What is the profile of Chinese sculpture?

The original form of Chinese primitive sculpture is pottery, which is inseparable from its practical value: First, the shape of the animal as a vessel, such as the Yangshao culture site unearthed ceramic eagle tripod, 36 cm high, with the eagle body for the tripod body, two feet for the three pivots, the vessel is full of shape, for this kind of sculpture and the perfect combination of vessels, one of the representatives of the work. Second, the decorative part of the sculpture, the subject matter of animals, plants, people and so on. Gansu dawan excavated vase head, can be said to be the beginning of China's early figure sculpture, the author skillfully molded the mouth of the vase into a portrait of a person's head, the production of delicate, vivid image. Third, small animal or figure pinching, this small sculpture is the ancient craftsmen do not fake any tools and hand-made, small form, with a strong human flavor. The ceramic pig unearthed at the Hemudu cultural site in Zhejiang Province may be the oldest sculpture in the southern part of China, 7,000 years ago. Although the work is only 6.3 centimeters big, but its image is very vivid, visible sculptor of life observation of the delicate.

The bronze artifacts of the Shang and Zhou periods are a phenomenon of the Erlitou culture in Henan province from the 21st to the 17th centuries BC. Like the nature of primitive pottery sculpture, the bronzes of the Shang and Zhou periods were not sculptures in the actual sense, but practical objects used for rituals, life, musical instruments, weapons, tools and other aspects. Some historians refer to the Xia, Shang and Zhou as the Bronze Age. These large numbers of bronzes were possessed by slave masters and were also symbols of some kind of domination, authority, and wealth.

The Qin Dynasty saw major developments in sculpture, most notably large ceramic terracotta warriors and horses and bronze carriages and horses. After Qin Shi Huang annexed the six kingdoms, he established the Qin Dynasty and unified the currency, writing, weights and measures. The sculpture subject matter of the Qin Dynasty was closer to life, and from the functional point of view, it also gradually became independent. The Qin Dynasty inherited the simplicity of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and the works tended to be realistic. The overall sculptural style of the Qin and Han periods was more grandiose, emphasizing strength and momentum.

The Han Dynasty was one of the most vigorous periods in Chinese feudal society. For example, the tomb of Huo Zaiwei in the Western Han Dynasty, there are still a number of outstanding stone sculpture works of art, which were created and manufactured to commemorate the famous general Huo Zaiwei in the Western Han Dynasty. Horse treading on Xiongnu 190 cm high, the author used the metaphorical approach, borrowing the image of the war horse to reflect Huo Zaiwei's might and outstanding achievements, fully embodies the generalization of the memorial sculpture. The whole sculpture is one, there is no space between the limbs, enhancing the body, the amount of heavy feeling.

Three Kingdoms, two Jin Dynasty, North and South Dynasties period, China's sculpture art comprehensive development. The prevalence of Buddhism prompted the flourishing of the art of Buddha, changed the face of the history of Chinese sculpture, figure sculpture more mature.

Buddhist art of the first for the form of grottoes, Gansu Dunhuang Grottoes, Bingling Temple Grottoes, Xinjiang Baycheng Kizil Grottoes, and so on, there are clear years of inscription; all the way to the excavation of Gansu Tianshui Maijishan Grottoes, Zhangye Horseshoe Temple Grottoes, Ningxia Guyuan Sumeru Grottoes, Shanxi Datong Yungang Grottoes, Henan Luoyang Longmen Grottoes, North and South of Handan, Hebei Rangtangshan Grottoes, Nanjing Qixiashan Grottoes, Jiangsu Province. Grottoes and so on.

The Sui dynasty and the restoration of centralized power, there was a short period of time in agriculture, industry, commerce, prosperity and strength of the situation. Buddhism is still the main tool for ideological domination, vigorously restore the destroyed by the Northern Zhou Emperor Wudi Buddhist temples and statues. The main achievements, focused on the grottoes and statues, of which the most representative are Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Maijishan Grottoes, Jinan Yuhanshan Grottoes and other places. The main feature of its modeling is generally more robust than the previous generation, full-bodied. But another feature of this period - can also be said to be a weakness, is the proportion of the imbalance, some works are obviously in the structure and proportion is not reasonable, such as Mogao Cave 427 library of the Sui dynasty bodhisattva statue, the head is significantly larger. This is a transitional period of development, China's sculpture art by the Sui dynasty opened a more brilliant prelude.

