Tag: China

Contemporary | Feng Bingyi – The World Under the Interweaving of Time and Space

Post author By SHUNING XIANG
Post date 17 June 2024
No Comments on Contemporary | Feng Bingyi – The World Under the Interweaving of Time and Space

Feng Bingyi, born in Ningbo in 1991, entered the Cross Media Art School of China Academy of Fine Arts in 2009.

Entered the Experimental Imaging Studio in 2011. Graduated from the Cross Media Art School of China Academy of Fine Arts.

Graduated from Chelsea School of Art, University of the Arts London with a Master’s degree in Fine Art.I currently work and live in Shanghai.

This young artist born in 1991 has emerged in the contemporary art world with his unique artistic style.

Above all,her works are not only refreshing.

In other words, also leading a new trend of artistic innovation.

Feng Bingyi’s Art Language

Feng Bingyi’s works have always been known for their delicate and fresh artistic language and unique spatial painting forms.

The work is a young artist who constantly explores and innovates in the field of visual art. Her artistic philosophy is deeply influenced by image art and film.

Using visual language between the two as a means of expressing thoughts and emotions.

Feng Bingyi’s works are not only simple records of reality, however the process of constructing a confident narrative space.

Firstly, starting from Romanticism, starting from the enormous connection between humans and the universe.

Secondly, similarly then returning to the natural connection between humans and the universe.

Further the artist hopes to use her curiosity and admiration for the universe.

Similarly to bring people back to the equally peaceful and hopeful starry sky.

Feng Bingyi’s Style

Feng Bingyi’s characteristic is to use visual language between visual art and film as a medium of expression.

And to construct a narrative space of self perception through poetic language. Her works clearly perceive the deepening relationship between text and images.

Usually, it takes text as the starting point for creation, finds logical breakthroughs through text annotations and explanations. This creative approach fills Feng Bingyi’s works with uncertainty and openness, providing audiences with rich interpretation space.

Feng Bingyi is attaches great importance to the influence of different possibilities between space, text, and narration on visual language.

Therefore,her creative forms including visual installations, photography, and animation, all of which provide a broad stage for the presentation of Feng Bingyi’s artistic concepts.

Feng Bingyi’s artistic style is unique and clear, and her works are full of poetry and philosophy.

She knows how to observe and interpret the world with a kind gaze, and conveys a gentle and firm power through her works.

Her works no longer use abstract symbols popular after World War II, after that is also simplify storytelling through concrete images.

And this type of “reproduction” is not simply imitating, but rather presenting hidden truths in scenes.

Allowing the public to have countless possible moments in the visual perception of their works.

This sense of interweaving time and space fills his works with mysterious and fantastical colors.

Giving people a feeling of being in a fantasy world beyond reality.

Feng Bingyi’s Exhibition

In conclusion exhibitions such as “She Walk in Beauty”, “Fool’s Gold”.

The main group exhibitions include “The Story of Your Life I” (Long March Space, Beijing), “Taiping Guangji” (Red Brick Art Museum, Beijing), “The Goodable Strange” (UnArt Center, Shanghai), “Endless Grass” (Delaware Contemporary Art Museum, USA), “Retreat the Waves” (Helsinki Image Art Festival, Finland), and Berlin PANDAMONIUM – Media Art From Shanghai.

Sources

[AAC Special Article] Feng Bingyi: My creative ideas and myself have grown together

Your Life Story II | Feng Bingyi

Feng Bingyi: Cold Facts

Character | Feng Bingyi: A World Interwoven with Time and Space

Contemporary 当代艺术家

Contemporary｜Chen Xuanrong – Riding the Waves of Youth, Advocating Freedom

Post author By SHUNING XIANG
Post date 17 June 2024
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Chen Xuanrong, born in 1991 in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, is an emerging artist in the field of contemporary art.

Chen Xuanrong was born in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province in 1991. He studied printmaking at the Central Academy of Fine Arts from 2010 to 2014, where he earned his bachelor’s degree.

From 2016 to 2019, he pursued his master’s degree at the Central Academy of Fine Arts under the guidance.

He participated in compiling the history of the Printmaking Department at the Central Academy of Fine Arts. He currently lives and works in Beijing.

Chen Xuanrong’s artistic language typically takes the overall characteristics or specific phenomena of subcultures and popular culture as a starting point.

He using graffiti on canvas to express personal intentions through self-mockery and output.

The recurring visual symbols and certain ambiguous textual elements in his works imply his reflection on and satire of the social reality.

With a humorous and playful language form, mixed with peculiar symbol indications.

The overall tone of his artworks presents the artist’s refinement of the language of painting.

