More than 80 classic works such as "Twenty-Four Solar Terms" and "Thousand Hands and Thousand Eyes Guanyin" carefully produced by the watermarking technique of ten bamboo planks, the replica version of the "Vajrapani Prajnaparamita Honey Sutra" shows the profundity of the traditional skills of Chinese intangible culture and the subtlety and elegance of woodblock watermarking techniques, and the precious literature pictures, book shadows, stamps, etc. present the inheritance of woodblock watermarking techniques... Sponsored by the China Association for the Protection of Ancient Books, co-organized by the British Crown Prince Foundation School of Traditional Arts and Hangzhou Shizhuzhai Art Museum, the "Ten Bamboo Zhai Woodblock Watermark Art Works Exhibition" will be held on August 10-19, 2019 at the British Crown Prince Foundation Traditional Art Institute, with the theme of "Zi Mo Millennium - The Inheritance and Development of Chinese Printing".
One of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms
Founded by the Ming Dynasty seal engraver and publisher Hu Zhengyan, Lu Xun and Zheng Zhenduo spent seven years compiling and printing the Ten Bamboo Zhai Notes in the 1930s, which revived the watermark of the Ten Bamboo Zhai woodblock that had once disappeared. The multi-color overprinting technology of "Ten Bamboo Zhai" such as plate and arch flower, which integrates painting, engraving and printing, is a precious cultural heritage in the development of ancient Chinese printing history. In 2014, the "Ten Bamboo Zhai Woodblock Watermarking Technique" was selected into the fourth batch of national intangible cultural heritage representative project list.
"A Thousand Hands and a Thousand Eyes Guanyin"
Wang Honglei, deputy secretary-general of the China Association for the Protection of Ancient Books, introduced that ancient Chinese printing is an important part of the inheritance and protection of Ancient Chinese books, which has had an important impact on Western civilization and cultural dissemination. This exhibition is the 2019 National Arts Fund Communication and Exchange Promotion Funding Project, the exhibition will show the history, inheritance and development of Chinese engraving and printing through the exhibition display, exchange seminar and demonstration experience of the "Ten Bamboo Zhai Woodblock Watermark Art" works, carry forward the essence of Chinese civilization and culture and art with Chinese characteristics, respond to the national "Belt and Road" strategy, tell The Chinese story, highlight the Chinese spirit, shape the Chinese image; at the same time promote the international exchange and dissemination of traditional Chinese art, expand cognition and influence, Promote the mutual reference, mutual promotion and common development of world culture and art.
Xuanzang's westward journey
The exhibition will feature a large number of works created over many years by a team led by Wei Lizhong, the inheritor of woodblock watermarking technology, a representative project of national intangible cultural heritage. The series of prints "Twenty-Four Solar Terms" is based on the twenty-four solar terms in the traditional Chinese calendar, carefully carved with the original woodblock watermarking technique, and integrates and perfectly combines the traditional Chinese cultural elements such as woodblock watermarking technology, Chinese calligraphy, modern art, ancient poetry, etc., showing the profound and profound traditional skills of Chinese intangible culture and the subtlety and elegance of woodblock watermarking technology, so that people can appreciate the profound heritage of Chinese traditional culture and the wisdom of the Chinese working people, which is a rare artistic masterpiece.
Ten Bamboo Notes
The exhibition is divided into four sections:
The Style of Plate Printing - The Development of Ancient Chinese Printing
Printing, one of the four great inventions of ancient China, began in the Sui Dynasty, perfected in the Song Dynasty, introduced to Europe in the Yuan Dynasty, and reached its peak in the Ming Dynasty, experiencing stages such as engraving, movable type, and woodblock watermarking. This part is a combination of flat display and physical display, aiming to present the inheritance of woodblock watermarking skills through the display of derivatives such as historical documents, pictures, books and stamps; the physical exhibition of on-site engraving, woodblock watermarking tools and raw materials shows the subtlety of the woodblock watermarking technique of Shizhuzhai.
Oriental Implications - The Western Transmission of Ancient Chinese Printing
The source of the westward transmission of ancient Chinese printing was Turpan in Xinjiang, which was introduced to Arabia through Central Asia, and then to Egypt and Europe through Asia Minor. Paper money was an important medium for Chinese printing to Europe. In 1253, the French travelogue of Robru introduced Chinese banknotes in more detail. Western printing was one of the three great inventions that heralded the arrival of bourgeois society in Europe. The development of early printing in Europe was influenced by the ancient Chinese printing technology model, that is, first underwent engraving printing, and then transitioned to movable type printing. Mutual learning among civilizations is manifested in dialogue and exchanges between different civilizations, mutual reference and integration. This section briefly outlines several important nodes and events in the western transmission of ancient Chinese printing in the form of pictures and texts.
Inheritance and Innovation - The exhibition of classic works of Shizhuzhai Art Museum
This section is based on 64 woodcut watermark prints and 27 woodcut portrait prints, showing the classic works of art of the Ten Bamboo Sai Art Museum. Among them, works such as "Twenty-four Solar Terms", "Thousand Hands and Thousand Eyes Guanyin" prints and woodcut portrait prints are exhibited in the UK for the first time. The original copy of the Vajrapani Prajnaparamita Sutra is in the National Library of The United Kingdom, which is the engraving of Wang Jiu (868 AD) of the ninth year of Tang Yizong's Xiantong, which is the earliest engraving and printing in the world that can be seen today with an era.
Wei Lizhong, inheritor of woodblock watermarking skills of the national intangible cultural heritage representative project
Portrait created with the technique of watermarking woodblocks by Ten Bamboo Sai
Live demonstrations and interactive experiences
Wei Lizhong and his team demonstrated the production process of woodblock watermark works on the spot, and guided visitors to make various interesting and vivid woodblock watermark works. Due to the difference in material and binding of traditional Chinese ancient books, the on-site production of Chinese woodblock watermark works also allows visitors to directly feel the difference in the production process of Chinese and Western ancient books.
Wang Honglei introduced that this exhibition was invited by the Crown Prince Foundation Of Traditional Arts College in London, England, and the China Ancient Books Protection Association began in June 2018 as the main body of the application for the project, and after preliminary evaluation, re-evaluation, revision, review and other procedures, it lasted more than half a year and successfully established the project. Following the Crown Prince's Foundation's Institute of Traditional Arts, the exhibition will also feature a second exhibition at asia house in London, England from 21 September to 30 September 2019.
Author: Wen Wei Po reporter in Beijing Li Yang
Editor: Li Yang
Photo: Courtesy of the China Ancient Books Protection Association