This slideshow is the fourth of a series of Ancient Art –Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Chinese. Part of the material was from A015 Ancient Chinese Bronze and part from A041-Jade. But many new slides were add and many were discarded and modified. It is mainly divided into four sections –Pre-historic China, Bronze Age, Iron Age of Qin and Han with two important section on SanXingDue and Dian Kingdom. 10 May 2021.

1. Ancient Chinese
Art
Prehistoric to Han
First created 28 Apr 2021. Version13.0 - 10 May 2021. Daperro. London.

2. Pre-historic Culture

3. From the study of ancient jade, archaeologists can identify three main cultural
regions in Neolithic China. They were :-
Ancient cultural Regions 12000 BC- 2000 BC
Qiang 羌 (Central China,
mid Yellow River area) by
the people of Hua-Xia 華夏,
their jade as Da Jade 大玉.
Yi 夷 (NE China Liao River, to
Shandong and later to Henan)
by the people of Eastern Yi 東
夷, their jade as Yi Jade 夷玉.
Yue 越 (East China, Mid and
lower Yangtse River) by the
people of Miao-Man 苗蠻, their
jade as Yue Jade 越玉.
Yi Jade - Hongshan Pig Dragon
c3500-2000 BC. Private
collection.夷
Yue Jade - Liangzhu Cong.
C3400-2200 BC. Hillwood Art
Museum, Washington DC.越
Da Yue – Sceptre blade.
c2205-1760 BC. National
Palace Museum, Taipei. 羌

4. Archaeology in China began about the first decade
in the 20th century. Within this short time, it has
revolutionalized our understanding of the ancient
China. It makes the past come alive again.
In particular, the discovery of ancient bronze away
from the ‘Chinese cradle’ of the Yellow River paints a
picture of a multi-cantered civilization, developing in
along different lines.
Face on Ding, Honan. 1000 BC. Shang.
Ancient Bronze 12C BC- 10C BC
From Henan. 1000 BC. Shang.
From Beijing. 11-12C BC.
Shang.
From Beijing. 11-12 BC. Zhou.
Chariot Face. c1000 BC. Zhou.

5. Yangshao Culture c5000-3000 BC

6. Jade cultural regions in China – Huaxia (Central), Hongshan (Eastern) and Liangzhu
(Southern)
Rites & Rituals
Burial Rites
Uses of Neolithic Jade
State & Religious Ceremony
Less developed use of Jade as utensil (cups etc), Ornaments (ear rings etc) and for decorative
display (tablet etc) are less or not develop yet. Jade was used for its magical properties.

7. Huaxia 華夏
The Hua-Xia people founded the Xia Dynasty (2070 – 1600 BC) 夏, the first dynasty in Chinese history, had ritual jade
of large long blades, such as knives, sceptres and other weapons.
Yue Axe 銊. Erlitou Culture IV (c1600-1500 BC). Jade H 54 cm.
Institute of Archaeology, CASS, Beijing.
Zhang 璋. Erlitou Culture III (c1700-1600 BC).
Institute of Archaeology, CASS, Beijing.

8. Hongshan 紅山
The Eastern Yi people founded the Shang Dynasty (1600 – 1046 BC) 商, the second dynasty in
Chinese history, inherited the jade tradition of the Hongshan Culture (3500-2000 BC) 紅山文化.
Their jade objects included animal figures (birds, fish, cicadas, turtles etc.) sacred animals and
were probably used to communicate with the spiritual world. Other jade objects included axe, bi
disks, C-shape dragon, the pig-dragon, hooked-cloud pendants Their jades were often covered
with animal and monster motif.

