Recently, the Chinese animated movie "Lion Boy" has been hotly discussed because of the protagonist's "squinting eyes", and some netizens have pulled out the model posters of the three squirrels in 2019, which has triggered a criticism and discussion about "small eyes insulting China".
Jin Gu Kaizhi's "Female History Zhentu (Sui and Tang Dynasty Official)" part
Collection of the British Museum
In fact, the size of the eyes is born out of nature. If someone is born with a pair of small eyes, then should we think that they are "born to insult China"? Apparently not. We should criticize those who deliberately pander to Western stereotypes and deliberately make (or deliberately make models) "squint" or make up.
Believe it or not, in the ancient paintings of our country, the "small eyes" goddesses with thin eyebrows abounded.
Ancient figure painters usually advocated writing gods and gods in shape, and in addition to gestures and postures, they also loved to use their eyes to convey affection. The size of the eyes is not important, the eyebrows are looking forward to life, and the charm that is inadvertently revealed is the most rare.
Part of Qing Leng's "Exploring Meitu" Collected by Lushun Museum
The Southern Dynasty Sheikh put forward six criteria for evaluating paintings in the "Catalogue of Ancient Paintings", known as the "Six Laws of Sheikh", the first of which is "vivid rhyme", which refers to the temperament charm naturally revealed in this end depiction.
Now, let's walk into the ancient paintings together and see what emotions are contained in these eye flows.
Eyebrow-to-eyebrow esthetic type
Ming Tang Yin of Wang Shu Palace Collection of the Palace Museum
Where the eyebrows are full of eyes, it is the most moving.
The lady in the painting is dressed in a Chinese dress, with exquisite makeup, pink peach cheeks, willow eyes and cherry lips. They wear golden lotus crowns and colorful Taoist robes, with a rich and delicate posture, and their demure but more feminine looks.
After reading this eyebrow communication, I understood why Wang Guan had the analogy of "water is the eye wave, and the mountain is the peak of the eyebrow". In the midst of this eye wave, I don't know how many indescribable emotions came out.
Modern people mostly like double eyelids, but in ancient times, single eyelids were beautiful. The four beauties of China's ancient sinking fish and falling geese and closed moon flowers are actually single eyelids.
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Anon.
Collection of the Palace Museum
Just like the woman with thin eyebrows in the painting, a pair of slender Dan phoenix eyes lined the eyebrows. At the peach blossom creek, Xizi was in a graceful posture, and the fish in the water saw the reflection of her raccoon yarn by the creek, and they were all stunned to forget to swim in the water, and shyly sank to the bottom of the river.
Well-bred noblewomen often played with the butterfly crane dogs, they did not need to work, and their eyebrows were always a little lazy.
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Tang Zhoufang "Lady of the Hairpin Flower" part
Collection of Liaoning Provincial Museum
"Double Land", like Liubo, is an ancient game of rolling dice and chess. Only to see these two richly dressed aristocratic women playing chess games, sitting and playing games, and killing time.
Tang Zhoufang《 Inner Man Double Land Map Scroll
Collection of the National Palace Museum in Taipei
The two maids standing on the side gathered together to explore curiously, and their eyes flowed smartly, and they were even more fascinated than the opponents.
"You see, this chess game is so interesting, I want to play it too." "How hard is this, I will do this too!" After a while, when they receive it, I'll teach you. ”
Disgusted
Southern Song Dynasty Anon. "Spring Feast Map" Partial Collection of the Palace Museum
In addition to piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, the ancients also loved to open a party to make a meal, and colleagues in the department also had to engage in team building.
However, on this occasion, it is inevitable to talk about poetry and praise each other, everyone is a circle of people, the literati doctor is indispensable to the necessary social, and a few are really rushing to eat.
And this colleague seems to have become a clear stream in the banquet, paying no attention to the flattery of the people around you.
He looked at the melon and fruit snack in front of him, closed his eyes in disappointment, frowned, and did not even want to show a perfunctory look. Alas, this year's group meal standard is not good, not even delicious meat.
In addition, the servants in the "team building" were also tired of the after-dinner work. The masters eat delicious and drink spicy, we can only saddle up the front and back of the horse, the beaters are too bitter...
Can only see the pain that cannot be eaten, who else understands?
The weather on both sides of the Yangtze River is getting colder, and the first snow has arrived.
