Tang Dynasty Research Articles

Faunal Exploitation Strategies, Dietary Habits, and Social Status in Tang Dynasty Chang'an: Zooarchaeological Insights From Xiajiazhuang

ABSTRACTZooarchaeology in China has consistently enhanced our understanding of past environments and human–animal interactions. However, this research has predominantly focused on prehistoric contexts. Our knowledge of animal exploitation strategies in historical periods remains largely reliant on written and iconographic sources, lacking direct and quantifiable faunal evidence. This paper examines the animal remains found in the residential district of Xiajiazhuang to better understand faunal exploitation strategies, dietary habits, and meat procurement patterns in Chang'an (Xi'an, China) during the Tang dynasty period (618–907 ce). Zooarchaeological evidence identifies caprines as the primary meat source, supplemented by cattle, dogs, pigs, and poultry. Our findings indicate a targeted meat procurement strategy, with animals selected based on their age to secure high‐quality meat, thereby hinting at the potential high status of Xiajiazhuang's residents. Along with other lines of evidence, our results suggest that interactions within the city and between the capital and its surrounding areas could have played a significant role in shaping faunal resource management strategies in Xiajiazhuang during the Tang dynasty.

Contemporary Inheritance and Interpretation of Silk Road Music and Dance Culture in the Tang Dynasty

Contemporary Inheritance and Interpretation of Silk Road Music and Dance Culture in the Tang Dynasty

Exploring the development of Chinese magic: take the Zoroastrian elements in unearthed artifacts as an example

This essay explres the developemnt of Chinese magic, specifically use the effect pf Zoroasteian element that developed in the illusions as an example. This essay highlighted the basic introduction of the chinese illusions from the Han to Tang Dynasties, and explained the reason why the self- injured performances is special from other illusions. The mian part of this essay is to challenge the common agreement in the academia about the time that Zoroastrianism was introduced to China during the Wei and Jin Dynasties, privide evidence to prove that ti is acutally came into China ealier in the Han Dynasty. The final part of this essay shows a usual process of foreign culture’s developemnt, which tansform from a formal ceremony to a entertaminet-purposed activity to make itself closer to publics.

Sea-level changes and human economic development in the northern flank of the Yangtze River Delta during the Middle to Late Holocene

The environmental dynamics in coastal regions are inevitably influenced by fluctuations in sea levels and human interventions. Evidence derived from archeological site remains and sediment cores indicates that sea-level change has been the primary driving force behind the continuous relocation of human settlements since the Holocene epoch. However, the understanding of the Holocene land formation process and its relationship with human activities in the northern flank of the Yangtze River Delta remains limited. The Guoqing Temple, located in southwest Juegang and serving as a hub for sea salt production during the Sui and Tang Dynasties, was established in the Tang Dynasty and served as one of the pivotal points along the Maritime Silk Road. A sedimentary core was obtained in close to the Guoqing Temple, and the sedimentological and micropalaeontological data were analyzed to investigate the process of sedimentary evolution from marine to terrestrial environments, as well as the environmental factors facilitating the development of the salt industry. Analysis results explained that: Between 6360 and 1750 cal yr BP, the study area was situated in a shallow sea on the outermost periphery of the sandbank, with a maximum water depth of 20 m. After 1750 cal yr BP, it underwent a transition to a supratidal low-salinity shallow marsh environment that continued to be influenced by marine conditions. The climate in the study area is primarily influenced by the Asian monsoon: Before 3000 cal yr BP, the overall climatic conditions were characterized by warm and humid conditions; After 3000 cal yr BP, climate stability prevailed in the region. Meanwhile, due to the newly formed wetlands that facilitated extensive salt production, economic shifts toward southern regions, and reforms in salt laws during the Tang Dynasty, Juegang emerged as a flourishing commercial trade hub and a prosperous center for Buddhist culture.

