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| Bronzes of the Six Dynasties, Sui, and T'ang |
After the Han dynasty (206 B.C.E.-220 C.E.), there was a sharp decline in bronze production, with the exception of lanterns and incense burners, which still remained popular. The bronze industry of the post-Han period was primarily occupied by the manufacture of mirrors. In technical terms, the composition of the alloy changed to include a greater percentage of tin, resulting in a brighter color and more lustrous finish on the polished mirror surface. The decorative motifs on mirror backs came from traditional designs of linear forms or sculpted low-relief images, and came to include multi-layered high-relief designs. The flowers, birds, and landscape forms that began to appear on mirrors exhibited a style somewhat similar to that of contemporary paintings. New forms, like auspicious creatures and grapes, are clearly cultural expressions of foreign influence in this medium at the time. |
Jar with ch'ih-dragon ears and motif of birds and animals
Bronze
Northern Wei dynasty, 386-534 |
Pottery of the Six Dynasties, Sui, and T'ang
Potters of the Six Dynasties (221-580) through the T'ang dynasty (618-907) period turned their attention to the naturalistic and lively representation of modeling forms and the use of low-temperature glazes. In terms of funerary clay figures that thoroughly document the aspects of daily life at the time, they include ceremonial guards, cavalry, chariot riders, servants, vessels of daily use, and motifs of a religious nature that were either auspicious or served to dispel malignant influences. Gray ware pottery figures were sculpted in the following manner: clay was modeled into the appropriate shape, color added by applying a vitreous lead glaze, and then the piece fired at a low temperature, resulting in the final appearance. Yellow, green, and white were the most prevalent colors of glaze in this style of coloration, known as "san ts'ai", or tri-color glaze. In addition to these three more common hues, brownish-red, eggplant, sky blue, deep yellow, and other glaze colors appear in pottery pieces of the period, and they were applied to the surface using a variety of methods, including splashes, dyes, and imprinting.
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Stand in the shape of an auspicious lion in green glaze
Porcelain
West Chin dynasty, 265-316
Donated by Mr. Lin Cheng-fong |
Figurine of a standing lady painted with colors
T'ang dynasty 618-907
Donated by Mr. Tsui Tsin-tong |
Porcelain of the Sui and T'ang Dynasties, 581-907
During the Sui and T'ang dynasties, kilns thrived in both northern and southern China. White-glazed porcelains from the Hsing kilns in Hopeh as well as the Ting kilns enjoyed broad popularity. Anhwei, Hunan, and Shansi were especially known for their celadons. The Yüeh-chou region, an area surrounding present-day Lake Shang-lin in Tz'u-hsi County, Chekiang, was the reigning center of porcelain production. Wares of the region delivered to the imperial court after the mid-T'ang were characterized by a quality called "mi-se (mysterious color)". The culture of drinking tea predominated during the Sui and T'ang (581-907), and descriptive phrases on porcelains abounded, such as "the white glaze of Hsing wares glistens like silver and is as white as snow," and "the glaze of Yüeh celadons is green like jade and as translucent as ice." The appreciation of porcelain rose to the level of passionate debate, and porcelains were discussed in formulations of aesthetic theory. Multi-colored splashed glazes and painting found on the surface of Ch'ang-sha wares brought even greater attention to the study of ceramics and porcelains and to further invention in the realm of their imaginative embellishment.
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Basin in mi-se green glaze
Porcelain, Yüen ware
Five dynasty, 907-960 |
Vase with loops in a white glaze
Porcelain, Hsing ware
T'ang dynasty 618-907 |
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