Tang dynasty sculpture art, mainly embodied in religious statues, mausoleum burial. But this period, with the development of technology, the use of materials more abundant, in addition to stone carving, wood carving, ceramics, but also the use of a large number of clamp ramie, cast copper and other craft materials.

The sculpture style of the early Tang Dynasty, basically the traces of the previous generation (Northern Dynasty and Sui Dynasty) remain. In the latter part of the early Tang Dynasty, there were signs of prosperity, but the portrayal of women was still not as lively as it was in the Tang Dynasty. The flourishing social and economic development prompted a change in people's religious concepts, and the overall social outlook during the Tang Dynasty was more optimistic and open-minded, and Buddhist art also appeared to be secularized, with figures in paintings and sculptures close to those in real life.

The number of Buddhist statues in the Tang Dynasty is very large, mainly in the grottoes, cliffs and stone carvings party selling. Existing remains are concentrated in the Xinjiang Kizil Grottoes, Gansu Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Tianshui Maiji Mountain, Shanxi Tianlongshan Grottoes, Shaanxi Binxian Buddha Temple, Hebei ringing mountain grottoes, Henan Longmen Grottoes, Shandong Yunmenshan Grottoes, Sichuan Guangyuan Thousands of Buddha Cliffs, Leshan cliffs and rock carvings, Yunnan Jianchuan Grottoes, and so on.

One of the largest and most obvious artistic characteristics, the first push Dunhuang. Tang Dynasty period of excavated niches, accounting for half of all Dunhuang grottoes. Shaped by the Bodhisattva statue, from the image and dress up, basically based on the typical image of the beauty of the time, its sitting posture appeared a leg coiled up, a leg down half leaning sitting style. Secularization of the beauty has broken the atmosphere of religious confinement, more emphasis on artistic effect, like a dialogue with the worshippers. We can compare the works of Zhang Xuan, Zhou Fang and other famous figure painters of the same time with this, and we can see that there is a similarity and similarity between them, while in the proportion of the body, instrumentation and appearance is more energetic. Compared with the solemn and worldly religious sculptures of the previous generation, the Buddhist statues of the Tang Dynasty combined ideals and reality well, with a broad and heavy side, an elegant and vivid side, a powerful and powerful side, and a soft and delicate side. Tang Dynasty figure sculpture pays much attention to character, especially in dealing with the relationship between the characters of the group sculpture, a good grasp of the inner emotional exchange between the characters. For example, the Lord Buddha and his disciples Gaya, dark Ananda three molding, there are a variety of image changes, two characters, one old and one young, a Han Chinese image, one is the image of the Indian, although all show pious demeanor, but still can be seen in their moods of the different. Another example is the statue of the guardian of the Dharma Rex, their duties determine their strong and powerful image, intense facial expression, muscular limbs, more set off the kindness of the Bodhisattva. Character statues of different characters is a group carving of character relationships combined with static and dynamic, highlighting the center, in line with the formal law of sculpture beauty.

Song, Liao, Jin historical stage, sculpture art appeared different from the previous generation of style phenomenon, also produced some more influential works, but in general, not as good as the Han and Tang dynasties, in the whole history of Chinese sculpture art does not occupy an important position.

Compared with the painting art of the Song Dynasty, the achievements of its sculpture art to lag far behind, which has a lot to do with the ruler's good and bad and the degree of importance. Court painters selected through a system similar to the imperial examination system were highly cultivated, while practitioners in the sculpture industry were not valued and even discriminated against. With the rise of literati painting, sculpture artist's social status is more and more humble, such plastic arts to the decline is not surprising.