Analyzing Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains from a Pictorial Perspective

From the perspective of iconography, this paper presents an in-depth analysis of Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains, a classic work of traditional Chinese landscape painting. This work has been highly respected since the Tang Dynasty and is regarded as one of the important representatives in the history of Chinese painting. Its rich connotation and artistic value have always been the focus of scholars' research. The thesis aims to deeply interpret the historical and cultural connotations and artistic symbolism embedded in Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains through the iconographic method, from the levels of ex-iconography, iconography and iconographic analysis, to reveal its important position and value in Chinese traditional art. Adopting the iconographic method, the analysis is divided into three main levels. First, through pre-imaginative analysis, we focus on the physical facts and visual representations on the surface of the work; second, we use imaginative analysis to explore the information of the specific objects in the work and explore their connections and themes; and finally, we carry out imaginative analysis to reveal the deeper historical and cultural connotations and symbolic meanings of the work. Through in-depth iconographic analysis, Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains demonstrates the core values of traditional Chinese landscape painting, presenting a fusion of natural landscapes and humanistic emotions. It is not only a work of art, but also a vivid expression of traditional Chinese culture and aesthetics. The findings of this dissertation will contribute to a better understanding of the profound historical and cultural connotations embedded in Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains, as well as its important position and value in the history of Chinese art.

『고려사(高麗史)·악지(樂志)』 소재 당악정재(唐樂呈才)에 나타나는 채련곡(採蓮曲) 공연 요소 고찰

This paper argues that dangakjeongjae (Chinese court festive dance) recorded in akji (music articles) of Goryeosa (高麗史) used performance elements of “Cailian Qu” (採蓮曲). “Cailian Qu” (lit. a song of picking lotus) transformed into a court song and dance performance after the Southern Dynasties. This performance took on even more diverse aspects through the Tang and Song Dynasties. “Yunshao yue” (雲韶樂) in the mid-Tang period was made by combining “Cailian Qu” with “NichangYuyi” (霓裳羽衣); a lotus-picking woman leads ‘Xi Wangmu’ (西王母) who dances “NichangYuyi”. The performance of “ZheHonglianDui” (折紅蓮隊) in the Five Dynasties features many beautiful fairies from the ‘Penglai Mountain’ (蓬萊山) who come to pick lotus flowers and then present song and dance. In this way, the image of fairies in “Cailian Qu” had been reinforced after the middle of the Tang Dynasty. Dangakjeongjae presented in Goryeosa includes three elements of the “Cailian Qu” performance. First, ‘Xi Wangmu’ appears during the performance, which is the influence of the performance of “Yunshao yue”. Second, a female performer mentions congratulatory and eulogistic remarks toward a king. This is not because the performance group is composed of all women, but because it is a tradition of “Cailian Qu” performance. Third, congratulatory and eulogistic remarks were established as procedures--in the entrance, middle, and exit scenes. Among them, the singing in the middle introduction announces the start of the dance performance, which is also seen in the ‘duiwu (隊舞)’ of the Southern Song Dynasty. Therefore, it can be said that the performance elements of “Cailian Qu” appear in dangakjeongjae

高麗時代 중원지역 寺院 출토 茶器와 茶 文化

The Jungwon region currently centers around Chungcheongbuk-do, and includes parts of Gyeonggi-do and Gangwon-do around the Namhan River. At the heart of the Jungwon region is the Namhan River, which unites the area. Particularly during the Goryeo Dynasty, the Namhan River served as a major transportation and shipping route. Many temples were situated along the river and in its vicinity, which played various roles including religious, political, public, and recreational functions. As these temples performed these diverse roles, the tea culture in the Jungwon region naturally flourished alongside. However, the tea culture in the Jungwon region evolved more rapidly compared to other areas, due to its connection with the Namhan River as a transportation route and its close relationship with the Goryeo royal court. Initially, the Tang Dynasty’s “zha” tea preparation method was used, but from the mid-Goryeo period, the Song Dynasty’s “dian” tea preparation method was adopted, marking a significant shift in tea culture. This transition in tea culture can be confirmed through ceramics excavated from temples in the Jungwon region. The tea utensils founded in this region include celadon cups, celadon teapots, and celadon tea dishes, as well as numerous Chinese-made ceramics. Notably, the discovery of black-glazed bowls from the Jian kilns provides important evidence of the prevalence of the “dian” tea preparation method in the Jungwon region. The development and transformation of tea culture in the Jungwon region can be interpreted as a result of the swift influx of Chinese culture through the Namhan River and its close relationship with the Goryeo royal court.

