The Chinese Memory-Part4

The Chinese Memory
Exhibition at the Capital Museum, China
July 29 – October 7, 2008
Beijing, China
http://www.capitalmuseum.org.cn/exhibitionpage/zgjy.htm
Translated and edited by Staff of Orilily LLC

Part 4- The End of the Ancient Chapter (900-1800)

The spirit of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) turned from splendor and extravagance to inner peace and happiness, and was very particular about elegant and subtle sensibility. Music, chess, calligraphy, and painting became the subject of the emotional expression by the elite and the intellectuals. Tea and wine savoring became stylish and fashionable. The philosophical understanding of life and the world reached a new peak, which was often reflected in porcelains of Song.

At the same time, some northern tribes pushed to the south, took up territories, and introduced their own culture elements to the Chinese. However, no matter how far these tribes went, their culture elements were eventually assimilated by the Chinese culture, although they added additional charms to and enriched the Chinese culture.

In the about five hundred years of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the vastly enriched Chinese culture was further developed and refined. The Forbidden City was the highlight of the rich and sophisticated culture. The naming of the halls in the Forbidden City, such as the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Preserving Harmony, reflected the desire of peace and harmony by the Chinese.

Silk painting of entertainment at the imperial palace (1465-1487)

Chinese lion dancing with a ball (960-1127)

Fine porcelain vase for Buddist worship (960-1127)

Brozne dragon used as decoration on the imperial wagons (1115-1234)

Gold plated silver mask, used to cover the face of the dead in Mongolia (916-1125)

Flower pot (960-1279)

Fine blue porcelain vase for decoration purpose (1127-1279)

Fine porcelain wine jar with warming bowl (960-1127)

Porcelain pillow with opera figures (1271-1368)

Fine lama temple jar with red glaze, much harder to make than blue porcelain

The Chinese Memory-Part 3

The Chinese Memory Exhibition at the Capital Museum, China
July 29 – October 7, 2008 Beijing, China http://www.capitalmuseum.org.cn/exhibitionpage/zgjy.htm
Translated and edited by Staff of Orilily LLC

Part 3 – Times of Prosperity and Flourish (BC200-AD900)





The integration of the regional civilizations by the Qin Dynasty led to the prosperity of the following Han Dynasty (BC206-AD220), the people of Han, the language of Han, and the characters of Han were therefore named. This was the period when the Roman Empire was shinning in the West.

Within the next several hundred years, the Han culture gradually spread out further to the south, the style and beauty of blue China had become the subject of people’s emotional expression. At the same time, some northern tribes began moving to its south and Buddhist began to move to its east, along with Greek and Persian culture elements, their assimilation into the original Han culture added special charm of commonality with diversity.

By the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the enlightened political environment and the open society led to the flourish and absorption of diversified ethnic groups, cultures, and religions. The Silk Road invited not only the merchants, but also culture and arts from all corners of the world. There was the unprecedented communication and assimilation between south and north and east and west, leading the Tang Dynasty to the top of the civilization in the world at the time.

Silk painting (618-907)

Blue porcelain jar with Buddhist motif (386-581)

Bronze horse resembling the horses for official transportation (25-220)

Jade clothes with gold threads for the imperial dead (BC206-AD25)

Bronze bull and tiger table (BC206-AD25)

Bathing plate, diameter 72.5cm (BC206-AD25)

Funny pottery figure (25-220)

Bronze Leonard with gold and silver inlay (BC206-AD25)

A popular design of bronze lamp (25-220)

Environmental friendly bronze lamp (BC206-AD25), smoke goes to the body of the goose

The Chinese Memory-Part 2

The Chinese Memory
Exhibition at the Capital Museum, China
July 29 – October 7, 2008
Beijing, China
http://www.capitalmuseum.org.cn/exhibitionpage/zgjy.htm
Translated and edited by Staff of Orilily LLC


Part 2 –Govern the Country with Ritual Music (BC2000-BC200)

With the development of statehood, Chinese civilization reached its first booming period, symbolized by the sophisticated bronze ware and the ritual music that were mainly used for governing the states.

