Interpretation of classical Chinese dragon patterns, also modern application interpretation

Based on the form of the dragon pattern can be broadly categorized into several types of crawling dragon pattern, curling dragon pattern, cross dragon pattern, two-headed dragon pattern and double-body dragon pattern. Since the Song Dynasty in the records, in the bronze, where the performance of a claw such a pattern, also known as "kui" or "kui dragon pattern".

One, the desire for children

Patterned "unicorn send son" theme is very common in the Ming and Qing dynasties in Zhejiang region, wood carving bed, generally a child riding a unicorn on the unicorn, the unicorn for the ride cloud, said send son. Similar themes appear in the "Goddess of Mercy" and "Scholarship". Jinhua, Lishui, Quzhou area of the shelf bed front armrests at the standing board most of the "unicorn sends a child" theme, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Jiaxing and Huzhou areas also appear, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Taizhou also appeared, but not a lot. In various regions of Zhejiang also appeared in similar themes for children, such as "five sons to win the title" (also known as "celebrate the crown"), "even the birth of a noble son", "more children and so on. At that time, people's prayers for "sons" were very common and very strong, not only to give birth to a son, but also to reflect the word "more".

Wooden carving bed decoration in many kinds of plant subjects also has the symbolism of the child, plant fruits or fruit and human beings have children with the reproduction of living creatures, are representative of the spirit of endless life. Plant fruits or fruit looks more intuitive, the plant grows quickly, and the fruit is a lot, it is this super reproduction phenomenon caused by the people at that time the spirit of **** invigorated, and produced the worship of psychology. For example, the common life of the peach, in the "Poetry - Tao Yao" has been used as a metaphorical carrier of love, reproduction, reproduction, so there is "appropriate for their families" "to discuss the child" meaning; chestnut, commonly known as "chestnut Chestnuts, commonly known as "chestnuts", are also harmonized with "Lizi" and "Lizi"; persimmons are harmonized with "Yesi"; pomegranates are multi-seeded fruits and are harmonized with "Many Sons". "more children"; Gui Yuan, commonly known as Gui Zi, and "Gui Zi". These are often found in various regions of Zhejiang bed decorative themes, is then the people of Zhejiang expect to give birth to a noble son, more sons, descendants of the vivid embodiment of the customary psychology. Other similar themes such as melon, vines, grapes, etc., to name a few.

The psychology of seeking sons is related to the psychology of traditional Chinese ancestor worship. "All things are based on heaven, and people are based on their ancestors." (Rituals - Suburban Characteristics) Ancestor worship mentality is affirmed in the Confucian classics. Xunzi believes that "heaven and earth, the origin of life; ancestor, the origin of the class; ...... no heaven and earth evil birth? No ancestor evil out?" (1) The idea of ancestor veneration is a continuation of the ancient idea of fertility worship. People yearn for the bloodline to continue to flow, children and grandchildren endless, and in the continuation of the root line hope to obtain some supernatural power of shelter, get "send a child" gift. Visible reverence for many children and grandchildren is the result of traditional fertility concepts inherited. Zhejiang region in the Ming and Qing dynasties wood carving bed decorative themes embodied in the child psychology is the evolution of the original ancestor worship psychological results, but also the traditional Confucian culture and psychology of the inheritance of the presentation.

Two, reproductive desire

Ming and qing dynasties, jinhua, hangzhou, jiaxing, huzhou and other places bed decoration flower and bird theme is common, most of the fish and lotus theme, sparrow plum theme, phoenix wear peony theme, mandarin ducks play in the water theme and so on. Bird and flower motifs also appear in Quzhou and Lishui, but most of them are represented by individual bird motifs or flower motifs; they are relatively rare in Taizhou and Wenzhou. Such flower and bird motifs usually have symbolize the harmonious relationship, amity and love between husband and wife, as well as the good wishes for the future life. Birds are often described as male genitalia; flowers are often described as rich or feminine features, and are also compared to female genitalia in folk art. Birds and flowers in the same subject matter often represent the union of man and woman. Fish and lotus flower theme also contains the meaning of male and female good cooperation, folklore or folk art commonly used in the "fish and water" to describe the male and female affairs. Birds and flowers also reflect the scene of prosperity, implying that new things will begin.

"Heaven and earth are in harmony, and all things are in harmony; and men and women are in harmony with each other, and all things are in harmony." The I Ching uses the natural yin and yang relationship to give the yin and yang relationship of heaven and earth a sensualization of the relationship between heaven and earth. The ancients often used the laws of heaven and earth to identify with the naturalness of man and to affirm the important role of the idea of birth. Folk usually use the same bed **** pillow to describe the relationship between husband and wife, the theme of life in the bed decorations in the performance is more than suitable.

