China : Dawn of a Golden Age, 200-750 AD

by James C. Y. Watt; With contributions by An Jiayao, Angela F. Howard, Boris I. Marshak, Zhao Feng, and Su Bai

• ISBN13: 9780300104875
• ISBN10: 0300104871
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 2004-10-11
• Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Summary

From the fall of the Han dynasty at the turn of the third century to the eventual reunification of the country under the Sui at the turn of the seventh century, China experienced a tumultuous and fascinating political and cultural history. The political fragmentation that occurred between the dynasties and the massive migration of nomadic peoples into China resulted in contact with people from every part of Asia and the introduction of foreign ideas, religion, art forms, and motifs. Out of this grew the magnificent art of Tang China in the early eighth century.This book is the first comprehensive survey of Chinese art during this complex era. Lavishly illustrated and produced, the volume presents more than three hundred recent archaeological finds: including gold artifacts made by the nomadic peoples from Mongolia, luxury articles of glass and precious metals from Western and Central Asia, early Chinese Buddhist sculptures, and spectacular works in every medium from the Tang period. Essays by distinguished scholars provide a historical background, discuss the various media, and trace the changes in art styles over a period that saw a radical modification of Chinese civilization.In the great tradition of publications on Chinese art from the Metropolitan Museum,China: Dawn of a Golden Agewillbecome an essential text for years to come.

Author Biography

Zhao Feng is Vice Director, China National Silk Museum, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.

Table of Contents

About this exhibition
Art and history in China from the 3rd through the 8th century	p. 2
Central Asian metalwork in China	p. 47
The art of glass along the Silk Road	p. 57
The evolution of textiles along the Silk Road	p. 67
Buddha images of the northern plain, 4th-6th century	p. 79
Buddhist art in China	p. 89
Catalogue
Late Han, late 2nd-early 3rd century	p. 103
The coming of the Xianbei	p. 123
Early Northern Wei dynasty	p. 137
The western regions and the way thither	p. 175
South China, 3rd-6th century	p. 199
Luoyang and after, 6th century in the north	p. 231
Arts of the Sui and early Tang dynasties, 581-755	p. 275
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