What patterns were there in ancient China?

1. During the Neolithic period, laborers created the art of painted pottery, which is not only unique in shape, but also unique in pattern, practical and beautiful, and the light of art is endless. The main patterns are: fish pattern, deer pattern, dog pattern, face pattern, pattern, net pattern, water pattern, shell pattern, woven pattern, flame pattern and calendar image, sun, moon and stars pattern. According to their own understanding, the ancestors skillfully applied the visual image of life and nature to various utensils and appliances, forming a solemn, generous, natural and harmonious decorative pattern and creating a generation of styles.

2. During the slave society of Shang and Zhou Dynasties, bronze art came first. Whether it is a variety of containers, wine vessels, musical instruments, etc. Or various commemorative furnishings, all of which are decorated with exquisite patterns. Some also directly borrow animal images for modeling, such as elephant statues and four sheep statues. Commonly used decorative patterns include: gluttonous pattern, dragon pattern, phoenix pattern, cicada pattern, jade belt pattern, heavy ring pattern, scale pattern, nipple pattern, Yun Leiwen pattern, vortex pattern, dragon pattern, four-petal flower pattern, pictographic pattern and so on. The patterns meet the requirements of copper casting process, and most of them are very neat male or female patterns. Fine patterns, tight organization and a magical feeling. Archaeologists call it "brilliant bronze art"

3. During the Warring States, Qin and Han Dynasties, there were new exhibitions of iron roses, gold and silver ornaments and lacquerware, the construction industry flourished, and masonry carving flourished. The theme of decorative patterns is more extensive, which has made a great breakthrough than before. The main decorative patterns are: monster patterns, dragon and phoenix patterns, various animals (deer, horses, cattle, sheep, tigers, geese, fish and so on. ) pattern and four gods pattern. The "Four Gods", also known as the "Four Spirits", are marked by four animal images: Qinglong, White Tiger, Suzaku and Xuanwu (tortoise and snake). Qinglong is the legendary God of the East, Suzaku is the God of the South, White Tiger is the God of the West, and Xuanwu is the God of the North. They marked four directions. It is also marked with four colors: Qinglong-complexion; Suzaku-red; White tiger-white; Xuanwu-black. In addition, there are unprecedented figures, especially stones, bricks and tiles in Han paintings, whose themes directly reflect the scenes of human life, production and war. The brushwork is simple and complicated, and less wins more, which opens up a new way for the decoration of later generations.

4. During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, due to social unrest, Buddhist art flourished. Patterns are also influenced by religion, and many themes and contents in this period are related to Buddhist stories. Commonly used patterns are: honeysuckle (also known as "precious flower", which means good luck all the year round), lotus pattern (also known as "hibiscus" and "flogging", which means to emerge from the mud without being defiled, and "flower festival", which is a symbol of virtue) and bluebird pattern (bluebird is also a symbol). There is an image of "flying fairy" in the figure pattern, which expresses a beautiful ideal and human strength.

5. The Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties were in the middle of feudal society, cultural exchanges with foreign countries increased, and arts and crafts developed unprecedentedly. Exquisite decorative patterns on Tang Sancai, Song porcelain, silk, gold and silver products, etc. There have also been colorful situations. The patterns in the Tang Dynasty are rich and full, rich and luxurious. The patterns in the Song Dynasty are exquisite and dexterous. Commonly used patterns include: grass scroll pattern, baohua (a pattern that combines lotus and peony and adopts perfect idealized composition method), sea pomegranate, Hua Niaowen, ceiling pattern, beaded pattern, ribbon pattern, figure pattern and so on. There are many lotus flowers and peony flowers. In addition, there are dogwood (traditional Chinese medicine) patterns, persimmon stalk patterns, geometric patterns and so on. The decorative techniques are realistic, exaggerated and distorted, and the idealized ways such as flowers in flowers, flowers in leaves and flowers in fruits are adopted, which are ingenious, vivid and colorful. Tang and Song Dynasties is an important historical period for the development of Chinese traditional patterns.