9. The people of Hongshan
Culture were probably the
first group of people who
began to use Jade in
China. They originated in
the valley of Liao River.
Their jade objects were
more plentiful and had
more varieties than other
groups.
A Hongshan culture tomb at Niuheliang (c3770-2920 BC),
showing the use of jade as burial objects.
Hongshan 紅山

10. Pig-Dragon 豬龍 c3500 BC. Jade. H 9.3 cm. British Museum, London.
Eagle-like Bird. 2500-2000 BC.
Nephrite. H 3.8 cm. Hillwood Art
Museum, Washington DC.
The pig-dragon could be the
forerunner of the mythical
Chinese dragon.
Hongshan 紅山

11. Liangzhu 良渚 c3200 – 2000 BC
Three Tier Cong with Faces.
Liangzhu Culture (3200-2000 BC).
From Fanshan Yuhang, Zhejiang.
Zhejiang Provincial Institute of
Archaeology, Hangzhou.
For the Miao-Man people of Yue area is represented by the Liangzhu culture (3400-
2000 BC) 良渚文化 of Eastern China. Their most well-know jade pieces is the
Cong tubes and lightly marked bi disks.

12. Bi Disk 壁
One of enduring popular format for jade is the Bi Disk 壁.
c3200-2000 BC.
c2000 BC.
206 BC.
475-221 BC.

13. Dynastic Mainstream
During the first 1500 years, the territories under the dynasty control stay more or less the same. However,
during the last 450 years the area under Qin and Han control has greatly expanded at time.

14. Shang (c 1700-1500 BC)
This piece was made during the beginning of the Bronze Age in China.

15. Shang Dynasty (c 1600-1046 BC)
A Flat Dragon with Crested Back. Shang. Jade. It is
believed that these objects were originally used as
mortuary earrings.
A Jade Plaque. Shang. Green Nephrite with trace of
red pigment. The plaque is carved with a taotie
mask 饕餮 or dragon face.

16. Shang Dynasty (1300-1050 BC)

17. Hunan (South China) 1300-1000 BC

18. Helmet. C1200-1050 BC. Late
Shang. Jiangxi Provincial
Museum, Nanchang. Found in
1989 at Dayangzhou, Xin’gan,
Jiangxi, together with some
1300 articles.
Shang Dynasty (1200-1050 BC)

19. Zhou Dynasty (1100-1000 BC)

20. Human Face, Ding. c 1000 BC.
Bronze. Hunan Provincial
Museum, China. Unearthed in
1959, at Huangcai, Ning Hsien,
Hunan.
大禾人面方鼎
湖南宇乡县黄材镇
Zhou c1000 BC

21. Burial Face Coverings 9-8C BC,
Western Zhou (1046-771 BC).
Unearthed from the village of
Tianma-Qucum 天 馬 曲 村 ,
county Quwo 曲沃 Shanxi, in the
tomb of a Jin dynasty 晉 lords.
Shanxi Provincial Institute of
Archaeology, Taiyuan, Shanxi.
Western Zhou (1046 – 771 BC)

22. Zhou (700-500 BC)
Wine Vessel, Hu. 蓮瓣蓋龍紋壼 700-
500 BC. Zhou. Shanghai Museum.
China. Taken in London. 3 Feb 2009.
In 771 BC, China was divided into many
states. Imposing ritual vessels such as
this were owned by lords as sign of status.

23. Eastern Zhou (600 BC- 401 BC)
Dagger handle, 600-401
BC. Gold. British Museum.
Gold of this date is rare. The decoration is an
interlaced pattern of dragons. This is an excellent
piece of workmanship. As it was made of gold, it is
very fragile, which probably made for display or for
Placing in a tomb.

24. Two such chariots were found. The number chariot has an enclosed Cabin. .
Qin (247 –220 BC)

25. Qin Dynasty 246-208 BC
Qin Shi Huang 秦 始 皇
mausoleum was built over 38
years, from 246 to 208 BC. It is
located in the outskirt of Xian.
The tomb itself has not been
excavated.
Currently the excavation is
focused on areas surrounding the
tomb, including the Terracotta
Army to the east of the tomb.
Terracotta Army served as a
garrison to the mausoleum and
has yet to be completely
excavated.

26. Qin Dynasty 246-208 BC

27. Qin Dynasty 246-208 BC
Emperor Qin Shi Huang mausoleum no. 1 pit. It took 38 years from 246 to 208 BC to
complete. This pit is filled with statues of a terracotta army of the emperor.