A Preliminary Exploration of Buddhist Culture in Tang Legends

Abstract: The chuanqi (legendary stories) of Tang Dynasty are widely recognized as a milestone that marks a new stage in the history of Chinese fiction. During this period, the Tang Dynasty adopted a religious policy that allowed Buddhism and Daoism to coexist, leading both religions to reach their historical peaks of prosperity. In the texts of Tang chuanqi, Buddhist thought is also endowed with profound meaning. This paper aims to conduct a detailed analysis of the stylistic features, literary themes, and character outcomes in five classic Tang Legends from the Anthology of Tang and Song Tales, including The World Inside a Pillow, The Governor of Nanke (or An Account of the Governor of the Southern Branch), An Account of Xie Xiaoe, The Tale of Li Zhangwu, and The Tale of Miss Liu. Through this analysis, the study preliminarily explores the Buddhist cultural connotations contained within these works. The significance of this research lies in revealing the profound influence of Buddhist culture in Tang Dynasty literature, promoting a deeper understanding of the stylistic features, literary motifs, and character outcomes of Tang chuanqi, providing valuable insights for contemporary literary creation.

ViCo: Human visual perception-based contour extraction of Chinese Tang dynasty textile patterns

The study of ancient textile patterns not only enriches historical material but also inspires modern costume art design. Recent developments in computer vision technology provide novel analytical methods for the study of ancient textile patterns. As contours are one of the most significant features in computer vision tasks, contour extraction serves as a prerequisite to accomplishing intelligent understanding and automatic design of textile patterns. In this paper, a perception-consistent contour extraction method (ViCo) that simulates the human visual system from the retina, the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), to the V1 area in the cortex is proposed, along with an ancient textile pattern dataset represented by TuanKe in the Chinese Tang dynasty. Experiments were conducted both qualitatively and quantitatively to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method on the TuanKe dataset. Analysis of the results implies the effectiveness of ViCo because the retinal and LGN filter enhances edge information and restrains tiny pixel changes, and the cortex simulation is direction selective. This study is among the initial efforts to employ computer vision technology for ancient textile pattern studies. The study presents a TuanKe dataset and a novel bio-inspired contour extraction method, which has significant historical research importance, fabric art design inspiration, and computer application value.

Exploring circulation dynamics in Han Dynasty China: insights from isotopic analysis of lead glazed pottery

This study investigates lead provenance and circulation patterns in Han Dynasty (202BC-220AD) China through the analysis of lead glazed pottery. Four objects were studied using a combination of typological study, elemental chemistry and lead isotope ratio analysis. The results for each object were compared with databases of ‘lead mining districts’ (lead deposits) and ‘lead usage districts’ (lead-containing artifacts unearthed in different spatial and temporal ranges) to assess the lead sources used for each sample and offers a spatial-temporal range of the use of these lead resources. Three distinct groups of lead and their possible circulating spatial-temporal scales are identified across six samples in this study. A possible change in lead supply networks between the Western Han Dynasty (202BC-9AD) and the Eastern Han Dynasty (25AD-220AD) is proposed. This study also highlights the probable changes in the movement of lead resources from the Western Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty (618AD-690AD), suggesting improvements in long-distance transport capabilities, and the development of economic divisions and exchange connections in ancient Chinese society. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the economic and political dynamics during the Han Dynasty and emphasize the significance of lead isotope analysis of glazed pottery in exploring resource movement.

Was bone used in the glaze of the ancient Qiong kilns for the production of tang dynasty opaque glaze celadon?

Being an important source of primary celadon in ancient China, the Qiong kiln is one of the few kilns that can skillfully produce opaque glaze celadon, which is of great significance in the history of Chinese ceramics. In this study, the chemical composition, microstructure, and crystalline phase of sixteen pieces of opaque glaze celadon excavated from the site of Qiong kiln Shifangtang dated at the Tang Dynasty were investigated by using ultra depth of field microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy spectrometry, and micro confocal Raman spectrometry. The findings indicate that Fe is the predominant coloring element in the ceramic glaze, and Cu is sometimes a secondary coloring element. During porcelain firing, washed plant ash was used to increase the phosphorus content of the glaze, while some wares incorporated animal ashes as a flux to improve glaze emulsification.

