Great Wall of China to the Song Dynasty Volume

Author: Zhou Jiyin Wang Fengzhu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-05-01
Features: "When at home, one's works fill the halls; when out, they make the oxen and horses sweat." These two lines from the Tang Dynasty are useful for those engaged in scholarship. However, academic pursuits are limited by both energy and time. Thus, the phrase "When at home, one's works fill the halls" also implies that when writing or establishing theories, one must rely on the academic achievements of predecessors or contemporaries. If academic research requires starting from scratch in every aspect, it is impractical. Therefore, Liang Qichao said, "When studying history, one should value oneself as well as others." He further stated, "Scholars must value reference books." Professor Zhou Jiyin of Nanjing University of the Arts, for over three decades, has dedicated much effort to laying the foundation for art history research alongside his teaching duties. His work is beneficial not only for his own studies but also for others. In December of this year, Professor Zhou Jiyin accompanied Professor Hisashi Kondō of Tama Art University on a visit to Hangzhou and other places. During their meeting, Zhou showed me the second proofs of his "Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Paintings Through the Ages" (hereinafter referred to as "The Illustrated Catalogue"), covering the Warring States to Song Dynasties. After reading it, I deeply felt his diligent and persistent scholarship. Without day and night effort and solid work, such a monumental work would not have been possible.
The compilation of "painting catalogs" has a long history. During the Six Dynasties, there was the "Taqing Catalogue." In the Tang and Song Dynasties, there were the "Zhenguan Public and Private Paintings Collection," "Painting History," and "Xuanhe Painting Catalogue." In the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, there were numerous catalogs such as "Painting and Calligraphy Catalogue," "Qinghe Painting and Calligraphy Ferry," "Shigu Painting and Calligraphy Collection," "Life of Splendor," "Grand View Record," "Shiqu Baobu," and "Secret Hall Gems." In the modern era, there are the "Catalogue of Paintings Recorded in Past Dynasties" published by Jinling University in the 1930s, followed by the "Painting and Calligraphy Catalogue of the Palace Museum" published in Taiwan, as well as Xu Bangda's "Chronological Catalogue of Paintings and Calligraphies in Circulation Through the Ages."
In my decades of research on art history, these "painting catalogs" have been of great help to me. In similar academic research, others' efforts often save me time and energy. Life is short, and time is as valuable as gold. Therefore, compiling a "painting catalog" is a meaningful and valuable endeavor. Moreover, Professor Zhou Jiyin's current "Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Paintings Through the Ages" has made significant progress over previous works in both content arrangement and compilation methods.
Professor Zhou's "Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Paintings Through the Ages" is divided into four volumes, covering the Warring States to Qing Dynasties. It includes over 5,000 painters and more than 70,000 painting entries, with sources from over 600 museums (institutes), art galleries, art education institutions, art research institutions, and private collections of ancient ink paintings from both China and abroad. It also includes published facsimiles of art books and images from the past century. Compiling this work with extensive references was no easy task. The method of compilation not only lists the titles and dates but also includes details such as painting themes, formats, materials, inscriptions, seals, collectors, as well as records and appraisals by predecessors or contemporaries, creating entries with multiple interconnected details. More importantly, the author has added necessary "notes" under some entries.
While the catalog does not critique painters or their works, it serves as an invaluable reference tool, making searches more convenient and thorough than in the past. In summary, this is a highly important contemporary toolbook for the study of Chinese painting catalogs throughout the ages, "striking a new path" in the world of books, and will undoubtedly be welcomed by scholars and art history researchers both at home and abroad.
The catalog records over 70,000 surviving silk and paper paintings, scrolls, and works by more than 5,000 important painters (including anonymous ones), with illustrations of their representative works for comparison. It is published in four volumes:
1. Warring States to Song Dynasties
2. Liao to Yuan Dynasties
3. Ming Dynasty
4. Qing Dynasty
The compilation primarily draws from ancient ink paintings from over 600 museums (institutes), art galleries, art research institutions, cultural organizations, universities, and private collections, as well as books on painting records throughout the ages. In terms of structure, it is organized chronologically, with painters arranged by birth year (with exceptions for special cases). Each painter has a brief biography, followed by their painting entries. Each entry is a term, including painting title, format, date, material, dimensions (in centimeters), inscriptions, seals, collection, facsimile, records, appraisals, and notes.