And his observational attitude towards reality, akin to a magical realism based on reality.

One of the most prominent aspects of Chen Xuanrong’s work is the use of a large number of visually striking color combinations to match the profound reflections contained within his pieces.

The vibrant and contradictory use of colors is like the attention he pays to the younger generation in contemporary society, with their pursuit of freedom, individuality.

And inclusivity being vivid, impactful, chaotic yet powerful.

The “street graffiti” that is not widely accepted in China symbolizes the conflicts and rebellions that accompany each generational shift, as seen through Chen Xuanrong’s perspective.

Chen Xuanrong : Artworks and Artistic Concepts

“G1.0.1.8” and “G1.0.2.7”: These two works are series-free creations by Chen Xuanrong in 2016. Through the use of rich colors and unique compositions, the artist showcases his unique understanding of popular culture and subcultures. With delicate and powerful brushstrokes, Chen Xuanrong expresses his unique feelings and profound thoughts about the world.

“Like Father, Like Son” Series: This series reflects Chen Xuanrong’s deep reflections on family, affection, and growth. By depicting the daily interactions between fathers and children, he showcases the warmth and strength of familial bonds.

Chen Xuanrong explores the changes in family relationships and the challenges of individual growth in modern society through his works.

Graffiti Series of Chen Xuanrong

Chen Xuanrong has a strong interest in graffiti art. His graffiti series not only demonstrate the diversity and creativity of street graffiti.

But also embody the artist’s profound reflections on urban culture and social phenomena. Through his works, Chen Xuanrong finds new ways to express himself and address social issues. We can hear the cries coming from abandoned neighborhoods, see the uncontainable expressions of freedom between the spray paints.

The charm of art lies in the endless subversion and reshaping of established matured inertial thinking or experiences.

In the bodily semantics and psychological structures that may obtain some relevance hints in the individual cognitive transformation process among the three time nodes of past, present, and future, and in response elements.

Chen Xuanrong’s throwing and questioning of painting concepts and concepts are also self-questioning, denial, or affirmation. Through artistic works, he provides a new sense of uncertainty and freedom for the establishment of relationships between individuals and societal domains in the process of deconstructing and constructing the self.

Artistic Achievements and HonorsChen Xuanrong has held solo exhibitions and residency projects in venues such as Shanghai Haomei Art Hotel and the Taipei Museum of Contemporary Art.

He has also participated in important exhibitions at the Beijing Today Art Museum, the Today Art Museum, and the Shanghai Mingyuan Art Museum.

In addition, Chen Xuanrong has designed a collaborative art car for Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, seamlessly integrating art with life.

His works have not only gained acclaim domestically but have also been exhibited internationally, attracting attention and recognition from the international art community.

Sources

陈轩荣 | Roy.XR.Chen

陈轩荣CHEN XUANRONG

Chopping Waves – Chen Xuanrong Solo Exhibition (Solo Exhibition)

Tags Art, asian art, chenxuanrong, China, Chinese art, Chinese artist, Contemporary art, Contemporary artist, Museum, new media artist, painting, young artist chinese, young artist, young, , , , , , graffiti

Contemporary 当代艺术家

Contemporary｜Chen Dandizi – Multimedia Art and the Human Emotional Environment

Post author By SHUNING XIANG
Post date 17 June 2024
No Comments on Contemporary｜Chen Dandizi – Multimedia Art and the Human Emotional Environment

Chen Dandizi was born in Hezhou, Guangxi, China in 1990. And graduated from the Oil Painting Department of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in 2015. Her learning experience has laid a solid artistic foundation for her. During her school years, she not only systematically learned oil painting techniques.

But also extensively explored various art fields such as video recording, installation, photography, and literature. These diverse learning experiences provided her with rich sources of inspiration for her artistic creations.

Thorn Crown, by Chen Dandizi
detail：78 x 60 x 5cm stainless steel baked paint 2020

Her artistic journey began with a love for beauty and a profound insight into the world. Through observation, experience, and reflection on life. And her works convey profound humanistic care and a keen perception of the changing times. Chen Dandizi ‘s works have the characteristic of media symbiosis.

And she is good at using different artistic media to express her thoughts and emotions. Her works include the video series “Rooms” and a series of works without a series, such as “Deep Relax”, “Cosma”, and “Futurism”.

Among them, in the video work “Rooms”. She creates a tense and oppressive atmosphere by repeatedly turning on and off the cool tones and indoor light sources.

The changes in the room only occur in the darkness when the lights are off, and in this darkness, people never appear. Leaving only the sound of knives and forks colliding on the dining table in the darkness.

