Chapter 24: Chinese and Korean Art

Emperor Shi Huangdi

the first ruler to unify China politically, standardize written Chinese, weights and measures, and establish a uniform currency.

Calligraphy

a traditional Chinese aesthetic expression that stands between poetry and painting, and it was an important part of passing state exams and attaining important posts.

Bi

a round ceremonial disk found in ancient Chinese tombs; characterized by having a circular hole in the center, which may have symbolized heaven

Bodhisattva

a deity who refrains from entering nirvana to help others

Coiling

a method of creating pottery in which a rope-like strand of clay is wrapped and layered into a shape before being fired in a kiln

Colophon

a commentary on the end panel of a Chinese handscroll; an inscription at the end of a manuscript containing relevant information on its publication

Confucianism

a philosophical belief begun by Confucius that stresses education, devotion to family, mutual respect, and traditional culture

Daoism

a philosophical belief begun by Laozi that stresses individual expression and a striving to find balance in one’s life

Hanja

Chinese characters used in Korean script with a Korean pronunciation

Literati

a sophisticated and scholarly group of Chinese artists who painted for themselves rather than for fame and mass acceptance. Their work is highly individualized

Pagoda

a tower built of many stories. Each succeeding story is identical in style to the one beneath it, only smaller. They typically have dramatically projecting eaves that curl up at the ends

Porcelain

a ceramic made from clay that when fired in a kiln produces a product that is hard, white, brittle, and shiny

Potter’s wheel

a device that usually has a pedal used to make a flat circular table spin, so that a potter can create pottery

Throwing

molding clay forms on a potter’s wheel

Vairocana

the universal Buddha, a source of enlightenment; also known as the Supreme Buddha who represents “emptiness,” that is, freedom from earthly matters to help achieve salvation

Yin and yang

complementary polarities.

yin

a feminine symbol that has dark, soft, moist, and weak characteristics.

yang

the male symbol that has bright, hard, dry, and strong characteristics

Dao

a religious journey that emphasizes self-expression, achieving serenity, and oneness with nature

Laozi

the founder of Daoism, believed in escaping societal pressures

Confucianism

religion based on behavior, relationships, and duty

Analects

a series of precepts that presents an ideal man with attributes like loyalty, morality, generosity, and humanity

pagoda

The stupa, a Buddhist building from India, became the \____ in China.

Courtyard-style

\______ residences have exterior walls to keep the outside world away and frame an atrium.

Forbidden City

• Largest and most complete Chinese architectural ensemble in existence.

• The emperor’s palace

Hall of Supreme Harmony, Forbidden City

• Ceremonies took place here for the new year, the winter solstice, and the emperor’s birthday.

• the largest building in the complex.

• it is a wooden structure made with elaborately painted beams; meant for grand ceremonies.

Handscrolls

These are read right to left and can be stored in specially designed cabinets.

Silk

This is the preferred surface for painting, with artists choosing specific silks for color and texture.

Landscape paintings

These are highly valued and reflect a philosophical idea through the use of crowded and empty spaces.

Chinese porcelain

It is a form of art that appears utilitarian but stands alone as an object of beauty.

Glazing techniques

These are used to achieve a glossy finish and protect the vase from wear.

Literati

the artists who rejected the restrictive nature of court art and developed a highly individualized style.

Funeral banner of Lady Dai (Xin Zhui)

• covered the inner coffin which contained the intact body of Lady Dai in a tomb.

• carried in a procession to the tomb, and then placed over the body to speed its journey to the afterlife.

Travelers among Mountains and Streams

• By Fan Kuan (c. 1000)

• Hanging scroll; meant to be studied and appreciated, not hung permanently.

• The work contains elements of Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.

• Very complex landscape.

Portrait of Sin Sukju

• Hanging scroll.

• Painting on silk was a highly desired and a greatly esteemed product.

• a reminder to his descendants of Sin Sukju’s status in Korean society.

Chairman Mao en Route to Anyuan

• an oil painting by Liu Chunhua (1969)

• Mao rises above a landscape that contains a power line as a symbol of ­industrialization.

• Painted during the Cultural Revolution of 1966–1976

Terra cotta warriors

• From the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor of China (c. 221–209 B.C.E.)

• The work represents a Chinese army marching into the next world.

• This is an early form of mass production, alluding to the power of the state.

Longmen Caves

• The Buddha is arranged as if on an altar of a temple, deeply set into the rock face.

• Sculptures and reliefs are carved from the existing rock—some colossal, some small.

• More than 2,300 caves and niches are carved along the banks of the Yi River.

Gold and jade crown

• Stylized geometric shapes symbolize trees.

• Antler forms influenced by shamanistic practices in Siberia.

• Uncovered from a royal tomb in Gyeongju, Korea; from the Silla Dynasty.

Coiling

It was the original method of making ceramics in China, where clay was rolled into a cord-like shape and sculpted into a form.

Yuan Dynasty

This dynasty produced vases with a distinct blue and white color, which was achieved by using imported cobalt from Iran.

The David Vases

• The blue color was imported from Iran; Chinese expansion into western Asia made the cobalt blue available.

• Made for the altar of a Daoist temple along with an incense burner

• Made of Jingdezhen porcelain

• Named after Sir Percival