Art in Etiquette; Wu Hung, A Selection of Writings on Ancient Chinese Art History (Volumes 1 and 2)

Author: Wu Hong
Publisher:
Publication Date: Not available
Features: This book selects and translates 31 papers published by Professor Wu Hong since 1985. These papers revolve around the fundamental concept of "ritual art" and discuss various art traditions and forms in ancient and medieval Chinese art, including prehistoric to the Three Dynasties pottery, jade, and bronze ritual vessels, tomb art from the Eastern Zhou onwards, the emergence and early development of Buddhist and Daoist art. These papers extensively utilize archaeological and textual evidence to expand the breadth and depth of art historical research. The author combines anthropological and sociological theories and methodologies to explore the composition of various visual forms—such as architecture, sculpture, reliefs, and artifacts—and their organic connection to human behavior and thought. The analysis no longer focuses on isolated objects and images but includes the reconstruction of visual environments, as well as examinations of the creative motivations, social contexts, ritual functions, and audience responses to artworks. The discussions in the articles are often conducted on two levels: in addition to examining specific historical issues, they also reflect on the relevant academic history and research methodologies. A significant number of papers explore ancient Chinese art from the perspective of comparative cultural history, highlighting the importance of its unique materiality and visual traditions in rethinking the narrative structure of the history of Chinese art. In the Western academic world, these articles have had a significant impact on recent research on ancient Chinese art. This book is the first systematic introduction to Professor Wu Hong's academic achievements in China. It is divided into four parts: Prehistoric to Pre-Qin Art, Han Art, Medieval Buddhist and Daoist Art, and the Evolution of Ancient Art. At the end of the book, there is an interview transcript and a list of paper sources. The book is accompanied by over 600 images, including photographs of ancient artworks, rubbings, line drawings, and maps.