Study 06/19 06. Early Chinese Art and Visual Culture with 12 free online flashcards. Review key terms, definitions, and concepts with this interactive flashcard deck.
What distinguishes Yangshao and Longshan Neolithic pottery?
Yangshao painted pottery is known for red, black, geometric, and flowing motifs, while Longshan pottery is notable for extremely thin walls and polished, almost metallic surfaces.
What are the forms of a bi and a cong?
A bi is a flat jade disk with a central opening; a cong has a square exterior and a circular interior and is especially associated with Liangzhu burials.
Why did jade communicate elite status?
Nephrite jade had to be ground and polished rather than easily cut, so its labor-intensive production made it a visible sign of rank, wealth, and ritual authority.
What made Shang bronze vessels more than containers?
Bronze ritual vessels held food or wine for ceremonies involving ancestors. Their specialized casting, material resources, and ownership communicated political and religious authority.
What is the taotie motif?
The taotie is a frontal, bilaterally symmetrical mask with prominent eyes. Its meaning is debated; it may represent a supernatural creature, a protective force, or a confrontational image.
What was oracle-bone script used for?
Oracle-bone script was carved or brushed on turtle plastrons and animal scapulae used in divination. It recorded questions about matters such as weather, warfare, harvests, and sacrifice.
How did Qin and Han writing systems differ?
The Qin standardized writing through small-seal script, while clerical script became important for administration during the Han dynasty.
Why did Chinese calligraphy become an art form?
Calligraphy became an independent art because brush pressure, speed, direction, and ink saturation could make writing visually expressive and reveal the writer’s character.
What did the Qin terracotta army demonstrate?
Qin Shihuangdi’s mausoleum included thousands of life-size terracotta soldiers, horses, and chariots. The army displays the Qin state’s extraordinary ability to mobilize labor and resources.
How does the Lady Dai banner depict the afterlife?
The Han banner from Lady Dai’s tomb presents the deceased within a layered cosmos of heaven, the human world, and death, using celestial beings, sun, moon, dragons, and the underworld.
Which values does Confucianism contribute to visual culture?
Confucianism emphasizes ethical conduct, education, filial piety, social responsibility, and morally ordered government; these values appear in images of ancestors, family, exemplary rulers, and loyal officials.
What does qi mean in Chinese art?
Qi is vital energy or dynamic material force. In art, it can appear through the movement, rhythm, balance, and vitality of lines, masses, spaces, textures, and forms.