6. The patterns at the end of feudal society in Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties retained the national characteristics, absorbed the advantages of foreign crafts, and changed the color varieties and decorative styles. Cloisonne was a new technology at that time, and porcelain, brocade, brick carving and wood carving also made great progress, and the decorative themes increased a lot. Common animal patterns are lion, peacock, bat, deer, crane, sheep, crane, eagle, golden pheasant, magic unicorn and so on. The themes of flowers and fruits are plum blossom, lotus, chrysanthemum, peony, orchid, morning glory, bamboo, pine, ganoderma lucidum, peach, pomegranate, loquat, pear, apricot and grape. The idealized methods of borrowing and combining each other are also more extensive and changeable. Such as flowers and birds, insects and flowers. , strengthen the decorative interest. In addition, there are some patterns composed of objects, such as antiques, stones, ceramics, clocks, ding, cups, plates, cans, bowls, bottles, calligraphy and painting, etc. They are elegant in style and are called "Bo Gu patterns". There are also "Eight Auspiciouss" (also known as Buddha Eight Treasures) composed of eight Buddhist offerings, "Tao Eight Treasures" composed of Taoist artifacts, and so on. The patterns in this period are mostly auspicious patterns, and the scope of application has reached an unprecedented level. Daily necessities, clothing, buildings and commodities can be seen everywhere.

The origin of ancient traditional patterns in China can be roughly divided into three parts. First of all, it comes from folk crafts: ceramics, embroidery, window grilles, blue printed cloth, batik, paper-cutting, carving, weaving and so on. It was created by the working people according to their own will. It is generally simple, rough and full of local flavor. Secondly, it comes from religious arts, such as religious legends and myths, murals, algae wells, niches, statues and costumes, pedestals, buildings, sculptures and various decorations of utensils in temples and grottoes. The most typical Dunhuang pattern is the essence of traditional Buddhist patterns. It is a unique artistic style created by skilled craftsmen in China by absorbing foreign cultures. These patterns are rigorous in composition and full of ideals. Third, the furnishings, daily necessities, costumes, jewelry and buildings occupied by feudal emperors, nobles and wealthy businessmen ... These handicraft patterns are carefully designed to meet the material life and empty spiritual life of luxury people, and there is no specialized workshop supervised by special personnel, so the patterns are very fine and colorful and luxurious. In addition to the traditional patterns mentioned above, there are quite a few decorative patterns with the theme of happiness, longevity, wealth, literati painting and calligraphy, and poetry. Most of them use meter, Jiugong and other metrical forms. The above three parts of patterns constitute the mainstream of Chinese traditional patterns.

Stealing mode

After the mid-Western Zhou Dynasty, the ghost pattern, ripple pattern and dragon pattern were gradually abstracted, forming a new dominant decorative pattern: ghost pattern. Its name is also based on Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals: "Stealing songs is very long, and all the songs are defeated." The basic feature of the pattern of stealing music is a horizontal S-shape, which conforms to the characteristics of "music from top to bottom". Important decorative patterns in Zhou Dynasty. Also known as stealing songs, poverty is fun. It is an animal pattern that is deformed to meet the requirements of decorative parts, which is a simplification and abstraction of animals. The Zhou Dynasty broke the decorative features of straight lines since Shang Dynasty, and also broke the symmetrical format. Generally, flat and long patterns are composed of lines with hook or "S" shape at both ends, and eye-shaped lines are often filled in the middle, but they have not completely got rid of the embryonic form of straight lines, thus forming the characteristics of a circle in the middle and a square in the circle.

Music patterns derived from bird patterns and dragon patterns have obvious traces of theft. By comparing the patterns of some birds, we can infer the specific process of their evolution to stealth patterns. The pattern of earlier birds is that there is a long tail behind the wings, and then the tail is separated from the body to become a curved abstract pattern. Later, the bird body was also abstracted, but the original long feathers remained. Finally, this feather also disappeared, forming a typical stealth pattern.

Stealing patterns have strong adaptability, can be changed at will, and can be decorated in various parts of objects. The decoration composed of stolen maps generally does not engrave the ground pattern of Yun Leiwen. At the same time, the popular abstract patterns of stolen patterns include heavy ring patterns and vertical scale patterns. The double ring pattern is mostly applied to the mouth edge or foot part of the object, with long rings and continuous rows of circular images as decorative belts. Vertical scales are like scales on aquatic animals, staggered and decorated on water containers. One of the decorative patterns of ancient Chinese bronzes. "Lu Chunqiu Shiwei": "There are stolen songs (poor songs), which are very long, and all the songs are defeated." It first appeared in the Western Zhou Dynasty, prevailed in the middle and late Western Zhou Dynasty, and was still used in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.

