overview of early Chinese and Buddhist art from India

1. Early Chinese Art
Philosophy permeates fine art…..

2. China larger than US
Most populated country
(1/5)
Many languages & ethnic
groups
Ruled by dynasties
8000 years of unbroken
history

3. Bronze Age China– Philosophy that Endures Today
bronze bells from the Zhou dynasty, 433 BCE
•Three bronze age Dynasties,: Xia, Shang, Zhou
•Zhou dynasty was a feudal society (took over warrior society of
Shang)
•Philosophers arose during this age - Confucius, Laozi, Mozi

4. CALLIGRAPHY
•Chinese calligraphy -highest art form.
•Different styles - years perfecting the
techniques.
•Children start by copying ideographs
•Confucius praised pursuit of knowledge &
the arts; painting was to reflect moral
concerns and calligraphy revealed the
character of the writer
•Some calligraphy cannot be read by modern
Chinese readers, it is so artistically done
•Literati - Confucian scholars- practiced this
art form
•Hand scrolls (Paintings) often have a label in
calligraphy in the colophon section.

5. Knight Shining White, Tang Dynasty, 750 CE
• Original handscroll was about 12” wide
• Now several feet with all enthusiastic descriptions, comments, poetry from readers
• “Du Hua” to literally, READ a painting as a form of appreciation
• Painters were highly valued; some Emperors becamse noted calligraphers and painters
• Studied under appreentice ship system

6. The Great Silk Road

7. Daoism
• Return to nature
• Individualism
• Immortality?
• The Way
• Lao Zi, philosopher,
500 BCE (before
Socrates)

8. Emperor Qin Shih Huangdi, 210 BCE
• 1st ruler of united China - Hin/Qin dynasty
• Codified written Chinese
• Established uniform currency
• Started famous Great Wall of China
• Began his majestic tomb (SOLDIERS)
• Insisted on govt based on accomplishments
rather than family connections

9. Flashcard
•Discovered in 1974
•6’ tall soliders
•8000 warriors, 100
chariots, 2 bronze
chariots, 30,000
weapons
•Tomb of 1st
Emperor of China
•Shi Huangdi
•Daoism shown in
individuality of
shoulders despite
numbers
•Chinese army
marching into the
next world.
Soldiers (Army of Emp. Shi Huangdi, terra cotta, c 210 BCE, Qin Dynasty)

10. •Soldiers were originally painted
•Each were individual portraits not
generic
•Masterpieces of ceramics
•Nat Geo Short Video
Soldiers (Army of Emp. Shi Huangdi, terra cotta, c 210 BCE, Qin Dynasty)

11. Confucianism
• Reverence for ancestors
• Respect for authority
• Social order
• Women subordinate to
men

12. More about typical Chinese
architecture…
• Exterior walls of a courtyard style residence
• Frame a courtyard for tranquility- Elders live in suite of rooms
on warmer north end
• Children live in the wings
• Wood structures, rectangular grid
• CONFUCIANISM

14. Chinese Pagodas
•Pagodas developed from Buddhist stupas; the
design was brought from India via the Silk Road
•Built for sacred purpose, each design is
repeated vertically on each level, getting
progressively smaller.
•Japanese also developed pagodas

15. Camel Carrying a Group of
Musicians, flashcard
Tang Dynasty, 8th century CE
Earthenware w/ 3 color glaze,
26” high
China had control over Central
Asia again during Tang
dynasty
Fascination w/Turkic cultures ..
Shows Turkish musicans with
Han Chinese
Naturalism - new interest and
trend in painting & sculpture
Beautiful 3 color glazes,
spontaneous
Silk Road was flourishing,
brought Chinese goods to
West
Neoconfucianism= naturalism

16. Seated Buddha, Stone carving, 45’ tall, 460 CE. flashcard
Shows Indian/Central Asian Buddhist iconography with large shoulders + slender
body, lotus position, long ears, ushnishu, and peaceful smile.

