period following the Spring and Autumn period in which the powerful states engaged in intrigue, treachery, and increasingly ruthless warfare. China's great philosophers Confucius, Laozi, and Mozi. These great philosophers arose during the Warring States Period. Piece-Mold Casting A bronze casting process that involves making a bronze copy of an original clay model. A clay model is made, then a mold of the model is made. Molten bronze is poured into the mold. After the metal cooled, the mold was broken apart to reveal the bronze copy. The piece-mold casting method was replaced with the _______ method. lost-wax Burnishing

A process that involved scouring the surface of a piece-mold casting bronze object with increasingly fine abrasives. Bronze Bells Music may have played a part in rituals for communicating with the supernatural. Taotie images appear on the front and back of each bell. Zhou Dynasty Bronze Bells Found in the tomb of Marquis Yi of the state of Zeng. Each bell is precisely calibrated to sound two tones - one when struck at the center, another when struck at the corner. These bells were made with the lost-wax casting method.

The Chinese Empire - Qin Dynasty (1) In 221 BCE, China- for the first time- was united under a single ruler. The first emperor of Qin, Shihuangdi, was a powerful and ruthless ruler, fearful of both assassination and rebellion. The Chinese Empire - Qin Dynasty (2) Qin rule was harsh and oppressive. Qin established the mechanisms of centralized bureaucracy that molded China into a single entity. To the present day, China's rulers have followed the administrative framework laid down by Qin. The Qin Dynasty was overthrown by the Han Dynasty in 206 BCE. Shihuangdi's tomb at Lintong (Shaanxi Province) Shihuangdi began construction of his tomb before undertaking the military campaigns that united the country. The project ended abruptly after his death in 206 BCE. Since that time the mound has always been visible, but it was not until the 1974 accidental discovery that the contents of the mausoleum became known. Chinese Characters Each word in the Chinese language is represented by a unique symbol, called a character. Some are pictographs, others are ideographs. Most characters are formed by combining a radical with a phonetic. Spoken Chinese has many dialects, but the written language is the same. radical The part of the character which gives the field meaning phonetic The part of the character that hints at the field's pronunciation. Daoism

A Chinese philosophy that emphasizes living in harmony with nature. Based on the text Daodejing (The Way and Its Power) - ascribed to Laozi. A dao is a way or a path. The Dao is the Ultimate Way, the way of the universe. Laozi A legendary Chinese philosopher of the sixth century B.C.E.; regarded as the founder of Daoism. He is said to have been a contemporary of Confucius. Confucianism A rational political philosophy that emphasizes propriety, deference, duty, and self-discipline. Han Dynasty- from 206 BCE to 220 CE The Qin Dynasty was followed by the Han Dynasty. The Han Dynasty assumed control when they overthrew the Qin in 206 BCE. During the 420 years of the Han Dynasty China enjoyed peace, prosperity, and stability. Han control over strategic areas led to the development of the Silk Road. The Silk Road The land route that linked China by trade all the way to Rome. China's spices and silk were highly desirable to trading partners. Chinese silk Silk has been cultivated and woven in China since - at least - the third millennium BCE. It has been treasured in Greece and Rome since the third century BCE. China's mythocentric age During the early Han dynasty, most Chinese people believed that there was a close relationship between the human and the supernatural worlds. Painted Banner from the tomb of the Marquess of Dai (Changsha) (c 160 BCE) A T-shaped silk banner. The most elaborate and best-preserved surviving painting from the mythocentric age. The images on the banner summarize the mythocentric world view. The three realms of the universe are displayed - heaven, earth, and the underworld.

A primordial deity known as ________ is centrally located in the heavenly portion of the banner. The Torch Dragon bi A circular jade object, usually a symbol of heaven. Han Dynasty Philosophy and Art

The Han dynasty marked the beginning of a new age, when the philosophical ideals of Daoism and Confucianism, formulated during the troubled times of the Eastern Zhou, became central to Chinese thought. Daoism and Nature Daoism is concerned with bringing the individual life into harmony with the Dao, or the Way, of the universe. Han Dynasty Incense Burner from the tomb of Prince Liu Sheng (113 BCE) This bronze incense burner displays a scene from a popular Daoist legend, the Land of Immortals in the Eastern Sea.