Stealing mode on Ducktin

Gradient shadow

Early: The original spiral pattern on painted pottery is a very typical abstract geometric pattern. Some scholars think that they are early texture patterns. As an ancient cultural relic, it is uncertain whether it had the indicative significance of "cloud" at that time. From the morphological point of view, there seems to be an obvious inheritance relationship among Chu-Han moire, pre-Qin cirrus moire, Shang-Zhou Yun Leiwen and Neolithic painted pottery spiral moire. However, people generally regard Yun Leiwen, a common bronze decoration in Shang and Zhou Dynasties, as an early form of moire. In the development history of moire, Yun Leiwen is of great significance.

Heyday: Han Dynasty is the most widely used period of moire in China, and it is also one of the most abundant and vivid periods of moire patterns. New moire patterns such as moire, cirrus moire and cloud beast moire have appeared. On the basis of Yun Leiwen, the moire is simplified by its structural elements and dispersed by its structural mode. Established its own form of existence, and the simplified hook has since become a commonly used stereotyped element in moire interpretation. On the basis of rolling cloud patterns, cloud patterns with great sense of the times appeared in Han Dynasty. In addition to the hook shape that is still the main configuration element, a new component "Cloudtail" also appears in the moire. It plays a role in strengthening the sense of strength and speed in pattern composition, and enhances the unique momentum of moire in Han Dynasty. At this time, the development of moire entered its heyday. The fluidity and rich flavor of moire in Han dynasty were maintained in the moire in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. As the most thorough and concise perceptual interpretation of China's moire, flowing moire strengthened the tendency of simplification since Yun Leiwen to the extreme, making the decorative space in Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties look turbulent and vivid.

Maturity: Sui and Tang Dynasties were the period when moire prevailed. Generally speaking, moire in Song Dynasty is still moire. Moire patterns in the Yuan Dynasty often show a strong sense of combination. Since the Tang and Song Dynasties, the increasingly rich decorative elements that meet the aesthetic requirements of the times have made the structure of Duoyunwen increasingly heavy. The units of configuration elements presented in the Yuan Dynasty are bound to be strengthened. Overlapping moire is a kind of moire type that spreads on a plane in the process of cloudy form, which is luxurious and complicated. Generally, it is composed of thick layers of hooked clouds and winding flat clouds. In China's moire system, ruyi moire is the most abstract, recognized and widely used one.

The overall evolution trend of moire is: on the original basis, the structure is more and more complex, the shape is more and more abundant, and the image is more and more delicate. These can be summarized as the development trend of refinement, which fundamentally reflects the continuous efforts made by the Chinese nation to meet its own aesthetic needs. The general law of art formation and development shows that once the growing aesthetic experience and performance requirements reach a certain level, they will break through the original formal framework and seek their own forms of expression.

graduated shade

One of the popular decorative patterns in Han and Wei Dynasties. It is a pattern composed of smooth circular vortex lines. Generally, it is used as the ground pattern of the images of God man, God beast and Four Gods. There are others. Moire symbolizes promotion and wishful thinking. The fundamental reason for moire is the worship of nature and immortals in the Han and Wei Dynasties.

Moire is a pattern composed of smooth circular vortex, which is a traditional pattern in China. Yun Leiwen in Shang and Zhou Dynasties, Juan Yun in Pre-Qin Dynasty, Yun Yun in Han Dynasty and Yun Ruyi in Sui and Tang Dynasties were typical decorative patterns at that time, which can be found in pottery, bronzes, lacquerware, bronze mirrors and ceramics.

The primitive art form and even the original source of human cognition are closely related to the external environment of human existence and the sensory experience given by this environment. The farming culture in the Neolithic Age needs to pay more attention to the astronomical phenomena, topography and plant habits, which is the first time to pay attention to "cloud" as a natural phenomenon. For example, the "thunder pattern" on bronzes in Shang and Zhou Dynasties is similar to the word "thunder" in form, which embodies the primitive ancestors' understanding of natural phenomena such as clouds and thunder and the simulation of image characteristics.

