Small Wadang Large Building – Centered on the wadang excavated from the ruins of the National Palace of South Vietnam

On the afternoon of April 24, 2022, the quanhong research librarian of our institute gave an academic lecture on the theme of "Small Wadang Large Building - Centered on the Wadang Excavated from the Ruins of the South Vietnamese National Palace" in the multi-functional lecture hall of the Erling Museum of the Southern Han Dynasty. This lecture is the second issue of the "Archaeological Guangzhou Academic Salon" series of our institute in 2022. Our business staff and some enthusiastic people in the society listened to the lecture.

In the lecture, the Quanhong Research Librarian introduced the general situation of Lingnan Wadang, focusing on the evolution of the specifications, size, ornamentation and other characteristics of the Wadang in the Qin and Han Dynasties to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and pointed out the shortage of current Lingnan Wadang research materials. Finally, it is concluded that the Study of Wadang has important value and significance.

The summary of this lecture is as follows

1. Overview of Lingnan Wadang

The emergence and use of wadang in the Lingnan region From the Qin Dynasty, Zhao Tuo established the State of Nanyue, built a palace in the capital panyu, and used a large number of tiles on the roof, and since then, the official offices of successive dynasties have installed wadang. From the Qin and Han dynasties to the Ming and Qing dynasties, the tiles in Lingnan have changed from large to small in specifications, and the ornaments have also evolved continuously, and the veins are very clear.

Focusing on the archaeological discoveries at the site of the National Palace Department of South Vietnam, the development and evolution of architectural components in the Lingnan region are discussed by extracting wadang as representatives. However, there are many outstanding issues in the staging and evolution of Wadang in various historical stages.

A large number of fragments of written pottery have been excavated from the site of the National Palace Department of South Vietnam, which are the same as the pottery tiles, and some tiles may be made in the same mold. Nanyue Wadang was first discovered in the thirty-third year of Guangxu (1907), Guangzhou built the Guangzhou-Kowloon Railway, found a batch of written pottery tiles in Dongshan Guigang, Nanhai Pan Liuru with its font has the characteristics of the seal, tested as a relic of the Nanyue Royal Palace, which is the first time that Lingnan found Nanyue state cultural relics. The research results were compiled into "Pan Liu ru South Vietnamese Manuscript".

The "□ poor" character tile beat surface is oval convex, the fan bottom is flat, and the words and dots are indicted. This pottery auction proves that some terracotta scripts are printed with dots. So far, no kiln sites from the South Vietnamese period have been found, so they have yet to be confirmed. Judging from the large number of tiles and tiles piled up, the possibility of the existence of the kiln workshop is very large.

"Tile Picking"

"□ poor" word tile beat

Second, the pattern of the tiles of the past and their evolution

The pattern of Wadang in the Lingnan region is basically the same as that in the northern part of the Central Plains, but it often has its own characteristics, and some are locally created.

(1) Wadang during the Qin and Han dynasties

Moiré Wadang

It was used in Lingnan architecture from the Qin Dynasty and continued to be used until the Jin Dynasty. Its early and late evolution of forms and styles, especially during the Qin and Han dynasties and the Period of the South Yue Kingdom, needs to be studied in depth in stages and segments. Mushroom-shaped cloud-patterned tiles appeared in the late Eastern Han Dynasty until they were replaced by lotus tiles during the Southern Jin Dynasty.

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Qin Dynasty cloud pattern wadang

1. Diameter 14.6cm. When a large breast is in the circumference of the circle, it is divided into four intervals with double lines, each area is decorated with cirrus patterns, and the outer circle is a string pattern. In 1997, the Qin Dynasty well was excavated at the site of the Quliu Stone Canal. 2. Diameter 14.8cm. Beware of a double circumference interior, divided into three sections by double lines, each decorated with a sheep-shaped cloud pattern; the dividing line is decorated with a tree pattern. In 2007, the Qin Dynasty well was excavated.

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South Vietnamese cloud pattern wadang

1. Diameter 15.8cm. In 2009, the children's park was excavated from the early building pads of the South Vietnamese country. 2. Diameter 16.9cm. Divide them into four intervals with three vertical lines and divide them into cirrus patterns. In 2004, the Children's Park Was excavated in Han Dynasty Ditch.

"Long live" text wadang

Judging from the current excavations, it appeared no earlier than the fifth year (175 BC) before Emperor Wen of Han cast four baht "half two" coins, and was used in the middle of the Western Han Dynasty after the fall of the State of South Vietnam to the late Eastern Han Dynasty.

