"Spring silkworms spit silk, flowing water on the ground, writing gods in shape, all out of nature." The only great praise in the history of ancient Chinese painting is Gu Kaizhi's "Female History Proverbs" of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.
The Female History Proverb is an illustrated scroll painted by Gu Kaizhi based on Zhang Hua's Female History. 200 years ago, it was still the qianlong emperor's desk favorite object, but now it is the treasure of the British Museum, and the deep storage room is rarely shown.
Why did China reject the "Female History Proverbs"?
At the end of the 19th century, when the Eight-Power Alliance attacked Beijing, a British captain stationed in the Summer Palace took advantage of the chaos to steal the "Female History Proverbs", and although the British captain grabbed the famous painting, he did not understand the value of the painting.
In 1902, he returned to London and brought the Female Stubs back to England, where he sold them to the British Museum for £25.
Part of the Female History Proverbs
At the beginning of World War II, Britain was gradually defeated in the European battlefield, and the colonies in Asia were also in danger, especially after the Japanese army entered Southeast Asia, and the European colonial forces felt great pressure.
At the request of the British, the Nationalist government sent an expeditionary force to Burma to support the British, relieving the Japanese threat to Burma.
In order to thank the Chinese army for breaking the siege in Burma, the British government wanted to send a gift to thank the National Government. So they gave the Nationalist government two options of thanks: "Female Historiography" or a submarine.
In the end, China chose submarines. In the endless war years when everything was pragmatic, the choice of the National Government was not difficult to imagine, and they chose submarines with practical value and greatest significance to the war and the country at that time without thinking.
The Female Chronicles are on display at the British Museum
After brushing up with this return opportunity, the Tang facsimile of the Female History Of Proverbs remained in Britain ever since.
Later, unfamiliar with the preservation methods of Chinese paintings, the British Museum framed them on panels in Japanese style. As a result, due to the material, the ancient painting cracked with the cracking of the wooden board, resulting in the "Female History Proverbs" being cut at the waist, the inscriptions left by the literati in the Ming and Qing dynasties were cut down, and the slag phenomenon also appeared at the incision, resulting in irreparable losses.
Part of the Female History Proverbs
Why is the Female Historiography so precious?
"Female History Zhentu" is the earliest surviving Chinese silk painting, composed by the Eastern Jin Dynasty painter Gu Kaizhi, which is of landmark significance in the history of Chinese art and is known as the "open volume map" of Chinese art history.
The "Female Shi Zhen Tu" was first recorded in Mi Fu's "History of Painting": "The horizontal volume of the "Female Shi Zhen Tu" is in Liu Youfang's family, with more than thirty characters. The above pen color is vivid and the hair is beautiful. ”
Gu Kaizhi
If we combine the characteristics of Chinese literati paintings and examine Gu Kaizhi's life and paintings, it is certain that Chinese literati painting began with Gu Kaizhi. The earliest work that combines painting with calligraphic texts is none other than the Female History Proverbs.
"Female history" is the name of a female official, which later became an honorific title for intellectual women; "proverb" means exhortation and exhortation. Sima Zheng, the Huidi emperor of the Western Jin Dynasty, was a famous "foolish emperor" in history, and the power of the state was monopolized by his empress Jia, who was jealous, multi-powered, and absurd. Zhang Hua, the minister of the DPRK, collected the deeds of the sages and saints of various generations in history and wrote a nine-paragraph "Female History Proverbs", which, as an exhortation and warning, was regarded at that time as a famous passage of "Bitter Mouth Chen Zhen and Zhuang Yan Warning the World", which was widely circulated. Later, Gu Kaizhi divided the paintings into sections according to the content of the article, and each paragraph had proverbs (except for the first paragraph), and each section of the picture vividly revealed the meaning of the proverbs, so it was called "Female History Proverbs", and the famous works of the world came out.
The original work of this figure has long been lost, and there are two facsimiles of the extant "Female History Zhentu". One is in the Palace Museum in Beijing, copied by the Southern Song Dynasty; the other is a facsimile of the Tang Dynasty now in the British Museum in the United Kingdom.
The Tang Dynasty facsimile collected by the British Museum is considered to be the earliest existing long scroll of colored silk, and the charm of the original painting is highly restored, its historical value and artistic value are immeasurable, due to its long age, the first 3 of the 12 sections of the original painting have been lost, and only the last 9 paragraphs remain; the Palace Museum in Beijing also has a complete collection of twelve scenes of the Southern Song Dynasty sketch facsimile, the level is slightly inferior, but it also has research value.
Let's follow the "Female Shi Zhentu" to feel Zhang Hua's good intentions at that time. It's old, but it's still visible today.
The first paragraph: Feng Jieyu blocks the bear
Xuan Xiong climbed the threshold, and Feng Yuan stepped in.