The Northern Song dynasty was plagued by foreign invasions from the start, and there was little appetite for larger-scale grotto construction like that of the Tang dynasty. There are some small-scale grottoes left, such as the Wanfo Cave Grotto in Qingliangshan, Yan'an, which was recorded in a poem by Fan Zhongyan of the Northern Song Dynasty. Again, such as Zi Chang County Shikong Temple Grottoes, from the inscription on the statue, its excavation date when the Northern Song Dynasty, the best part of the Luohan group statues, different postures, the shape of God both. Dazu stone carvings in sichuan belongs to the song dynasty, for a lot of, more representative of the baoding mountain grottoes group. It is the use of natural mountains, along the cliff wall excavation, engineering, complex content. The most important part is the western world of bliss, many characters, complex scenes, but layered, detailed description. Adjacent to it is the hell of the transfiguration, realistic performance in addition to the tortured in hell, and realistic carving techniques reproduce a variety of daily life scenes. These stone carvings carved on the cliffs from the ground 4 ~ 14 meters, a total length of more than 500 meters, before and after the construction of several decades, the sculpture is closely related to each other, interconnected. The whole layout is tall and complete, with skillful carving techniques and vivid details, such as the image of a chicken-raising woman in the hell of the phantom, which was created entirely based on real life. Another important part of the Dazu stone carvings is the hard disk slope, Guanyin slope, Buddha's ear rock, and the North Tower Temple. The entire excavation took more than 250 years. Should pay attention to those who are a large number of feeder statues, are inscribed to show their identity, status and carving age, which is the study of the history of the Song dynasty rare physical information. Hangzhou, zhejiang feilaifeng has a relatively concentrated song dynasty carving, although the size is not big, but its artistic level in the song dynasty carving accounted for a relatively important position.

The cultural and artistic characteristics of the Ming Dynasty clearly have traces of tracing the Tang and Song styles. In the name of the temple, enshrined a variety of gods, from the subject matter to the expression of the increasingly secularized, folk. Cave carving has been close to the end, although in Dunhuang and other large historical grottoes there are still works of the Ming Dynasty, but in terms of its artistic value, can not be mentioned for the history of sculpture. The Thirteen Tombs, now a famous tourist attraction in the Beijing area, is located in Changping County, and it is a centralized area for the tombs of the thirteen emperors of the Ming Dynasty.

Thirteen mausoleums to Chengzu long mausoleum as the center line arranged sculpture group and filial piety mausoleum in line, but with the previous generation is different, counting unicorns 2 pairs, 2 pairs of stone lions, 2 pairs of Huabiao, stone horses and stone figures 6 pairs, stone tigers 4 pairs, 4 pairs of stone goats, officials 2 pairs, wait for the ministers of the 28 pairs, this Shendao is now thirteen mausoleums **** with the same Shendao, the other twelve tombs do not have their own sculpture of the Shendao, only the plaques, the palace gate, Monument pavilion and other buildings. Thirteen mausoleums of stone sculpture in the volume greater than the Xiaoling mausoleum, from the overall style, although there is a relatively fine technical processing, but compared with the previous generation, the lack of artistic vitality, there is a tendency to conceptualization.

In the entire history of Chinese sculpture, the Qing dynasty mausoleum sculpture has been the end.

The Qing dynasty's urban industrial and commercial economy further vertical prosperity, handicraft technology has been a great development, craft sculpture art has also received unprecedented attention. The court set up specialized agencies, supervise, organize production, carved lacquer, stone carving, tooth carving, wood carving, as well as porcelain sculpture, metal casting and other artistic disciplines have some excellent known to the world, and appeared in my many excellent sculpture masters.

Women's good jade phoenix

The jade carving technology of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties has been greatly improved, and its exquisite degree can be seen in a large number of physical objects unearthed from the Yinxu Women's Tomb.