This metaphor surrounding the absence and concealment of the physical body explores the drifting and unreliance of human psychological states in modern society.

This work not only reveals people’s sense of loneliness in modern life, but also showcases Chen Dandizi ‘s profound understanding of human nature and keen grasp of the times.

Photo by Timo Ohler, courtesy of the artist and Hua International, Exhibition Designed by Krista Xueying Yu

Chen Dandizi said that he is a contradictory person

She grew up in a damp “southern green” environment, and her memories of it were vivid and vivid. “Every spring and summer, plants appear washed green, and the roots, leaves, and branches are filled with water vapor.” The scene of returning to the southern sky became clearer and more specific. “The ceramic walls of the building were” shedding tears “, and the moisture of moss dyed the white walls green. People and animals and plants are receiving the warmth and humidity of nature together.” Such memories continue to influence Chen Dandizi ‘s creation.

courtesy of the artist and Hua International,by Chen dandizi

Her works always explore the alienation of human emotions, the hopes and despair of alienated individuals, and the observation of natural and imagined landscapes through the depiction of recurring phenomena in both the natural and artificial worlds. Her works create a new visual experience by recombining and transforming everyday objects, leading the audience to rethink the real world.

The installation art work by Chen dandizi

Chen Dandizi ‘s artistic exploration theme always focuses on self-awareness and observation of the living environment, hoping to reveal the hidden relationship between unique moments and emotions.

Chen Dandizi ‘s flute explores the depths of human spirit and the changes of the times through his artistic practice, conveying his love and care for life, society, and nature through his works.Her works have been exhibited at Hull Space Beijing Space, Yinchuan Contemporary Art Museum, Berlin Gallery Week K60 Group Exhibition, New Century Contemporary Art Foundation, Times Art Center (Berlin), UCCA Ullens Contemporary Art Center, etc.

Sources

HUA INTERNATIONAL

ARTIST

On the coldest winter day in Beijing, hide in the “tropical room” of Chen Dan’s flute

Chen Dan’s Flute | Capturing Sensory Experience and Perception in an Instant

Contemporary 当代艺术家

Contemporary | Hu Yun – Everything is the same

Post author By SHUNING XIANG
Post date 17 June 2024
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Hu Yun is born in Shanghai in 1986, graduated from China Academy of Fine Arts in 2008. I currently live and work in Melbourne and Shanghai.

Hu Yun’s works include painting, watercolor painting, performance, video recording, and installation.

Hu Yun is good at mobilising the experiences of different characters and stories, and reintegrating various materials from the past into his daily work. Therefore, artists and audiences cannot view every work of artists in isolation. Each project has a predetermined and interrelated common theme.

Hu Yun himself mainly engages in architectural structures. Most of his works are closely related to nature, with some focusing on elements such as plants and insects.Hu Yun, with a nostalgic heart and a warning attitude towards the audience, pays attention to nature. He incorporates simple concepts and elements into his works, transforming them into simple forms and creating rich experiences. He likes to attract public attention in interesting or engaging ways and immerse himself in his works.

Hu Yun’s works often give people a simple and rustic beauty, and after a long search.

They give people a true sense of happiness and security.

It tends to improve society with a sense of calmness and peace, rather than using the powerful creative methods of some artists.

“Treasure Chest” (sketch), installation, 100x80x80cm, wooden board, screen printing, color, 2012

Everything is the same

In Hu Yun’s 2008 work “Everything is the same”, the pillar in the center of the room looks no different from him.

Quietly moving back and forth in front of us at an extremely slow speed that cannot be distinguished by the naked eye.

Every millimeter of the movement of the huge cylinder became a mystery,it slowly unfolded like a poem.

Therefore, Hu Yun’s new series focuses more on natural history research to gain new artistic reflections. The exhibition “Mysterious Garden No.1: Riverside” revolves around a unique Chinese animal.

This type of mountain chicken,is described in detail in Li Zhen’s book “The Material Media Gang” (1586).

In the 19th century, like other unique flora and fauna, it was discovered by a tea master named John.

This river (1774-1856) was the first to be introduced to the West. During his annual business trip to Guangzhou, Rivers commissioned local painters to create various animal and plant illustrations, collect animal and plant specimens and seeds. Hu Yun’s works are based on various narrative clues, attempting to reconstruct historical information, legends, and personal experiences.

When curious British people hunted this rare bird near Shanghai, they found it “always too fast to see clearly…” It was this short scene that aroused the curiosity of Westerners and created a legend, a story.

As the artist said, “History is always hidden in the intangible, and we observe, search, and speculate through different memories, experiences, and understandings.”