Dadnet: dual-attention detection network for crack segmentation on tomb murals

Many tomb murals have punctate losses, cracks, and craquelure due to underground subsidence and changes in their physical support. Visual non-destructive detection techniques enable rapid assessment of how much tomb murals are affected by cracking, providing suggestions for their conservation. However, tomb murals are typically created by sketching outlines and then colored. Detailed sketches can easily interfere with crack detection work, requiring the use of deep learning network to better learn crack features and improve detection accuracy. At the same time the limited data of tomb mural presents a challenge to build a deep learning network. To address these issues, this paper introduces a novel dual-attention detection network (DADNet) for crack segmentation of tomb murals. In this work, a customized dataset is first constructed by collecting mural images from the Tang Dynasty tombs. Then the ConvNeXt framework serves as the basis for feature extraction, enhancing the process. Lastly, a dual-attention module utilizing neighborhood attention and biaxial attention is employed to accurately identify the crack regions. Neighborhood attention performs a local self-attention operation around the pixel point, addressing the limitations of self-attention. This approach significantly reduces computational demands as the image size increases. Biaxial attention performs attention calculations in the horizontal and vertical directions. This compensates for the limitation of neighborhood attention in capturing global dependencies. Our DADNet outperformed the competing methods, achieving the highest recorded scores of 78.95% for MIoU and 61.05% for the Jaccard index.

A Study on Pigment Composition of Buddhist Cave Paintings Based on Hyperspectral Technology.

The value of the Buddhist cave lies not only in the Buddha statues but also in the surface painting. Hyperspectral imaging technology, as an emerging and effective method for component identification, offers a non-contact and non-destructive approach to the preservation and restoration of oil paintings. This study employed hyperspectral cameras to capture common pigments on the surfaces of Buddhist caves. Then, the results were processed and used as a database to identify the paintings. Additionally, a series of experiments were conducted to examine the impact of binder, substrate types, and pigment sizes on the reflectance spectrum of the paints. The Spectral Angle Matching (SAM) algorithm was then used to analyze the Yuanjue Cave and Qiqushan Stone Carvings of the Tang Dynasty in China. The findings revealed that the position of absorption peaks in the reflectance spectra is not significantly influenced by the substrate but is affected by the binder. Moreover, the absorption depth varies regularly with particle size. Furthermore, the spectral matching results demonstrate that components can be accurately identified even for similar colors. Based on the pigment distribution, the study also inferred specific details of ancient paintings, including the painting steps and hidden information in the manuscript layout. These findings hold significant implications for the restoration of representative surface paintings of the Tang Dynasty Buddhist cave, providing a reference for the selection of restoration materials and methods.

Ontological analysis and disease statistics of wooden coffin paintings from the Qinghai Tibetan Medicine Culture Museum, China

The 35 wooden coffin paintings from the Tubo period of the Tang Dynasty, housed in the collection of Qinghai Tibetan Medicine Cultural Museum, are valuable materials for studying Tubo culture. Research has shown that the wood used for coffin paintings was cypress. The adhesives contain bovine collagen and chicken ovalbumin. The pigments used include carbon black, azurite, cinnabar, orpiment, minium, and lead white. This article provides a statistical analysis of the types and areas of diseases that appear in wooden coffin paintings. Through the application of descriptive statistics, correlation coefficient analysis, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis, it was determined that deterioration phenomena such as rotten, crack, pulverization, and discoloration disease were particularly pronounced in coffin paintings. Key variables influencing the disease of wooden coffin paintings include crystal salt, drop, and pulverization. The dataset was categorized into three distinct clusters, each exhibiting significant differences. This study offers valuable insights and foundational support for the future conservation and restoration of coffin paintings.

An Exploration of Alkaline Degumming in the Printing and Dyeing Process of Silk Georgette

Alkali printing was one of the traditional techniques employed for printing on silk georgette in ancient China. This study investigates two degumming methods in alkaline printing processes, namely alkaline boiling and alkaline steaming, based on the principles of Tang Dynasty alkaline printing techniques. The effects of slaked lime concentration, steam temperature, and steam duration on the degumming rate of silk georgette are studied. Alkaline boiling is found to be rapid and effective, achieving a degumming rate of 27% at 80 °C in 30 min, whereas alkaline steaming requires a prolonged process with a maximum degumming rate of less than 20% before the water reaches its boiling point. Additionally, the differences in dyeing effects at various degumming rates, and the variations in pattern clarity and detail under alkaline steaming, were compared. Although both degumming methods can achieve the desired amount of degumming rate through process control, alkaline steaming allows for integration with methods like screen printing and rotary printing, offering better control over pattern freedom and detail. The combination of these two processes can further expand the artistic expression and application of traditional alkaline printing techniques in contemporary silk degumming printing.