Wuhao Jade Phoenix

Wuhao was the consort of King Wuding of the Shang Dynasty, whose tomb was discovered by chance in 1976 on the southwestern side of the site of Yin Ruins in Anyang, Henan Province, where more than 1,600 pieces of artifacts were unearthed, including 755 pieces of jade artifacts. Among them, a large number of jade carvings in the shape of animals are vivid and vivid, with a very high level of craftsmanship. For example, two rabbits with slightly brownish-yellow fur, with rounded eyes, long ears pursed, short tails shrugged, bowed and curved their bodies as if they were jumping forward. In addition, there is a huge mouth sharp teeth of the tiger, Chinese crown show tail phoenix bird, raised nose playful small elephant, Ang beak proudly standing bird, crouching on the knees of the bear, dexterous and lovely monkeys. In addition to birds and beasts, there are also aquatic and grass insects, as well as some mythical animals, totaling no less than 20 kinds, including monkeys, rabbits, horses, cows, goats, cranes, eagles, geese, cormorants, parrots, fish, frogs, turtles, cicadas, praying mantis, dragons, phoenixes, and strange birds and so on. Among them are six or seven small jade coiled dragons with animal heads and snake bodies, with long hyenas fluttering at the back of their necks, all of which are made to bend inward in a circular shape, in the form of a C shape, which reminds us of their continuity with the prehistoric Hongshan Culture C-shaped jade dragons in terms of their shape and symbolism.

Women's Tomb unearthed jade, only a parrot more than 20 pieces, are flat relief, modeling highlights the high crown, long tail, hooked beak and other characteristics of the form, distinctive, rich in interest. Taking a pair of parrots as an example, the two birds' heads are opposite to each other and their tails are linked together to form an even and symmetrical composition, with the right bird's beak passing through the chest, claws, and tail to the left bird's tail, claws, and chest up to the beak to form a semi-circular outline line, which appears to be stable and continuous; the two birds' crowns and feathers are high, and their backs and fins form a concave line, which appears to be full of changes, making the work stable and dynamic and intriguing. The end of the long tail of the jade parrot has been sharpened into a sharp, beveled edge that can be used as a jade carving knife, which is both ornamental and functional.

Shown here is a jade phoenix from the tomb of Shang Wuhao, unearthed in Yinxu, Anyang, Henan Province, measuring 13.6 centimeters in height and 0.7 centimeters in thickness, and beautifully and meticulously carved in yellow-brown. The jade phoenix stands upright, with a sideways-looking head, its beak, eyes, and crown resembling those of a chicken, with short wings and a long tail, and plumes carved on the wings in positive lines, and with holes pierced through the front of the body, making the phoenix even more voluptuous and fascinating. There are 755 pieces of jade artifacts unearthed from the tomb of Women's Hao, and the jade phoenix is the only one of its kind. This piece is the best object to study the image of the phoenix in the minds of the Shang people.

Terracotta Warriors

The significance of the Terracotta Warriors of the Qin Emperor lies in the pioneering of large-scale military genre sculpture group, macroscopically grasping the overall effect of the overall effect of the large scenes of the majestic grandeur of the Terracotta Warriors and the individual details of the relationship between the fine carving of the Terracotta Warriors, deserves to be called the ancient sculpture of the art of realism of the paradigm.

Realism is the basic tone of the Terracotta Warriors group sculpture, the Terracotta Warriors image size is similar to the real life of real horses. Terracotta attire such as armor, robes, etc. is the simulation of the army dress, for the terracotta warriors equipped with chariots, weapons is the real thing. From the terracotta figurines, not only reproduced the actual formation of the various types of soldiers, but also successfully portrayed the Qin army generals and soldiers of different ages and personalities of the characters. These different forms and lifelike figures are the reproduction of the different life forms of the Qin army generals and soldiers.

