History of Chinese Art from the Neolithic to the Qin (-206)

Neolithic (-5150 to -2190 BC)

Yangshao Culture (circa -5000 to -3000 BC)

Painted pottery is one of the main achievements of this period. The ceramics of the Yangshao culture are adorned with complex geometric patterns, often in spirals or zigzags. These potteries testify to a technical mastery that reflects a society in full structuring. The containers were used for domestic purposes but also for funerary rituals.

Longshan Culture (circa -2500 to -2000 BC)

The black pottery of the Longshan culture marks a notable evolution. Extremely fine, some pieces are so light that they are called "eggshell pottery." The relief decorations, often made without pigments, demonstrate great technical skill. These potteries also illustrate a more hierarchical society, where symbolic objects play a more important role.

Xia Dynasty (circa -2200 to -1600 BC)

Although the Xia dynasty remains partly mythical, archaeological traces, such as those of the Erlitou culture, provide clues about the art of this period. The bronze vases of Erlitou, with their thin walls, testify to the development of metallurgy and a society already oriented towards sophisticated rites.

Shang Dynasty (-1600 to -1046 BC)

Ritual Bronze Art

Under the Shang, bronze art reached technical heights of perfection. The shapes of the vases are harmonious, often monumental, and the decorative motifs become richer over time, first abstract then zoomorphic (dragons, tigers, birds). These objects were essential to religious and funerary rites.

Red Lacquer and Jade

The Shang dynasty is also marked by the use of lacquer, often red, applied to wood to create durable objects. Jade sculptures, a sacred material, show artisanal virtuosity and were used for ritual purposes.

Bone Divination

The Shang practiced divination by engraving inscriptions on animal bones, notably ox scapulas or turtle shells. These inscriptions, known as oracle bones, constitute the earliest forms of Chinese writing.

Zhou Dynasty (-1046 to -256 BC)

Western Zhou Period (Xi Zhou) (-1046 to -771 BC)

At the beginning of the Zhou, bronze art declined slightly, partly due to the use of captured artisans during the conquests. However, this period saw the appearance of longer inscriptions on bronze vases, showing an evolution towards more formal writing. The patterns remain geometric, but with a certain rigidity.

Bamboo Writing

During the Zhou, writing began to be done on bamboo strips, marking a new stage in the archiving and dissemination of written texts.

Writing on bamboo. Chujian style.
 

Eastern Zhou Period (Dong Zhou) (-770 to -256 BC)

This period is marked by political fragmentation, but also by intense artistic and intellectual creativity.

Warring States Period (-475 to -221 BC)

Evolution of Art

During this period, art diversified with increasingly secular motifs and influences from several distinct cultural entities. A strong stylization of the motifs is observed, characterized by complex interlacings and vivid color contrasts. The royal tombs of this era are often adorned with sumptuous wall paintings.

Bronze Art and Figurative Scenes

The artisans of the Warring States period pushed the limits of bronze work, with vases often decorated with narrative scenes, such as hunts, inlaid in the metal.

Winged man
 

Hunting scene inlaid in a bronze vase
 

Famous painters and calligraphers of the Warring States period: Jing Jun.

Qin Dynasty (-221 to -206 BC)

Qin Shi Huang and Monumental Art

The first emperor Qin, Qin Shi Huang, is famous for having unified China and standardized many aspects of culture, from writing to weights and measures. Art under the Qin dynasty is resolutely in the service of the State, with a grandiose and military aesthetic. The most emblematic example is the Terracotta Army buried in Xi'an, representing thousands of life-size soldiers, testifying to the power and wealth of the emperor.

Colored horse on a lacquer vase
Height of the vase: 22.8 cm, max. diameter 24.2 cm
 

Famous Painters and Calligraphers

Among the notable artists of the Qin period are Jing Jun, as well as the calligraphers Lie Yi, Li Si, and Cheng Miao, who left works in which technical precision and rigor are omnipresent.