China News Service, Shenyang, February 14th: Looking for traces of the "Dragon Culture" of the Qing Dynasty in the Forbidden City in Shenyang
China News Service reporters Diao Haiyang, Yu Ruizhai and Han Hong
During the Spring Festival of the Year of the Dragon, tourists embarked on a "dragon-hunting" journey in the Shenyang Forbidden City. In this ancient Chinese palace complex founded in 1625, there are more than 100,000 cultural relics in the courtyard, and many buildings and cultural relics have dragon "footprints" on them.
"The dragons on various ancient buildings in the Shenyang Palace Museum are made of colored glaze, wood carvings, stone carvings, etc. Among them, the 'golden dragon coiling pillars' wood carvings in the Dazheng Hall are more representative." Zhang Guobin, deputy director of the Research Office of the Shenyang Palace Museum, told reporters According to the introduction, as one of the earliest buildings built in the Shenyang Forbidden City, the Dazheng Hall is the place where major events such as the new emperor's enthronement, edict issuance, New Year's Day celebrations, welcoming the triumphal army, and state banquets are held. Its shape and decoration draw lessons from Han and Manchu, Mongolian, Tibetan and other multi-ethnic cultural elements.
The "Golden Dragon Coiled Column" wood carving in the Dazheng Hall of the Forbidden City in Shenyang has a golden dragon coiled on each of the two pillars in the bright room, with the dragon heads facing each other and extending towards the flame beads on the beams. (Photo courtesy of Shenyang Palace Museum)
There is a golden dragon coiled on each of the two pillars in the bright room of Dazheng Hall, with the dragon heads facing each other and stretching towards the flame beads on the beams and beams, which is called the "two dragons playing with beads" shape. According to Zhang Guobin, in ancient palace buildings, this kind of dragon directly coiled on the pillars is rare. In 1747, Emperor Qianlong installed a palace in the Chongzheng Hall of the Forbidden City in Shenyang. The pillars in front of it were the "Golden Dragon Coiled Pillars" that imitated the Dazheng Hall.
Chongzheng Hall is the place where the emperor went to court to govern. As the most common hard-mounted building in the Northeast, its roof, gables, forehead beams, dripping water and other parts are all decorated with dragons. The rising dragon (dragon head is above, rising and moving) Potential) and Jianglong (the dragon's head is below, showing a downward momentum). The colorful glazed crests at the four corners of the gable of Chongzheng Hall are extremely rare in early Qing architecture. The crests are carved with flying dragons, unicorns and auspicious flowers.
The head beam of Chongzheng Hall is carved into the image of a dragon. The outer eaves and capitals are decorated with high-relief dragon heads, and the dragon's tail extends into the hall. (Photo courtesy of Shenyang Palace Museum)
The dragon-shaped head-holding beam is also quite eye-catching. Zhang Guobin said that unlike ordinary square crossbars, the head beam of Chongzheng Hall was carved into the image of a dragon. The outer eaves and column heads were decorated with high-relief dragon heads, and the dragon's tail extended into the hall. The scales on the dragon's body are green and faded, and the edges are gilded. The red belly is faded, the edges are gilded, and the dragon's mane is green. From the outside of the building, it feels like a "dragon has its head but not its tail".
According to "Shuowen Jiezi", "The dragon is the leader of scale insects. It ascends to the sky at the spring equinox and dives into the abyss at the autumnal equinox." Therefore, porcelain with dragon patterns is often painted with cloud patterns, sea water patterns, etc. to represent the flying dragon in the sky. Or a dragon lurking in the abyss.
Qing Kangxi period yellow glazed cone-handled vase. (Photo courtesy of Shenyang Palace Museum)
According to Li Xiaoli, a research librarian at the Shenyang Palace Museum, dragon patterns were often combined with auspicious decorations during the development process. For example, the Kangxi yellow-glazed cone-handled bottle of the Qing Dynasty is fully decorated with conical arch patterns from the mouth rim down, with hidden patterns of flowing clouds and flames. In the middle of the belly of the bottle, the images of a dragon and a phoenix are hidden, flying towards each other, which means "dragon and phoenix present good fortune" . There is a circle of sea water patterns on the lower abdomen near the feet. "This kind of dark engraved patterns of dragons and phoenixes, flowing clouds, and sea water were more popular in the Kangxi and Yongzheng dynasties."
"The five-clawed dragon is the highest-level decoration in the Qing palace." According to Li Xiaoli, the dragon on the exquisite Qianlong-style green-glazed dragon-moiré lid jar from the official kilns of the Qianlong Dynasty is the five-clawed dragon. The surface decoration of the jar is divided into three parts. The shoulders are painted with a green eight-treasure pattern, and below it is a circle of green Ruyi cloud patterns. The main body of the jar is decorated with a pattern of two dragons chasing beads. Two green dragons are strutting with their heads high and their bodies strong. Shuttle and chase among the flames and sea of clouds.
Qianlong period of Qing Dynasty, green glazed jar with dragon and cloud pattern lid. (Photo courtesy of Shenyang Palace Museum)
"In ancient Chinese legends, the dragon rises in the clouds and makes rain, and is ever-changing and omnipotent." Zhang Guobin said that the dragon has always been the cultural totem of the Chinese nation. Among many cultural symbols, the dragon's status is unique and embodies the meaning of people. Good wishes for good weather, peace and prosperity.
"Looking at the historical buildings and cultural relics with dragon elements in the palace during the Year of the Dragon, you can appreciate the exquisite skills of the ancients and immerse yourself in the dragon culture in the Qing palace." Visitor Hu Xiangning took photos and checked in with different "dragons", she said, "Come this year Being the 'Descendant of the Dragon' in the Forbidden City in Shenyang, I spent a different Spring Festival." (over)