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The
Appearance and Application of Chinese Tomb Painting
Abstract: The
studies on the Chinese tomb paintings mainly have dealt with the subject matters
and contents of wall paintings in a tomb. The paper titled "The Construction and
Function of Tomb Paintings," however, paid an attention on the evolution and
function of murals inside a tomb in the development of Chinese tomb
construction. Especially, while most researches on the topic have concerned
about those tombs with murals from the late Western Han to the Eastern Han
built of a large hollow tile or a small brick, the paper traced back to the tomb
paintings from the early periods including the Zhou, the Warring States period,
and the early Western Han for the orig! in and function of tomb murals. Since I
do not have a different opinion on most parts of the paper presented, I would
like to ask two simple questions in the following.
First
of all, with regard to the content and origin of the early period tomb
paintings, the authors disagreed with the opinion of many scholars that the
early tomb murals originated from the palace or temple paintings since Shang and
Zhou dynasties as well as the funerary paintings from the Chu in the Warring
States period. While the purpose and function of the murals in a palace and
temple are didactic and realistic, those of tomb murals intend to console the
soul of the deceased and to help the soul ascend to heaven. One question I would
like to ask is even though the early Western Han tomb murals might have intended
to the above purpose, if we move to the ! Eastern Han period, the subject
matters of tomb murals also include didactic and realistic ones. So, in my
opinion, the murals at a palace and temple architecture also might need to be
considered as one of the origins of tomb murals.
Second, in "the Ideology of Funerary Rituals", the authors noted that there are
common features in the appearance and function of tomb murals and funerary
rituals, and they are interrelated each other. Here, the presenters explained
the concept of po and hun . The purpose and function of the tomb paintings and
tomb architecture is to protect the dead body as consoling po , and to help hun
ascend to heaven. Thus, the tomb architecture and decoration evolved with these
two basic functions, protecting the dead body 安魄 and helping the hun
to ascend to heaven 安魂.
The presenters concluded that the initiative motive to depict a painting in a
tomb is to represent heaven where the deceased's soul eventually returns.
In
the last part of the paper, the presenters discussed the development of a large
hollow brick tomb and a small brick tomb in the Han period. Besides two major
factors such as the economic development and the immortality ideology as well as
rich burials influenced by the Confucianism and filial piety, the paper added
another point that the change in the construction of a tomb including the
utilization of a brick also contributed to the evolution of tomb murals. The
structural features of a large hollow tile tomb and a small brick tomb were
effective in creating ideological heaven for the deceased's soul.
The
paper presented an important point in that how the structural evolution of a
funerary architecture influenced on the development of tomb paintings, and how
the architectural feature of a tomb is interrelated to the subject matters of
the early funerary murals. I would like to just add some comments on the
evolution of Chinese murals tombs in comparison with Korean mural tombs. The
ceiling paintings in Chinese tombs seem to be less emphasized as it moved to the
Eastern Han period when the major subjects of murals became the actual life of
the deceased and human figures in daily life scenes. Although there are some
exceptions like the Tomb No. 5 at Dingjiaz! ha, Jiuquan, Gansu from the Wei-Jin
period, Chinese mural tombs from the Wei-Jin and the Northern and Southern
Dynasties and thereafter show less interest in decorating the ceiling. It is
contrary to the case of Koguryo tombs where the tomb builders consider a ceiling
as another important space to represent their ideology and next world view. The
presented paper which examined the development of the early tomb murals in
relation with the hun and po ideology and showed an emphasis on the !
representation of heaven in the early murals would help to enhance und
erstanding on the interrelationship between architecture and murals concerning
Chinese and Koguryo mural tombs.
Author: Mr. YAO Zhiyuan,
Ms. XU Chanfei
Translated by Pref. Piao Yalin at Korea.
June, 2004, Issued at
Study of Chinese History, vol.30，Dakeu,
Korea,
Talking About amenity pictures on Bronze Vessel of Zhou Dynasty
 
Abstract:
From Spring and Autumn Period
on bronze vessel of Zhou Dynasty there is a popular carving skills which is
forming incised lines into pictures. The topic which was something related to
amenity and ceremony is valued information for study of history, amenity rule
and amenity ceremony of Zhou Dynasty.
Key words:
Zhou Dynasty, Incised Line
Bronze Vessel, Amenity
Discuss of Tomb Mural Paintings of Song Dynasty at
Luoyang
City
 
Abstract:Before Song Dynasty the cause
of tomb mural paintings is because of religion and mediumistic, then is the
institution. But it is not the same reason in Song Dynasty. Due to the
prosperous and development of economy, the commons became richer and the number
of the riches had increased more, both had impacted the society, which was
comprehensive and thus spread to burial system.
The art form of tomb mural
paintings of Song was derived from Tang’s, but because of big different status
of the owner and social background, they are different in are style. Supposing
Tang’s are rough and vigorous, well then the Song’s are fine and elegant.