During the pre-Qin and Han dynasties, thunder pattern, as a typical independent decoration on Shang and Zhou bronzes, was replaced by cirrus pattern in the Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period, becoming the predecessor of pre-Qin moire and Han moire. From the beginning of the Han Dynasty to the end of the Han Dynasty, descriptive and explanatory images evolved into artistic images at the end of the Han Dynasty. "Moire" is related to his thought of heaven and soaring. It laid a solid practical foundation for the gradual sublimation and development of moire to the abstract spiritual form or philosophical level.

During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, metaphysics and Buddhism prevailed, and Wei Jin people began to study the connotation of works from the perspective of "qi, rhyme, shape and spirit". Expressed in the image, from attaching importance to the development of similarity to attaching importance to similarity, from pursuing the coolness of appearance to pursuing the inner aesthetic characteristics. From then on, China people's aesthetic ideal of image began to develop into artistry.

There are two basic styles of moire in Tang dynasty: single hook and double hook. Based on the "evolution" modeling intention of cloud qi and the modality of everything, moire embodies the formal significance of coiling, vividness and elegance. The artistic style of this period is magnificent, elegant, vigorous and broad, round and full of aesthetic orientation. Moire blooming in a stereotyped manner also represents the pattern of moire development in China in later generations.

In the Song Dynasty, moire decoration gradually developed into small and exquisite, static and restrained, symbolic, and generally maintained the cloudy pattern style. It just adds a tortuous curve, which is more complicated in form. This may be due to the centralization and strengthening of imperial power, which made the cultural psychology represented by Confucianism develop in the direction of conservatism, closure, concession, introversion and emptiness in the Song Dynasty. On the basis of Song Dynasty, moire patterns in Yuan Dynasty became more complicated, with a sense of combination while maintaining the overall sense of "cloud". The moire patterns in Yuan Dynasty are loose and enjoyable in format, mainly serene and quiet, but full of vitality. It also makes moire decoration gradually break away from the essence of expressing objective objects. It becomes a decorative form that obeys and serves the subject's mood and has relatively independent aesthetic value, making it a universal and unchanging aesthetic model with both characteristics of the times and beyond the limitations of the times.

Quilongwen

Black nightshade pattern is a new decorative pattern carved on the ancient tripod, which is mainly popular in Jingdezhen porcelain in Ming and Qing Dynasties. According to legend, Solanum nigrum is a strange animal. It looks like a dragon with only one foot. It is also recorded that it is the second minister name of Shun, which refers to Yue Guan and Jian Guan respectively.

Zhongdingyi [1] utensils and other items engraved with real money patterns. Also known as Kuiwen.

Supplement: A decorative pattern of porcelain. Que is a strange animal in ancient legends. It looks like a dragon and has only one foot. Xu Shen said in Shuo Wen Jie Zi in Han Dynasty, "I feel like a dragon's foot".

Kuiwen was first popular on bronzes and jade articles in Shang and Zhou Dynasties. The white pottery of Shang Dynasty was decorated by Kui Wen because it imitated the bronze wares of that time in shape and decoration. The calligraphy on porcelain is mainly popular in Jingdezhen porcelain in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, such as Xuande blue-and-white calligraphy jar, Jiaqing blue-and-white calligraphy dragon-shaped dragon ear bottle, etc.

According to legend, it is the names of two ministers of Shun. Be a music officer and a dragon an admonition officer. Shu Shun Dian: "Bob bowed his head and let Solanum nigrum." Kong Chuan: "Solanum nigrum, the name of two ministers." Tang Du Fu's poem "To Twelve Ambassadors of Xiao" says: "Remember a nest and a treasure in the gallery." Later, it was used as a metaphor to help Bi Chenliang. Dragon patterns on ancient artifacts. Real dragons are also called ceratosaurus. 3. Kui can be found in Shu Shun Dian, Mandarin Lu Yu, Zuo Zhuan Xi Gong Twenty-six Years, or as a music official, or as a strange man of wood and stone, or as a country name. Also known as place names, ... Chui, Chui, similar in form but meaning. Shuowen is like a dragon. Tsongba It has horns, hands and a face. "

Wei Xiao, shaped like a dragon, Han Feizi: "Ai Gong asked Confucius,' Do you believe what I heard about Wei Xiao? "yue:' hey, people, why is it enough? There is no difference between them, just by sound. "; " Shuo Wen Jie Zi: "Wei Xiao, verve is like a dragon's foot. "On the bronzes, any dragon-shaped image of a foot is called Kui or Kui Dragon, and some Kui texts have evolved into the decoration of geometric figures. The shape is suitable for the structural lines of bronze decorative surfaces, with straight lines as the main part and circular arcs as the auxiliary part, which has the aesthetic feeling of Gu Zhuo. The dragon patterns on bronzes are often called Kuiwen and Longkui patterns. Later generations will call bronzes covered with dragon-shaped images Kui, and the decorative patterns are Kui dragon patterns or dragon patterns.

