吐蕃王朝

The early seventh century was the beginning of a new phase in ancient China＇s history： Rulers of the Tang Dynasty （618-907） established a united regime, which concluded more than 300 years of separation and strife in Central China. Meanwhile, Srongtsen Gampo, based on the foundation set by his father, Namri Songtsen, built the first regime in Tibet -- the Tubo Empire.     

Blue and White Pot

Many recent archaeological studies have proven that the earliest blue and white porcelain was produced from the kiln in Gongxian County, Henan Province in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It was an important variety of porcelain available for export then. The early blue and white porcelain in the Yuan Dynasty appeared dark and gray. During the reign of Zhizheng, clear blue and white porcelain was produced, indicating     

Playing Children Adorn Ancient Porcelain

Porcelain is one of China's greatest achievernents. It appeared during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and developed into three types of blue porcelain, white porcelain and colored porcelain between the Tang and Song dynasties. From the time of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), porcelain-making evolved, glazes and colors improved and porcelain was sold overseas. The quaint shapes and colorfully deslgned porcelain of the Ming Dynasty showed the appeal of folklife, but it was mainly used in the palace. Shown here are some pieces decorated with children at play. From these artifacts we can get an idea of the hairstyles, dress and architecture of that time.     

郑人买履(英文)

To be like the man from Zheng who bought shoes. (To believe only in dogmas and ignore the objective reality). A man from the State of Zheng was going to the market to buy himself a pair of shoes.Before he left home, he measured his feet with a piece of string. He cut the sting to match the size of his foot. Then he got dressed and set off for the market. It was quite a long walk, and by the time he arrived, it was almost noon. He wasted no time in shopping for     

Celadon Figurines Play Instruments

This group of figurines, each 0.15m tall, were unearthed from a Tang Dynasty tomb in Changsha in 1977. Music was very developed in the Tang Dynasty. Colorful musical instruments and dances were popular both among the people and in the palace. These vivid-looking figurines wear pleated skirts with small sleeves and open chest, a style influenced by the non-Han nationalities living in the north and west of China. Some of the musical instruments were brought from the Western Regions. The figurines are playing the xiao (a vertical bamboo flute), the konghou (an     

Colored Clay Bodhisattva

Buddhism was introduced to Zhejiang Province during the Three Kingdoms (220-280). In the Song Dynasty the Buddhist doctrine developed with typical Chinese character. The flourishing commerce in cities and social consciousness toward real life greafiy influenced Buddhist statue art. As a result, the image of Buddha,which was a bearded male found in the Dunhuang Caves of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), changed to     

绘彩骑马女俑(唐)(英文)

This colored burial figu rine was unearthed from a tomb in Yanshi City, Henan Province and dates back to Tang Dynasty (618—907). The tomb belongs to the wife of Li Hong, the fifth son of the em-     

Memories of Lu Jingqing

Lu Jingqing was a woman of letters who wrote poems when she was young and also worked as an editor and teacher. Her main works are Women poets of the Tang Dynasty (1931), Whisper (a collection of poems, 1932), Plain Writing (a collection of verses, 1930) and The Wandering (1933). In March 1993, 86-year-old Lu Jingqing, Professor of the Shanghai College of Finance and Economics, died in Shanghai. Zhu Bokang, an old friend of Lu and her husband wrote the following article in her memory.     

Tomb of Jiangn and Jieshi Palace

The legend surrounding the tomb of Jiangn(?) is well-known throughout Suizhong County, Liaoning Province. During the reign of Emperor Shihuang of the Qin Dynasty, Fan Qiliang was spirited away on his wedding day to take part in the construction of the Great Wall. Meng Jiangn(?), his wife, travelled a thousand li (one li=0.5 km) to give him winter clothes. but found that Fan had died from exhaustion and was buried at the foot of the Great Wall.     

