What is happening in the Qingming scroll?
The painting shows a spring day along the rivers and canals of a city in the Yangtze River delta, an area celebrated for its beautiful landscape, and gives a glimpse of daily life in a southern Chinese town. The festival itself, with its ritual tomb sweeping and praying, is not a big part of the image.
Who created the Qingming scroll?
artist Zhang Zeduan
Painted during the Song dynasty by the artist Zhang Zeduan, this scroll is believed to be the earliest extant version of the famous Qingming shanghe tu 清明上河圖 (see ‘Translations of the Qingming shanghe tu’ for more about the translation of this title), of which there are many versions.
Why is the Qingming scroll important?
It captures the daily life of people and the landscape of the capital, Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng) during the Northern Song. The theme is often said to celebrate the festive spirit and worldly commotion at the Qingming Festival, rather than the holiday’s ceremonial aspects, such as tomb sweeping and prayers.
How long is along the River during the Qingming Festival?
26 cm x 5.25 m
Along the River During the Qingming Festival/Dimensions
Where do people go on Qingming Jie?
Qingming Festival is when Chinese people traditionally visit ancestral tombs to sweep them. This tradition has been legislated by the Emperors who built majestic imperial tombstones for every dynasty.
How big is the Qingming scroll?
What do you eat on Qingming Festival?
The traditional Qingming festival foods include sweet green rice balls, peach blossom porridge, crispy cakes, Qingming snails, and eggs. These foods are usually cooked one or two days before the arrival of the Qingming Festival so people can eat and recreate during the holidays.
What does Along the River during the Qingming Festival represent?
It captures the daily life of people from the Song period at the capital, Bianjing, today’s Kaifeng in Henan. The theme celebrates the festive spirit and prosperous street scene at the Qingming Festival, rather than the holiday’s ceremonial aspects, such as tomb sweeping and prayers.
What is Qing Ming in English?
Qingming Festival, also called Tomb Sweeping Day or, literally, ‘Pure Brightness’ Festival in English, is a traditional Chinese festival and an important day for most people (including the Han Chinese and some of China’s 55 other ethnic minorities) to go and sweep tombs and commemorate their ancestors.
What does Qing Ming mean in Chinese?
clear and bright
Qingming, literally meaning “clear and bright” , is one of the 24 dates that divide the solar year on the traditional Chinese calendar. The most important tradition of Qingming is to honor ancestors and commemorate deceased family members and relatives, usually at their grave sites.
What is the Qingming scroll?
The full title of the scroll is “Qingming shanghe tu” 清明上河圖. Its exact meaning is not clear, and has been a subject of some debate among modern scholars of the scroll. It has, therefore, been variously translated as “The Spring Festival Along the River” (Ebrey) or “Peace Reigns Over the River” ( Hansen).
Why do Chinese people eat cold food on Qingming Festival?
In Tai’an, people eat cold pancake with chicory. It is said that eating Qingming Festival food can make people’s eyes brighter.
Is the Qingming scroll still in good condition?
It was done in monochrome ink on silk, and considering that it is already more than 800 years old, it is in surprisingly good condition. Most of the original details are intact, and there are only a few patches and blemishes throughout the scroll. The original is now housed at the National Palace Museum in Beijing, PRC.
What was the name of the river in the Qingming scroll?
The river in the scroll would therefore be the famous Bian River 汴河, one of the major canals running through Kaifeng during the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127).
How tall is the scroll in the Qingming Festival?
The scroll is 25.5 centimetres (10.0 inches) in height and 5.25 meters (5.74 yards) long. In its length there are 814 humans, 28 boats, 60 animals, 30 buildings, 20 vehicles, 8 sedan chairs, and 170 trees.
When did Zhang Zhu write the Qingming scroll?
According to ‘A Record of Mr Xiang’s Views on Paintings,’ Regatta on the Western Lake (Xihu zhengbiao tu) and Peace Reigns Over the River (Qingming shanghe tu) are placed in the category of inspired paintings. The owner should treasure it. On the day after the Qingming festival, in 1186, Zhang Zhu from Yanshan wrote this colophon.”