Mysterious Garden No.1: Riverside

Hu Yun’s Exhibition

Hu Yun has participated in many biennials around the world. For example, the 6th Singapore Biennale (2019), the 4th and 11th Guangzhou Biennale and the 7th Shenzhen Sculpture Biennale.

His work has also been exhibited in leading contemporary museums around the world. These include: the Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; Guangdong Times Museum of Art, ecc.

His solo exhibitions include:

“Micro Landscape” held at the National University Museum of Singapore in 2019;

“We have never left”, Xi’an Organizing Committee, Xi’an, 2017;

“Narrative Disease”, Aike, Shanghai, China, 2016;

“Handle with Care”, Aike, Shanghai, China, 2013;

“Our Ancestors”, Goethe Open Space, Shanghai, China, 2012;

“Water in Nature”, Museum of Natural History, London, UK, 2010.

Sources

HU YUN – AIKE

HU YUN:MOUNT ANALOGUE

Introduce of HU YUN

Evolution: Confusion in the Yuan Dynasty – The Grand Opening of Space

Contemporary 当代艺术家

Contemporary｜Qian Ningyue – Cooking always accompanies me, giving me a soothing feeling

Post author By SHUNING XIANG
Post date 17 June 2024
No Comments on Contemporary｜Qian Ningyue – Cooking always accompanies me, giving me a soothing feeling

Qian Ningyue is a student at the Royal College of Arts in the UK and a Chinese sculptor currently living in London.

She has her own independently created brand called Fanyuan, which is an art furniture brand derived from the Century 1080 Project.

Inspired by the unique charm of ancient gardens in the East, it combines quality and smooth yet visually appealing stainless steel materials.

Qian Ningyue, as an artist, often uses her insights as an observer of daily life to achieve artistic works.

She has established a research method using recording as a means to explore what we overlook in the process of discovery.

And what things have the potential to break through real-time memory.

Qian Ningyue magnifies individual features that are easily overlooked in daily life through his works.

In this way, Qian Ningyue creates opportunities for contradictions to overlap and carries out a corrective operation in a balanced state. This is an experiment conducted by artists on the logic rooted in the audience’s minds.

Qian Ningyue：Pillar

The installation art work <Pillar> by Qian Ningyue” class=”wp-image-1643″/></figure>

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Contemporary 艺术家

Contemporary｜Tan Jing – Ah Xiong has run away

Post author By SHUNING XIANG
Post date 17 June 2024
No Comments on Contemporary｜Tan Jing – Ah Xiong has run away

Tan Jing, born in 1992 in Guangdong Province, China, currently resides in Guangzhou. She graduated from Chelsea College of Arts and Royal College of Art in London, UK. She now lives and works in Jingdezhen and Shenzhen.

Tan Jing’s works have been exhibited at institutions such as the Shanghai Bund Art Museum, Guangzhou Huangbian Contemporary Art Research Center, Beijing X Art Museum, Hong Kong Parasite, Guangdong Times Museum, and the Basel Toy World Museum.

Tan Jing specializes in exploring the forms of individual materials and the nature of the materials themselves.

Her works are always based on light inspiration, imagination, biology, Chinese traditional folklore.

The material properties of the real world, and Tan Jing’s unique personal expression.

Her artistic practice mainly involves sculpture and multimedia installations.

After that she excels in using materials such as scents, glass, and biological secretions.

Her creative inspiration often blends personal history, biology, folklore, and magical elements to distill unique emotional experiences and insights. Tan Jing enjoys experimenting with materials in specific environments to evoke sensory experiences and communication on objects.

She explores how the sensations in the realm of imagination can flow out and allow viewers to enter the same virtual space through imaginative forms of communication.

Trancing Lap Hung, 2021. Herbs and spices, plaster, wire, aroma essence, soil, H. 200 × W. 200 cm. Courtesy of the artist.

In other words, sensitive to life but not fragile.

For instance Tan Jing’s art often focuses on the subtle emotions and traumas within individuals.

Therefore she utilizes the efficacy of objects or spaces in her expressions, creating impacts on viewers aesthetically or psychologically.

Tan Jing’s grandparents returned to China from Thailand in the 1950s. As a result as a family member, Tan Jing often feels their struggles with identity and sense of belonging.

Perhaps it is the societal constraints under patriarchy that have given rise to such pain.where any mention or encounter with pain is sensitive and fragile, and pain arises from contradictions.

Firstly,Tan Jing’s artistic language also encompasses contradictions.

Secondly, hers artistic language always fragility to express that subtle pain.

And more by combining self-expression with the characteristics of materials, she subtly distorts the historical narrative of people’s pain.

