🧑🏻‍🎨East Asian Art and Civilization Unit 2 – Ancient Chinese Art: Prehistoric to Early

Key Periods and Cultures

• Neolithic period (10,000-2000 BCE) marked by the development of agriculture, pottery, and silk production
  • Yangshao culture (5000-3000 BCE) known for its painted pottery with geometric designs and animal motifs
  • Longshan culture (3000-2000 BCE) characterized by black pottery and the emergence of bronze metallurgy
• Xia dynasty (2070-1600 BCE), the first recorded dynasty in Chinese history, though its existence is still debated
• Shang dynasty (1600-1046 BCE) known for its advanced bronze casting, oracle bones, and the development of a writing system
  • Anyang, the last capital of the Shang dynasty, is a major archaeological site that has yielded numerous bronze artifacts and oracle bones
• Zhou dynasty (1046-256 BCE) marked by the development of iron metallurgy, the emergence of Confucianism and Taoism, and the flourishing of jade carving
  • Western Zhou period (1046-771 BCE) known for its elaborate bronze ritual vessels and the development of the Chinese writing system
  • Eastern Zhou period (770-256 BCE) characterized by political fragmentation and the emergence of various philosophical schools

Major Art Forms and Techniques

• Pottery, ranging from simple utilitarian vessels to intricately decorated ceremonial pieces
  • Painted pottery, such as the Yangshao culture's geometric designs and animal motifs, and the Majiayao culture's colorful spiral patterns
  • Black pottery, such as the Longshan culture's shiny, thin-walled vessels
• Bronze casting, which reached its peak during the Shang and Western Zhou dynasties
  • Piece-mold casting, a technique that involved creating a clay model, covering it with a clay mold, and then breaking the mold into pieces to remove the model
  • Lost-wax casting, a technique that involved creating a wax model, covering it with clay, heating it to melt the wax, and then pouring molten bronze into the cavity
• Jade carving, which became increasingly sophisticated during the Zhou dynasty
  • Bi discs, circular jade discs with a central hole, believed to represent the heavens
  • Cong tubes, square tubes with circular inner holes, believed to represent the earth
• Silk weaving, which began during the Neolithic period and became a major industry during the Zhou dynasty
  • Sericulture, the cultivation of silkworms and the production of silk
  • Silk tapestries, intricately woven textiles with pictorial designs

Influential Archaeological Discoveries

• Banpo village, a Neolithic settlement near Xi'an that has yielded numerous pottery and stone tools
• Sanxingdui, a Bronze Age site in Sichuan province that has yielded unique bronze masks and figurines
  • The discovery of the Sanxingdui site in 1986 challenged the traditional view of Chinese civilization as centered in the Yellow River valley
• Terracotta Army, a collection of over 8,000 life-sized terracotta soldiers, horses, and chariots discovered near the tomb of the first Qin emperor
  • The Terracotta Army provides valuable insights into the military, social, and artistic aspects of the Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE)
• Mawangdui, a Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE) tomb in Changsha that has yielded well-preserved silk paintings, lacquerware, and medical texts
• Tomb of Lady Dai, a Han dynasty tomb in Mawangdui that contained the well-preserved body of a noblewoman, along with numerous grave goods
  • The Tomb of Lady Dai provides a glimpse into the life of the Han dynasty elite and their beliefs about the afterlife

Symbolism and Iconography

• Dragons, mythical creatures that symbolize power, strength, and good fortune
  • Dragon motifs are commonly found on bronze vessels, jade carvings, and silk textiles
• Phoenix, a mythical bird that symbolizes beauty, grace, and rebirth
  • Phoenix motifs often appear in pairs with dragon motifs, representing the harmony of yin and yang
• Taotie, a mythical creature with a mask-like face, often depicted on bronze vessels
  • Taotie motifs are believed to have apotropaic functions, warding off evil spirits
• Bi discs and cong tubes, jade objects that symbolize the heavens and the earth, respectively
  • Bi discs and cong tubes are often found in tombs, reflecting the ancient Chinese belief in the cosmic harmony between heaven and earth
• Geometric patterns, such as spirals, zigzags, and lozenges, which may have symbolic meanings related to nature and cosmology