"Banzai" Wadang is very rich in South Vietnamese characteristics, with a large number, rich calligraphy changes, and a unique artistic charm. The Period of the Nanyue Kingdom was a period of development and prosperity of Lingnan Wadang, and it was rare for the Nanyue royal palace to use "Banzai" Wadang in such large quantities and singles.

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South Vietnamese "Long live" text Wadang

1. Diameter 16.6cm. The strokes of the font are curved, the "Ten Thousand" character grass head is a double "mountain" structure, and the stroke between the "Year" character "Stop" and the "E" part is a "μ" glyph. In 1997, the South Vietnamese strata were excavated at the site of the Quliu Stone Canal. 2. Diameter 17.6cm. The font strokes are obvious. In 1997, the site of the Quliu Stone Canal was excavated from the Nanyue Formation. 3. Diameter 15.8cm. The font strokes are obvious. In 2004, the Han Dynasty strata were excavated. Diameter 15.5 cm. The strokes are simplified and the font is folded squarely. The word "禺" is separated from the top and bottom, and the word "year" is written in an "E" shape. In 1997, the South Vietnamese strata were excavated.

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Eastern Han "Long live" character Wadang

1. Diameter 15.7cm. The word "WanWei" is preceded by four "mountain" characters. In 1997, the Eastern Han Dynasty strata were excavated. 2. Diameter 15cm. The word "Long live" was first written as "You" (幽) Department. In 1997, the Eastern Han Dynasty strata were excavated.

(2) Wadang during the Western Jin Dynasty to the Southern Dynasty

The Western Jin Dynasty was followed by the eastern Han Dynasty cloud pattern, and the side wheels were mostly decorated with serrated or zhou checks.

Western Jin Dynasty cloud pattern wadang

Diameter 15.7 cm. Beware of the four-leaf pattern of the interior of the Zhou Ge, which is divided into four sections by three vertical lines in front of the face, and the mushroom-shaped cloud pattern of the interior was excavated from the West Jin Ash Pit in children's park in 2005.

Western Jin Dynasty tile cloud pattern tile

Diameter 15.8 cm. The connecting cylinder tile, 46 cm long, with a circular perforation in the middle, should be fixed to the roof by inserting iron nails. In 2003, the Ash Pit of the Western Jin Dynasty was excavated.

Since the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the lotus pattern has been applied to the tiles, gradually replacing the cloud pattern tiles as the mainstream, and flourished in the Sui and Tang dynasties. Lotus flower ornaments are rich and diverse, and the development and evolution are clear. The identification of wadang in the Three Kingdoms, Sui and other eras is not clearly related to the succession and evolution of the dynasties before and after.

Southern Jin Dynasty lotus pattern tile. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, lotus petals were mostly represented by lines. Beware and side wheels also retain the four-leaf pattern and serrated pattern of the Three Kingdoms and Western Jin Dynasty.

During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, lotus-patterned tiles became the most numerous and widely distributed building components. The north-south lotus tile has a high similarity.

In the early Southern Dynasty, the four-leaf pattern gradually evolved into a raised circular lotus chamber decorated with lotus seeds, and the lotus petals were represented in bas-reliefs, and the shape of the lotus flower was more concrete, looking down on a blooming lotus flower.

Since the late Southern Dynasty, the serrated or peri-check pattern in the wadang side wheels has gradually disappeared and been replaced by beaded patterns.

Wadang was widely used in Buddhist temples, palaces, and official buildings, forming the first peak of the development of lotus-patterned wadang in China.

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Eastern Jin Dynasty lotus pattern tiles

1. Diameter 16.2cm. The back is flat, without the traces of the adhesive cylinder tiles, and the tiles are fixed to the rafters by the heart of the iron nails. In 2003, the children's park was excavated from the Jin dynasty to the Southern Dynasty. 2. Diameter 13.7 cm. Beware of decorating the petals, and decorating the line overlapping lotus petals in the face. In 2006, ash pits were excavated from the Southern Dynasty period of children's park.