Tan Jing: Axiong Ran Away

tanking' video work:Technical support for aroma design

Tan Jing’s work “Axiong Ran Away” is an exploration of individual identity consciousness. Her grandparents were overseas Chinese from Thailand who returned to China in the 1950s. The fluidity of identity is vividly reflected in this context, and under the fluid identity.where should people turn for their sense of identity and belonging? There is no answer; we can only immerse ourselves in the feelings.

“Axiong” is a character created by Tan Jing based on her grandfather’s image. In 1956, Tan Jing’s grandfather left Thailand and settled in China.

In the four-channel video installation “Hot Dream Corner” completed in the summer of 2023.

Tan Jing began to visit family members and dispersed Chinese in Bangkok, Thailand, recording stories told by the elderly.

In the film, these fading memories intertwine in different languages, interspersing dialogues from the past, future, and present world, forming a unique narrative of the film. Light and shadow penetrate through four screens of different textures, opening a “window” to the corner of dreams.

In the world of art creation, artists often wander between the realms of artistic space and imaginative space, drawing inspiration from intangible thoughts to create unique works. Emotions flow and pour out like tides in this process, turning into deep emotional imprints within the artwork, touching the hearts of viewers. Materials serve as the medium through which artists express emotions, imbued with new life and meaning through the skill and creativity of the artist, becoming a bridge that connects the artist and the audience. The combination of artistic space, imaginative space, emotional flow and outflow, and materials forms an infinitely possible world in art creation, allowing people to wander in the ocean of art, experiencing endless beauty and profundity.

Sources

农夫和螺仙

Tan Jing 譚婧

谭婧：旱梦滩

在博物馆人物传统典藏故事古代艺术家

Palace Museum | Nymph of the Luo River

Post author By MENG XU
Post date 16 June 2024
No Comments on Palace Museum | Nymph of the Luo River

The painting Nymph of the Luo River is a work of Gu Kaizhi, a famous painter of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Gu Kaizhi painted it after reading Cao Zhi’s poetry Nymph of the Luo River. This painting is one of the treasures of classical Chinese painting in terms of its content, artistic structure, character modelling and other methods of expression. The painting now in the National Palace Museum is a copy of Gu Kaizhi’s Nymph of the Luo River by a Song dynasty artist.

a part of Nymph of the Luo River
Palace museum
Gu Kaizhi

Introduction to the painting Nymph of the Luo River

Creative Background

Legend has it that Cao Zhi is the author of the poetry Nymph of the Luo River. He fell in love with Zhen Yi’s daughter when he was young. But Zhen Yi’s daughter was later forced to marry Cao Zhi’s brother. She died after giving birth to a son. Cao Zhi wrote poetry Nymph of the Luo River as a memorial after her death. Gu Kaizhi was so moved by this story, he painted a picture of Nymph of the Luo River.

Figures

The main characters of this painting are Cao Zhi and Nymph. Cao Zhi, standing on the shore, has a stagnant expression, and his eyes are gazing at Nymph who stands on the water, very fascinated. Nymph, with her hair in a high bun and her clothes blown up by the wind, has a feeling of floating from the heavenly realm, and she wants to go but still stays, with a look of admiration between her eyes. Throughout the scroll, Gu Kaizhi repeatedly arranges for Cao Zhi to meet with Nymph, but even though she falls in love with Cao Zhi, Nymph eventually has to leave, leaving Cao Zhi standing on the shore, pining for her all day long, and ultimately departing in despair.

When Gu Kaizhi was portraying the characters, he deliberately handled Cao Zhi’s attendants in a dull manner, thus showing Cao Zhi’s excitement. What the audience sees at this point is Cao Zhi’s concentration and excitement, which is difficult to express in words. This is in line with Gu Kaizhi’s artistic philosophy. He believed that one should not only portray the character’s appearance, but also the character’s inner personality. This viewpoint had a great influence on the development of Chinese painting in the later period. It laid the foundation for the pursuit of ‘ depicting the spirit ‘ in Chinese painting.

Landscapes

In this painting the relationship between the figures and the background is out of kilter, and the close-ups are not distinguished from the distant landscapes; the figures are as tall as the mountains. This was also the situation in early Chinese paintings and did not improve until the Sui and Tang dynasties.

Animals

Gu Kaizhi created many rare birds and exotic animals based on the depiction of poetry Nymph of the Luo River. In fact, these animals didn’t exist in life . They were entirely imagined by Gu Kaizhi. For example, the dragons he painted had antlers, and the fish he painted had the head of a leopard. They run on the river without splashing, as if they were flying through the air.