Interpretation of Buddhist Scriptures from the Perspective of Sinicization of Buddhism

The interpretation of Buddhist scriptures from the perspective of Sinicization of Buddhism has undergone a long and fruitful development process. From the initial period of Buddhist transmission with grid-meaning translation, to the elaboration of Buddhist doctrines during the Wei, Jin, Northern, and Southern Dynasties, to the doctrinal taxonomy in the Sui and Tang dynasties, and then to the interpretation of mind and nature during the Song and Ming dynasties, up to the modern trend of humanistic Buddhism, the interpretation of Buddhist scriptures has always interacted with the spirit of Chinese native culture, presenting a unique landscape of integration and innovation. The Sinicized interpretation of Buddhist scriptures not only demonstrates cultural confidence but also provides wisdom and inspiration for modern society. In the future, cross-cultural dialogue with the world, interdisciplinary integration and development, digital humanities research, and innovative communication methods will become new directions and challenges for the Sinicized interpretation of Buddhist scriptures.

Analysis of the Contemporary Inheritance Form of Music and Dance Culture in Tang Dynasty

Tang Dynasty music and dance is the essence of ancient Chinese music and dance, which was popular in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. It gathered and sublimated the essence of music and dance art from the Han Dynasty. The study starts from the fields of modern creation, painting art, and Application of Graphic Design of Tang Dynasty music and dance, explores the cultural content it excavates and the artistic form it presents, and the new artistic value of Tang Dynasty music and dance culture.

Research on Foreign Art and Culture Communication and Exchange of Chinese Tang Dynasty Music and Dance as the Carrier

The historic moment when Belt and Road is about to go through the first glorious decade, dance is an important cultural carrier and link of China s foreign art exchange. As the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, Chang an of the Tang Dynasty conceived music and dance in the Tang Dynasty as the peak of the development of ancient dance art. In the next key into the Belt and Road under the historical background of ten years, through the tang dynasty music dance as the carrier of the world of Chinese traditional culture and art communication, constantly use theory with practice, with practice sublimation theory, through the dance theory innovation, expression, innovation, communication form innovation, propaganda mode innovation, talent training innovation to concise sublimation, for the Belt and Road great strategy of extension and expand contribution art strength, realize the high quality development of the new era of tang dance.

Chinese astronomy in a world context

Abstract This brief paper aims to indicate what the study of Chinese astronomy can add to our understanding of premodern astronomy in the wider world. Some aspects of Chinese astronomy enable us to perceive the interestingly contingent nature of much of what is often taken for granted about the way astronomy was done elsewhere, particularly in the premodern West. Two examples of East-West contact in astronomy are examined: exchanges with India, particularly in the Sui and Tang dynasties in the 7th and 8th centuries of the Common Era and contacts with astronomy from the 13th century CE Islamicate world. Finally the issue of the sphericity of the Earth is considered in a comparative context.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON CHINESE RED GLAZE

Glazes obtained by the reduction method, also called Chinese red or copper red in the literature, were first seen on porcelains of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and Northern Song Dynasty (960-1126) periods in China. These glazes, which require a very difficult process to produce, are obtained by reducing the copper compounds in the recipe in the kiln. From its historical process to the present day, the surface of Chinese red glazes has been desired to be shiny and smooth, and their production has been carried out according to this principle. Within the scope of this study, a new artistic perspective was wanted to be brought to Chinese red glazes and instead of a smooth surface appearance, a pin hole image, known as a glaze defect, was desired. For this purpose, silicon carbide (SiC) was used to achieve the desired effect. Under normal conditions, the reduction process is carried out when the kiln cools down after neutral firing. However, a different perspective was tried to be provided by developing an alternative firing method to the traditional Chinese red glazes obtained by reduction. In order to contribute to the language of discourse in art ceramics, a new proposal is presented with the interpretation of Chinese red glazes.