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Southern facing lotus pattern wadang

1. Diameter 13.7cm. Beware of decorating the petals, and decorating the line overlapping lotus petals in the face. In 2006, ash pits were excavated during the Southern Dynasty period of Children's Park. 2. Diameter 14 cm. The interior of the lotus room is 19 lotus seeds, decorated with 12-petal relief lotus petals on the face, separated by diamond-shaped patterns. In 1997, the Southern Dynasty strata of the Quliu Stone Canal site were excavated. 3. Diameter 13.3 cm. The interior of the lotus room is 9 lotus seeds, decorated with 8 olive-shaped lotus petals on the face, and the petals are decorated with triangular vertical line flower buds separated by each other. The Southern Dynasty strata were unearthed in 1997. 4. Diameter 14.2cm. The lotus room is decorated with 7 lotus seeds and 8 petals of the lotus in front of the face. The side wheels are wider, and the side wheel interior is a circle of circumference and beaded patterns. The Southern Dynasty strata were unearthed in 1997. 5. Diameter 14.7 cm. The interior of the lotus room is 7 lotus seeds, decorated with 8 lotus petals in front of the face, and the petals are thick. Wide-brimmed wheel with two-week string pattern and one-week beaded pattern. The Southern Dynasty strata were excavated in 2005. 6. Diameter 13.5 cm. The lotus room is decorated with 7 lotus seeds, and the face is decorated with 8 relief lotus petals, the middle ridge of the petals is a groove, and the diamond-shaped pattern is formed between the petals, and the side wheel interior is serrated. Ash pits were excavated during the Southern Dynasty in 2005. 7. Diameter 12.0cm. The interior of the lotus room is 8 lotus seeds, and the lotus room is surrounded by 8 compound petals of lotus flowers, which are decorated with a week of string pattern, bead pattern, curly grass pattern, string pattern and bead pattern. A section of barrel tile remains on the back. The Southern Dynasty strata were excavated in 2004.

(3) Wadang during the Sui and Tang dynasties

The Sui Dynasty continued to develop on the basis of inheriting the Southern Dynasty's lotus pattern tiles, and the Tang Dynasty entered its heyday, becoming the second peak in the development of lotus pattern tiles. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, there were two kinds of lotus flowers and ordinary lotus flowers, and the changes from the composition of the lotus flowers can be roughly divided into two periods.

From the Sui to the early and middle Tang Dynasties, the lotus pattern tiles were obviously also influenced by the lotus pattern tiles of the Southern Dynasty, and the lotus tiles in the early Tang Dynasty were not much different from the Southern Dynasty, and there were also fat and slender coexists. Full and thick lotus petals, the middle ridge is out of the tendon, the three-dimensional sense is strong, and the outer edge of the lotus petal is decorated with beads on the side wheels.

In the late Tang Dynasty, the lotus pattern tile side wheel was lower than the face ornamentation or flat, the lotus petals changed from hypertrophic to olive-shaped, and the number of lotus petals varied, mainly eight petals. The outer edge of the lotus petals is mostly surrounded by beads.

After the unification of the Sui and Tang dynasties, the cultural outlook of the north and south was closer, which was also reflected in the situation on wadang. Tang and Southern Han dynasties to Northern Song palaces, ya offices, and at the same time in the cemeteries and monasteries outside the city and other architectural sites excavated a large number of lotus pattern tiles, it is not yet possible to confirm whether the use of lotus pattern tiles in the residential houses.

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Tang Dynasty lotus pattern tiles

1. Diameter 13.7cm. The interior of the lotus room is 8 lotus seeds, decorated with 8 fat lotus petals on the face, and the middle ridge of the petals is out of the tendons. The side wheels are narrower and higher than the face ornamentation, and the upper part is decorated with beads. In 2005, the Ash Pit of the Tang Dynasty was excavated. 2. Diameter 15.5, side wheel width 2.4 cm. The interior of the lotus room is 7 lotus seeds, decorated with 9 lotus petals on the face, and the outer circle is surrounded by beads. Wide-sided wheels. In 2004, the Ash Pit of the Tang Dynasty was excavated. 3. Diameter 14.0cm. The lotus room is divided into "ten" and has an interior of 4 lotus seeds. Face decorated with 8 diamond-shaped lotus petals. The outer circumference is two-week chord pattern and one-week bead pattern. In 1997, the site of the Quliu Stone Canal was excavated in the Tang Dynasty. 4. Diameter 14.2cm. The lotus room is decorated with lotus seeds and 8 olive-shaped lotus petals on the face. High-sided wheels with beaded patterns. In 2004, the Tang Dynasty strata were excavated.