Xia Dynasty (BC2000 – BC1500) , Shang Dynasty (BC1500-BC1000), and Zhou (BC1000-BC221) are the three states before Qin Dynasty (BC221-BC207) which consolidated the small states into one, and started the Chinese order and normalcy that lasted for the following 2000 more years.

Xia Dynasty was established by Xia Yu in the area that is in today's He Nan province. Chinese scholars considered this area as the central region (Zhong Yuan) for that time.

The exquisite bronze ware were mainly used for sacrifice rites, they carry the message of the stately and overly elaborate rites to us

The booming development of bronze ware in the central region radiated to the neighbouring regions, leading to the thriving civilization of those regions with their own character and charm

Warrior and war related articles from Qin

Qin is a small state to the west. After a fast development period, it became very powerful and consolidated the other six states, leading to the establishment of the Qin Dynasty, which was widely regarded as the beginning of the Middle Kingdom. Qin Dynasty standardized the measuring system and characters, integrated the local civilizations, and set a profound foundation for the Chinese civilization that we know today.

Sun God Bird in Gold (BC1300-BC1046)

It has been adopted as the symbol of Chinese Culture Heritage since Aug.16, 2005

Wine pot carried by two naked men (BC1046-BC771)

Bronze axe with human face (~BC1300-BC1046)

Bronze carriage with human figures

without foot/feet from punishment (BC1046-BC771)

The earliest bronze wine cup (~BC2070-BC1600)

Bronze drum carrier with dragon and tiger sculptures (BC770-BC476)
Drum was used for war, sacrifice rites, etc. at the time

Wine kettle (BC770-BC476)

Flying dragon and dancing phoenix jade ornament (BC475-BC221)

Lacquer container with snake as foot and a phoenix in the middle carrying the plate

beautiful and vivid inlays of dragon, phoenix, snake and turtle (BC475-BC221)

The Chinese Memory-Part 1

The Chinese Memory Exhibition at the Capital Museum, China

July 29 – October 7, 2008 Beijing, China http://www.capitalmuseum.org.cn/exhibitionpage/zgjy.htm

Translated and edited by Staff of Orilily LLC

First Light of Dawn (BC5000-BC2000)

It’s a long lasting civilization. The Chinese ancestors developed knowledge about the nature and themselves, as well as the relationship between the two. They were able to do farming and house-building. Communicative symbols were developed, utensils for daily life and bronze ware for rituals became very sophisticated and technologically advanced, tribes evolved into states and countries, the long lasting Chinese civilization had just begun.

Flute made of crane bone (~BC6000) believed to be the earliest music instrument that has ever been discovered, and it still works today


Jade-pig dragon (BC4000 - BC3000) A prototype of Chinese Dragon






Pottery bowl (BC5000-BC3000)with human face and fish motif, sometimes appear in Chinese textbooks as example of ancient Chinese civilization





Hollow jade (BC3300-BC2250)reflecting the ancient Chinese believe

that the heaven is round and the earth is square

Animal pottery pot (BC4400-BC4100)

Myterious motif on pottery cup (BC4400-BC4100), believed to represent the ancient Chinese view of the universe at the time

Black eggshell pottery cup (BC2500-BC2000), representing the highest level of sophistication and technological advance at the time

The Chinese Memory-Preface

The Chinese Memory Exhibition at the Capital Museum, China
July 29 – October 7, 2008, Beijing, China http://www.capitalmuseum.org.cn/exhibitionpage/zgjy.htm
Translated and edited by Staff of Orilily LLC

It’s a long standing and well-established oriental civilization, neither the numerous pushes to the south by the northern nomadic tribes, nor the invasions from the Western countries, has interrupted its hand-down and progress, remarkable and outstanding, in the far-east.

This rich and profound oriental civilization started from its ancient Chinese principles, never stopped renewing itself by the way of assimilating and merging with civilizations from other regions, and always striving to contribute its own share to the progress of world civilization as a whole.

The core of Chinese civilization is to reach the harmony between human and nature, to realize the immortality of human being through creation of life from generation to generation.