Key Words:
Luoyang, Tomb Mural
painting at Song Dynasty
Tentative cause of death for the Master of M21 Tomb In Period II Culture, at
Lingkou Site, Lintong City
Abstract:
The Master of M21 Tomb of Period II Culture at Lingkou Site, Lintong City, was a
female teenage aged 16-18 years, whose gesture was astonished by the Founder
when they saw her skeleton at first sight. “Her both joints of arm and the joint
of left leg were twisted and the limbs were shifted without left hand. From
skull to pelvis there are 18 pieces of bone wares inserted, such as KAI, arrow,
fork etc. four of which are inserted from perineum to pelvis. The bone wares
were still inserted in the skeleton when it was found.”
The difficult position made
people with big question and great concerns. By analyzing the death position,
age, sex and the criminal bone wares remaining at her body, the cause could be
something related with barbarism witchcraft and sacrifice in the period of the
Matriarchal Society. Her death was the result of once sacrifice as an
immolation. The more approach to the real fact is that she was not only the
sacrifice, but also a sorceress herself.
Key Words:
Lingkou Site, Witchcraft,
Sorceress, Sacrifice
Author: Ms Hsu Cham-fei, GENG
YUN LUN CONG-II, Editor: Luoyang Cultural Relic Management Bureau. Publisher:
Science Publisher. Published on Mar 14th, 2003. ISBN: 7-03-010844-2/K.206
Tentative
Study of Big Tree Mural Painting- in Sixteen Kingdoms Tomb
-The Status of Master of No. 5 Tomb at Dingjiazha, Jiuquan
Abstract:There
is very surprising mural painting at No. 5 Tomb at Dingjiazha, Jiuquan City of
Gansu Province. It has something related to the ancient worship conception of
respecting animal & vegetations by the primitive ancestors. The Big Tree should
represent a kind of sacred tree, therefore it is a SACRED TREE. The flourish
tree, the naked woman sweeping ground and the monkeys climbing on the trees
formed the scenery that this is the origin myth. By studying of the connotative
birth myth at the Sacred Tree together with situation of grand scale of tomb,
luxuries decoration, we can sure that the master is a honored noble with high
position even the chieftain of Qiang Nationality.
Key Words:
Jiuquan, Gansu, Sixteen
Kindoms, Sacred Tree, Origin Myth
Author: Ms Hsu Cham-fei, GENG YUN LUN CONG-I, Editor: Luoyang Cultural Relic
Management Bureau. Publisher: Science Publisher. Published on Oct 8th,
1999.ISBN: 7-03-007814/K.106
Meanings of
Fish-Dragon-Picture in Han Dynasty
Abstract:You
will always see fish & dragon swimming together at tomb mural paintings in Han
Dynasty. Researchers call it as Fish-Dragon-Picture. The contents which were
formed by the fish-dragon-picture display epoch significance, i.e. the very
popular myth called “CHANGEOVER OF FISH OR DRAGON”. It reflects the strong
desires of ascending to heaven and become immortal, long live etc. in Han
Dynasties. They are valuable relic for study of social ideology and funeral
customs in Han Dynasties.
Key Words:
Figures at Han Dynasty, Fish-Dragon-Picture, Ascend to Heaven and become
immortal
Author: Ms Hsu Cham-fei, Issued at No. 143 The National Palace Museum Monthly
Chinese Art.
Filiation,
Evolvement and Celebrities of Surname YAO
Abstract:
Surname YAO is one of the
most ancient surnames in Chinese. Many of the eminence surnames in 100 Surname,
such as CHEN, WANG, HU, SUN, YU, TIAN, YUAN, FENG and LU etc. are evolved from
surname YAO. The primogenitor of YAO is one of The Five Mythical Emperors (Wudi),
Shun Di. Because of his birth place is at Yaoxu in Yuncheng City, Shanxi
Province so that he was named YAO. According to a pedigree of YAO family there
are more than 130 generations from primogenitor Yao until now. In the book of
100 Surname issued in Song Dynasty, the position of YAO is at 101 position, but
the new research indicates that more than 60 surnames are evolved from YAO,
which are widely lived in more than 40 countries. Surname YAO is one of the most
ancient and most eminence surname among all surnames.
Key Words:
Filiation of Surname YAO,
Shun Di
Author: Ms. Hsu Chan-fei, YAO Zhiyuan
The Influence of Confucian Theology to Funeral Mural Painting between Han
Dynasties
Abstract: Confucian
Theology, also called New Confucianism, was completed and developed by Master
Dong Zhongshu, the Master Scholar in Han Dynasty, based on the thoughts of
Confucius. It experienced the procedure of formation, development and
nationalization and brought out strong impact of the time and for every facet in
the later two thousand years. As a form of Confucian funeral culture, funeral
mural paintings was a kind of popular form in Han Dynasties, which was indeed
influenced and effected during nationalization of Confucian theology. This
impact and influence were based on enriching contents & themes and speeded up
directly the development and innovation of funeral mural paintings.
Main Chapters:
-
The formation,
development and nationalization of Confucian Theology in Han Dynasties.
-
The expansion and
richness of contents by Confucian Theology.
-
The application and
meaning of figures in Confucian Theology.
-
Conclusion.
Key Words:
Han Dynasty, Confucian
Theology, Funeral Figure
Useful links:
The Archaeology Channel
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