From the identity of the characters, the head wearing a crown, wearing a double robe, wearing colorful fish scale armor, stand on the sword, head high, body, extraordinary, is obviously a great wisdom and courage, commanding the general; those who wear a long crown, wearing a robe, wearing a long armor, a serious face, and very likely to be good at strategy, supporting the general's command of the officials; those who have a bun in the head, wearing a robe, wearing boots, holding a bow and crossbow, carrying a crossbow, and the general's head, the head, the head, the head, and the head, the head, and the head. Those who head hair bun, wearing a robe, foot boots, holding a crossbow, carrying arrowheads, for the Qin army light sharp no doubt; those who are free of helmets and hair, wearing a robe, wearing armor, holding a long shot or long soldiers, apparently for the Qin army of the heavy warriors. From the age, the old man, long beard can, forehead wrinkles several, appear calm and sophisticated, steady and resourceful; the strong man, face broad ear big, full of heaven, eyebrow word flying, appear blood, mighty and good judgment; the young man, the head is slightly lowered, Shu eyebrow, appearing character of quiet, simple.

From the point of view of the function of the officers and soldiers, head wearing a long crown, two arms outstretched in front, holding the bridle with both hands, is the image of the emperor; head wearing a leather function, clad in a short suit of armor, wearing a tight mouth crotch pants, boots, standing in front of the horse, head up and chest out, looking forward, a hand holding the reins, a hand with a bow, is the image of the Qin army cavalrymen, sharp and smart; head òà?òà?, wearing a robe, clad in armor, with his right knee on the ground, the left leg is bent, the body oblique Turned on the left side, eyes staring at the left front, is vigilant, courage and speed of the Qin army in the kneeling archer image; head bun hair bun, waist leather belt, shin with a leg protector, the left leg slightly arched, the right leg tense, the right arm bent at the elbow in front of the chest, the left arm stretches out to the left, the head to the left, head looking left, is the image of the Qin army in the standing crossbow bending soldiers wanting to shoot. From the ethnic points, in addition to the vast majority of Guanzhong Han people, there are deep eyes, high nose, two bearded beard of the image of the Hu people.

From the facial expression, there is a smile, satisfied; there are dull and wooden, expressionless; there are five features, wide and fat; there are steady and elegant, easy-going expression; there is also the God does not guard, worried about the uncertainty. These complex and varied facial expressions and various types of terracotta warriors modeling, a true reflection of the actual situation of the Qin army, and thus more realistic artistic characteristics. This is the art of sculpture in the long history of the use of realistic approach to the success of the model.

Terracotta warriors sculpture realistic approach not only in the overall grasp, but also in the details of the meticulous, realistic image of the characteristics. Such as the Qin terracotta warriors hair, there are spiral pattern type, wave type, etc.. Hair plait has three strands, six strands, coiled and twisted, towards a clear, silky hair, clearly visible, terra cotta figurines of the hair house has a single ring bun, double ring bun, three ring buns, four ring buns, etc., the performance of the real-life bundle of hair buns of a variety of styles. Hair bun with head, there are fan-shaped, there are folded wave-shaped, some of the performance of the fluttering swing roll. Terra cotta clothing pattern with the body zigzagging, portrayed in exquisite detail. A terracotta armor nail sparse and dense, but also engraved with the slightest difference. Terracotta figurines waist belt and belt hooks, leg tie line cord, as well as boots, caterpillar and other details, and the actual comparison has a high degree of similarity. Even the kneeling figurine of the right foot sole of the two ends of the dense middle sparse arrangement, is also based on the human foot on the ground after the friction of the parts of the weight of different considerations. The bones and nails on the fingers are also very realistically depicted. Even the teeth in the mouth of the ceramic horse, an unnoticed detail, is also quite ingenious, molded six teeth to indicate that the horse is in its prime, the realism of the approach to the fullest expression. Its artistic status and significance, not only in China, but also in the history of the world's art development has a glorious page.

