Research on Folk Art of the Yellow River Delta

Author: Liu Sizhi / Cheng Xiaomin / Li Jianzhuang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: The Brilliance of Stars in Qilu Land (Preface) The origin of Shandong folk art cannot be definitively traced, but archaeological findings suggest that at least as early as the Beixin Culture period of the Neolithic Age, around 7300 to 6300 years ago, the Dongyi people, the indigenous inhabitants of the renowned Shandong region in Chinese history, had already created awe-inspiring ancient cultures. In historical studies, ancient music and dance are generally regarded as the earliest forms of art. However, due to the characteristics of these art forms, few "fossilized" empirical evidences are available. In contrast, the examination of folk handicrafts provides clearer clues. Su Bingqi, known as the "pioneer of Chinese archaeology," once pointed out: "During the formation of archaeological cultural regions and types, the six major cultural systems of Chinese archaeology were divided into three facing the ocean—east centered around Shandong, southeastern centered around the Taihu Lake Basin, and southern centered around the middle axis of Poyang Lake–Pearl River Delta—and three facing the Eurasian continent—north centered around the Yan Mountains and the Great Wall region, central plains centered around Guanzhong, Xixi, and Jinnan, and southwestern centered around Dongting Lake and the Sichuan Basin." As the eastern center, the Shandong region is not a monolithic entity. The natural geography and cultural conditions of the Shandong Peninsula exhibit both inward and outward tendencies, and different areas have distinct characteristics throughout historical development. Since 1977, Chinese archaeology has proposed that the Yantai region or Laizhou Bay and Jiaodong should form a separate cultural system. In 1981, it was suggested that the ancient culture near Jiaozhou Bay in northern Shandong differs from that in southern Shandong. By 1988, the topics of "Qingzhou Archaeology" and "Jiaodong Archaeology" were formally proposed. Following this line of thought, conducting detailed research on the characteristics of folk art in different regions of the Shandong Peninsula is undoubtedly a beneficial exploration. My friend Liu Sizhi's Research on Folk Art in the Yellow River Delta recently completed this summer has taken a new step in this field of exploration. The Yellow River Delta region, as a unique geographical phenomenon, is a distinctive area in mainland China where time is continuously transformed into new land. Here, the accumulation of civilized history and the expansion of land create a vibrant humanistic landscape. Whether the folk art of the Yellow River Delta can form its own unique cultural history system, I dare not easily agree, and the author of this book also does not draw a definitive conclusion. However, as a dynamic, vibrant, and unique geographical region with both inward and outward tendencies, the Yellow River Delta is a worthy subject of study within the cultural history system centered around Shandong. The author points out that the folk art of the Yellow River Delta gradually formed during the wars and population migrations since the Ming Dynasty, blending multiple cultural colors into a composite folk culture. On the other hand, the relatively closed geographical and transportation conditions allowed this multi-faceted folk life to be refined over the long term with the local land, climate, and production conditions, intensifying its regional characteristics. I believe this research and analytical approach is scientific. Following this path, we see both the origins of local artistic techniques in communication with the outside world and the lively echoes of regional life in the comparative differences of this developmental change. From this perspective, the author conducted extensive research on physical artifacts and supplemented them with rich illustrations, which were highly enlightening to read. My knowledge of regional folk art is limited, but in recent years, as a member of the "Qilu Culture Research Center," a key research base for humanities and social sciences in local universities under the Ministry of Education, I have participated in some investigations and research on folk art in the Qilu region. Seeing so many energetic scholars engaged in this research has greatly encouraged me. If we say that the folk life of Shandong, with its unique humanistic and historical background on the vast land of China, preserves abundant historical and cultural information, then the diligent work and research achievements of contemporary Shandong scholars demonstrate the confidence and practice of inheriting and promoting the wisdom of history and culture. In the broader context of the world, Su Bingqi once summarized the fundamental characteristics of Chinese history: "A cultural root of over a million years, a civilization that began thousands of years ago, a ancient nation of five thousand years, and a unified Chinese entity of two thousand years." Among these, the Shandong region can undoubtedly be described as "The Brilliance of Stars in Qilu Land." My friend Liu Sizhi asked me to write the preface, and I take this opportunity to wish him continued success in his work, teaching, and research. Let us work solidly together and contribute our modest efforts to the thriving modern cultural construction of Shandong.