In China, men and women are considered to be the reason for the emergence of life, the inevitable conditions for things to continue. In the West, men and women are considered to be biological instincts, but the emphasis is on the instinct of the "spermatozoa" rather than on the instinct of birth. (Therefore, some Chinese scholars have used a purely Western modern way of thinking to look at "birth" in Chinese folklore, and explained it in terms of "sex", which I think is inappropriate.) The subject of "sex" in traditional Chinese folk art is usually "hidden" and serves the purpose of "birth". The idea of birth is reflected in many Confucian texts: "Confucian scholars' efforts to celebrate the relationship between spouses is a philosophical affirmation of the premise of birth, and an appeal to prevent the destruction of the natural world on which human beings depend for their survival. It is an effort to ensure that Confucian thought is not ineffective in mastering society." Therefore, the desire for endless life, the desire for eternal life is the true reflection of folklore psychology. Can say that zhejiang region of ming and qing dynasty wood carving bed decoration reproductive subject matter not for "sex" subject matter in folk art performance, can also say that the subject matter of the reflection of the non-"sex" psychology. Zhejiang region in the Ming and Qing dynasties of wood carving bed flower and bird decorative themes are mostly to the object as a metaphor, to things as a metaphor, reflecting a strong desire for life.

Three, praying for psychological

In the Ming and Qing dynasties in Zhejiang wood carving bed decorative themes in praying for a better and happier life in a wide range of subjects, the most common is the blessing, wealth, life, happiness, wealth five themes, the five wishes to the blessing, wealth, life is the most common. Of these five wishes, blessing, wealth and life are the most common. The five themes exist in large numbers in various regions and often appear in different guises, reflecting the same wish, but with symbolic and metaphorical approaches. Symbolic themes, such as the five immortals of fortune, wealth, longevity, happiness and prosperity are traditionally represented to symbolize the blessings of the gods, and such themes are more common in Hangzhou, Huzhou and Jiaxing. There are also other motifs such as Ruyi, longevity peaches, copper coins, Yuanbao, official hats, or directly with the text, which are symbolized by agreed-upon objects, and the craftsmanship is relatively simple and mature, and they appear most frequently in Jinhua, Quzhou, Lishui, Wenzhou, and Taizhou, as well as in all other regions. Metaphorical motifs are often represented by harmonic objects, such as bats to symbolize "good fortune", deer to symbolize "fortune", and Buddha's hand to symbolize "good fortune and longevity". With such similar auspicious prayers for many themes, in all parts of the world have appeared, such as the beast, auspicious birds, eight immortals, eight treasures, year after year, the official and so on.

Praying for blessings is the common people's hope for a better life, hoping for good luck and prosperity, promotion and wealth, longevity and so on. Pray for the spiritual aspirations of mankind *** with the psychological phenomenon, zhejiang region of the ming and qing dynasties wood carving bed decoration in the idea of praying for the blessing of a large number of appearances, and in the form of rich, vivid subject matter to show, reflecting the pure and pure beauty of the ideology of psychology. Although in the bed decoration also has the appearance of evil themes, but "evil" is not evil, but to avoid evil! Reflects the psychology of the avoidance of harm, praying for peace, health and prosperity and other wishes.

Four, the dragon's affection

Zhejiang region wood carving bed dragon decorative themes for the people at that time, from the existing Ming and Qing dynasty folk wood carving beds, in the late Ming, early Qing dynasty, Zhejiang region wood carving beds on the front and surrounded by often decorated with dragons, while the mid-Qing, the late Qing dynasty and the Republican period is more in the non-front surrounded by carving dragon decorations, its decorative grass dragon, cloud dragon pattern, chi dragon pattern, and so on. Dragon decorations appear more in Hangzhou, Jinhua, Jiaxing, Huzhou and Quzhou wood carving beds in Zhejiang Province, and less in Lishui, Ningbo and Wenzhou. Dragon decoration has always been loved by the public must have its special reasons.

Dragon decoration in the unearthed Neolithic vessels have been found, "dragon" in the unearthed Yin Shang oracle bone writing appeared, there are more than thirty kinds of hieroglyphic writing. It can be seen that the dragon decorations existed in the ancient Chinese civilization and established its concept. Dragon decoration in Chinese civilization has a special significance, it throughout the history of Chinese civilization, his image whether it is folk or court has its important position. From the Han Dynasty, the dragon began to become a symbol of imperial power, its image more y rooted in people's hearts, and as a symbol of power worship. Evolution to the Ming and Qing dynasties, the royal ban on folk shall not use the dragon decoration, but ultimately can not curb the folk custom of using dragon decoration, and later evolved into a five-clawed dragon for the royal family, is a real dragon, the rest are fake dragons. It can be seen that the dragon tattoo in Chinese history has a special status, so people have a mysterious but very familiar feelings towards the dragon. Zhejiang region, the existence of a large number of folk wood carving beds of the Ming and Qing dynasties of the dragon decoration is this thousands of years of civilization evolution, accumulation of historical evidence.