28. Western Han (206 BC – 9 AD)
Tou Wen’s 竇綰 Jade Suit. C118-104 BC, Western Han. The Cultural Relics and Archaeological Institute of Hebei
The burial in jade suits began in Han. At one times, these practices were fairly widespread.
In his tomb there were 419 bronze objects, 499 iron objects, 21 gold items, 77 gold objects,
78 jade objects, 70 lacquer objects, 574 pieces of pottery, 6 chariots and silk fabrics.

29. A gilded palace lamp. 173-159 BC.
Bronze. 48 cm high. Western Han.
Hebei Provincial Museum.
Found in Royal Tomb, Mancheng Country,
Hubei, Wuhan, in 1958. The base of the
lamp can be turned to direct the light.
Smoke from lamp was channeled through
the sleeve to the base to be dissolved in
water.
West Han (173 – 159 AD)

30. During Han Dynasty ritual
jades were on the decline but
offset by the rising custom of
using jades in burial. Jades
were also used for purely
decorative purposes, like
human and animal figurines.
(NB. Han dynasty is the
Chinese equivalent to the
Roman empire in Europe.)
Jade in Han Dynasty (202 BC- 220AD)

31. Galloping Horse. Late 2C- Early 3C (Eastern Han). Bronze. Gansu Provincial Museum.
Lanzhou. Found in Leitai, Wuwei, Gansu in 1969.
飛馬踏燕
武威,甘肅
East Han Dynasty (25 – 220 AD)

32. East Han (25 – 220 AD)
This entertainer specialised in a
genre of story telling, whereby their
stories were both spoken and
sung.
Made with reddish brown clay. the
story teller merrily beats his drum,
his fully belly hangs pendulously,
over the ground.
He balances on his left leg, with
the right one kicking upward, as he
sings in time to the beat, full of
emotions.

33. Sanxingdui 三星堆
Previously unknown, these bronze objects were unearth at Guanghan 廣漢, Sichuan
in 1986. The bronze are dated between 1200 – 1000 BC. Little is known about the
people. They left nothing in the historical record, not even in myth. Archaeology
shows that they lived in a walled city founded in 1600 BC. The size of their city was
equal to the Shang capital Ao, in scale and in development

34. Sanxingdui (1200 – 1000 BC)

35. Sanxingdui (1200 – 1000 BC)
At the top, a small figure represents
some of sort of imaginary human-
like being, with a crown on his
head. Its eyes are heavily rimmed,
rather like the eyes of a large bird,
with a beak nose and body also
resembles a bird-like being, with
wings and claws.
A plug-like shape at the bottom of
the column suggests that the article
can be inserted into some kind of a
stand for the different occasion for
different occasions.

36. Sanxingdui (1200 – 1000 BC)

37. Sanxingdui (1200 – 1000 BC)

38. Sanxingdui (1200 – 1000 BC)
A Human-like Head. Bronze. C1200-1000 BC. Height 36.7 cm. Sanxingdui. Sichuan.

39. Sanxingdui (1200 – 1000 BC)

40. Sanxingdui (1200 – 1000 BC)

41. Sanxingdui (1200 – 1000 BC)

42. Dian Culture 滇國
The Dian lived around Lake Dian in northern Yunnan around 279 BC to 109 BC,
around same time the Warring States and Han Dynasty. The Dian buried their kings
at Shizhaishan, which was unearthed in 1954- 普宁, 石寨山, 雲南.

43. Dian Kingdom (279 – 109 BC)

44. Dian Kingdom (279 – 109 BC)

45. Dian Kingdom (279 – 109 BC)

46. Dian Kingdom (279 – 109 BC)

47. Dian Kingdom (279 – 109 BC)

48. Dian Kingdom (279 – 109 BC)

49. Dian Kingdom (279 – 109 BC)

50. Dian Kingdom (279 – 109 BC)

51. Dian Kingdom (279 – 109 BC)

52. The End
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Music – Sad Romance Tear - Piano.mp3

53. Ancient Arts