Tang Dynasty Tomb Figurines, an Introduction

Musicians on camels, women on horseback, and terrifying guardians—these are some of the figurines found in Tang dynasty tombs Source: Smarthistory

Arhat (Luohan)

Why this Buddhist Monk statue defies traditional depictions of religious figures. This life-size sculpture is part of a group of sixteen figures that have been known in the West since 1913. Thought to have come from a cave in Yixian, Hebei province, they represent arhats (or luohans, as they are known in China). Arhats were […]

Buddha of Medicine Bhaishajyaguru (Yaoshi fo)

Buddha of Medicine Bhaishajyaguru (Yaoshi fo), c. 1319, Yuan dynasty, water-based pigments on clay mixed with straw, 24 feet, 8 inches x 49 feet 7 inches / 751.8 cm x 1511.3 cm (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York). Speakers: Dr. Jennifer N. McIntire and Dr. Steven Zucker. Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker.

Curator-Led Tour of The Silk Roads Exhibition at The British Museum

Rather than a single trade route between East and West, the Silk Roads were an overlapping network connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe. Today, with the help of curators Sue Brunning, Luk Yu-ping, Elisabeth O’Connell, and Zumrad Ilyasova, you will travel through the networks of the Silk Roads, following in the footsteps of the people and […]

Style in Chinese Landscape Painting: The Yuan Legacy

A tradition dating to the third century, landscape painting is one of the most outstanding achievements of Chinese culture. Key styles in this genre emerged during the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368) and are still followed today. This exhibition presented six important styles, including five new ones developed by individual Yuan masters and a continuation of an […]

Xie Chufang, Fascination of Nature, Handscroll

This is a rare example of a signed and dated painting from the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368). The subject matter is that of animals and insects feeding off each other. A toad lies in wait for ants, which in turn are dismembering a butterfly; a dragonfly attacks a smaller insect which the lizard is hunting, and […]

Gu Kaizhi, Nymph of the Luo River

This handscroll illustrates a long poem written in 222 C.E. by the poet and prince Cao Zhi (192–232). The poem describes the prince’s imaginary romantic encounter with the nymph, or goddess, of the Luo River in central China. They fall in love but eventually part with one another. The prince and the goddess are repeatedly […]

Earning a Living on the Grand Canal: Wang Shishen’s Garden Scenes

Wang Shishen, album leaves, 1731 (Qing dynasty) (Shanghai Museum, China). A conversation between Dr. Kristen Loring Brennan and Dr. Beth Harris.          

Hua Yan, Pheasant, Bamboo and Chrysanthemum

Hua Yan, Pheasant, Bamboo and Chrystanthemum, hanging scroll, 18th century, Qing (1644–1911), ink and color on paper, 106.8 x 47.2 cm (Shanghai Museum, China) A conversation between Dr. Kristen Loring Brennan and Dr. Steven Zucker  

Leshan Giant Buddha of Mount Emei

The first Buddhist temple in China was built here in Sichuan Province in the 1st century C.E. in the beautiful surroundings of the summit Mount Emei. The addition of other temples turned the site into one of Buddhism’s holiest sites. Over the centuries, the cultural treasures grew in number. The most remarkable is the Giant […]