Art History 370/East Asian 355: Arts of China

Study Sheet #4: The Qin and Han Dynasties

Map marking ancient sites, modern cities and provinces

CHRONOLOGY AND HISTORY

Qin (221-206 BCE):

One of the "warring states" in northwest China; deposed the nominal Zhou ruler in 256 BCE. Defeated other states and unified China as Qin dynasty. Ruler proclaimed himself "First Emperor" (Shihuangdi). Capital at Xianyang, Shaanxi. Instituted bureaucratic administration of centralized empire, burned books, standardized weights, measures, legal codes and written script ("seal script"). Buried in mausoleum made to replicate the universe, guarded by army of pottery and bronze warriors.

Han (206 BCE - 220 CE; Ebrey 202-220):

Divided into Western Han (206 BCE-9 CE), with capital at Chang'an (modern Xi'an), and Eastern Han (25-220 CE), with capital at Luoyang. Founded by a rebel general who kept but humanized Qin policies and institutions; enlarged the empire beyond previous boundaries and engaged in long-distance trade with the Mediterranean world over the "Silk Road." Start of civil service examination system to select officials who were educated in the Confucian books. Long period of cultural splendor. Ever since, the Chinese have called themselves "people of Han."

Western Han

Eastern Han

ART AND CULTURE


Many richly furnished tombs providing for the afterlife of the deceased's soul (examples: tomb of Qin Shihuangdi in Linping, Shaanxi; tombs of Prince Liu Sheng and Princess Dou Wan at Mancheng, Hebei; tomb of Marquise of Dai at Mawangdui, Hunan).

 

Sculpture:

Pottery army of Qin Shihuangdi; Han begins practice of erecting stone animals to line the road to important tombs (e.g. horse at tomb of Huo Qubing); bronze figures and horses made by lost-wax casting.

Painting:

Silk banners from tombs in Changsha and Mawangdui, Hunan; tomb murals from Luoyang area (e.g. lintel & pediment in Boston Museum); paintings on lacquer (e.g. box depicting filial paragons); pictures carved on the stone walls of offering shrines (Wu Family Shrines in Shandong); scenes molded on clay tiles that lined tomb walls (Sichuan).

Ceramics:

Green-glazed earthenware utensils and figures (mingqi) made for burial in tombs as surrogates for the "real thing".

Philosophy:

Legalism; "state Confucianism"; yin-yang, "Five Elements"; quest for immortality; first history Shiji, Record of the Grand Historian, Sima Qian (145-85 BCE).