Color Sculptures by Zhang Runzhi

Zhang Runzhi is a clay sculptor who did not study art in college. Her sculptures, however, are popular and appreciated by people. She has created such characters from famous Chinese classical works as Lin Daiyu from Dream of Red Mansions; Lu Zhishen from Outlaws of the Marsh; Monk Tang Seng and his three disciples from Journey to the West; the White Snake, Xuxian and the Green Snake from Legend of the White Snake; as well as the Buddhas andfeitian     

The Colors of Life—Story of a Multicultural Couple

Marcia Lives Forever in People's Hearts At 6:30 am on July 25, 1996, 66-year-old Tang Xiyang parted forever with his 68-year-old American wife, Marcia B. Marks. Marcia died of cancer of the esophagus. Tang, a popular science writer, was away from his wife of 14 years when she was dying. It was the hospital that contacted him. He was preparing his luggage alone at home to lead a green camp formed by a group of university students to the natural protection zone in Deqin, Yunnan Province, to inspect golden monkeys. He planned     

Dongpo Meat

Su Dongpo (1037-1101), a famous literary figure of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), was fond of pork braised in brown sauce. He liked it so much that he wrote a poem about how to cook the dish. When Su took the post of Hangzhou Prefecture chief in 1089, he organized laborers to dredge the West Lake, store water and irrigate the fields. The locals, knowing that Su liked to eat meat, presented him with gifts of pork to show their gratitude for his good service. Soon, Su had so much pork that he did not know what to do with it He     

Peart Pawden——A Guard Against Aging

In China, the pearl has always beenconsidered a powerful agent to keep theravages of time at bay. It is said that EmpressWu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty (618-907)took pills made of pearl powder and appliedcream made of the same material to her faceas a way of keeping her beauty. When sheascended the throne at the age of 68, it issaid, she still looked young and beautiful.According to the Records of the Historianwritten by Sima Qian between 104 B.C. and91 B.C., Empress Wu was still full of vigor     

Ceramic Carvings by Qi Zheng

A reproduction of a Han Dynasty roof tile ofan ancient deer,“Muntjac.”The plate.“Namre and Girl.”A reproduction of a Qin Dynasty roof tile,“Deer.’Part of the plate,“Hen and Chicks.’’Ceramic Carvings by Qi Zheng     

Picture of Beautiful Women with Flowers in Their Hair

The painting Picture of Beautiful Women with Flowers in Their Hair is attributed by some to Zhou Fang—a well-known painter of figures in the Tang Dynasty. Painted on silk, this 46×180 cm work depicts some of the aspects of the luxurious lives of noble women during the reign of Li Kuo, an emperor of the Tang Dynasty. The painter, by employing fine lines and deep colors, creates a leisurely and carefree mood. In this scene, a group of beautiful women, five mistresses and one servant girl, are playing with dogs, catching butterflies, and enjoying the flowers on a walk in rate spring. The noble women are dressed in gorgeous silk     

Copper Adornment of the Hun Military Officer

From the late Qin Dynasty to the early Han Dynasty, the Hun tribe invaded southward taking advantage of the chaos of the Central China government, which had a tremendous impact on people's lives. After securing his power, Wudi Emperor of the Han called up his troops and attacked the Hun several times in 127BC. Frightened by the Han army, some fled and some submitted to the new dynasty. The Han emperor took a tolerent policy towards the Hun and relocated them in the northwest     

Chiseled Gold Ornament

According to some archaeological discoveries, people began to use gold to make ornaments during the Shang Dynasty, more than 3,000 years ago. This partfcular piece of chiseled gold ornament was unearthed in 1957 from the Ming Dynasty tomb of Wang Gui at You'anmen, Beijing. Wang Gui was a head of the Imperial Bodyguard in the Ming Dynasty. His eldest daughter was an imperial concubine of the Emperor Cheng Hua. Consequently, his family held a prominent position at the time. The gold ornament, 50.5 centimeters in length and 295 grams in weight, is composed of two parts. The upper part is shaped like lotus leaves, with fine double lines as the vein. To indicate auspiciousness, a pair of mandarin ducks with lotus flowers in their months sit on either side of the thick leaves. Seven long gold chains measuring 21 centimeters in length link the     

“都一处”烧麦馆 (英文)

In the late years of the Ming Dynasty (1368—1644) and the early years of Qing Dynasty(1644—1911), Wang Ruifu, the ancestor of "Du Yi Chu," left his hometown, Fushan County of Shanxi Province. and undertook a hazardous journey to Beijing to make a living.     

戴帏帽的骑马女陶俑(英文)

This colored pottery figurine was excavated from a tomb in Turpan, Xinjiang and dates back to the Tang Dynasty (AD. 618-907). The ornament is a full figured, noble lady riding a horse. Dressed in a long skirt, and sporting a veiled hat, she is beautifully captured taking the horse for a leisurely trot. This figurine is still in mint condition despite being more than one thousand years old. Luckily even the veil is still intact, which provides precious evidence for the study of women's fashion in Tang Dynasty.