Bronze and Stone: The Cult of Antiquity in Song Dynasty China by Yunchiahn C. Sena

Abstract

Reviewed by: Bronze and Stone: The Cult of Antiquity in Song Dynasty China by Yunchiahn C. Sena Jianjun Mei (bio) Yunchiahn C. Sena. Bronze and Stone: The Cult of Antiquity in Song Dynasty China. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2019. xiv, 220 pp. Hardcover, isbn 978-02-95-74457-5. The rise and development of “the study of bronze and stone” (jinshixue) during the Song dynasty (960–1279) has been a topic of considerable interest among scholars working on the cultural history of premodern China for some time, as [End Page 309] exemplified, for instance, by Chen Fang-mei’s Qingtongqi yu Songdai weihuashi (Bronzes and Cultural History of the Song Dynasty) published in 2016. There has, however, been no in-depth study on the topic previously published in English. Therefore, Yunchiahn C. Sena’s Bronze and Stone: The Cult of Antiquity in Song Dynasty China is a much-needed work offering a concise and comprehensive exploration of the Song antiquarian movement, which, in the view of K. C. Chang (1981), is one of the three sources of scholarship for the establishment of present-day archaeology in China. Bronze and Stone comprises five parts: an introduction, three major chapters, and a conclusion. The introduction sets out to define the objectives and approach of this research and review previous studies of Song antiquarianism. It also highlights the parallels between Song antiquarianism and its counterpart in early modern Europe in participants’ “conscientious efforts to document, classify, and preserve ancient objects” (p. 15). The three chapters, arranged roughly in a chronological order, examine the development of the Song antiquarian movement, with chapter 1 focusing on “Ouyang Xiu’s Records of Collecting Antiquity,” chapter 2 on “Development of Song Antiquarian Writings,” and chapter 3 on “Archaistic Objects and Song Material Culture.” The conclusion offers an overview of the Song antiquarian movement, highlighting its three major aspects: antiquity as a source of historical authenticity, antiquity as idealized society, and the legacy of Song antiquarianism. Ouyang Xiu (1007–1072) has been widely singled out in previous studies as one of the key figures in the rise of the Song antiquarian movement. His work Records of Collecting Antiquity, compiled in 1062, marked the beginning of Song antiquarian writing. There has been little research, however, delving deeply into Ouyang’s interest in rubbings, in particular, the intricate relationship between a stone stele and the rubbings taken from it. To our modern gaze, a rubbing can easily be seen as a mere (partial) “reproduction” of the original stone stele and thus lack authenticity. But Sena sees clearly beyond the notion of reproduction, and further raises a compelling argument that “a rubbing is always more faithful to the original condition of an object –that is, more authentic –than the object itself in its current state” (p. 51). It is through a thorough analysis of the concept of “historical authenticity” that Sena convincingly reveals the driving force behind Ouyang’s collecting activity, especially his remarkable interest in stele rubbings. Thus, in Sena’s opinion, the pursuit of historical authenticity did not just motivate Ouyang’s collection of rubbings, but also characterized the early stage of the Song antiquarian movement in which Ouyang played a leading role. In reviewing previous studies of the Song antiquarian movement, Sena notes astutely that it has been the predominant approach to view Song antiquaries as “a collaborative group that worked within the same set of parameters and for a common goal” (p. 68). She argues that “this approach –assuming a homogenous [End Page 310] perception of antiquity among Song antiquaries –is problematic, for it ignores their different intellectual agendas and social positions” (p. 68). Sena adopts an alternative approach, focusing attention on individual preferences and their wide influence. The person she chooses to highlight is Li Gonglin (1049–1106), the accomplished scholar and antiquarian, who has seldom received any detailed treatment in previous studies. According to Sena, Li stands out from other Song antiquaries because his collection included “Shang-Zhou ritual bronzes, jade ornaments, chariot fittings, and household items” (p. 82), indicating his strong interest in the physical form of objects as well as their secular functions. Furthermore, Li did not just study ancient objects from...