Rhinoceros Horn Artifacts In Ancient China
A study of rhinoceros and rhinoceros horn artifacts in the ancient China Rhinoceros(xi犀), also named as si (兕), is a rare animal in the ancient China. They were very active in the landscape of China during the prehistoric times. Archaeologists have found the evidence of rhinoceros bones in many Neolithic relics.
Various ancient literatures such as “E Ya”, “Guo Yu”, “Lun Yu”, and “Shan Hai Jing” mention the existence of rhinoceroses and its impressive image with double horns on the snout and forehead. They used to live in China until the 14th century but then it disappeared because ancient people killed rhinoceros for many reasons. …show more content…
Its exterior carves boys frolicking in various playful pursuits. In the past history, Chinese artists preferred the theme of boys at play. For example, a famous Southern Song court artist, Su Hanchen, painted a picture named “Boys at play in an Autumn Garden” which described the children from official’s families playing with red leaves. Actually, this pictorial image implies auspicious meaning in ancient China. “Hundred boys" symbolizes luxuriant progeny and fulfillment of Confucian ideals in education. During the period of the late Ming to early Qing Dynasties, a variety of objects such as ceramic, jade, lacquer and textile artifacts favored the imagery of “hundred boys" as Chinese believe that the more children, the more …show more content…
Unlike the other magnificent design of libation cups which are made in the shape of nature form of horns, it is much similar to our modern drinking cup. In spite of its relative small size, the carvings are still has elaborate and deserve to be prized. It is noteworthy that the cup reproduces the motifs and patterns of archaic bronzes. Its body is carved with two symmetry taotie (饕餮）masks and a relief dragon is winding around the handle. It proves that archaic motifs originated bronzes were popular in the Qing Dynasty.
By the early Qing Dynasty, artistic works of rhinoceros horns inherited the Ming motifs and created a larger number of novel forms. It is also a demonstration of the advancement in craftsmanship. As the above example mentioned, archaic motifs of ancient bronzes were hot during the Yongzheng and Qianlong periods (1723-1795). The intricate design and sophisticated motifs also reveals the intellegence of the
Various ancient literatures such as “E Ya”, “Guo Yu”, “Lun Yu”, and “Shan Hai Jing” mention the existence of rhinoceroses and its impressive image with double horns on the snout and forehead. They used to live in China until the 14th century but then it disappeared because ancient people killed rhinoceros for many reasons. …show more content…
Its exterior carves boys frolicking in various playful pursuits. In the past history, Chinese artists preferred the theme of boys at play. For example, a famous Southern Song court artist, Su Hanchen, painted a picture named “Boys at play in an Autumn Garden” which described the children from official’s families playing with red leaves. Actually, this pictorial image implies auspicious meaning in ancient China. “Hundred boys" symbolizes luxuriant progeny and fulfillment of Confucian ideals in education. During the period of the late Ming to early Qing Dynasties, a variety of objects such as ceramic, jade, lacquer and textile artifacts favored the imagery of “hundred boys" as Chinese believe that the more children, the more …show more content…
Unlike the other magnificent design of libation cups which are made in the shape of nature form of horns, it is much similar to our modern drinking cup. In spite of its relative small size, the carvings are still has elaborate and deserve to be prized. It is noteworthy that the cup reproduces the motifs and patterns of archaic bronzes. Its body is carved with two symmetry taotie (饕餮）masks and a relief dragon is winding around the handle. It proves that archaic motifs originated bronzes were popular in the Qing Dynasty.
By the early Qing Dynasty, artistic works of rhinoceros horns inherited the Ming motifs and created a larger number of novel forms. It is also a demonstration of the advancement in craftsmanship. As the above example mentioned, archaic motifs of ancient bronzes were hot during the Yongzheng and Qianlong periods (1723-1795). The intricate design and sophisticated motifs also reveals the intellegence of the