China ABE
Review
Alexander Cravero
Kirby Fitzpatrick
Rachel Masterson
Lady Feng and the Bear
Admonitions of the
Imperial Instructress
Lady Feng – Gender and
Narrative
• Lady Feng puts herself between a bear and her
husband (shows courage)
• Bravery
• Handscroll from the Han dynasty
Soldiers of Shi Huangdi
Soldiers of Shi Huangdi – Authority
and Power, Violence, Propoganda
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Terra Cotta
210 BCE  must be able to date!
Qin Dynasty
Shi Huangdi buried in liquid mercury
Set up to protect Shi Huangdi’s grave
Rubbing of a stone relief;
Wu family shrine
Rubbing of a stone relief;
Wu family shrine
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Han Dynasty
Yi spares China from disaster
Ink rubbing
Family, narrative
Meeting of the Two
Buddhas
Meeting of the Two
Buddhas
• Northern Wei Dynasty, 518, Gilded Bronze, 11”
• The meeting only takes place when the lotus
sermon is being preached
• Prabhutaratna (Buddha thats achieved Nirvana) on
the left and Shakyamuni (Buddha that hasn’t
achieved Nirvana) on the right
• The nimbuses are lakshanas
• Religion, Narrative, Authority and Power
Set of Bells
Set of Bells
• Shang, Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng
• 433 BCE, Bronze
• There is a taotie on each of the bells (a symbol that
could be heaven & earth and could be compared
to the axis mundi)
• Each bell makes two tones
• Recreation, Religion,
Zhou Bi Disk
Zhou Bi Disk
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Jade 6”
Symbol for power – dragons
Bi refers to the shape
Shows unification between the Earth and cosmos
Used sand to carve it out
Religion, authority and power, statuary conventions
Camel Carrying a Group
of Musicians
Camel Carrying a group
of Musicians
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Tang, 8th century, Earthenware and glaze, 26”
Showing people in their daily lives
Silk Road interactions
Appear to be Middle Eastern – beards
Social class, narrative, trade and relations
Seated Guanyin
Bodhisattva
Seated Guanyin
Bodhisattva
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10th-12th cent, wood with paint and gold
Bodhisattva of infinite compassion
Foot is on a lotus
Inviting pose
Often thought of as female
Gender, religion, narrative
Bodhisattva Manjushri as
Tikshna-Manjushri
Bodhisattva Manjushri as
Tikshna-Manjushri
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Ming dynasty, Yongle period
Gilt bronze, lost-wax casting
Notice the facial expression
Religion, statuary conventions, gender/human body
The Forbidden City
• Three nested cities built in the Ming Dynasty for
Emperor Yongle. All commoners and foreigners
were forbidden to enter without special permission.
Also known as the Imperial City.
• Architecture
• Power/authority
Noon Gate
• Only one of the Ten enterances to The Forbidden
City. Seperated into five bridges, the largest center
bridge in the center was for the Emperor and his
Family. Often the site of political announcements
and decrees. Two stone seals on the side of the
road read "Tilt your hat and dismount".
• Architecture
• Power/authority
Guan Yu Captures General Pang
De by. Shang Xi
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Shang Xi
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Hanging Scroll
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Ink and Color on Silk
Historical Painting
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A depiction of Guan Yu capturing General Pang De during the battle of
Changban. Comissioned by Guan Yu.
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Narrative, power/authority
Hall of Supreme
Harmony
• The Largest and most important building in the
forbidden city, contains the throne room. Built in
1406 it was constructed on the central axis of the
forbidden city, often referred to as the heart of the
city. Often Grandest ceremonies would be held
here. A great symbol of Imperial Power
• Architecture
• Authority/power
Jingdezhen Porcelain
Jingdezhen Porcelain
• By the Yuan Dynasty, Chinese potters had extended
their mastery to fully developed porcelains. This tall
temple vase from Jingdezhen kilns, which became
the official source of porcelains for the court. It is
one of the earliest dated examples of fine porcelain
with cobalt-blue underglaze decoration. It has
symbols of phoenixes and dragons that represent
the donors high status or invoke prosperity blessings.
• Power/authority, statuary conventions
Landscape by Shitao
Landscape by Shitao
• Information: Leaf from An Album of Landscapes,
Qing, 1700, ink and color on paper, 9.5"x11"
• The pictures shows a monk sitting in a small hut. He is
looking out at the mountains, which are restless. The
dots represent vegetation. The vegetations and
rocks seem alive. The rocks and vegetation are
appearing to swallow the monk. This represents
Shitao's belief that the world had become chaotic
under Manchu rule during the Qing Dynasty.
• Narrative, politics
Lofty Mountain Lu
Lofty Mountain Lu
Shen Zhou, Ming Dynasty
Hanging School, Ink on paper
Famous Landscape Painting
Writing describes Taoism and the teacher-student
relationship.
• Narrative, religion, lifestyle
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Zhao Mengfu/Autumn Colors on
the Qiao and Hua Mountains
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Zhao Mengfu, a descendant of the first song emperor, was skilled
in both calligraphy and poetry. He was also a renown painter of
horses, landscapes, and other subjects.
One of his most famous works is a handscroll called Autumn
Colors on the Qiao and Hua Mountains. (1296- ink and color on
paper) He painted this for his friend that was from the Shangdog
Providence and it is supposed to depict the landscape there. The
mountains and trees are not painted in the usual naturalism of
Zhang, they are more archaic of the Tang Dynasty. It is a literati
painting with subtle colors and unassuming brushwork.
Nature, style