Materials and Craftsmanship

• Pottery, made from clay and fired in kilns
  • Different types of clay, such as kaolin and earthenware, were used to create various types of pottery
  • Pottery was decorated using techniques such as painting, incising, and appliqué
• Bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, used to create ritual vessels, weapons, and ornaments
  • The ancient Chinese developed sophisticated bronze casting techniques, such as piece-mold casting and lost-wax casting
  • Bronze vessels were often decorated with intricate patterns and inlaid with precious materials such as gold, silver, and turquoise
• Jade, a hard, green stone that was highly prized for its beauty and durability
  • Jade was worked using abrasive tools such as sand, quartz, and diamond
  • Jade objects, such as bi discs and cong tubes, were often carved with intricate patterns and designs
• Silk, a luxurious fabric made from the cocoons of silkworms
  • Silk production involved a complex process of sericulture, reeling, and weaving
  • Silk textiles were often decorated with intricate patterns and embroidery
• Lacquer, a natural resin used to create a glossy, protective coating on wood and other materials
  • Lacquerware was decorated using techniques such as incising, inlaying, and painting

Social and Cultural Context

• Ancient Chinese art was closely tied to religious and ritual practices
  • Bronze vessels were used in ancestral sacrifices and other rituals
  • Jade objects were believed to have magical properties and were used in burial rites
• Art was also used to express social status and political power
  • The possession of bronze vessels and jade objects was a mark of elite status
  • The size and complexity of tombs and grave goods reflected the social hierarchy
• The development of ancient Chinese art was influenced by the rise of centralized states and the emergence of a scholar-official class
  • The Shang and Zhou dynasties saw the development of a highly stratified society and the emergence of a professional artisan class
  • The scholar-official class, which emerged during the Eastern Zhou period, played a key role in the development of Chinese art theory and criticism
• Ancient Chinese art was also shaped by the interaction between different regions and cultures
  • The Silk Roads facilitated the exchange of artistic styles and techniques between China and Central Asia
  • The conquest of the Warring States by the Qin dynasty led to the unification of Chinese art under a centralized imperial system

Legacy and Influence

• Ancient Chinese art had a profound influence on the development of later Chinese art
  • The bronze casting techniques developed during the Shang and Zhou dynasties continued to be used for centuries
  • The jade carving traditions of the Zhou dynasty set the standard for later jade work
• Ancient Chinese art also had a significant impact on the art of neighboring cultures, such as Korea and Japan
  • The spread of Buddhism from China to Korea and Japan led to the adoption of Chinese artistic styles and techniques
  • The development of the tea ceremony in Japan was influenced by Chinese ceramic traditions
• The study of ancient Chinese art has played a key role in the development of Chinese archaeology and art history
  • The discovery of major archaeological sites, such as Anyang and Sanxingdui, has shed new light on the development of ancient Chinese art
  • The analysis of ancient Chinese art has contributed to our understanding of Chinese history, society, and culture
• Ancient Chinese art has also had a lasting impact on modern and contemporary art
  • The minimalist aesthetic of Neolithic pottery has influenced modern ceramic artists
  • The abstract patterns and designs of ancient Chinese bronzes have inspired modern sculptors and painters

Notable Works and Artists

• Houmuwu ding, a massive bronze cauldron from the late Shang dynasty, weighing over 800 kg
  • The Houmuwu ding is decorated with intricate taotie patterns and inscriptions, and is considered a masterpiece of Shang bronze casting
• Simuwu ding, another large bronze cauldron from the late Shang dynasty, weighing over 800 kg
  • The Simuwu ding is notable for its intricate decoration and the use of inlaid turquoise and other precious materials
• Fu Hao, a Shang dynasty queen and military leader who was buried with a large collection of bronze weapons and vessels
  • Fu Hao's tomb, discovered in 1976, provides valuable insights into the role of women in Shang society and the military culture of the time
• He zun, a Western Zhou dynasty bronze wine vessel in the shape of a gourd
  • The He zun is notable for its elegant shape and the use of inlaid gold and silver decoration
• Dake ding, a large bronze cauldron from the Western Zhou dynasty, weighing over 200 kg
  • The Dake ding is decorated with intricate patterns and inscriptions, and is considered a masterpiece of Western Zhou bronze casting
• Heshibi, a jade bi disc from the Western Zhou dynasty, with a diameter of over 30 cm
  • The Heshibi is notable for its large size and the intricate carved decoration on its surface
• Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng, a late Warring States period tomb in Hubei province, containing a large collection of musical instruments and other grave goods
  • The tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng provides valuable insights into the musical culture and funerary practices of the Warring States period