(4) Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Wadang (Southern Han Dynasty)

The Southern Han Lotus Pattern Tile Bearer inherits the style of the Late Tang Dynasty Lotus Pattern Tile, the composition is monotonous, and the individual is generally thin.

The fat lotus petal pattern of the Southern Han Dynasty was significantly reduced, and the lotus petals were alienated and thin and patterned. Animal patterns are new, animal face patterns, dragon patterns, phoenix patterns and other double phoenix patterns and Mandarin duck to bird patterns that are full of life interest.

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Southern Han lotus pattern wadang

1. Diameter 10.2 cm. The interior of the lotus room is decorated with 5 lotus seeds, decorated with 7 petals of lotus flowers, separated by "Y" shaped lotus reeds, and the outer two-week string pattern and one-week bead pattern. In 2004, the Site of the South Han House of the Children's Park was excavated. 2. Diameter 11.6 cm. The interior of the lotus room is decorated with 6 lotus seeds, decorated with 10 lotus petals on the face, and the outer circle is surrounded by two strings and a week of beads. Apply a low temperature green glaze in person. In 2004, the Site of the Southern Han Dynasty was excavated.

In the Southern Han Dynasty, in addition to the lotus pattern tiles, there were also animal face pattern tiles, double phoenix pattern tiles, lotus pond Mandarin duck pattern tiles, and a considerable number of tiles were also applied with high temperature blue glaze or low temperature green glaze and yellow glaze, which was very gorgeous.

Animal face pattern wadang has been excavated in the Central Plains during the Northern Dynasty and the Sui and Tang dynasties, as well as the ruins of royal temples. The animal face pattern is generally believed to have evolved from the Buddhist pattern lion, the king of the hundred beasts, and in the Buddhist world is a noble and supreme spiritual beast.

The bas-relief animal on the Southern Han Dynasty tile face is angry, with a raised nose and convex cheeks, a wide mouth and sharp teeth, a tongue and a ring, and a fierce shape, which not only plays a role in warding off evil spirits and eliminating disasters, but also can highlight the majesty of imperial rule.

Blue glazed animal face pattern tile

Diameter 12.0 cm. The face is molded with a semi-embossed animal face, staring at the eyes, long eyebrows and ears, double horns standing, nose convex cheeks, wide mouth fangs, spitting tongue rings. The outer circumference is two-sided string pattern and bead pattern. The surface is glazed with high temperature and there are fine fragments of open pieces. Blue-gray tires, hard tires. In 2009, the Southern Han ash pit was excavated.

Blue glazed double phoenix pattern tile

Diameter 14.2 cm. Face to face mold two phoenixes with wings spread head to tail, with two outer string patterns and one week of beads. The surface is glazed with high temperature, the glaze color is crystal clear, and there are fine fragments of open pieces. Blue-gray tires with a hard texture. 2005 The Southern Han Dynasty well was excavated.

Yellow glazed double phoenix pattern tile

Green glazed double phoenix pattern tile

Green glazed lotus pond Mandarin duck pattern tile

Diameter 11.1 ~ 11.7 cm. In the center of the pond, there is a pair of mandarin ducks with their necks chirping, and a lotus lotus sticks out from each side. The outer circumference is two-week chord pattern and one-week bead pattern. The surface is coated with a green low-temperature glaze, and most of the glaze has fallen off. There are also gray pottery. The Southern Han Strata were excavated in 2003.

(5) Wadang during the Song and Yuan dynasties

After the Song Dynasty, floral patterns dominated. Corresponding to the Tang and Song dynasties. Although the Song Dynasty still had lotus patterns and other remnants, they were gradually simplified, and the diameter of the face became thinner and smaller, and the artistry was greatly weakened. The lotus petals become more and more slender, losing the full form of the lotus flower and losing the original form of the lotus, tending to simplify the mechanical patterning. Many times it is difficult to distinguish between lotus and chrysanthemum.

The tiles of the Song and Yuan dynasties or the Yuan Dynasty had folding techniques peony pattern tiles, folded branches chrysanthemum pattern tiles, folded branches passionflower pattern tiles, folded branches flower pattern tiles, lotus lotus pattern tiles, chrysanthemum pattern tiles and so on.

Northern Song Dynasty beast face pattern wadang

12.2 cm in diameter, semi-embossed animal face pattern on the face. In 2004, the Children's Park Song Dynasty strata were excavated.

