Han painting is the art of the Two Han Dynasties in China, with a large and complex content, diverse techniques and forms. Recently, the "Great Illustrated Dictionary of Chinese Han Painting" was published. Based on Han dynasty sculptures and paintings excavated in the mainland over the years, this series of books collates and gathers about 13,000 Han painting image art units, compiled into seven volumes (a total of eight volumes) according to character stories, dance and music, carriages and horses, immortals and gods, animal spirits, architectural algae ornaments, and danqing pen and ink, each volume is supplemented by a category summary and a special article introduction.
This article synthesizes portions from this series to present the graphic art of the Han Dynasty.
Han dynasty portrait bricks
Book shadow
Han painting: deep and majestic art
Han painting is the art of the Two Han Dynasties in China, and its content is mainly covered by two parts: painting (wall painting, painting lacquer painting, fish oil painting, various instrument painting, etc.), portrait brick, portrait stone, copper mirror, wadang and other sculptures and their rubbings.
The content of Han paintings is vast and rich, especially those depicting myths and legends, historical stories, production activities, official households, social customs and folk customs, etc., involving a variety of vivid images. The art of Han painting is not a delicate art, it is "deep and majestic" - the picture of Han painting is full of a sense of power and movement.
Han Dynasty Wadang
In addition, the art of Chinese painting is not a single form, but a variety of techniques and forms. The portrait bricks, portrait stones, copper mirrors, wadang, etc. in Han paintings are not only wire carvings, relief carvings, open-cut carvings and round carvings, but also many works combined with painting and sculpture; The paintings in Han painting, such as mural painting, handicap painting, lacquer painting, pottery painting, etc., not only contain various methods of using lines, but also methods and examples of direct drawing with color, ink, and even using vegetable oil to prepare pigments.
Han Dynasty copper mirror
The Han Dynasty is an important link in the history of the development of Chinese art, which not only cleans up and summarizes the art from concept to technique since the primitive society, but also develops it on the basis of inheritance.
During the Han Dynasty, there were a large number of professional painters and scholars, who painted a large number of works, either hidden in the inner palace or prominent in the world. Unfortunately, the royal collections of the two Han dynasties for more than 400 years and the works of professional painters were destroyed in the Bingxiao, and by the time of the Tang Dynasty, they were as rare as the Yoshimitsu Katayu. The Han Dynasty paintings we see today are basically from tombs, so what we call Han paintings today is not art in the general sense, but mausoleum art. From this, it can be concluded that Han painting has two major characteristics that distinguish it from other arts: one is to reflect the concept of funeral, and the other is to reflect the popular ideas.
Full view of the tomb gate - Eastern Han Dynasty - Shaanxi Shenmu Dabaodang - portrait stone painting
The Han Dynasty's mausoleums and most of the tombs are wooden buildings that have long been gone, and only a few stone tombs remain. Judging from the portrait stone tombs found so far, the official rank of the tomb owner does not exceed 2,000 stones, and they are all people with medium financial resources or below, perhaps because of low social status or insufficient financial resources to establish tombs. However, the owner of the tomb was deeply influenced by the burial customs of the society at that time, so he had to express this wish in a simple and clear way in a limited place in the tomb, that is, the picture part of the ancestral temple was moved directly, and the physical part of the mausoleum was moved and expressed in the form of pictures.
Illustrated Dictionary of Chinese Han Painting: Architectural Algae Decoration Scroll (Inside the Book)
Illustrated Dictionary of Chinese Han Painting: Carriage and Horse Riding Scroll (Inside the Book)
In addition, a large part of the content and themes reflected in Chinese paintings are popular folk ideas, and cannot be fully set by Chinese classics. For example, the green dragon, white tiger, vermilion bird, and Xuanwu are heavenly gods guarding the east, west, south and north, and their images are mostly regarded as representing a certain direction. But in Han paintings, they do not necessarily indicate orientation. The so-called "left dragon, right tiger, buyang (xiang)" and "vermilion bird, xuanwu, shun yin and yang" in the Han Dynasty Ji language may be the true meaning of the picture.
