A Brief History of Chinese and Western Art

Author: Pi Daojian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: This series of "Art Classroom" books is compiled for the purpose of art education in universities. Education is not merely about the transmission of knowledge and the cultivation of skills, but more importantly, it is about shaping the character of individuals who symbolize the progress of human civilization and social advancement, especially in university education. Confucius said, "When you enter a country, you can know its education." Confucius meant that through different teaching materials, subjects, and educational models such as poetry, books, music, the I Ching, and rites, the education of the people would have different effects on their character formation. Since the Industrial Revolution in Europe, the modern education system has gradually taken shape, greatly enriching the connotation of education. National education has long since moved beyond being limited to a single teaching material or educational model. From the perspective of character formation, an educational model that combines multiple subjects is more suitable for cultivating comprehensive talents needed for social development. However, for China, the introduction of this education system has been too short, far from being mature, and inevitably has many shortcomings. The severe lag in art education is one of the significant manifestations of these shortcomings. Compared to subjects that can more directly cultivate people's practical abilities, especially natural sciences and other practical subjects, the importance of art education, particularly its position in the entire basic education system, has far from been given sufficient attention. Humans are animals with spiritual lives and need spiritual lives. In the process of character formation, the special significance of art education lies in tempering people's temperament and enriching their souls through poetic means, thereby enriching their spiritual world. In an era where human material desires have surged to an extreme, leading to a severe imbalance between material and spiritual pursuits and distorted personalities, art, with its corrective role in promoting healthy personality development, is increasingly highlighting its special significance for human survival and the future. Over two thousand years ago, Confucius already recognized that "gentleness and kindness, that is the teaching of poetry"; "gentleness and kindness without folly, then one is deeply versed in poetry." Indeed, the gentleness and kindness in one's temperament cannot be naturally acquired; they require post-natal education and cultivation. If we accept the character ideals that Confucius advocated, it is not difficult to recognize the value of art and the value of art education. Indeed, as more and more knowledgeable individuals begin to advocate for quality-oriented education, the significance of art education has also become a social consensus. Since the mid-1990s of the 20th century, art education in China has begun to rapidly heat up. In addition to the establishment of new art colleges and schools based on existing public art teaching offices, ordinary comprehensive universities have also established new art departments and majors. However, due to the long-term focus on technical-level teaching in the field of art professional education, basic historical and theoretical research has lagged significantly. Universities across the country generally feel a lack of suitable teaching materials and reference materials. The need for basic art history and theory textbooks, especially qualified teaching materials and reference materials for popularizing art knowledge to non-art majors, is particularly urgent. Therefore, organizing experts to compile a series of works on art history and theory, forming a relatively complete library of art history and theory with works from different categories, is a timely measure. With this in mind, we invited renowned experts from various art disciplines in China to compile this series, which includes five major categories: music, fine arts, theater, dance, and film and television. Each category is divided into three volumes: history, theory, and reference materials. This design allows readers to gain a basic understanding of the overall situation or fundamental principles of each art category with just one volume in hand, while also mastering the most important historical documents in the field. The authors of this series are experts who have immersed themselves in their respective fields for many years, possess expertise, and have sharp minds and insightful views. Therefore, they are able to convey the core knowledge and thought-provoking ideas of each art category in a concise yet comprehensive manner. This design aims to make the library more practical and distinctive than similar books on the market, making it more suitable for art departments in non-art professional colleges, for art students and teachers to study non-major art courses, and to cultivate the interest of ordinary university students in encountering and appreciating art. Art has emerged with the birth of human civilization and has continuously evolved alongside the progress of human civilization. Therefore, every nation has developed various categories of art, but the art that emerges during the development of each civilization is also different. Even within the same art category, different ethnic groups may have significant differences in aesthetic orientation and development paths. Art is often national, yet it is also a cause for all of humanity; balancing the national and global aspects of art is a great challenge for all the authors of this series. To view art as a common spiritual pursuit of all humanity and to grant art research a global perspective is a new artistic view that this series strives to embody, as well as a special response from many experts in the field of contemporary Chinese art research to the era of globalization. Therefore, during the compilation process, this series has always paid attention to discussing each nation's art as an integral part of the global art whole. To ultimately achieve this goal, it requires the joint efforts of more experts and scholars. What we have done is only a new attempt; whether it is close to the desired goal and to what extent it has achieved this goal still needs to be tested by readers and peers. We look forward to feedback from readers and peers, hoping that this series can open the door to art for readers and that readers will enjoy it. This book begins with ancient art from human civilization cradles such as China and ancient Egypt, exploring the origins of fine arts, and introduces the development of fine arts history in the East and West along the timeline, as well as fine arts in Mayan culture, Greek art, and the art of the Qin and Han dynasties in China along the geographical dimension. Over one hundred illustrations vividly present typical works of art. The perspective is unique, and the text is lively and easy to understand. Holding one volume in hand feels like being bathed in a gentle breeze.