On the Origin of Chinese Art and Pre-Qin Period Art

On the primitive origin of Chinese fine arts

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Research on the question of the origin of the art of human painting has been carried out both at home and abroad. "Game theory", "religious theory", "imitation theory", "subconscious theory", "nature" and so on. Analyzed as a whole, most of these doctrines are conceptual doctrines. There is a lack of evidence of specific paintings, and although some of them put forward primitive works of art as evidence, the age of most of their works is much later than the Paleolithic Age, which is the focus of our research. If we can dive in today and carefully analyze historical and modern art works and read historical and modern art theories, then there is a perfectly good reason for Paleolithic stone tools to stand as the most ancient works of fine art. Moreover, we can arrive at the following result with complete confidence: Chinese art was developed from the Paleolithic stone tools as labor tools.

All things in the world develop from their simplest and most primitive forms, and the same is true of Chinese art. The Paleolithic Age was a long period of time when human beings struggled hard against nature, mainly using stone tools. Paleolithic tools are not only a measuring device for the development of human labor skills, but also an indicator of the development of human modeling ability. Therefore, in order to understand the history of the plastic arts, we must start from the development of the Paleolithic modeling.

China's early Paleolithic period before the stone tool modeling, which refers to the early apes made stone tools. Yuanmou apes used quartz to make crude scrapers. Shanxi Ruicheng Xihoudu early Pleistocene central stratum found with preliminary type differentiation of stone tools, is a relatively large stone flakes, with one-way striking method of processing, the discovery of Xihoudu stone tools confirms that our country has a very long tradition of stone flake technology. I over the early and late Paleolithic, Lantian apes made more types of stone tools, Beijing apes made the shape of stone tools gradually tended to be regular. In the book "Important Archaeological Discoveries in China in 2002", the Paleolithic site of Shangmacuo in Anji, Zhejiang Province, more than one hundred pieces of stone products were unearthed. The cultural connotation of this site is rare in the Paleolithic Age in East China and even in Southern China. It is likely that the site dates from 500,000 to 600,000 years ago, and the repair marks on the back of the flake scars and the back edge of the table tops show that the technology of stone flakes at that time was quite skillful.

To the middle of the Paleolithic in China, early homo sapiens made stone tools, stone tool type significant differentiation, the form is becoming more and more stable, of which the Dali people's scraper, the shape of the vessel is very small, opened the later small stone tool precedent. They chose the stone material and paid attention to the material and color, which prepared the conditions for the emergence of stone tools. The stone tools of the Dingcun people in the Fen River basin of Shanxi Province inherited the tradition of stone flake technology of early stone tools, and the three-pronged large pointed tools made at this time were sharp and sharp, with three-pronged cotton teams weighing them, and the shape of the tools was thick and heavy, which showed a high degree of skill of the ancients. Jinbei region XuJiaYao people's stone tools, type body become smaller, symmetrical shape, raw materials appear in a small amount of beautifully colored agate.

To China's late Paleolithic, when the late Homo sapiens made stone tools using indirect percussion stone chip method, more so that the stone tool types increase, the shape is more uniform and symmetrical, the edge is more sharp. For example, the pointed tools from Lingwu Water Cave in Ningxia are famous for their circumscribed and symmetrical shapes, and some of the small stone tools from Zhiyu in Shuo County, Shanxi, and the original Hutuliang site in Hebei are made of colorful chalcedony and chalcedony, with holes perforated in the middle for decorative purposes. A bone needle was found in the Zhoukoudian Cave in Beijing, which was exquisitely processed and had a very high level of craftsmanship. At the same time found a large number of drilled stone pendant, stone beads, grinding holes jelly shells, drilled animal teeth, blue fish eyes on the bone and other ornaments, in the fossilized bones were also found next to the bones sprinkled with hematite red powder.

The above facts prove: the ancient culture of the Chinese nation has a clear vein, long tradition. After a long process of development, to the late Paleolithic, finally produced exquisite processing, rich type, colorful, symmetrical form of beaten stone tools. These tools of labor actually embodied a certain degree of decorative activity under utilitarian premises. The modeling skills and aesthetic concepts of our ancient ancestors were thus cultivated from the process of making labor tools, mainly stone tools. Due to the continuous improvement of labor tools, rapid increase in productivity, people's material life has a certain degree of security and improvement, people finally began to independent of the material production of spiritual production. Ornaments were made to beautify themselves and their lives, and fuel was used.

Exploring and understanding the origin of art has a profound significance for our present-day art practice activities. Looking back to the origins and exploring the initial needs of human beings for beauty will lead to a deeper understanding that, with the progress of human civilization and cultural development, the modeling skills and aesthetic concepts of present-day human beings have developed to such a high level of sophistication. Spiritual aesthetic needs are inherent in human beings, with the improvement of science and technology, with the development of material life, human beings are bound to put forward higher and higher requirements for beauty.

Pre-Qin and Qin-Han Art

(1) Pre-Qin Art

The achievements of Pre-Qin Art are mainly reflected in the bronze art and jade carving.

1. Bronze Art

The pre-Qin bronzes flourished in the late Shang Dynasty and the early Western Zhou Dynasty, with a large number of beautifully crafted bronze objects in different series.

The shape of bronze ware is solemn and elegant, reflecting the perfect combination of practicality and art. Bronze decoration is rich in period characteristics, mainly animal face pattern, phoenix bird pattern and other imaginary animal images.

