Ancient Art History of CHINA

Great Wall of China, 6,000 k long, Qin Dynasty, 221-207 BC. Attila the Hun is born in Mongolia 406 AD/CE took over half of Europe, Rome, Byzantium, and Persia. The wall is build to keep his people out.

Emperor Qin united China. He has more than 7,000 life size clay portraits of individual soldiers in his mausoleum 210 BC., accidentally found in 1974.

Great Wild Goose Pagoda at Ci’en temple, Tang Dynasty 654 CE/AD. PAGODAs developed from Indian stupas. With the spread of Buddhism Indian stupas were combined with Chinese watch towers and curved the corners of the roof.

Chinese Architecture

The Forbidden City, in the city of Beijing.This was the Emperor’s palace until the communist revolution.

Chinese Sculpture

Seated Guanyin Bodhisattva, 10-12th century CE. Wood with paint and gold. 95x65” Goddess of compassion and mercy based on a Hindu God.

Bramiyan Buddha, carved sandstone cliff, 1 CE. 165’ one of the tallest Buddha sculptures in the world until it was blown-up by the Taliban in 1999. The empire expands, into Afghanistan. The ethnically Chinese are discriminated against today.

Chinese Art Objects

Celestial Globe Vase ,1400 CE, blue under glaze on porcelain. Porcelain is a special mix of clay with minerals. It is strong but difficult to work. In the 20th century to save art it was moved from mainland China during the communist revolution. Now many pieces are in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan.

Cooking Vessel, 11th century BC, Bronze. They invented their own multi-piece mold technique used mostly for pre-Buddhist Shamanistic religious purposes.

Chinese Painting

Ladies Preparing Silk (copy), 11 00 C.E., ink on silk. Confucius said “I do not create I transmit. I love and revere the ancients.” This inspired people to copy older art..Confucianism begins 551 BC.“Do Not be concerned about others not appreciating you. Be concerned about you not appreciating others.” The “silk road” began trade with Rome. 25 AD. Buddhism comes to China.

Fishing in a Mountain Stream by Xu Daoning. 1100 CE, ink on silk. Confucianism influences philosopher artists as they try to paint the ”essence” or spirit rather than just what is seen with the eye. Taoism begins 5 BC it emphasizes a close relationship with nature bringing life into harmony close to the ancient Shamanistic religion. “Be still like a mountain and flow like a river.” Lao Tse. Nature dominates the art.

“Gung hay fat choi” “May you become prosperous”

Happy Lunar New Year

2008/4706 Feb. 7

2009/4707 Jan. 26

2010/4708 Feb. 14

2011/4709 Feb. 3

2012/4710 Jan. 23

2013/4711 Feb. 10

2014/4712 Jan. 31

Rat 1936 1948 1960 1972 1984 1996 2008

Ox 1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997 2009

Tiger 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998 2010

Rabbit 1939 1951 1963 1975 1987 1999 2011

Dragon 1940 1952 1964 1976 1988 2000 2012

Snake 1941 1953 1965 1977 1989 2001 2013

Horse 1942 1954 1966 1978 1990 2002 2014

Sheep 1943 1955 1967 1979 1991 2003 2015

Monkey 1944 1956 1968 1980 1992 2004 2016

Rooster 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2005 2017

Dog 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006 2018

Pig 1947 1959 1971 1983 1995 2007 2019

Art History of China Reading Questions 1. What is a cong? 2. What are the steps for piece molding? 3. What is the ancient “mask motif” called? 4. What is a “low relief”? 5. What are the steps in “lost wax” casting? 6. What is “Ren” in Confucianism? 7. What is “naturalism”? 8. What is a pagoda? 9. What is a stupa? 10. What do “oracle bones” have to do with writing?

Quiz: Art History of CHINA 1. Name two specific art objects created during Emperor Qin’s dynasty.

2. Tell me one thing about Emperor Qin’s Mausoleum.

3. Tell me one thing about The Great Wall of China.

4. Name two Chinese philosophies that affect the arts of China. Give a quote for

each and who said them.

5. What is the name of the Chine style temple that is a combination of an Indian Temple and a Chinese watch tower?

6. How did Taoism affect Chinese art?

7. Name the dynasty that made the famous vases and built most of the forbidden city.

8. When did Buddhism come to China?

9. What is the name of the Goddess seen in Chinese art?

2 pts.

1 pts.

1 pts.

6 pts

1 pts

1 pts

1 pts

1 pts

1 pts

+_______

15

Quiz: Art History of CHINA 1. Name two specific art objects created during Emperor Qin’s dynasty.

2. Tell me one thing about Emperor Qin’s Mausoleum.

3. Tell me one thing about The Great Wall of China.

4. Name two Chinese philosophies that affect the arts of China. Give a quote for each

and who said them.

5. What is the name of the Chine style temple that is a combination of an Indian Temple and a Chinese watch tower?

6. How did Taoism affect Chinese art?

7. Name the dynasty that made the famous vases and built most of the forbidden city.

8. When did Buddhism come to China?

9. What is the name of the Goddess seen in Chinese art?

His Mausoleum and the Great Wall of China

There were 7,000 life size portraits of soldiers buried inside

It is a 6,000 km long work prison full of dead bodies

Confucianism, Confucius and Taoism, Lao Tse

Pagoda

Nature and harmony themes

Ming

25 AD/CE

Kuan Yin or Guan Yin, Goddess of Mersey or Compassion

2 pts.

1 pts.

1 pts.

6 pts

1 pts

1 pts

1 pts

1 pts

1 pts

+_______

15