Ancient Chinese Culture » Painting

Chrysanthemum

sharon — Wed, 26 May 2010 14:35:55 +0000

In Chinese culture, the chrysanthemum, which blooms in late autumn and early winter, represents nobility and elegance. People believe that it stands for the man who maintains his virtue despite adversity and temptation as it flourishes in the cold days when all other flowers were fading away. Therefore, it was regarded as one of the four gentlemen in the world of flowers.

In ancient essays and poems, the terms “jade bone, icy body, pearl petal and red heart” was commonly found to describe this flower. In the eyes of Chinese scholars, it has an ideal personality, so it was favored by many Chinese scholars.

Sometimes, it is also a symbol for “getting together” as it has the same pronunciation of the Chinese word “ju”, which means getting together.

Bamboo

sharon — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:50:23 +0000

In the world of plants, bamboo, together with plum blossom, orchids and chrysanthemum are called the Four Gentlemen or the four Noble Ones as they are believed to have something in common with human virtues. People believe that its deep root denotes resoluteness, its tall, straight stem represents honorability, its hollow interior modesty and its clean and spartan exterior exemplifies chastity.

Due to its characteristics, it has been highly favored by Chinese, especially the scholars. It can be commonly found in Chinese paintings and literary works.

When bamboo was placed in a fire it would create a loud crackling sound which was similar to firecrackers, therefore, in ancient times, it was always used to frighten away evil spirits, such as the mythical beast Nian.

Four Gentlemen in the World of Flowers

sharon — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:47:16 +0000

In ancient China, a gentleman referred to a man of great virtue. In the world of flowers, plum blossom, orchids, bamboo and chrysanthemum are known as the Four Gentlemen, also called the four Noble Ones or Four Friends. It was believed that their natural characters had something in common with human virtues. Therefore, they have always been featured in ancient paintings and works to express the virtues of loftiness, righteousness, modesty and purity.

As early as the Song Dynasty (960–1279), they were used in the Chinese painting. Later, they were also adopted by the artists in Japan, Korea, etc. As they bloom in different seasons (the plum blossom blooms in spring, the orchid in summer, the chrysanthemum in autumn, and the bamboo in winter), they are also used to depict the unfolding of the seasons through the year.

Silk Painting

sharon — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:39:06 +0000

Silk painting is an ancient art form in China. It originated in the Warring States Period (476-221 BC) and reached its artistic peak in the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD25).

Over a long period, plain silk, together with bamboo and wood slips were the material for writing or painting on. Compared with others, silk has its own advantages, such as light, easily to be cut in desired shapes and sizes, convenient to be kept and carried, etc. However, due to its high cost, it was only popular among the noble status.

The earliest extant silk painting is Lady, Dragon and Phoenix Painting, which was unearthed in Changsha city, Hunan Province. It was used at funerals to lead the dead to heaven. Among all the remaining paintings, the most representative one is the silk painting unearthed in the Mawangdui Han Dynasty tomb in Changsha City. The painting contains three parts: the Heaven, World and Hell.