The focus on visual effect is an important feature of the terracotta sculpture art. Terracotta art from life and above life, although the basic tone is realistic, but has broken through the limitations of realism. That is, the realistic approach does not exclude the sculptor can gallop their imagination, can be used in a variety of expression methods, such as evocation, exaggeration, generalization, allegory, symbolism and so on. For some local features of the human body, not the pursuit of the nuances of the real, and strive to seize the key parts of the appropriate exaggeration. This kind of exaggeration does not let people feel false, but gives people a sense of clarity and refinement, making the character more distinct and prominent. For example, the human eyebrow and eyebrow bone was originally no thickness, but the Qin Terracotta Warriors eyebrow plus the thickness of the eyebrow bone molded angular and angular. Visually, the image is bright and clear from a distance, and does not feel insubstantial when viewed up close. Another example is the human thumb was relatively thick and short, but the terracotta warrior half clenched fist hand is some of the thumb molded very long, high up. Because this hand shape thumb and the rest of the four fingers are not juxtaposed, so visually will not make people feel disproportionate, but to give a sense of force. And Qin terracotta warriors all chest bulging belly, is the Qin army warriors are really big belly? But this molded out, visually people will not feel out of proportion, but will think that the Qin army should have been this kind of spirit, invincible, invincible valiant posture. Pottery horse shape is also so, the horse head square, angles show, two short ears, eyes big and god, wide nose broad mouth, horse body round, leg tendons prominent, modeling vivid and realistic, appearing abnormal steed. In the face of the wordless terracotta warriors, people can produce associations through the visual experience and understand the essence of the Qin terracotta sculpture art style.

In short, the exquisite terracotta warrior sculpture art, is the inheritance of China's ancient tradition of realistic art, but also in the artistic style and artistic skills to open up a new realm, focusing on the visual effect of the great achievements. It marks China's ancient sculpture art has matured, and gradually formed its own unique national style.

The attraction and shock of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of the Qin Dynasty reflects its superb artistic effect. It skillfully dealt with the relationship between static and dynamic, thus making the arrangement of the large scene and the shaping of individual images more harmonious, and achieved a complete and unified artistic effect. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses of the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin Shi Huang is a product of the spirit of the times, and a peak of ancient realistic art.

Flying Swallows on Horses

Flying Swallows on Horses is an outstanding work of sculpture and bronze casting craftsmanship of the Eastern Han Dynasty, which represents the highest artistic achievement of the Eastern Han Dynasty in the history of Chinese sculpture. Bronze horse head high, four hooves, horse tail high, mouth open for hissing, with a rare opposite side of the fast pace of the pace of Mercedes-Benz forward. Its three feet in the air, after the right hoof on the back of a winged swallow, swallow look at the head of the surprise, and echoed, running horse head slightly left, seems to be trying to figure out what happened, and this is all in an instant. Because of the hooves of the horse's light and fast, the horse mane and tail of the fluttering, just like the sky horse, so that Fei Yan does not feel its heavy and surprised by its fast, but also increased the copper horse galloping through the air momentum. Horse weight falls on a foot, a small swiftlet can be flat, reflecting the ingenuity of the designers. Horses and swallows of smooth lines, proportions, Mercedes and flying dynamics of the performance of the best, a vivid embodiment of the stallion galloped and birds of prey in the moment. It is a marvelous and rare treasure in the history of China's ancient sculpture art. It is now the symbol of China's tourism, signifying a day of rapid progress and success of the horse.

Tianhuishan Drumming and Rapping Figurines

Tianhuishan Pottery Sculpture Group was discovered in 1957 in the Tianhuishan Cliff Tomb, 10 kilometers outside the north gate of Chengdu City, Sichuan Province. It dates from the seventh year of Guanghe to the twenty-fifth year of Jian'an (184-220).

Drumming and Rapping Figurines Han

Terracotta figurines include male and female dancing figurines, listening to the qin figurines, male and female butchers figurines, figurines holding bottles (or mirrors and shovels), warrior figurines, and rapping figurines; and animal figurines include dogs, horses, chickens, ducks, and long-tailed chickens, all of them are the finest artworks of sculpture in the Han Dynasty.

The Drumming and Rapping Terracotta Figure, made of gray pottery, 55 centimeters high, was made in the Eastern Han Dynasty, unearthed in the cliff tomb of Tianhui Mountain in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, and is now collected in the Museum of Chinese History. Tianhuishan terracotta figurine, late Eastern Han dynasty, China.