The goals and teachings of Confucianism Confucianism's goal is the attainment of social harmony. It proposes a system of ethics based on reverence for ancestors and correct relationships among people. Confucianism emphasizes self-discipline, social order, and respect for authority. It also teaches how to rectify relationships with family and friends. Confucianism and the State Han rulers, who were eager to distance themselves from the disastrous legalism of the Qin, made Confucianism the official imperial philosophy. Han emperor Wudi institutionalized Confucianism and it remained the state ideology of China for 2,000 years. A Reception in the Palace Detail from a rubbing of a stone relief in the Wu family shrine.

Wu family shrines Among the most famous examples of Han dynasty art are the reliefs from the Wu family shrines. Carved reliefs display scenes from Confucian themes and often include Doaism motifs and figures from traditional myths. Han Dynasty Architecture Most of what is known about the architecture from this period was learned from tomb models. One model shows multi-level construction with a bracketing support system. Literary sources describe Han palaces as decorated with paint and lacquer and inlaid with precious metals and stones.

Bracketing Architectural elements projecting from a wall that support the broad eaves of the tiled roof. Han Dynasty, Tomb Model of A House and Tower A ceramic model assembled from a stack of 13 individual components.

The Six Dynasties period - the period of the Southern and Northern dynasties (265-589 CE) In 220 CE, (Han Dynasty) China was splintered into three warring kingdoms. The kingdom was briefly reunited in 280 CE but invasions from nomadic people forced the court to flee south. Buddhism, a new philosophy, flourished in the troubled China of the Six Dynasties. The Six Dynasties period - the Northern dynasty In the north, 16 kingdoms carved out by invaders rose and fell before giving way to a succession of largely foreign dynasties. Warfare was commonplace. Tens of thousands of Chinese fled south. The Six Dynasties period - the Southern dynasty In the south, six short-lived dynasties succeeded each other in an age of almost constant turmoil. During this period Confucianism lost influence. Intellectuals turned to Daoism but the southern courts remained centers of traditional culture and Confucianism served as official doctrine. Painting in the Six Dynasties period Few paintings survived the Six Dynasties period. Landscape painting became a major theme in Chinese art. Daoism and Landscape painting Daoists found that wandering in the mind's eye through a painted landscape served the same purpose as actually wandering the countryside. A new emphasis on the spiritual value of painting, that contrasted with the Confucian view, emerged. Confucius (551 BCE - 479 BCE) and Confucianism During a period of social turmoil, Confucius thought about how a just and harmonious society could re-emerge. He spent years teaching and discussing his ideas with his students. His conversations were published posthumously in a book called Analects. Ren In Confucianism, the concept of Ren emphasizes morality and empathy as the basic standards for all human interaction. Junzi

In Confucianism, the term refers to an individual who through education and self-cultivation has become a superior person. Characteristics of a junzi include moderation, integrity, self-control, reciprocity, and altruism. The primary concern of a junzi is justice. Li In Confucianism, Li refers to etiquette. Includes everyday manners as well as ritual, ceremony, and protocol. The Five Constant Relationships that define Confucian society. Parent and child, husband and wife, elder sibling and younger sibling, elder friend and younger friend, ruler and subject. The six principles of Chinese painting set out by Xie He - 1. qi When a painting has qi, it will be alive with inner essence, not merely outward resemblance. The qi is a "spirit", the breath that animates all creation. The six principles of Chinese painting set out by Xie He - 2. brushstrokes are the bones of the picture. Traditional Chinese judge a painting above all by the quality of its brushwork. Detail of Admonitions of the Imperial Instructress to Court Ladies A painting on silk depicting the Lady Feng rushing to place herself between an escaped circus bear and her husband - the emperor. handscroll A long-narrow, horizontal composition, compact enough to be held in the hand when rolled up. Handscroll paintings were meant to be viewed by only two or three people at a time. They were not displayed completely unrolled. Viewers would open a scroll and savor it slowly from right to left, displaying only a small portion at a time. Chinese Calligraphy Calligraphy is regarded as one of the highest forms of artistic expression in China. The most important practitioner of the day was Wang Xizhi.