The significance of the painting Nymph of the Luo River

The painting not only represents the highest level of painting in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, but also Gu Kaizhi’s art theories influenced the development of Chinese painting in the later period, which made Chinese painting develop in the direction of paying more attention to the ” spirit “.

Source

Nymph of the Luo River

Palace Museum

Gu Kaizhi

Tags asian art, CaoZhi, China, Chinese art, Chinese artist, Eastern Jin Dynasty, Gu Kaizhi, love, Luo river, Museum, Nymph of the Luo River, Nymph, painting, Palace Museum, poetry, spirit

Museums 在博物馆传统典藏故事古代

Hunan Provincial Museum | Mawangdui Han Tomb

Post author By MENG XU
Post date 10 June 2024
No Comments on Hunan Provincial Museum | Mawangdui Han Tomb

Mawangdui Han Tomb [Tomb of the Western Han Dynasty (202-8 B.C)] unearthed in Changsha, Hunan Province in 1972. Mawangdui Han Tomb is one of the Chinese cultural relics not allowed to leave the country for exhibition. It is now in the Hunan Provincial Museum and is one of the treasures of the Hunan Provincial Museum.

Mawangdui Han Tomb
Hunan Provincial Museum
Madam XinZhui

Introduction to the painting

There are three tombs in the Mawangdui Han Tomb. Today we are mainly talking about Tomb One. Tomb One is the tomb of Madam XinZhui(a Chinese noblewoman. She was the wife of Li Cang.(the Chancellor of the Changsha kingdom, during the western Han Dynasty of ancient China) And this painting is on the inner coffin of Madam XinZhui.

The painting is 92cm wide at the top, 47.7cm wide at the bottom, and
205cm long, in the shape of “ T”. It is divided into three sections from
top to bottom: heaven, the human world and underworld.

Heaven

Upper right corner: there is a sun with a golden crow (Chinese mythological bird capable of driving a sun chariot) surrounded by eight other suns (Chinese myth: there were once 10 suns in the sky that shone on the earth and brought drought to the earth, so in order to save the earth a man named HouYi shot the remaining nine suns with an arrow).

Upper left corner: a woman holding the moon rising slowly, which is
related to the story of Chang’e Running to the Moon (Chinese legend: a woman named Chang’e, who ate an elixir of immortality and then ascended to become a god).

Right in the middle: in the middle of the sun and the moon, there sits a heavenly god with a human head and a snake’s body, surrounded by
cranes (a symbol of auspiciousness). This is to show that the god in the
sky takes care of Madam XinZhui.

The human world

Here is a profile of an old woman walking slowly on crutches, with two
people kneeling in front of her, followed by three attendants. Judging
from the dress, this should be the owner of the tomb, Madam XinZhui.

Underworld

A naked man (someone thinks he is the earth god Gun) was holding a white flat object symbolizing the earth, with two huge fishes “Ao” under his feet. Legend has it that god Gun is the only one who can stabilize the fish “Ao”.

Cosmology in the Han Dynasty

According to historical records, the T-shaped painting is called “Fei Yi”. The so-called “Fei Yi” has two meanings: one is like clothing but not clothing. A special person held it in front of the funeral procession and used to lead the soul to heaven; the second is that “非 Fei” equals “飞 Fei”, so “Fei Yi” also means that the deceased can fly up to heaven by wearing the Fei Yi. No matter what the interpretation is, the purpose is to fly into the heavenly realm.

The threefold division of heaven, the human world and underworld in this silk painting also reflects the cosmology of the people during the HanDynasty. They observed the sun rising in the east and setting in the west, the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter, and so on, so they also believed that the universe ran in cycles. Since the universe runs in cycles, human life should also run in cycles. That being the case, death was not the end of human life, but another continuation of life, and they hoped that their souls would be reborn in heaven.

Source

Hunan Provincial Museum

Interview

Mawangdui Han Tomb

Tags Ancient, asian art, China, Chinese art, chinese legend, Cosmology, heaven, Houyi, inner coffin, Li Cang, Mawangdui Han Tomb, Museum, the human world, tradizionale, underworld

Museums 在博物馆传统典藏故事古代

Palace Museum | The Night Revels of Han Xizai

Post author By MENG XU
Post date 10 June 2024
No Comments on Palace Museum | The Night Revels of Han Xizai

Han Xizai was sitting on a couch, listening to Li Jiaming's sister play the pipa.

The Night Revels of Han Xizai is a work by Gu Hongzhong (910-980). He was a painter of the Southern Tang Dynasty (937-975). This painting has two copies. A reproduction from the Song Dynasty(960-1279), currently housed in the Palace Museum at Beijing. The another one replica from the Ming Dynasty(1368-1644), under the collection of the Three Gorges Museum at Chongqing. This painting is one of China’s masterpieces.