Portrait stones vary in style depending on the region
From the perspective of the current state of preservation, the engraving works in Han paintings are generally more complete than the painting works, and the number greatly exceeds them. Therefore, in the research or use of Han painting, portrait bricks, portrait stones, etc. are always the mainstay.
Portrait tiles are found throughout almost all parts of the country, mainly in Shaanxi, Henan, Sichuan-Chongqing (Sichuan, Chongqing). Portrait brick art is the source of many patterns, embodied in Shaanxi portrait bricks; An important turning point in its development is embodied in the Henan portrait brick; And its masterpiece is embodied in the Sichuan-Chongqing portrait bricks.
Many of the patterns of ancient China often originated in the palace, then flowed into the people, and then became popular all over the world. Many of the patterns on the portrait bricks in the Fenghan palace room and the imperial mausoleum in Shaanxi are also the earliest patterns of many patterns on the portrait bricks of the Two Han Dynasty. Among the Henan portrait bricks, the rough and bold style represented by Luoyang portrait brick and the exquisite and vigorous style represented by Xinye portrait brick give people the strongest artistic feeling; Sichuan-Chongqing portrait bricks are characterized by wide distribution, production time into series, rich social content, and vivid and diverse artistic techniques.
Cycling - Eastern Han Dynasty - Sichuan Chengdu Yangzi Mountain - Portrait Stone
The portrait stones are distributed in more than ten provinces and cities such as Shandong, Henan, Sichuan, Chongqing, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Anhui, Hubei, Zhejiang, Yunnan, Beijing, Tianjin and Qinghai. Among them, Shandong, Henan Nanyang, Sichuan-Chongqing area, Shaanxi Yulin (northern Shaanxi) and Jiangsu Xuzhou five regions have the highest density and the largest number.
Shandong is one of the birthplaces of the idea of ascending immortals, and Shandong is also the base camp of Confucianism, so Shandong portrait Shi Duojing historical stories and scripture content, as well as the spiritual content of gods and fairies such as the Queen Mother of Duoxi, is a vivid portrayal of the style of seeking immortals in Shandong during the Han Dynasty. Shandong portrait stone mostly uses hard and fine bluestone, and the carving is carried out in a condensed and fine way for multi-layer engraving, and the carving techniques are diverse, and high relief, medium relief, bas-relief, and open-cut carving can be applied appropriately. Shandong portrait stones are valued for their large number, rich content, believable chronology, exquisite and complex pictures, and dense and subtle composition.
Surabaya Ding-Eastern Han Dynasty-Shandong Jiaxiang Wu Clan Ancestral Hall-Portrait Stone
As stated in the historical texts, "Henan (Luoyang) Imperial City has many close ministers, Nanyang Imperial Township has many close relatives", Henan Nanyang was the meeting place of the imperial prince and Qi Xun during the Eastern Han Dynasty, and it was also the area controlled by the royal forces. After the Guangwu Emperor Liu Xiu raised troops to conquer Nanyang, he issued a book to the world, and the "Treatise on the White Tiger Tongde" incorporated the idea of wei into the Confucian creed of the King James Dynasty. The Nanyang portrait stones we see today, the many celestial phenomena, the divine supernatural and the male and female attendants, etc., although not a direct reflection of the life and thoughts of emperors and magnates in the Eastern Han Dynasty, are at least a reflection of the Nanyang world at that time.
Nanyang portrait stones mostly use solid and brittle limestone, and the carving uses refined and rough techniques, with prominent themes and clear images. In terms of portrait shape, the characters on the Nanyang portrait stone, except for the samurai, are generally more elegant, calm and respectful: animals and supernatural animals appear lively and colorful due to the use of exaggerated deformation expression techniques, and they are quite ready to emerge.
