Recommended book | "Elegant China - Yang Hong Says Cultural Relics": Immortal Pen Power Wonderful Narration

Opening the new book of the Cultural Relics Publishing House, "Elegant China - Yang Hong Says Cultural Relics", fresh and poetic words and precious and vivid pictures come to the face, making people involuntarily embark on a journey of cultural relics appreciation, feeling the majestic charm and vivid atmosphere of Traditional Chinese culture between the lingering taste of exquisite cultural relics, and encountering the clarity and magnificence of the Chinese.

"Elegant China - Yang Hong says cultural relics"

Author: Yang Hong

Publisher: Cultural Relics Press

Publication date: March 2022

Price: 78 yuan

The 29 articles included in this book, divided into two parts: culture and art, were mainly written from the early 1960s to the end of the 1990s, introducing readers to the knowledge of archaeological relics by telling the ancients' food, clothing, housing, cultural entertainment, daily life, and admiring bronzes, jade, portrait bricks, sculptures and other cultural relics. Although the length of each article is not long, it contains extremely rich information, and when reading it, it can bring a wonderful feeling of invigorating and exciting, and when you close the book, you can taste the aftersound and faint fragrance.

Pay attention to the language style of elegant and popular appreciation. Archaeology books often have obscure antiquities names, ancient and difficult pictures, and professional language, and ordinary readers are likely to lose interest in reading. Only by using the thinking and language that is easily accepted by the public, taking into account the academic and interesting nature of the content, can we better popularize the knowledge of cultural relics and archaeology. This book not only pays attention to the elegance and elegance of the writing, but also pays attention to the simplicity of the narrative, smooth and natural, and the exquisite verses, ancient languages and modern vocabulary can be seen everywhere in the text, so that the public language of the straight lyrics is integrated into the literary style containing philosophy, this lyrical expression of the scriptures and the plain narration of the vernacular colloquialisms, as if it is tailored for ordinary readers, will generate a kind of reading impulse to explore the subtle. For example, the beginning of the article "Sanxingdui Bronze Statue" wrote: "At present, it is difficult to estimate how many unknown things still exist in the archaeological category, so new archaeological discoveries continue to push the question mark in front of people, and the discovery of Sanxingdui in Guanghan, Sichuan is one of the question marks shown in recent years." "It begins with a storytelling language that captures the reader's curiosity. The author then describes the exquisite bronze statues with magnificent romantic imagination and galloping literary style: "It seems to produce a sense of integration with these ancient bronze sculptures, and hearing the strongest sound of art shouted out with its huge volume shocks people's souls, and the emotions boil, almost hoping to accompany them into the mysterious atmosphere that transcends nature...". Readers can find a strong emotional resonance with the ancients in these timeless and moving texts, and narrow the distance with cultural relics. Another example is the Han Dynasty Bangu "to the wind can escape the heat, quiet night to cool" to explain the function of the fan to drive away the heat, with the strong bones, the lyrics of the Liu Song poet Bao Zhao", "Difficult to walk the road" to introduce the Boshan incense burner metaphor for love between men and women, and so on. The whole book is full of such wonderful descriptions with emotion and temperature, so that the reader can gain knowledge and be physically and mentally happy.

Adhere to the spiritual character of seeking truth and beauty. Most of the articles in the book were written decades ago, and even a few were published in the 1960s, but there are no traces of time, and they are still pleasing and fresh to read. Readers can't help but ask: What is the password for its freshness? I feel that it is the author who writes and creates with the artistic pursuit of truth and beauty and the scientific attitude of rigorous and realistic, so that the ancient cultural relics can get rid of the cold and broken, trembling appearance, and show the youthful vitality and vigorous vitality. The cultural relics in Yang Hong's pen avoid the expression of the general meaning, but expand the line of sight, extensively dabble in the historical background of cultural relics, folklore, major events, city life, cultural customs and other related information, using artistic thinking and aesthetic vision to think about and excavate the deep-level content, showing the extraordinary and novelty of cultural relics. Such as ancient needles, fans, screens, chairs, these objects that ordinary people are accustomed to, are not ordinary in the author's pen, not only in the shape, appearance, color is full of beauty, but also behind the story of the exquisite portrait, and with artistic image in the work, leading readers to feel the true meaning of beauty. At the same time, the author's exploration and examination of the cultural relics in the book is very strict, and he does not let go of the clues and traces of documentary records, historical legends, grotto murals, etc., so that the ideological views put forward are fully confirmed, especially the courage to express his own unique views, showing the rigorous and frank and transparent wind and bone of an archaeologist. For example, in the article "Horses in Ancient Chinese Sculpture", the author, by comparing the appearance and demeanor changes of the bronze horses, wood carved horses, and pottery horses unearthed around the beginning of the Western Han Dynasty, under the support of historical materials, refuted the view that "the artistic level of the casters in the Zhou and Qin periods was low, and it was impossible to create masterpieces of the gods", and put forward the thesis that "since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the introduction of excellent horse breeds has made the shape of horses from short legs, short posture, and insufficient gods to physical fitness, slender limbs, vigorous and majestic, and reflected in the plastic arts", which makes people very convinced.

Explore the transformation of traditional culture. This book can bring people deep memories and thoughts, and feel the two threads that run through the whole text. One is the bright line connecting ancient and modern times. Through the interpretation of exquisite cultural relics, the author affectionately tells the story of fields and countryside and streets and alleys, and travels through the long history from small incisions, showing the vast and subtle picture of Chinese civilization and the eternal charm of excellent traditional culture. Readers can appreciate the knowledge, wisdom and art contained in it through the "chip" of cultural relics, so that ordinary days can be lived vividly. The other is a dark line that inspires people. Many of the vivid and vivid cultural relics in the book, such as lions guarding the door, folding fans, seats, gilded bronze horses, and three-colored camel figurines, are integrated with foreign civilization elements, indicating that Chinese civilization has the characteristics of openness and inclusiveness, and the corresponding dynasties are often prosperous and prosperous, and the performance of artistic works is also vivid, high-spirited and dazzling. On the contrary, cultural relics from closed, backward, declining and chaotic periods are often rigid, clumsy in technique, and lack charm. This also enlightens us from another angle that the Chinese civilization should constantly rejuvenate its vitality in exchanges and mutual learning with other civilizations.

Mr. Yang Hong's articles are rigorous and not dull, coherent and not rigid, grand and not fragmented, with distinct personality and high recognition, we can read a solid professional foundation, rich academic accumulation, as well as the strength to open up ancient, modern, modern and contemporary, as well as deep love and humanistic feelings.

(Author Affilications:Cultural Relics Publishing House)

The works published in this issue (including the title and the layout design, text graphics, etc.) added by the editor shall not be reproduced, excerpted, adapted or otherwise used without the authorization of China Cultural Relics Newspaper, and if authorized to reprint, please indicate the source and author.

Source | "Wenbo China" WeChat public account

Edit | Yi Zhang Intern Editor | Xie Yumeng

Review | Feng Zhaohui

Producer | Lee Jean