Background of The Night Revels of Han Xizai

According to the history, Han Xizai was born into a noble family and had excellent ability. He worked as an official in the Southern Tang Dynasty. However, seeing that the politics of the Southern Tang Dynasty was deteriorating. But he knthat could not do anything about it, so Han Xizai indulged himself. Li Yu was the later lord of the Southern Tang Dynasty. He wanted to reuse Han Xizai. So he sent his painter Gu Hongzhong to Han Xizai’s home to record the scene of Han Xizai’s feasts and invitations to his guests. He wanted to observe whether Han Xizai was really unrestrained, but also wanted to use this painting to advise Han Xizai to stop his debauchery. Gu Hongzhong painted this painting through his own imagination and observation.

Content of The Night Revels of Han Xizai

The painting has five segments. Gu Hongzhong used folding screens、beds and orchestral music to separate the images. This way breaked the traditional notion of composition and unifying the sequential events in a single image.

Paragraph 1: Listening to Music.

Han Xizai and zhuangyuan are sitting on a couch, listening to Li Jiaming’s sister play the pipa . Li Jiaming is on her left and looks at her, listening intently and always concerned about the technique she plays.

The Night Revels of Han Xizai
Palace museum
Gu Hongzhong

Paragraph 2: Watch the dance.

The people are watching Wang Wushan jump ‘Liu Yao ’dance (It’s a traditional dance from ancient China). Han Xizai played ‘Jiegu’ (It was a drum used in ancient china) to help the celebrate, his friend De Ming monk unexpectedly met this scene, awkwardly arched back stand.

Paragraph 3: A nap between feasts.

This depicts Han Xizai sitting on a couch, washing his hands and talking to his maids. At this point, the pipa and flute are both being carried inside by a woman, followed by a woman carrying cups and saucers. The two women seemed to still be talking about tonight’s banquet, adding to the relaxed atmosphere. Red candles have been lit and pillows have been placed so that people can lie down and rest at any time. At this time we can easily associate the banquet scene with the ancients, they cover the window and drink at night, singing and dancing, tired to rest for a while, often forgetting the change of day and night.

Paragraph 4: Wind and Music Ensemble.

Han Xizai changed out of his formal attire and sits cross-legged in a chair, waving a fan while commanding something to an attendant.

Paragraph 5: Guests talked each other.

This paragraph depicts the end of the banquet and the departure of the guests.

Significance of The Night Revels of Han Xizai

The main character in this painting is Han Xizai. We observe that he listened to the music, beated the drum by himself, and enjoyed the dance. But even in this joyful atmosphere, Han Xizai was preoccupied and his brows were locked, which contrasted sharply with the joyful atmosphere. At that time, the politics of the Southern Tang Dynasty was in turmoil, and through the image of Han Xizai in this painting, we can also understand Han Xizai’s hardship. The painting details the intense psychological struggle of the protagonist under the complexity of the time, revealing the contradictions within the political class.

In summary ,The Night Revels of Han Xizai is not only an extremely valuable painting in China, but also an important document for us to study the society, culture and art in the Southern Tang Dynasty.

Source

Palace Museum

The Night Revels of Han Xizai

Gu Hongzhong

Han Xizai

Tags Art, China, Chinese art, dance, feast, Gu hongzhong, Han xizai, innovation, masterpieces, official, painting, Palace Museum, pipa, politics, Southern Tang

Museums 在博物馆人物传统典藏故事古代

Wuhou shrine|A wise ruler and a good minister

Post author By MENG XU
Post date 10 June 2024
No Comments on Wuhou shrine|A wise ruler and a good minister

A wise ruler, a good minister, swimming against the current in the midst of difficulties and obstacles, entrusting the far-reaching ambitions of the family and the country in the midst of storms.

Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang Joint Exhibition is on display at the Wuhou Shrine in Chengdu. This exhibition is based on the historical facts of the Three Kingdoms , and recreates the legend of 1800 years ago.

Preface

In China, when we were young, we would know that there is a famous book called ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’. This book mainly depicts wars and tells the history of nearly a hundred years. It is from the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty to the early years of the Western Jin Dynasty. When we grow up and read ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’,we can better appreciate that in that period of the flood waves in the river of history, Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei two people in times of crisis trust each other, in the danger of obstacles in the liver and gall. They wielded their swords together to point to the enemies. They also trekked through the mountains together, which is how impassioned, and how heroic. This exhibition tells us the story of the two heroes’ acquaintance and trust.

