Historical Review

     Art and architecture of China from the Neolithic culture to the 20th century represent the most significant achievements of the world's longest continuous civilization.

     The Neolithic period in China began around 7000 BC. Millet and rice were principal crops and pigs was the main domestic animal during this period.  Several cultures came to prominence.  Among these Yangshao culture (5000-1500 BC) in central and western China is famous for its painted pottery, Liangzhu culture (3300-2250 BC) in Shanghai area is fomous for its jade working, and Longshan culture (c. 3000-1700 BC) in Shangdong is renowned for its fine black ceramics.  

     Bronze Age started in China about 2000 BC. and spanned over three dynasties: Xia (c.2100-1600 BC), Shang (c.1500-1050 BC) and Zhou (c.1050-221 BC).  With bronze casting came urbanization and writing. Inscribed oracle bones were found.  Among 2000 or so bronze objects unearthed from this period, one third bears inscriptions. Most of these ritual vessels are for cooking, serving and preserving food or wine.  Eastern Zhou started when its capital moved from Xian to Luoyang.  It is divided into two periods: Spring-and-Autumn (770-475 BC) and Warring-States (475-221 BC.)  Use of iron tools expanded economy greatly.  The teaching of Confucious (551-479 BC) has influenced China for more than two thousand years.

     Bronze Age ended with the unification of China in 221 B.C. under Qin (221-207 BC)'s first emperor Shih Huang Ti.  He for the first time standardized scripts, weights, measures and coins throughout his empire, launched the Great Wall project.  His royal grave came to light only recently (1974), revealing more than 6000 life-size terra-cotta soldiers and horses intended to protect his crypt.  His real burial place, filled with tons of mercury to mimic river and sea according to record, remains a great mystery until today.

     These grand projects drained Qin's resources.  Very soon, Qin's second ruler yielded control to Han dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD.)  Bronze, lacquers, silk, tools as well as weapons were manufactured in state factories.  Paper was invented.  Foreign trade was made through the "Silk Route" and sea routes, which probably led to the introduction of Buddhism.   Painting flourished during the Han. Rich arrays of lacquers, silks, pottery, bronze vessels and even jade suits were discovered in tombs dated back to this period.

     The four centuries after Han was overthrow (220 A.D.) is referred to as the Six Dynasties. During this period, literature, philosophy, painting, calligraphy and art theory flourished.  China was reunified under Sui Dynasty (589-618), Grand Canal linked the Yellow, Huai and Yangzi Rivers.  Chinese art was influenced to a great extent by Buddhism, as revealed by wall paintings in Dun-huang and massive stone carvings in the mountains in Henan and Shaanxi.

     Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.) brought about an era of cultural brilliance, territorial expansion and great prosperity.  It was a golden age for poetry and arts generally, marked by flourishing of all the arts including painting, calligraphy, sculpture, ceramics, metalwork, music, and poetry.

     After the collapse of the Tang, the south was ruled by a number of shortlived kingdoms known as the Five Dynasties and the Ten Kingdoms (907-960.) 

     The Song Dynasty is devided chronologically into the Northern Song (960-1126) and Southern Song (1127-1279.)  The Song emperors were great imperial patrons of the arts.  An "industrial revolution" took place during this period.  Arts show an introspection and refinement cultivated in response to harsh political realities. Landscape painting is well known. Many new types of porcelains were developed.

     The Mongols of Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) did not encourage Chinese scholars to enter government service.  The educated Chinese therefore channeled their energy into their traditional literature and arts, resulting in a flowering in drama and arts in general.  Painters still chose landscape as primary subject matter, but expressed it in a bolder and more assertive style. Calligraphy became very popular. Ground cobalt was first used to create the famous blue-and-white ware which reached as far as Europe and Moslem countries.

     Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) sent out six maritime expeditions under the eunuch admiral Ho Zheng whose fleet reached the east coast of Africa.  Ming produced a number of important painters with widened subject matters. Xuande emperor, himself a talented artist and poet, patronised the arts and porcelain industry extensively.  A double- fire process was discovered to allowed use of bright colors to decorate porcelain.  Enameling process was also introduced.

     The Manchu conquest of China, resulting in the establishment of Qing Dynasty (1644-1840.)  The Kangxi, the second Qing emperor, and his grandson, the Qianlong emperor, were enlightened rulers.  Their mildness in their reigns and the stimulation of intellectual life won over many patriotic Chinese scholars.  The Qing period fostered a very high level of scholarship.   Several painting schools emerged.  Jade work reached its apogee. New processes were developed to introduce endless number of new shades and monochrome-glazed porcelain.

The Chinese Art Tour

     With this extremely long and rich art history in mind, how to present to our visitors a grand tour into major forms of Chinese arts in limited time and space becomes a problem.

     Well, we don't have a perfect solution for it but to sample a piece of very fine Chinese artwork in each issue of this e-zine (electronic magazine), covering all major categories, both contemporaries and antiques in random order.  Each volume contains 12 weekly issues.  Based on some suggestions we dedicate volumes 13-16 to one of Chinese tourist hot spot:  the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.  With the comfort of on your armchair and a cup of coffee, you can have a virtual guided tour to this holy place with 48 images.  If you like the format, we will send you to another historical spot next year.