Terracotta figurines had a very important position in the sculpture of the Han Dynasty, with a wide range of subjects and rich contents, from carriage and horse travel to guards and domestic slaves, from kitchen and banquet to songs and dances, almost everything, reflecting the colorful social life of the Han Dynasty. Although these figurines are relatively small in size compared to similar works of the Qin Dynasty, they show a strong style of realism and have high artistic value.

Sichuan region of the Han figurines unique features, more rich in content, in the excavation of many figurines statues, the most famous is this "drumming and singing figurines". Rap figurine sitting on the ground, head large, wrapped in a turban, forehead covered with wrinkles, bare shoulders and bare feet, the left arm around a drum, the right hand raised the hammer. The performance of this rap figurine as if it has entered a climax, he was pleased to forget, excited, exaggerated expression, and even unconsciously dancing up ...... This is how exciting scene! Although people do not understand the specific content of his rap, but a see this enthusiastic, optimistic, full of life vitality and sense of humor of the entertainer, will send out a heartfelt smile, and can even imagine in front of this rap figurine, there is a group of excited listeners in listening to his excellent performance! It is evident how creative and imaginative the sculptors of the Han Dynasty were. They did not simply imitate the scenes in life, but used extremely bold and exaggerated techniques, focusing on the expression of the rapper's special aura. The authors use a virtual approach to create an implicitly dramatic and exciting scene through the associative effects of the viewer. This dramatic scene in the virtual world itself reflects the vividness and vigor of Han Dynasty art. This work is also a precious historical material for the study of Han Dynasty folklore and pottery art.

Longmen Grottoes

At the end of 2000, the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang were formally inscribed on the list of the World Cultural Heritage by a vote of all members of the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Cairns, Australia. The classic masterpieces of carving art left to the world during the heyday of ancient China have since been recognized and protected by the world.

Longmen Grottoes is located 12 kilometers south of Luoyang City and is one of the four major grottoes in China. Here there is a Yishui, because the east and west sides of the Yishui Xiangshan and Longmen Mountain confrontation such as a natural gate, so the ancient name of the Yishui, Sui and Tang Dynasty, after the customary name of Longmen. Since the Northern Wei Dynasty to the late Tang Dynasty, more than 400 years, the ancient craftsmen in these two mountains cut caves and build temples, so that this place has become a world-famous treasure house of stone carving art.

The grottoes were created in the Northern Wei Dynasty before and after Emperor Xiaowen moved the capital to Luoyang (Taihe 10 years, 493 AD), and have been built on a large scale by the Eastern and Western Wei Dynasties, Northern Qi Dynasty, Northern Zhou Dynasty, Sui Dynasty, and Tang Dynasty in more than 400 years, with more than 150 years of heavy construction, especially during the Northern Wei Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty. Longmen Grottoes north and south as long as 1 kilometer, the two mountain grottoes dense like a honeycomb. Its representative caves are the Northern Wei Dynasty Gouyang Cave, Binyang Cave, Lotus Cave, Medicine Square Cave and the Tang Dynasty Qianxi Temple, Wanfo Cave, Fengxian Temple, Watching the Scripture Temple, etc., *** counting more than 2,100 niches, more than 97,300 statues, more than 3,600 inscriptions and stone tablets, stupas, 39. Grottoes in the flying sky, or free to soar in the clouds, or holding fruit flying in the air, or playing music and singing, or spreading flowers and rain, the posture of the lightness, the elegance of the look, it is breathtaking.

Fengxian Temple is the largest open-air niche in the Longmen Grottoes. Tang Gaozong early years of excavation, to the first two years (675 years) completed. The niche is 36 meters wide from north to south and 41 meters long from east to west, with 9 statues of Rushena Buddha and his disciples, Bodhisattvas, Heavenly Kings and Rexes. The main Buddha Rushena is 17.14 meters high, with a plump and full face, slender eyebrows and long eyes, and slightly curved corners of the mouth, revealing concern for the earth and the light of wisdom. This statue is so similar to Wu Zetian's square forehead and broad cheeks in the paintings that it is said to be the incarnation of Wu Zetian. The disciples on both sides of the statue are: Gautama, Ananda, Bodhisattvas, Heavenly Kings, Rishis, and the warriors, all of whom are strict and dignified. Group image of both God, knife skillful, is a masterpiece of sculpture art in the Tang Dynasty.