Illustrated Dictionary of Chinese Han Painting: Animal Paranormal Scrolls
The Sichuan-Chongqing region, from the Warring States to the Qin and Han dynasties, has been developed by the regime at that time as an economic base. In the portrait bricks and portrait stones, the production and exchange of themes are concentrated in the Sichuan-Chongqing area, such as "Shijing", "Dongmen City", "Salt mining", "Brewing", "Caisang", "Lending", "Rent", "Harvesting", "Picking lotus", "fishing", "rafting", "Sowing", "Selling wine", etc., which not only reflect the booming economy of the Sichuan-Chongqing region during the Han Dynasty, but also reflect the fact that the Sichuan-Chongqing region was the economic rear in the Qin and Han dynasties.
The reflection of Sichuan-Chongqing portrait stone on the popular culture of the Han Dynasty is very typical, such as long song and dance, banquet and drinking, family and husband and wife. Sichuan-Chongqing portrait stones mostly use soft and coarse sandstone, pay attention to the volume when carving, the reliefs are often very high, the style is extensive and vivid, especially the high relief sculptures expressed in the sculptural language of the Pengshan Jiangkou Cliff Tomb, the grand medium relief of the Leshan Mahaoya Tomb, as well as some stone ques, sarcophagus reliefs are the most representative.
Unearthed in Pengxian County, Sichuan Handstand, Pan Dance, Dancing Pill Portrait Stone
Leshan Mahaoya Tomb Jing Ke's embroidered Qin carving
The content of the portrait stone in northern Shaanxi rarely appears in the historical stories common in other regions, nor does it see themes such as fishing and textiles, but more reflects the military, pastoral farming, commerce and other contents of border life, as well as the gods Xiangrui thought popular in Han Dynasty society. This reflects the fact that in northern Shaanxi in the early and middle period of the Eastern Han Dynasty, merchants, landlords, and military officials became the main rich and powerful people in the area.
Northern Shaanxi portrait stone uses hard and layered shale, which is not suitable for multi-layer engraving, and the image is silhouette-like, supplemented by color to enrich the details. In the treatment of the image, do not pursue trivial details: in the processing of various curves, thin lines and some small images, more use similar to today's paper-cutting "link" technique, one image and one image are connected to each other, not only to ensure the integrity of the stone structure, but also to make the picture appear vivid and rich, flat bas-relief is basically the only expression method used by the portrait stone in northern Shaanxi.
In the portrait stones of northern Shaanxi, the pictures reflecting the production content of agriculture and animal husbandry are often carved roughly and concisely; Pictures reflecting the content of official eunuchs such as hunting and traveling are often vividly and lively; The pictures reflecting the immortals and auspicious rui of the West Queen Mother, the Eastern Maharajah, the Feather People, the Divine People, and the Divine Beasts are often delicate and intricately carved, especially the decorative patterns such as cloud patterns and curly grass patterns interspersed between them, which are tactfully turned, flying smoothly, and extremely rich in curved beauty. When supplemented by artistic means such as yin line carving, line painting (black lines and color lines), and color painting (blue, white, green, black, etc.), complete Han dynasty portrait stone tombs often show a magnificent atmosphere. On the whole, the extreme decorative beauty is most prominent in the portrait stones of northern Shaanxi.
Portrait stone of Suide
Xuzhou was a fiefdom of the King of Chu during the Han Dynasty, with a developed economy and strong strength. Since the 50s of the 20th century, several tombs of the Chu kings have been excavated successively, all of which are large-scale projects that have been hewn into the mountains as mausoleums, which can really be regarded as the tombs of other princes. This kind of grace and style is mainly reflected in the representation of buildings and the production of huge pictures in the portrait stone. Most of these buildings are pavilions and pavilions with large scenes, complex combinations, and many characters, all of which are expressed in a jagged and imposing manner. Together with the characters who sit, walk, and feast in it, and the animals and supernatural things interspersed and moved in it, the picture is not only vivid and lively, but also truly reflects the wealth and luxury of the life of the magnates in the Xuzhou region of the Han Dynasty.
Xuzhou portrait stone, like Nanyang portrait stone, mostly uses solid and brittle limestone; The difference is that there are some large stone faces in the Xuzhou portrait stone, carving a rich and complex picture. In this kind of picture, there are not only buildings, but also banquets, as well as grand scenes such as carriages and horses, dance and music. On the plane composition of these large pictures, the arrangement of characters, animals, supernaturals, buildings, algae decorations, etc. is dense and not blocked, sparse but not empty, complex and orderly, grand and master-slave.