Isn't the husband fearless? Don't be stingy!
The first painting is the story of Feng Jieyu fending off bears and defending the Han Yuan Emperor. In the first year of Jianzhao (38 BC), the Han Yuan Emperor took the harem beauties to fight in the tiger circle to watch the beasts, and they were not happy. Suddenly, a black bear suddenly jumped out of the fence and directly approached the Han Yuan Emperor. After Feng Yuan saw it, she immediately stepped forward to block the bear and rescue him, while the other concubines hid behind the emperor. After being saved, Emperor Liu Yi of the Han Dynasty asked her why she was like this, and she said that xiong saw people and stopped, which was to save His Majesty.
Feng Jieyu in the picture, with a fluttering belt and a delicate posture. Compared with the frightened retreat of Concubine Jiali and the panic of the guards holding weapons, Feng Jieyu's whole body was calm and calm.
Press: Feng Jieyu's "knowing death and not being stingy" is indeed an act of great affection and righteousness. However, a woman is willing to sacrifice her life for her husband, but the husband sits on three wives and four concubines, and may even be a widowed person. Husband and wife are equal, and respecting and loving each other and staying with each other is the right way.
The second paragraph: Ban Jieyu resigned
The concubines have words, and the cuts are the same.
Isn't it pregnant? Don't worry about it!
The second painting is the story of Ban Ji not sharing a car with Emperor Hancheng. Emperor Hancheng wanted to communicate with his favorite concubine Ban Jieyu, but Ban Jieyu insisted on resigning and persuaded Emperor Cheng: "The prince of the sages, there are famous courtiers on his side." The last lord of the Xia Shang Dynasty (Xia Jie, Shang Yi, Zhou Youwang), there are concubines of Xun Xing, if I go in and out with you, it will be very similar to them, can it not be shocking? ”
In the picture, the eight palace people jointly lifted the car, and Emperor Cheng in the middle of the carriage looked back at Gu Pan, as if to blame and sigh. Ban Jieyu, who was behind the curtain, stood on her side, her face beautiful and solemn.
Press: Ban Jieyu used reason to control feelings, hoping that the king would love the country and the mountains, the beauty of the far and the beautiful, and indeed be a righteous person, but it was a pity that he met an absurd and unscrupulous emperor! Emperor Liu Xiao of Hancheng indulged in wine all his life, and finally drunk and gentle, sigh!
The third segment: Mountain view and hunters
The Tao is reckless and does not kill, and things do not flourish and do not decay.
The middle of the day is bright, and the full moon is slight.
Reverence for the dust accumulation, for the sake of the opportunity.
The third painting is a landscape of birds and beasts, which depicts a mountain, a tiger squatting on the hillside and looking back, a horse with an open neck in the mountain gorge, two rabbits galloping under the mountain, and birds next to the mountain, one soaring in the air and one standing on a stone. At the top of the mountain, there are colorful clouds lingering, the sun is on the right, the bright moon is on the left, there are black birds in the day, and there are jade rabbits in the moon, which is a metaphor for the principle of "the sun is bright, and the moon is full". A hunter with a crossbow seemed to be aiming at a tiger. There is a man at the bottom of the mountain who kneels on his right leg, bows his left leg, and bends his bow with an arrow to shoot, showing "for the sake of the machine".
The sun and the moon are constant, they are not perfect, fame and fortune are like dust, and losing them is as fast as archery. This scene actually concludes the story of the previous emperor and queen concubine, showing that everything in the world is difficult to escape the law of prosperity and decline, and women's morality is the eternal and unchangeable truth.
Press: Women have women's morality, and it is not easy to reason in ancient and modern times. Of course, the content and form of women's morality have changed with the times. In addition, we must not be too harsh on women and let men go. After all, without a wise and open-minded gentleman, a virtuous and virtuous daughter will only be in great pain. This is the eternal truth!
The fourth paragraph: know its sex
People know to decorate their appearance, and Mo Know to decorate their sex.
Sex is not decorative, or it is righteous.
The algae of the axe is sacred.
The fourth depicts a court woman wearing makeup. This scene is a warning to women not to dress up and not cultivate "virtue". In the picture, a noblewoman sits on the floor and a maid cuts her hair and makeup. The maid (standing) combs her head in a high bun, inserts a step to shake the jewelry, and has one hanging from the back of the bun.
Through the quiet and solemn environment, the painter shows the empty life of the aristocrats, and the technique is extremely exquisite.
Press: It is the nature of women to love beauty, but xiu de needs perseverance. Confucius said, "I have not seen good virtue like a lustful person!" "The difficulty of cultivating virtue can be seen. Taking virtue as the first, De rong double cultivation, should be the best!
Fifth paragraph: Doubts with the same
Out of his word, a thousand miles should be done.