Mr. Chen Shouxiang believes that the dragon's generation and the Chinese nation's ancient agricultural social production, it as the Chinese nation's livelihood occurred the most essential link between the main god of agricultural production, "in the minds of the Chinese people, the dragon has always been separated from the animal and the gods between a special spirit." Dragon decoration as folk wood carving bed decorative motifs, like grass, like fish, like insects, etc., for the people around the usual common, one of the reasons is out of this traditional historical complex it! Zhejiang region of the Ming and Qing dynasties carved wood bed dragon decorative themes of the widespread existence of the many derivatives of the meaning of the dragon also has a great deal to do with the Zhejiang folk "hope for a son", "Dragon son-in-law", "carp jump Dragon Gate ", "fish into a dragon" and other stories and legends related to the dragon, the people hope that their own one day with the help of supernatural power (dragon) to change their own reality, to improve their living environment. Therefore, the psychology of the worship of the dragon is a complex, many psychological collection, both the inheritance of the original psychology, but also the evolution of new concepts, but the preference for the dragon always exists in the hearts of the people.

Fifth, the ancient heart, Linquan Zhi

Zhejiang region, especially in Hangzhou and Jinhua region in the wood carving bed decoration in the Bogu pattern, zither, chess, calligraphy and painting pattern and a large number of subjects, and from the Ming Dynasty to the early Republic of China has been a continuation of the winds of the tradition of the people in the prevalence of the folk. Chinese culture in the ancient heart throughout history. Northern Song Dynasty literati good collection of ancient artifacts, Emperor Huizong ordered the Xuanhe Temple collection of ancient artifacts compiled and painted into the "Xuanhe Bogutu" atlas, so "Bogutu" decorative themes prevalent in the Northern Song Dynasty; at the end of the Ming and early Qing Dynasty, Bogutu winds are emerging as a common decorative themes; to the Daoguang, Xianfeng years of archaeology, goldsmiths, Bogutu ornaments More popular, popularized to the folk everywhere. The aesthetic style of the literati class affects all areas of folklore, because the Chinese tradition of antiquity is the history of the heart is also the whole population.

Cities in Zhejiang region, wood carving bed decoration with landscape themes, mainly found in Hangzhou and Jinhua region, Huzhou, Jiaxing, Wenzhou and Ningbo do not appear, Lishui, Quzhou and Taizhou appear less. The reason for the use of landscape themes is the inheritance of the psychology of the ancients, throughout the ages, landscape decorations are loved by the world; reason two is that landscape themes have become one of the subjects of folk carvings, and spread inside and outside the temple. Zhejiang region of the landscape pavilion theme also achieved feasible, can look forward to, can swim, can live in the realm, not only to meet a part of the body in the temple, and admire the landscape of the people, but also got the general non-student's favorite. Visible Linquan yearning for psychological existence in the hearts of the masses.

Wooden carving bed decoration of the landscape pavilion theme of the appearance of the reaction of the literati painting on the influence of folk art, this theme appeared in the bed decoration, at first, mostly for the literati scholar's home requirements. Zong Bing, a landscape painter of the Southern Dynasty, "was ashamed that he could not condense the gas to enjoy himself, and was hurt to fall into the stream of Shimen, so he drew the image of the cloth color, and constructed the cloud and the ridge." (Preface to Painting Landscapes) Because the ancients could not visit the mountains and forests in person, they painted the cloudy mountain ranges to soothe the feelings of "longing and broadness". The Northern Song Dynasty "Linquan Gaozhi - landscape training" pointed out that the reason why people aspire to Linquan's purpose: "Dust and clamor locks, this person's feelings are often tired of; smoke and Xiaxian saint, this person's feelings often want to but can not be seen. ...... However, the forest and spring of the will, the smoke of the couple, dreaming in." Chinese history, many literati in the court or downtown, and the heart of the Linquan Zhi Zhi. Linquan's ambition for the ancients to aspire to, and has been in the folk heritage.

Sixth, the drama singing life, lines to carry the way

Ming and qing dynasties in zhejiang area wood carving bed decoration in the drama theme appeared in large quantities, especially in the late qing dynasty and the early republic of china especially for the people love. Existing drama themes of wood carving bed decoration in various regions have appeared, especially in Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Jinhua, Ningbo, Jiaxing, Huzhou area, although the style is different, but the subject matter is basically the same. Drama themes are very wide range of materials, performance of love stories such as "White Snake", "Liang Zhu", "Cowherd and Weaving Maiden" and other stories in the plot; performance of loyalty and righteousness, such as the "Yang Family General", "two into the Palace", "Three Kingdoms" and other stories in the plot; performance of wisdom, such as the "Empty City", "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea" and so on. There are many kinds, but most of them are popular subjects. Opera singing is not just a play, for the people singing is life, singing their own life, singing their own aspirations for a better life, singing the unfair cry of life.