Illustrated Dictionary of Chinese Han Painting: Hundred Scrolls of Dance and Music (Inside the Book)
Characters in Han paintings
In the press conference, Gu Sen said that the culture of the Two Han Dynasty had not yet been fully influenced by Buddhism and other foreign religions, and the pre-Qin cultural system destroyed by book burning and military disasters was reconstructed, which was pure and creative, and was the inherent culture and root culture of the Chinese nation; As a typical cultural relic of Han Dynasty society, Han painting was once the most popular cultural form in Han Dynasty society, and was of great value for the study of Han Dynasty culture and ancient Chinese civilization.
One of the characteristics of the "Great Dictionary of Chinese Painting" is that it takes the image unit of Chinese painting as the individual for classification research and arrangement, highlighting the artistic characteristics and research value of the image unit of Han painting itself, which is convenient for horizontal comparison and retrieval, and can also provide new perspectives and ideas for the overall study of Han painting and the research of cultural relics and sites attached to Han painting.
Characters in Han paintings
This series of eight books consists of eight volumes, taking the character story book as an example, the author first writes a short biography for the Han painting units included in this volume, introduces its basic situation, and then classifies and summarizes them according to the individual units of Han painting images.
For example, Han Dynasty character stories include (1): successive emperors: three emperors, namely Fuxi (mostly matched with Nuwa), Zhurong, Shennong (mostly matched with Cangjie); the Five Emperors, namely the Yellow Emperor, Zhuan, Di Xuan, Tang Yao, and Yu Shun; Xia Yu, Xia Wei; King Wen and his wife and ten sons, namely King Wen of Zhou, Tai Ji, Bo Yi Kao, Wu Wang Fa, Zhou Gongdan, Cai Shudu, Huo Shuzhi, Kang Shufeng, Ran Jizai, Guan Shuxian, Cao Shu Zhenduo, Cheng (郕) Shuwu; Qin Shi Huang (e.g. Surabaya to take the crown); Chiu, Fierce Warrior. (2) Sages. Including: Laozi, Confucius, Confucius disciples, etc. (3) Ming monarch and famous minister. Including: Duke of Zhou (such as King Fucheng of Zhou), King Yue, King Wu, Gaotao, Guan Longfeng, Guan Zhong, Yan Ying, Wu Zixu, Lin Xiangru, Su Wu, etc. (4) Officials and attendants at all levels.
Characters in Han paintings
Characters in Han paintings
Stories in Han paintings
The stories included in the Han paintings are roughly as follows:
(1) Sage stories. Including: Zeng Mu Tou Zhu, Liu Xia Hui sitting in a mess, Yan Shu holding the fire, two peach killing three soldiers, etc. (2) Historical stories. Including: Guan Zhong Xiaobai, Xinling Jun Ying Hou Huan, Fan Yan Shi Wei Xujia, Zhao Dun Feeding Lingyuan, Jin Ling Gong Attack Zhao Dun, Li Shanfu Gu, Shensheng Yuxiao, Bole Xiangma, Ximen Leopard Zhiye, Hongmen Banquet, etc. (3) Stories of loyalty. Including: King Cheng of Zhou Gongfu, Ji Za Hanging Sword, Orphan of Zhao, Wang Lingmu, Lin Xiangru Returning to Zhao, Cao Zi Robbery, Zhuzhu Assassination King Wu, Want to Leave the Assassination of Qingji, Yu Rang Assassination of Zhao Xiangzi, Nie Zheng Assassination of King Han, Jing Ke's Assassination of King Qin, etc.
(4) Filial piety stories. Including: Min Ziqian lost, Lao Laizi Yu relatives, Xing Qu feeding father, Ding Lan carved wood, Bo Yu wounded relatives, Dong Yongxing filial piety, Sanzhou Xiaoren, Jin Ilwan Si mother, Yijing Yanggong, Wei Tang to avenge her father, seven daughters to avenge her father, etc.