Wan Ziwen

One of the ancient traditional patterns in China. Wan Ziwen is a "swastika" pattern, which is written as "swastika". The "swastika" is an ancient spell, used as a talisman or religious symbol, and is usually regarded as a symbol of the sun or fire. In Sanskrit, the word "swastika" means "auspicious place", while in Buddhism, it is considered as an auspicious symbol on Sakyamuni's chest, meaning auspiciousness, happiness and longevity. Wu Zetian lived for two years in Tang Dynasty (693), and she used Chinese characters, pronounced "Wan". With the four ends of "Wan Zi" extending outward, it can also evolve into various brocade patterns. This chain pattern is often used to express endless happiness, also called "longevity brocade".

Ci Hai called Wan "an ancient spell, amulet or religious symbol", which appeared in the history of ancient India, Persia, Greece and other countries, and was later adopted by some ancient religions, such as Brahmanism and Buddhism. Later, it developed into a symbol of firmness, eternity, evil spirits and auspiciousness, which is an eternal auspicious symbol. "Er" originated from prehistoric culture. About 5000 BC, the "swastika used by the Nazis" was found on pottery in Mesopotamia, West Asia. After entering bronze, the word "Wan Zi" was also very popular in Europe. As a decorative symbol, it is also very common in early Christian art and Byzantine art. In the past, it was thought that the swastika was introduced to China through Buddhism, but in fact, the swastika in China can be traced back to Majiayao culture in the late Neolithic age about 4,000 years ago, and Buddhism was introduced to China in the Eastern Han Dynasty. However, with the introduction of Buddhism, "the swastika used by the Nazi Party" became more popular and used in China. Neolithic pottery, bronze hooks of Shu State in Cuba, bronzes of Tang Dynasty, brocade of Qing Dynasty and hollowed-out doors and windows abound. However, most of the "swastika" patterns used on these objects are auspicious, which once had a strong religious meaning and gradually lost its original meaning, while the aesthetic elements became stronger and stronger, and gradually evolved into the aesthetic objects of national traditions.

Religious significance

"Zi" is a symbol representing the sun in Tibetan belief. The sun god is one of the biggest gods in Boni religion, so the religious pattern "Qu" is commonly used in Tibetan costumes. In the eyes of Tibetan women, it is a beautiful symbol and is regarded as an auspicious thing. On holidays, women always use white lime to draw the word "swastika" at the door to show good luck in the coming year. Tibetan women in some places also like to embroider the word "Wan" on the back of their clothes. They think that this can avoid natural and man-made disasters and bless peace. In the folk embroidery and weaving works in Qinghai and Gansu, the figure "Qu" and its variants are widely used. Its grain changes, momentum and charm are full of strong national flavor. The braided tube worn by Tibetan women on their heads, purses hanging around their waists, belts, cuffs, collars, uppers and socks pads are also embroidered with the variants of the swastika used by the Nazis.

Wedding significance

At the wedding, the word "Zi" shows the blending of religious feelings and aesthetic feelings. Tibetans living in Riyue Township, Huangyuan County, Qinghai Province have a habit. When they got married, their husbands spread sheepskin in the yard and painted the word "ten thousand" on it. When the bride enters the door, she steps on the center of the word "Wan Zi" to show the meaning of "male and female are born together, yin and yang are matched, lucky and wishful, firm and permanent". From simple to annoying, from single to double, the four ends of the word extend vertically and horizontally and connect with each other to form a pattern called "Wan" and "Long-legged Wan Zi". The word "Zi" is often engraved on the windows, walls, lattices and beams of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, and the door and window patterns of folk quadrangles also have the variation of the word "Zi" or "Zi", which means "wealth is endless".