17. Great Wild Goose Pagoda
flashcard
Ci’en Temple, Xi’an
Tang dynasty, 645 CE
Typical Chinese Buddhist
pagoda
About 210’ tall (was taller,
rebuilt during Ming dynasty
after earthquake)

18. Chinese Painting Traditions
• Fans, album leaves, and murals
• Handscrolls on silk or cotton with dowels (meant to
be unrolled and enjoyed, not hung on wall).. Read
right to left.
• Colophon - write comments or poetry
• Hanging scrolls with main scene on front and title on
top back
• Same brushes used for painting & calligraphy

19. Knight Shining White, Tang Dynasty, 750 CE
•Aim of traditional painter was
to capture not outer
appearance but inner energy,
and spirit. “DRAGON STEED”
•Rejected color or too much
background info
•Pure line to define form, no opaque
pigments “white painting”
• The discipline required derived from calligraphy.
• Traditionally, every literate person learned to write by copying Chinese ideographs.
• Then gradually exposed to different stylistic interpretations of these characters.
• Copied great calligraphers' manuscripts, which were often preserved on carved stones so
that rubbings could be made.

20. •Landscape paintings highly prized in Chinese art.
•Do not represent a particular forest, mountain, or view, but an artistic construct
yielding a philosophical idea
•Some parts of painting are empty & barren, others are crowded.. Yin/Yang of
Daoism aka Taoism
•This is an example of the empty space contrasted with calligraphy and densely
detailed drawing

21. Travelers Among Mountains and Streams,
Fan Kaun
Northern Song Dynasty, 11th century CE
•Hanging scroll, ink & colors on silk, 6’9” high
•Subtly graded ink tones
•Northern Song: fascination with precision
and details as shown here.
Flashcard image - Northern Song painting

22. Art of Buddhism
Travels along the silk road…..

23. Buddhist Religion
• Shakyamuni Buddha from Nepal
• Siddartha, child prince, shielded from
pain & suffering
• Left palace at age 29, travelled,
meditated,
• Samsara: cycle of birth, death, rebirth
• Nirvana: ultimate enlightenment
• Compassion and learning are KEYs.
• Different buddhas are recognized
• Bodhisattvas - help others reach
enlightenment
Dalai Lama, leader of
Tibetan Buddhism
and Nobel Peace

24. Early Buddhist Stupa, Mauyra Period
200 BCE
Hindus and Buddhists share many concepts: e.g. Karma and giving, thus
people of many classes give gifts to monasteries

25. Great Stupa at Sanchi, India - 3rd Century BCE
(flashcard)
Buddhist shrine, mound shape, faced with dressed stone, replication of the dome of heaven
•3 umbrellas at top represent Buddha, Buddha’s Law, Monks
•Railing at crest surrounds “sacred tree” umbrellas
•Walkway around drum for circumambulation (cosmic circle)
•4 toranas grace entrances… richly carved scenes, Buddha shown as empty throne with high relief sculptures
•Plan based on sacred mandala design

26. Why no image
of the Buddha
himself?
Perhaps
because he
achieved
enlightenment
and been freed
from the
confines of the
body
Footprints
Sacred path

27. Torana
Yakshi
Reliquary: place
where relics are
kept.

29. Standing Buddha, Gandhara
Period, 2nd century CE
Flashcard
•Hellenistic style drapery
•Artistic conventions - top knot
(ushnisha), patterned hair curls,
impression of wheel (chakra) on
hands and feet,
•Long arms, serene face

30. Gandhara
and
Mathura
Schools, 1-
300 CE
Inspired by
what type
of statues
from
somewhere
else??????
?????
Standing Buddha, Buddha and
Gandhara, Pakistan. Attendants, Mathura.
c.300 CE (hellen----) India. c.200 CE
(Yaksha)

31. Bodhisattva from
Ajanta Caves
475 CE
Gupta period.
Bodhisattvas are
spiritual beings who
help others reach
nirvana.
Princely garments,
not monk’s robes like
Buddha
Outline drawing, softly
graded tones in
painting give some 3-
dimensionality

32. Buddhist
Iconography

33. Mudras
Hand gestures seen in
Buddhism

34. Forms of Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni Buddha) 563-483 BCE
Nirvana: extinction of samsara
Theraveda: self cultivation to
attain nirvana; individual
training & enightenment
Mahayana: enlightenment for all
beings; compassion. Zen and
Tibetan buddhism,
bodhissatvas as Gods
Western Pure Land Buddhism:
paradise open to all through
rebirth. Amida Buddha reached
it through faith alone.

35. Life of Buddha
Birth
Departure
Enlightenment
First Sermon
Miracles
Death
Not sermons in
stone, but
expressions of
joyful
participation in
everyday life.
The Buddha is
seen as
present in
these.

36. The Four Encounters and 6 Years

37. Enlightenment and the Defeat of Mara

38. Eightfold Path and Four Noble Truths