Theater is not only a kind of entertainment activities enjoyed by the upper class, is an important folk festival. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, many places in Zhejiang, or when there are festivals to ask the troupe to play, so far in the countryside there is still this custom. Theater is also the people to understand the history, inspired by the truth of life, one of the ways, but also to help educate, "evil to warn the world, good to show the future", play the role of ethics and morality of the moral heritage. Watching theater is the entertainment of the people's friends and gatherings, but also the way of their spiritual support. Bed decoration in the drama theme reflects the people's life customs, but also to support their good intentions.

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, although the cultural development of Zhejiang had reached a high level, in the wider civil society, the viewing of pictures was still one of the important ways for the public to acquire knowledge and moral education. Every dynasty, the ruling class has its cultural and moral claims and preaching, every era, the masses will also independently form the mainstream tendency of cultural and moral. Zhejiang region in the Ming and Qing dynasties wood carving bed decoration of the subject matter of the obvious Confucian culture and preaching tendency, the subject matter of the performance of etiquette, benevolence, loyalty, filial piety, faith, righteousness and so on. Wood carving decoration in the aesthetic outside, more as a function of caution, "is to know that save on caution, painting and drawing" ("painting praise preface" Cao Zhi) and the basic function of the beginning of the picture is the same, with "clear caution, and the rise and fall" ("ancient paintings" Xie He) role.

Zhejiang region of the Ming and Qing dynasties wood carving bed decoration of the subject embodied in the folklore of the psychology of not only these, but its performance of things are closely related to life, reflecting the state of mind of the people at that time, the aesthetic taste. The theme of decoration is a culture created by the people and craftsmen together, reflecting various civilization views, the view of creation, political and economic views, religious beliefs, literary and artistic pursuits, ethical and moral values, philosophical ideas, etc., which is of universal cultural significance. Folk saying has "a life as a man, half a life in bed", "day plan three meals, night plan a night". It can be seen that the bed is closely linked to the life of people, and its decorative themes can y reflect the inheritance and accumulation of folk culture, and more vividly reflect the real folk psychology at that time.

Notes:

1) A bed-shaped wooden utensil unearthed in a Warring States tomb in Xinyang, Henan Province, is the earliest bed-shaped object seen so far, decorated with lacquer paint, (according to the "Poetry Classic" - "Xiao Ya" - "Skan" records and "Shuowen Jiezi" explanation of the Warring States period can be known to have a modern meaning of sleeping and resting on the bed). Later, the form of drawing gradually evolved from the form of carving, to the Ming and Qing dynasties, wooden frame beds are usually carved with a variety of decorations, decorative carving, relief carving and full carving, so this type of frame bed is commonly known as wood carving bed.

② Ming and Qing dynasties Jiangnan folklore mostly mutual influence, more exchanges, is the unity of mutual integration, so the Zhejiang region, but did not make a detailed comparison; the end of the Qing Dynasty and even after the death of the Qing Dynasty, the Royal power to weaken and die, so that folk crafts have been a great deal of development, folk wood carving beds have reached a heyday, but wood carving of the traditional connotation of the subject matter of the nature of the change has not occurred, so the Ming and Qing dynasties and the Republic of China in the early part of the range! For the "Ming and Qing dynasties" to discuss.

3) Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangsu, Fujian and other south of the Jiangnan region of the wood carving modeling style, the use of materials and materials are different, but the subject matter used in wood carving is very close to the theme of the same Chinese cultural traditions of the same, often with paper-cutting, embroidery, painting, and other arts and crafts in the subject matter of the same, and therefore has the universality of the subject matter.

References:

[1] Xunzi "Xunzi" [M] Hangzhou: Zhejiang Ancient Books Publishing House 1996 173 pages

[2] "Thirteen Classic Commentary - I Ching - the Department of Rhetoric," [M] Zhejiang Ancient Books Publishing House 1998

[3] Chen Shouxiang, "China's dragons," [M] Guilin: Lijiang Publishing House in 1988, the first (third) chapter.

[4] Li Xinru Folk Art and Confucian Culture [M] Central Institute of Nationalities Press 1992 48 pages

[5] Hua De Han. China Dongyang wood carving [M] Hangzhou: Zhejiang Photography Press 2001

[6] Xia Feng. Folk wood carving and pattern ﹒ figure volume [M]. Hangzhou: Zhejiang University Press 2004

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