Northern Song Dynasty lotus pattern tile

Diameter 14.2 cm. The interior of the lotus room is 5 lotus seeds, decorated with 10 olive-shaped lotus petals in front of the face. The exterior is decorated with two weeks of string pattern and one week of beads. In 1997, the site of the Quliu Stone Canal was excavated from the Song Dynasty.

Southern Song Dynasty chrysanthemum pattern wadang

Diameter 13.4 cm. The face is a two-fold chrysanthemum petal, with a 14-petal chrysanthemum petal on the inner layer and a 21-petal chrysanthemum petal on the outer layer. The outer two-week chord pattern interior is a week of beading. In 2005, ash pits were excavated in the Southern Song Dynasty.

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Song Dynasty script Wadang

1. Diameter 11.3 cm. Beware of the rectangular border inside the mold printed vertical row "Daji" two words, Yang wen, surrounded by grass leaf pattern, side wheel decoration bead pattern. The Song Dynasty strata were excavated in 2003. 2. Diameter 12.2 cm. Beware of the four words "Long Live the Thousand Autumns" molded inside the square frame, and decorated with four groups of grass leaf patterns on the outside. In 2004, the Song Dynasty strata were excavated.

Metaband text wadang

Diameter 10.7 cm. When the inner circle of the heart is molded with the word "Baishou" vertically, the face is decorated with a wrong compound diamond pattern, and the outer circle is circumferential. In 2003, the Yuan Dynasty strata were excavated. This kind of tile was also excavated in the ash pit of the Song Dynasty, and it can be known that it was used in the Song and Yuan dynasties.

(6) Wadang during the Ming and Qing dynasties

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the tile ornaments were mainly based on lotus patterns, folded branches peony and "Golden Jade Shou" character tiles, and their outer edges were decorated with string patterns, beads or continuous paper patterns, etc., which were commonly used by the people.

Ming Dynasty lotus pattern tile

Diameter 11.5 cm. There are 7 lotus seeds in the lotus room, decorated with 11 teardrop-shaped lotus petals on the face, and the outside is surrounded by three strings and a circle of beads, and the edges are raised in a ridge. In 2003, the Ming Dynasty ash pit in Children's Park was excavated.

Ming Dynasty Wadang

1. Peony pattern tile, face diameter 10.4, thickness 1.6 cm, 2. folded branch passionflower pattern tile, diameter 11.9 cm. On one side of the face, the lotus flowers are folded on one side, interspersed with vine branches and leaves, and the outside is decorated with two weeks of string patterns, one week of beads and one week of strings. The edges are raised in an angular shape. In 2003, the Ming Dynasty ditch was excavated. 3. Lotus lotus pattern tile, diameter 11.0 cm, the lower part of the face is decorated with a lotus leaf, the upper part is decorated with 3 blooming lotus flowers and interspersed with mushroom leaves and straw, and the outer is wrapped around the string pattern, and the string pattern is decorated with a continuous "wan" shaped echo. The Ming Dynasty strata were excavated in 2004.

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Qing Dynasty Wadang

1. Folded peony pattern tile, diameter 10.5 cm. When the face is decorated with a side of the folded branch peony, the outer circle is continuously "10,000" character loop pattern. Ash pits were unearthed in the Qing Dynasty in 2005. 2. Text tile, diameter 9.5 cm. The three characters of "Jinyushou" are used to form a pattern on the face, the word "Shou" is centered, the smaller words "Jin" and "Jade" are separated on both sides, and the word "Wan" is continuously looped around the outside. Modern strata were unearthed in 2006.

epilogue

The study of wadang has important value and significance: first, the occurrence and development of wadang, its shape, pattern and size have certain laws to follow, which can provide a reliable basis for our dating of archaeological sites; second, the tiles used in ancient buildings are an important criterion for judging the specification level of buildings, so it is said that small wadang and large buildings; third, wadang can provide rich social information for local politics, economy and culture.

At the end of the lecture, the quanhong research librarian patiently answered the questions of the enthusiastic audience, and exchanged warm exchanges with everyone on academic issues such as the division of the Yuan Dynasty strata of the Ruins of the Nanyue Royal Palace, the distribution area of peony pattern tiles, and the transmission route of lotus pattern tiles in the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

(The content of the lecture minutes was approved by the Quanhong Research Librarians)

Finishing: Zhang Xiong

Photography, Editor: Guo Yile

Reviewer: Lv Liangbo

Approved: Yi Xibing

Reprinted from: Southern Han Erling Museum