The reeds by the river swayed with the wind, and a thin layer of snow had accumulated on the trunks.
Five Generations Zhao Gan "The First Snow Map of the River" Partial Collection of the National Palace Museum in Taipei
The workers who went out were the most helpless, and could only go forward trembling while disgusting this broken weather.
Only to see him shrink his hands in his sleeves, cover his mouth and keep breathing, and the complaints in his small eyes are about to overflow: But it's really cold! This benevolent brother in front of you is going faster, and you can't freeze...
The guy rowing together on the river here, the guy who wanted to be lazy in the back was discovered by the front, so a look flew over: "Brother dei, do you want to add some oil?" (Or come to the baron X frame?) ）”
The child did not understand the reason for the hard work of the adults, and the little eyes complained: I really couldn't understand why this cold day came out, why didn't I sleep at home, and missed my bed.
Naïve and rambunctious
Children are the most innocent and their expressions are more infectious.
Children in the courtyard chase and play, play the piano, guess puzzles, ride wooden horses, carefree, laughter can infect the grass, trees, flowers and birds around them, showing innocence and childlike fun.
(Biography) Ming Qiuying's "Character Diagram (Baby Drama)" part
A pair of brothers hid behind a tree, smiling, not knowing what interesting things they saw. The younger brother looked up at his brother slightly, his eyes shining brightly, and he curled up beside his brother and whispered.
Taking advantage of the warm weather to take his brother out to play, he did not expect to be carried by his friends and run. This had to be quickly caught up, only to see that there was tension in his eyes, and worried eyes fell on his brother, as if to say: Feed you to run slower! Be careful not to fall on my brother!
Satisfied foot type
Ming Chen Hongshou "Meal Zhi Tu", Tianjin Museum Collection
The impression of the ancient yashi should be "drinking magnolia weeping dew, evening meal Autumn Chrysanthemum falling Ying", or "Mr. tea does not eat meat, Mr. drink spring does not drink", I have never seen this... As soon as he sat cross-legged on the ground, he began to nibble on the reishi mushroom.
This man, who was wearing a robe with wide sleeves and a ruan-like instrument in his left hand, also looked elegant. At this time, he stared at the Ganoderma lucidum in his hand very seriously, and looked carefully, which was a freshly baked delicacy that the child had just sent.
This bite down, what magnolia autumn chrysanthemum, is not as delicious as my Lingzhi. It is said that The taste of Ganoderma lucidum is bitter, but I don't know that my purple mushroom is sweet in the mouth, I don't believe you taste, you taste it...
Ming Chen Hongshou "Fuqin Tu", Collection of the National Palace Museum in Taipei
Qinqi calligraphy and painting, ancient four elegant. The painting of the sergeant with his head tied with a hair scarf, sitting on a stone to stroke the violin, and there are six ladies around the ring, or holding an incense burner, or holding a lupine fan, and a lady holding Ruan Jing waiting for him, this battle, no loss is now Aidou's personal special concert.
In the middle of the picture is the king of solo at this concert, playing with his fingers, picking up the corners of his eyes, and looking focused and confident. Peace of mind, ease and ease, or this bamboo orchestra music, the most pleasant ah!
Kowloon beachhead, hauler pulls fiber, brave over the dangerous beach. In this mountain stream, the ropes are like nooses, linking every life that passes through here. The boatman braced the pole, joined forces with the porter, and the rapids braved forward.
Qing Huang Shen "Kowloon Beach Driving Tide Map" British Museum Collection
A porter showed his face, although his eyebrows and facial features were very simple, but he could still feel his strength, unswerving look and posture, it seemed that on this dangerous beach, you can clearly hear him shouting the boatman's trumpet while shouting at the fellow guys, with years of experience to conquer this dangerous situation, full of confidence.
It is said that the eyes are the window of the soul, and the ancients freehand conveyed the gods, and it is this eye that is the most critical. The principle of "painting the finishing touch" is well known to women and children, and the eyes, smiles and smiles of each character in ancient paintings are full of their most authentic feelings.
Resources:
"Emoticons, Trouble Managing It"
"The small eyes in ancient famous paintings can seduce the soul"
Are the Budai Monk, the Budai Arhat and Maitreya Bodhisattva the same person? 》
"Modern people like double eyelids, but the ancients took a single eyelid as beauty"