Art History: Chapter 4 - Chinese Art to 220 AD

Neolithic Era (7000 - 1700 BC) 

• Golbi Desert borders the North

• Trade networks from Europe & Silk Road brought ideas and influences

• Extended into Korea

Bowl

Visual

• Low intensity red hue

• Round with turned out brim

• Stylized fish and faces in a linear manner

Iconographic

• Made in Neolithic era (civilizations, farming, & hunting animals)

• Used to ensure ancestors could get an abundant catch 

Pendant in Mask Form

Visual

• Low intensity hue of green (jade) 

• Symmetrical eyes & eyebrows

• 7 pairs of teeth-like points

• Hole at top middle to use as pendant 

Iconographic 

• Made in Neolithic Era (increased civilizations)

• Found positioned on deceased bodies

• Symbolizes power for elite people

Shang Dynasty

• Earliest dynasty

• Ruled by Shang leaders in North China

• Ritual practices & religions were centered around ruling

• Di was diety that controlled universe & spirit

• Only Emperor could communicate with Di

• Loved animal designs

• Bronze used to make animal vessels and other tools

Lidded Ritual Ewer (Huo)

Visual

• Vase-shaped pitcher/pouring vessel 

• Horned bird with hooked beak at front

• Wings composed of coiled dragons

• Lid is decorated with two prominent animals masks (ram & buffalo head)

• Stylized, naturalistic/abstract

Iconographic 

• Made in Shang Dynasty

• Made by piece mold casting (turned mold into clay)

• Held offerings that would be given to the King for favors 

Zhou Dynasty (1050 - 221 BC)

• Cultural similarities w/ Shang Dynasty (rituals, bronze usage, symbolism)

• Believed King could rule if they carried heaven’s favor

• Music/instruments were important 

• Inscriptions honor achievements of noblemen 

• Confucianism, daoism/taoism, and legalism used to create harmonious society 

Bell (Bo)

Visual

• Made of jade

• Loop is two abstract birds

• 18 knobs in the middle w/ snakes inside

• Low relief dragons at bottom of bell

Iconographic

• Made in Zhou Dynasty 

• Signaled good government, good relationship with heaven, and great happiness with family

Dragon Pendant

Visual

• Made of jade

• Depicts stylized dragon 

• Use of curvilinear lines to depict motion 

Iconographic

• Made in Zhou Dynasty

• Used for ornamental purposes

• Symbolizes power, authority, and a connection to the divine  

Qin (Chin) Dynasty (221 - 206 BC)

• Qin Shi Huangdi became first emperor after power conquest

• Created Chinese script, measurements, Great Wall, roads, etc

• Huangdi was intolerant and established harsh laws to maintain power

• Burned books (agriculture & medicine) that he didn’t consider useful

• Death caused eventual chaos 

Ceramic Soldiers

Visual 

• Soldiers and horses made of terracotta (fired clay)

• Different facial features but not realism 

• Entire army of life-sized soldiers 

Iconographic

• Made in Qin Dynasty 

• Symbolized emperor’s power on earth & the underworld 

• Created to protect Huangdi in the afterlife 

Unexcavated Tomb Complex

Visual

• Contains terracotta soldiers, horses, and chariots 

• Has burial pits containing artifacts 

• Had monumental gateways for flooding protection 

Iconographic

• Burial mound had sacrificial rites performed for deceased ancestors 

• Symbolizes the power and unification of the first Emperor

Sima Qian’s “Shiji” 

Visual

• Written on bamboo slip

• Used brush + ink to write characters

• Has descriptors of the burial chambers

Iconographic

• Made in Qin Dynasty

• Made to provide rulers with history of how virtuous/tyrannical rule affected governance and societal stability 

War Chariot

Visual

• Chariot is made of bronze

• Horses are made of terracotta

• Is a skeumorph (replicate) of a wooden chariot

• Man equipped with crossbow

Iconographic 

• Made in Qin Dynasty

• Made to accompany Terracotta Army in the afterlife 

• Represent immense scale of the Empire and desire for protection beyond death

The Great Wall

Visual

• Made of stone, earth, granite, brick, and limestone 

• Originally shorter walls put together

• Contains beacons and watch towers

Iconographic 

• Is the largest defense fortification globally

• Used smoke signals and lanterns as messages for mongrel invasions (Genghis Khan)

• 3000 workers died & were buried inside the wall

• Can be seen at low earth orbit 

• Real length is unknown

Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD)

• Reunified China after Huangdi died, having peace and prosperity

• Immortality, daoism/taoism, and confucianism were central thoughts in this Dynasty

Incense Burner

Visual

• Made of bronze with gold inlay

• Stylized waves

• Waves covered in birds, animals, and immortal figures

Iconographic

• Made in Han Dynasty

• Found in prince’s tomb

• Depicts the land of immortals 

• Symbol of daoism

Han (TLV) Mirror

Visual

• Made of bronze & has black patina

• Boss in center on back

• Has game board (Lui-Do)

• Inner perimeter has Chinese characters representing zodiacs

• Animals on four sides

Iconographic 

• Made in Han Dynasty

• Repeated motif of T L & V symbolize heaven and earth

• Gameboard associated with immortality (immortals had wings coming out of arms 

• Zodiacs represent the cosmics

• Animals depict cardinal directions as a protective function

• Mirror would reflect light on tomb and illuminate it

Wu Family Shrine

Visual

• Rubbing of a stone relief 

• Figures are isolated and idealized 

• Space divided into registers

• Depicts emperor/empress receiving visitors bowing to them 

• Depicts daoist legend of archer shooting sun crows 

Iconographic 

• Made in Han Dynasty

• Themes of both confucianism and daoism

• Served as a place for ancestral rituals and a visual testament to the family’s power

• Daoist legend represent family’s connection to authority and the universe

Disk (Bi)

Visual

• Made of translucent jade (high tint green)

• Figures depicted with grainy patterns 

• Has dragon with sweeping curves

Iconographic 

• Made in Han Dynasty

• Sweeping curves represent clouds

• Dragons represent peace, courage, and good luck 

• Disk represents imperial power

Tomb One (Lady Dai) 

Visual

• Made of wood, silk, charcoal, clay, etc

• Made of 5 compartments, 4 w/ furnishings

• Last box is resting coffin painted with lacquer (black, red, & white) 

• High intensity red background 

• Has dragons & predators 

Iconographic 

• Made in Han Dynasty

• Largest of 3 tombs, showing her significance 

• Layers of charcoal and clay used to keep it in perfect condition

• Use of lacquer shows her high status (was more valuable than bronze) 

• Painting depicts Dai’s journey in the afterlife 

• Contorted animals guide Dai in the afterlife 

Silk Banner 

Visual

• T-shaped painted with rich mineral pigment 

• Has interlacing animals 

• Shows celestial world and tale of Chang’e and husband 

• Naturalistic & idealized portrait of Lady Dai in middle of banner 

• Lady Dai in hierarchical scale w/ decorative clothing (status) 

Iconographic 

• Made in Han Dynasty 

• Important example of naturalistic Chinese art

• Made to lay face down on coffin, symbolizing the afterlife

• Story of Chang’e symbolizes the journey to the afterlife & the hope for immortality 

• Portrait is the first Chinese portrait