Great Works of Chinese Painting Throughout Dynasties: Volume of Liao to Yuan Dynasty

Author: Zhou Jiyin Wang Fengzhu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-05-01
Features: "When at rest, they fill the halls; when active, they toil like oxen and horses." These two lines from Tang Dynasty scholars are relevant to those engaged in scholarship. However, academic pursuits are limited by both energy and time. Thus, the phrase "When at rest, they fill the halls" also implies that writing and establishing theories cannot avoid relying on the academic achievements of predecessors or contemporaries. If academic research requires starting from scratch in every aspect, it is unrealistic. Therefore, Liang Qichao said, "When studying history, one should value oneself as well as others." He further stated, "Scholars must rely on reference books." Professor Zhou Jiyin of Nanjing University of the Arts has dedicated much of his energy over the past thirty years to laying the foundation for art history research in addition to his teaching duties. His work is beneficial not only to his own studies but also to others. In December of this year, Professor Zhou Jiyin accompanied Professor Hidetoshi Kondō of Tamagawa University of Art to a survey in Hangzhou and other places. During their meeting, Zhou presented the second proof copies of his Comprehensive Catalogue of Chinese Paintings Through the Ages (hereinafter referred to as Catalogue of Paintings), 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 effort, 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, Painting History, and Xuanhe Painting Catalogue; and in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, there were numerous works such as Catalogue of Calligraphy and Painting, Qinghe Painting and Calligraphy Boat, Shigu Painting and Calligraphy Collection, Life of Splendor, Grand View Record, Shiqu Baobiao, and Secret Hall Gems. In modern times, there are works such as the Catalogue of Paintings Recorded in History published by Jinling University in the 1930s, the Palace Museum Painting and Calligraphy Catalogue published in Taiwan, and Xu Bangda's Chronological Catalogue of Paintings and Calligraphy Passed Down 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" like this is both meaningful and valuable. Moreover, Professor Zhou Jiyin's Comprehensive Catalogue of Chinese Paintings Through the Ages has made significant progress over previous works in both content arrangement and compilation methods.
Professor Zhou's Comprehensive Catalogue of Chinese Paintings Through the Ages is divided into four volumes, covering the Warring States to the Qing Dynasty. 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 calligraphy and paintings. It also includes published facsimiles of paintings and images from the past century. Compiling this work with extensive references was no easy task. The compilation method not only lists the titles and dates but also includes details such as painting themes, formats, materials, inscriptions, seals, collectors, and records or appraisals by predecessors or contemporaries, creating a comprehensive index where each entry is interconnected with multiple details. More importantly, the author has added necessary "notes" under some entries.
While the Comprehensive Catalogue does not critique painters or their works, it serves as an invaluable reference tool, making searches more convenient and thorough than ever before. In summary, it is a highly important reference work for the study of Chinese painting history in the modern era, standing out in the academic world and be welcomed by scholars and art history researchers both domestically and internationally.
The Comprehensive Catalogue 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 paintings in calligraphy and ink from over 600 museums (institutes), art galleries, art research institutions, cultural organizations, universities, and private collections, as well as books on painting records through the ages. In terms of structure, it is organized chronologically, with painters arranged by birth year (with exceptions for special cases). Each painter is accompanied by a brief biography, followed by their painting entries. Each painting entry is a separate term, including title, format, date, material, dimensions (in centimeters), inscriptions, seals, collection, facsimile, records, appraisals, and notes.