Feng Ju The Feng Ju style (of calligraphy) is an example of a "running" style that is neither too formal or too relaxed. Portion of a letter from the Feng Ju Album, an example of Wan Xizhi's calligraphy The bright reddish-orange characters are stamps from seals. The seals are personal emblems that state a person's formal or given name. A treasured work of art will bear the seal of its collectors and admirers in addition to the seal of the artist.

The rise of Buddhism in China Buddhism originated in India during the fifth century BCE, then gradually spread north into central Asia. To the Chinese of the Six Dynasties, beset by constant warfare and social devastation, Buddhism offered consolation in life and the promise of salvation after death. Buddist Art and Architecture Almost nothing remains of Buddhist architecture of the Six Dynasties period. The Japanese Horyuji Temple resembles models of the period. The most impressive works of Buddhist art are the hundreds of rock-cut caves along the trade routes between Xinjian in Central Asia and the Yellow River Valley. Horyuji Temple A Japanese temple based on the Chinese models of the Six Dynasties period.

Rock-Cut Caves of the Silk Road The caves of Yungang in central China contain the examples of the earliest phase of Buddhist sculpture in China. Seated Buddha, cave 20, Yungang A 45-foot statue carved in the latter part of the fifth century by the imperial decree of a ruler of the Northern Wei dynasty.

Ushnisha A protrusion at the top of the head, or the top knot of a Buddha Sui and Tang Dynasties The Sui dynasty arose when a northern general replaced a child emperor. The Sui emperor was a devout Buddhist. The Sui dynasty was short-lived and fell in 618, but not before molding China into a centralized empire. The Sui dynasty was replaced by the Tang dynasty.

Buddhist Art and Architecture The reunification (under the Sui) coincided with a fusion of several styles of Buddhist sculpture. Buddha Means "Enlightened One." He is said to have found a path for overcoming suffering. Bodhisattva Buddhist monks who have reached enlightenment, but stayed on earth to help others achieve nirvana; Buddha's messengers to the world. Sui Dynasty Altar to Amitabha Buddha A bronze of one of the many Buddhas of Mahayana Buddhism. The altar depicts Amitabha in his paradise, seated on a lotus throne beneath a canopy of trees. Amitabha dwelled in the Western Pure Land, a paradise into which his faithful followers were promised rebirth.

Buddhism DEFINITION Buddhism reached its greatest development in China during the Tang (following the Sui) dynasty. A religion founded in ancient India by the religious teacher Buddha. The Pure Land sect became the most popular form of Buddhism in China and Japan. LOCATION

Dunhuang A major stop along the Silk Road, Dunhuang has nearly 500 caves carved into its sandy cliffs, all filled with painted clay sculpture and decorated with wall paintings from floor to ceiling. The Western Paradise of Amitabha Buddha Detail of a wall painting in Cave 217 . The Tang vision of the most popular sect - the Pure Land sect expressed in a wall painting.(Tang Dynasty)

Early Tang emperors proclaimed a policy of religious tolerance, but during the ninth century a conservative reaction developed. Confucianism was reasserted and Buddhism was briefly suppressed. Thousand of temples, shrines, and monasteries were destroyed and innumerable bronze statues melted down. Nanchuan Temple, Wutaishan - Tang Dynasty One of the few surviving Tang dynasty temples. Located on Mount Wutai, constructed in 782.

module A basic unit of construction. Chinese architecture used a bay system of construction in which each bay is formed by four posts and their lintels. Great Wild Goose Pagoda at Ci'en Temple (Chang'an) Tang dynasty pagoda constructed in 645 for the famous monk Xuanzan on his return from a 16-year pilgrimage to India. Constructed entirely of brick.

TERM Pagoda DEFINITION A Hindu or Buddhist temple or sacred building, typically a many-tiered tower, in India and East Asia. These temples originated in the Indian Buddhist stupa - burial mounds, and were later combined with the Han watchtower to produce a pagoda.

+ 1 more side Figure painting The Tang dynasty period is generally regarded as being China's great age of figure painting. Unfortunately very few painting (of the period) still exist. Ladies Preparing Newly Woven Silk by Huizong (last emperor of the Northern Song dynasty) A Song dynasty copy of a lost Tang paint...