Song Dynasty's legacy and influence on Chinese art
The Song Dynasty (960-1279) royal court gave priority to the humanities, turning to people's inner emotions and minimalist art style that were evident in remaining handicrafts and artworks.
The minimalist genre has influenced present-day craftspeople who try to mimic the millennium-old style and show the ancient aesthetics through art and handicrafts.
At the beginning of the Year of the Tiger, let's go to the Feilai Peak and Zhejiang Museum to learn about the Song Dynasty and its long lasting influence on Chinese art.
Hangzhou has long been associated with Buddhism thanks to its abundance of Buddhist grottoes, sculptures and temples. As many of the country's ancient officials were devout believers, they dug caves, reproduced scriptures and erected religious buildings across the city.
The Feilai Peak is emblematic of Song Dynasty Buddhism culture in Hangzhou. As the largest grotto in the Yangtze Delta River region, it has been considered the ideal integration of natural and cultural heritages.
The exhibition at the Feilai Peak displays 14 pieces of original rubbings made in that period and 29 pieces made by present-day artists.
One section of rubbing is on display. The calligraphy below it is the interpretation of the rubbing.
During the Song Dynasty, Buddhism combined with Taoism and Confucianism, making the religion more secularized and permeating the calligraphy and sculptures areas.
Ancient scholars invented a rubbing method to reproduce stone inscriptions on paper, which turns three-dimensional inscriptions into two-dimensional marks. The technique developed into a branch of Chinese epigraphy, becoming the only media for scholars to learn about the inscriptions engraved on grottoes.
The 14 pieces of Song Dynasty rubbings are on display for the public for the first time, providing epigraphy aficionados with an unparalleled opportunity to get closer to the artworks.
In addition to Buddhism culture, Hangzhou is also the mecca for craftspeople producing porcelain. Over the years, a group of top-notch porcelain makers have emerged in the city. They handed down the intangible cultural heritage to their offspring and apprentices who in turn kept the art thriving.
Muted shades and quiet simplicity were the main features of ceramics made during the Song Dynasty. Ancient artists formed several classic designs which persisted in art nationwide for centuries. Today, some of these are still the most common types.
A fascinating must-see exhibition of porcelain made by Jin Guorong is underway at Zhejiang Museum's Gushan Pavilion through March 6.
The country's economic center switched to modern-day Zhejiang Province in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) when Hangzhou was the capital. Royal and folk kilns developed rapidly, and firing techniques reached their heyday.
In this epoch, the Southern Song Imperial Kiln was established in Hangzhou and dedicated to fire porcelain for the royal court. Their elegant shapes and jade-like texture were the hallmarks of the manufacturing techniques.
These techniques have been passed down from generation to generation. Today, the creations of master Jin are considered among the best modern-day replicated works. He has spent years cultivating apprentices to pass along his skills.
Different from porcelain produced in other kilns, Southern Song Dynasty porcelain features cracked veins, smooth glazing texture and different shades of whitish-green.
In a bid to learn the ancient kiln techniques, Jin began emulating the complicated century-old craftsmanship in the 1980s, spending years to research and learn the firing techniques and clay composition.
Jin has referred to ancient pieces for inspiration and added modern aesthetics and trendy elements to his creations. He has designed a series of vases for the upcoming 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 that will be held from September 10 to 25.
One of the vases Jin Guorong designed for the upcoming 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022
During the Song Dynasty, craftspeople fired daily-used vessels and containers for flowers, because scholars and literati practiced flower arranging and bonsai planting. Today, people still use ancient-style ceramics rather than modern-style glass vessels to arrange peony, chrysanthemum, orchid, plum blossom and wintersweet flowers.
Another Song Dynasty tradition that has been prevalent in Hangzhou for centuries is appreciating plum blossoms.
The flowers symbolize strength, resilience and renewal. They are auspicious omens of spring and also a metaphor for revolutionary spirit. Throughout dynasties, plum blossoms have been a frequent theme in Chinese art, and appreciating the flowers has been a long-time tradition in Hangzhou.
Thousands of plum trees in the Lingfeng Peak, Xixi Wetland National Park, Hangzhou Botanic Garden and Solitary Hill have begun to sprout their buds. Once the weather gets warmer, the four spots will be covered with yellow, pink, red and white flowers.
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Plum flowers in Xixi Wetland National Park
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Plum flowers in Xixi Wetland National Park
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Plum flowers in Xixi Wetland National Park
Feilai Peak Inscriptions Exhibition
Dates: Through March 26, closed on Mondays
Address: 1 Fayun Lane
法云弄1号
Jin Guorong's Porcelain Exhibition
Dates: Through March 6, closed on Mondays
Venue: Zhejiang Museum's Gushan Pavilion
Address: 25 Gushan Rd
孤山路25号