If you violate the righteousness, you will be suspicious.
It depicts a couple talking in their bed. The couple in the bedside is facing each other, the man makes a hasty rise, and the woman leans against the bedside, also appearing alert and hesitant. This shows that if you speak a kind word, you can respond thousands of miles away, and conversely, although you are a husband and wife, you will also guess each other. It is to admonish women to know the importance of the goodness of words in maintaining the relationship between husband and wife.
This scene directly shows Zhang Hua's poems, the husband and wife are opposite, and the state of thousands of miles away is depicted beautifully.
Press: Parents will grow old, children will leave, and only lovers are the ones who accompany them for a lifetime. The so-called "gentleman's way, to create a husband and wife", the harmonious relationship between husband and wife is the foundation of everything. Of course, women should pay attention to the goodness of words, and the same is true for men.
Paragraph 6: Whispering honor and disgrace
Husbands are as small as words, honor and disgrace are by them.
Don't be ignorant, there is no image of the spirit.
Don't be indifferent, God hears nothing.
There is no grace, and the heavenly path is evil.
Nobility, rumbling falls.
In view of the little star, the precepts are at stake.
Than the heart of the ant, then the Faner class.
The sixth painting shows the situation of polygamy life. In the picture, the imperial concubines and their children form a triangle like the mountain view in the sixth scene, warning women not to be jealous of each other, whispering about honor and disgrace, if they can't meet the requirements of women's morality, even if there is a stable family life, it will be like the mountain made of dust, and it will disappear in an instant.
Press: In the old days, men had three wives and four concubines, and it was very important to deal with the relationship between them. Of course, in most parts of the world today, polygamy is gone.
Seventh paragraph: Exclusive pampering and blasphemy
Joy can not be blasphemous, pet can not be specialized.
Focus on reality is slow, love is moving.
Profit and loss, of course, is true.
The beauty of the self, the best of the best.
Seek goodness, and the gentleman will hate.
Grace is the reason for this.
The seventh painting shows the content of "joy can not be blasphemed, spoiled can not be specialized". This scene contrasts with the harmonious scene that precedes it, in which the Emperor rejects his concubines because love cannot be indulged, and grace cannot be monopolized. The painter used this scene to show that if the feminine virtues stipulated in etiquette could not be achieved, they would not be recognized by the male domination of society in any case.
Press: Women long for their husbands to be pampered for a lifetime, and such expectations are normal in ancient and modern times. Today, although there is a reasonable element of not indulging in lust, such a request is really unfair to women.
8th dan: Shizuyasu's self-thought
The wings are reserved, and the blessings are so happy.
Jing Gong thought to himself, and honored what he expected.
In the painting, a noblewoman sits and meditates, which means that if a woman wants to be honorable, she must be cautious in her words and deeds, especially "cautious and independent".
Press: It is indeed a feminine virtue to be quiet and self-disciplined and not to seek glory. But in ancient times, the fate of women was completely controlled by men, which was also frustrating.
9th dan: Ms. Tsukasa Proverbs
Female Shi Sizhen, dare to sue Shu Ji
The ninth paragraph depicts a female Shi Duanli, writing and writing, and there are two Ji Ji accompanying each other, looking at each other and talking. The interpolated proverb is "Female Shi Si Zhen, dare to sue Shu Ji" two sentences. Female court officials are advising concubines to be cautious in their words and deeds, and women all over the world can also learn from this.
Press: The "Female History" is a "taming of women", which is too harsh on women, and arranges women in a subordinate position to men. Nevertheless, a woman should have feminine virtue, just as a man should have a responsibility. The world is in the right place, and the world is righteous.
The women's looks in the whole picture scroll are different, the clothes belt is flowing vividly, the luxury of the palace and the woman's shape are scattered, the slender and graceful posture, and the folds of the clothes are also dyed with ink color, which is very layered. The character lines are graceful and graceful, the graceful and luxurious life is about to come out, the picture layout is dense and appropriate, and Gu Kaizhi's "high ancient gossamer stroke" brushwork is continuous and flowing, like a spring silkworm spitting silk, with a strong sense of rhythm that is subtle and fluttering.
Attached: "Female History Proverbs" long volume appreciation
The academy recommends artists
Ye Alin, national first-class artist, vice chairman of the Artists Association of Central State Organs, vice president of the Great Wall General Calligraphy and Painting Institute of China, chairman (president) of the World Association of Chinese Calligraphers and Painters Collectors, member of the China International Association of Calligraphers and Painters, first-class painter of Chinese landscapes and flowers and birds, member of the Zhejiang Provincial Calligraphy and Painting Committee, Collector and appraisal expert of Thailand and international cultural relics, and his works have been exhibited in the United States, Europe, Singapore and other countries, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, and the response is extraordinary.
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