(5) The story of the women. Including: Qi Huan Wei Ji, Qi Guan Concubine Jing, Zhong Lichun Self-recommendation, Liang Jie's Aunt, Chu Zhaozhen Jiang, Qi Yi's stepmother, Jingshi Jienu, Liang Widow Gaoxing, Lu Yi's aunt, Lu Qiujie's wife, etc.
Get in the way
Guan Zhong shot Xiaobai-Eastern Han Dynasty-Shandong Jiaxiang Wu Clan Ancestral Hall
Gu Sen introduced that among the artistic expressions of character stories, the most notable is the stylized performance.
Some of the more stylized works that are widely found in portrait bricks and portrait stones have also existed in the palaces and temples of the ruling class. It follows the idea that the first form of stylization came from the hands of professional painters. For example, the "Zhou Gongfu Cheng Wang Tu" that Confucius saw in the Zhou Temple, and the "Zhou Gong Fu Cheng Wang See the Princes" that Emperor Wudi of Han asked Huo Guang to paint and give Huo Guang, may be the mother book of the theme "Zhou Gong Fu Cheng Wang".
As far as the examples of portrait bricks and portrait stones are concerned, Qufu, Jiaxiang, Yinan, Liangshan, Anqiu in Shandong, Xuzhou in Jiangsu, Zizhou in northern Shaanxi and other places, there are Zhou Gongfu Chengwang diagrams. Although the region is different, the basic format of this theme is a child in the middle, a canopy over his head, and one or more people standing on each side. From the stylization of this theme, it can be seen that the consistency of artistic format is primary, and the local and regional styles are secondary. At the same time, it can also be seen that the reason why different regions have the same artistic expression of the same subject must come from the same mother. As far as the Han Dynasty's "Duke of Zhou Fu Cheng Wang" is concerned, his mother may have been the one that Emperor Wudi of Han asked him to paint as a gift to Huo Guang.
In character storytelling, stylized variants are also noteworthy along with stylization. One of the main types of stylized variants is the variation of a perfect form in multiple repetitions, such as "Jing Ke's Assassination of the King of Qin", "Two Peach Kills Three Shi", "Zhou Gongfu Cheng Wang" and other themes.
"Jing Ke's Assassination of the King of Qin" can be said to be one of the most reflected themes in historical portraits. As far as is known, this theme has been found in the main popular areas of portrait stones, such as the Wushi Ancestral Hall of Jiaxiang in Shandong (three paintings), Yinan in Shandong (one painting), Leshan in Sichuan (three paintings), northern Shaanxi (one painting), and Haining in Zhejiang (one painting). No matter what the region, the basic format of "Jing Ke's assassination of the King of Qin" is: a column is erected in the middle (with or without a dagger), and Jing Ke, King Qin is placed on both sides of the column. This basic format is the program. In this basic format, there are many or fewer characters, large and small scenes, vivid and sluggish character dynamics, and so on, and these changes are stylized variants.
Jing Ke's Portrait of King Qin (middle)
Among the variants of "Jing Ke's Assassination of the King of Qin", the Hutouwan Cliff Tomb in Leshan, Sichuan Province and the Portrait Stone Tomb in Yinan in Shandong are the most characteristic. Among them, the one in Hutou Bay is carved into a stride forward on the dynamic processing of Jing Ke, leaning over and throwing a dagger. Compared with the stone carvings of this theme elsewhere, Jing Ke's movements are large and vivid, which makes a strong impression.
Yinan's "Jing Ke's Assassination of the King of Qin" is the most abbreviated of the same theme, and there is no other image except the King of Qin, Jing Ke, and the pillar with a dagger inserted in the middle. The person or thing related to the event is represented by an object. Intriguingly, while omitting other people or objects, this stone carving adds new details, such as putting a long sword on Jing Ke's hands and holding it. This detail, which is completely contrary to historical facts, adds a bit of hope and thrill to the already failed assassination (indicated by a dagger inserted into the pillar). This increase in detail is the addition of typical regional styles and even personal styles.