The bronze vessels of the Shang Dynasty are characterized by many drinking vessels, short inscriptions, heavy and sturdy shapes, and elaborate and majestic decorations. Representatives of the "Simuwu square tripod" "four sheep square Zun"

Western Zhou bronzes continue the style of the Shang Dynasty, the increase in the number of food utensils, inscriptions lengthened, the shape and decoration in the middle and late began to tend to simplicity, the emergence of a simple and smooth and bright style. Representative of "Mao Gong Ding"

Spring and Autumn Bronzes were adapted to the needs of society, and new techniques such as molding and lost wax appeared, which formed the characteristics of strange and rich shapes, and complicated and translucent decorations. Representatives of the "Lotus Crane Square Pot"

Warring States bronzes are mainly used for daily necessities, and have the style of opulence and splendor.

2. Jade Carving

In the late Neolithic period, jade was separated from stoneware and became a craft. In the Shang Dynasty and Zhou Dynasty, there were "ritual jade" and "peyote jade".

3, the Warring States silk painting

China's earliest single painting found today is the two silk paintings unearthed in the Chu Tomb in Changsha, Hunan Province. The figure of the dragon and phoenix, the figure of the dragon

(2) Qin and Han art

The Qin Dynasty and the two Han dynasties are the period in which China's national art styles were established and developed. The Qin and Han ruling groups used sculptures and paintings for political and ideological indoctrination, with the functions of proclaiming the ruler's achievements, honoring meritorious officials, and displaying the majesty of the king's power.

1, Qin and Han sculpture

Qin and Han sculpture make the ruler to proclaim the majesty of the unity of the people's will, the important way and means to show future generations.

(1) Terracotta Warriors and Horses Discovered in Xiyang Village, Lintong, Shaanxi Province. The Terracotta Warriors and Horses is a reflection of the Qin Dynasty's close guards, playing a symbolic role in guarding the mausoleum, and its extraordinary grandeur and scale reflect the remembrance of Qin Shi Huang's historical achievement of unifying China. The Terracotta Warriors utilize the huge volume and unprecedented number of sculpture groups to form a mountainous, earth-shattering and powerful momentum, which creates an awe-inspiring and unforgettable impression.

(2) Han Dynasty stone carvings

China's earliest surviving large-scale stone carvings are the statue of Altair and the statue of the Weaving Maiden within the town of Doumen in Chang'an Changjiazhuang North, Shaanxi Province.

Stone Carvings of Huo Zaiwei's Tomb ***There are 14 pieces of standing horses, recumbent horses, leaping horses, recumbent tigers, etc., all of which are carved in granite. It is a heroic monument rich in meaning. Representing "Horse Stepping on Huns"

(3) Han Dynasty Terracotta Figurines

Terracotta figurines are ancient objects used for martyrdom. Starting from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods, they were popular in the Qin and Han Dynasties, and the subjects were mostly guards, slaves, music and dance or livestock. Representatives: Shandong Jinan Wuyinshan excavated "music and dance acrobatic pottery figurines plate". Eastern Han Dynasty works excavated in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, Tianhui Mountain, "drumming and rapping figurines"

(4) bronze casting

"Horse Fei Yan" Wuwei, Gansu Province, the ring of the Eastern Han Dynasty tomb excavated. The sculpture is a clever combination of the horse and the bird, with the bird's rapid flight to set off the horse's speed, cleverly conceived, beautifully modeled, rich in imagination. The center of gravity of the galloping horse is concentrated on the back of the bird through one foot, achieving mechanical balance and stability.

2, Han Dynasty paintings

Han Dynasty paintings can be roughly divided into three categories. 1, social life. 2, the ancient sages. 3, the gods and goddesses. The content of the subject matter is all-encompassing, the purpose is only to advise good and evil, and to promote the Confucian idea of ethics and discipline. The Han Dynasty paintings are best represented by paintings on silk and tomb murals.

Mawangdui Han Tomb Painting on silk unearthed in Mawangdui Tomb No. 1 and Tomb No. 3 in Changsha, Hunan Province. On the lid of the inner coffins of the tombs, there are T-shaped flags on silk. The theme of the painting is to lead the soul to heaven. The painting of birds and beasts, posture robust and vivid, rich in peculiar imagination, the picture hook line upright, smooth lines rhyme, solemn and elegant colors, warm colors as the tone to produce bizarre, gorgeous effect.

Han Dynasty Tomb Murals Emerged in the early Western Han Dynasty, popular in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Representatives: Wangdu No. 1 East Han Tomb murals, Inner Mongolia and Lingge East Han Tomb murals

3, Han portrait stone and portrait brick

Picture stone portrait brick is a product of the Han Dynasty burial practices. Portrait stone produced in the Western Han Dynasty, prevalent in the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Wei and Jin Dynasty instances are rare, so it is called the Han portrait stone. Portrait bricks originated in the late Warring States period, flourished in the Han Dynasty, the Three Kingdoms, the two Jin Dynasty and the North and South Dynasties continue to be popular. The artistic peak of the portrait bricks is the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Important works of portrait stone: Shandong Changqing xiaotang mountain stone shrine portrait stone. Shandong Jiaxiang Wu's ancestral temple portrait stone.

Important works of portrait bricks: "Eagle Shooting Harvest" and "Fishing and Hunting in Lotus Pond"

4. Arts and Crafts of the Qin and Han Dynasties

The Han Dynasty bronze craftsmanship developed in the direction of secular daily life, and the most representative artifacts were bronze mirrors and bronze lamps.

Changxin Palace Lamp, Hebei Province, Mancheng Dou ò tomb unearthed. As a lamp, it has a unique practical function. As a craft sculpture, it is well-designed, the palace maiden beautifully modeled, there is a very high level of art