Longmen Grottoes is a world famous art treasure trove, but also an important material for the study of ancient Chinese history and art.

Tang Sancai horse

Tang Taizong Li Shimin in order to memorialize follow him to fight in the four directions, the same life **** death of the six horses, had ordered the then skilled craftsmen in the Zhaoling carved Zhaoling six steeds, this world-renowned art treasures, Tang Sancai Tang dynasty horse culture has had no small impact. Today, through the collection of valuable horses can still feel this y, in their bodies, we can see more or less shadow of the six steeds of the Zhaoling. Therefore the horse is the most common theme in Tang Dynasty culture and art.

Tang Sancai

Tang Sancai horse can be multi-directional refraction of the Tang culture of the brilliant luster, not only provides people with the understanding of China's Tang culture and historical value of the valuable physical information, but also makes a batch after batch of Chinese and foreign collectors for the charm of its art. Tang three-colored horse has long been the attention of domestic and foreign businessmen, and sit steadily in the highest price of Chinese ceramic art auction throne.

To the Gaozong, Wu Hou period of the tomb, buried figurines have shown the era of the Tang Dynasty. Armor samurai look of the town of the tomb figurines have been changed to foot reclining beast of the heavenly kings look of the town of the tomb figurines, but also appeared with the height of the heavenly kings of the town of the tomb figurines nearly the same dress civil and military figurines, civil figurines wearing the conical cap, the military figurines wearing a bent crown, posture dignified. Since the Western Jin Dynasty as a group of figurines traveling the center of the line of oxcarts, has been replaced by a distinctive saddle and bridle horses. Originally popular in the north and south dynasty to sui, with heavy cavalry as the front of the military atmosphere of the rich travel to the line, this time has been full of happy color, heavy cavalry gradually disappeared, a large number of knights or arm driving the eagle, or carry the hounds, cheetahs, composed of the ranks of the outing to hunt. There is also a drumming band on horseback as well as playing polo riders in the procession.

This period, the emergence of brilliantly glazed, vividly modeled three-color figurines, reached the highest peak of China's ancient figurine art. This is a kind of glaze color changeable low-temperature glaze pottery (firing temperature in 800 ℃ ~ 1100 ℃) made figurines, glaze color bright but opaque, color to yellow, green, ochre-based, so commonly known as the Tang three-color. In reality, it does not have more than three glaze colors, there are blue, black and other colors.

Kaewon, Tianbao years, the unprecedented prosperity of the social economy led to people advocating the wind of extravagance, prompting the three-color process to reach its peak. At this time, three color figurines of the figure shape, full-bodied, especially female figurines, high bun long skirt, face rich, graceful and generous, reflecting the prevailing social aesthetic style. Character modeling accuracy, outline curve rich in change, showing the Tang Dynasty character round sculpture achieved a high degree of artistic achievement.

Tang three color modeling is the most vivid steed, the most representative is buried in 723 years of Xian Yu Ting teach the tomb unearthed in two groups of four pieces of three color horse. Their body height of more than 50 cm, two pure white fur, the other two is the neck with white spots with white hooves yellow horse. 4 horse modeling are very vivid, long neck, fat body, body bone proportional, the horse tail tied into the shape of a curved horn, harness distinctive, hackamore and saddle, swings on the leather belt are decorated with beautiful gold flowers and apricot leaves. A pair of white horse's long mane cut out the then popular three flowers, another pair of white hooves yellow horse only cut out the mane of a flower. Fresh Yu Tingzhi tomb also unearthed a very rare camel carries music figurines, in the camel's back on the platform, molded four-person band and a dancing green Hu man. Camel modeling robust and beautiful, music figurines, dancing figurines vivid image.