Contents of the Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang

This exhibition is not only offline but also online 3D exhibition. In addition, it places the excavated artefacts in the corresponding period. So it not only tells a story, but is also supported by historical facts.

This exhibition is divided into three main sections: ‘Floating and Sinking in a Time of Troubles’, ‘The Gentlemen and Ministers Working Together’, and ‘Restoring the Han Dynasty’.These three sections contain about 10 stories about the life of Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang . Among them, the three Visits to a thatched cottage and entrustment a child with an orphan in city Baidi are not only familiar stories, but also important elements of this exhibition.

1. Liu Bei’s three visits to a thatched cottage

Although Zhuge Liang was talented, he lived in a thatched cottage in Longzhong. Liu Bei heard about his talent, and in order to restore the Han Dynasty and take over the world, he made a special trip to visit. It so happened that Zhuge Liang went out that day, Liu Bei had to turn back in disappointment.

Soon, Liu Bei and Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and braved the blizzard for a second time to invite. Unexpectedly, Zhuge Liang went out again. Zhang Fei was not willing to come again, see Zhuge Liang is not at home, urge to go back. Liu Bei could only leave a letter to express his admiration for Zhuge Liang and his intention to invite him to come out to help him save the country from a dangerous situation.

After some time, Liu Bei had eaten vegetarian for three days and was ready to invite Zhuge Liang again. Zhang Fei, however, advocated that he should be the only one to do so, and if he did not come, he should be tied up with a rope. Liu Bei chastised Zhang Fei and visited Zhuge Liang for the third time with both of them. When they arrived, Zhuge Liang was sleeping. Liu Bei did not dare to startle him. So he stood until Zhuge Liang woke up, only to sit down and talk with each other.

After some exchanges, Liu Bei very much agree with Zhuge Liang’s military plan. He would like to worship Zhuge Liang as a military adviser, ask him to come out to help themselves to take over the world. Zhuge Liang was moved by Liu Bei’s ‘three visits to a cottage’ of a piece of sincerity. So he left Longzhong to help Liu Bei.

2.Liu Bei entrust a child with an orphan in city Baidi

The loss of the strategic Jingzhou, the defeat of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, the defeat at the Battle of Xiaoting, and Liu Bei’s serious illness at this time made the whole country’s power shaky. Liu Bei dying, in the City Baidi will entrusted son AhDou to Zhuge Liang. He said to Zhuge Liang: ‘If you think AhDou is the material to be the emperor, then you will assist him. If he is not, up to you.” Zhuge Liang did not fail Liu Bei. He spent his life assisting Ah Dou until he fell ill and died in the army.

‘I have Kongming as a fish has water.’ A wise ruler, a good minister, swimming against the current in the midst of difficulties and obstacles, entrusting the far-reaching ambitions of the family and the country in the midst of storms.

Information

Date: 2021.10.1-2031.10.1
Location: Mingliang Qiangu Exhibition Hall, Chengdu Wuhou Shrine
Address: Located at No. 231, Wuhouci Street, Wuhou District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

Exhibition Opening Hours
Tuesday to Sunday: 9:00am-18:00pm
Closing time: Every Monday (except holidays)

Ticket Price: Adult RMB 50/person; Child RMB 25/person
Tel: +86-028-85535951

Source

Wuhou Shrine

Exhibition online

site of Wuhou Shrine

Tags China, Eastern Han Dynasty, enrtusement a child with an orphan, exhibition online, Liu Bei, minister, restoring the Han Dynasty, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ruler, three kingdom, three visits to a thatched cottage, Wuhou Shrine, Zhuge Liang, 3D, history

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Chen Dandizi said that he is a contradictory person

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Hu Yun’s Exhibition

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Qian Ningyue：Pillar

Qian Ningyue：Cooking always accompanies me and gives me a soothing feeling

Licking one’s own life is like a maltose

Tan Jing: Axiong Ran Away

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Introduction to the painting Nymph of the Luo River

Creative Background

Figures

Landscapes

Animals

The significance of the painting Nymph of the Luo River

Source

Introduction to the painting

Heaven

The human world

Underworld

Cosmology in the Han Dynasty

Source

Background of The Night Revels of Han Xizai

Content of The Night Revels of Han Xizai

Paragraph 1: Listening to Music.

Paragraph 2: Watch the dance.

Paragraph 3: A nap between feasts.

Paragraph 4: Wind and Music Ensemble.

Paragraph 5: Guests talked each other.

Significance of The Night Revels of Han Xizai

Source

Preface

Contents of the Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang

1. Liu Bei’s three visits to a thatched cottage

2.Liu Bei entrust a child with an orphan in city Baidi

Information

Source