The shape is realistic and has the characteristics of the times.
Vivid Confucian generals and warrior figurines Although the Southern Song Dynasty was located in the south of the Yangtze River, war and defense have always been the themes of this era. Therefore, the Dongqian, Hunan and Song Dynasty stone carvings most clearly show the importance that the statue craftsmen attached to the military equipment of generals. The armors and weapons of most generals are carefully carved and lifelike. This kind of realistic Kung Fu is the best among historical stone carvings of generals. However, after the failure of the Kaixi Northern Expedition, there was a hopeless attitude towards regaining the lost territory, as well as the lack of strong generals in the south of the Yangtze River. The samurai literary ministers and the northern ministers and the southern ministers were a major feature of the time. Therefore, the generals in the stone carvings all have the style of Confucian generals. A major feature of stone-carved military commanders is that they are both literary and military in appearance, with their hearts and minds shaped by culture and martial arts.
The Northern Song Dynasty was originally a weak dynasty. The traditions of the Tang Dynasty such as building military affairs and serving as generals and ministers disappeared in the Northern Song Dynasty. Scholar-officials were the mainstream class that dominated society. In half of the Southern Song Dynasty, civil servants were in charge of military power, and defense was the national policy. Therefore, in the Southern Song Dynasty, scholar-bureaucrats were more gentle and well-behaved. The civil servants in the Dongqian Hunan Song Dynasty stone carvings are mostly worried, cautious and low-key, with reserved expressions, kind and kind. They show the high connotation and cultivation of civil servants and scholar-bureaucrats, and reflect the personality consciousness and aesthetic standards of the society at that time. The tomb of Caikeng Shishou is a civil servant with a goatee, gentle and elegant, humble and kind, both physically and spiritually, which further conveys the characteristics of this era.
Tame and gentle auspicious animals in the tomb passages. The auspicious animals in the Dongqian Hu and Southern Song Dynasty stone carvings all give people a sense of tameness and docility. The tiger is not mighty, the horse is not fierce, and the sheep is not stubborn. This is obviously a symbol of the times. The majestic stone beasts in Huo Qubing's tomb are no longer strong and confident, and the six horses of Tang Zhaoling are no longer graceful and agile. What is left is the stability and serenity of the Southern Song Dynasty. Perhaps this society is too sensitive to restless personalities and too in need of a peaceful and tranquil environment. All ferocious beasts and beasts are excluded from the aesthetics of this era. Therefore, its shape is more decorative than natural form. However, in terms of technical processing, it has momentum in silence, delicacy in roughness, and softness in hardness.
The knife technique is delicate and the carving is like plastic.
1. The chisel leaves no trace and strives to be precise. The stone carvings of Dongqian, Hunan and Song dynasties do not leave any traces of chiseling in the carving process, and pursue the delicate effect of a statue. This is a product under the guiding ideology of "photography". In particular, the civil servants in the stone carvings at the tomb of the unknown person in Fuquan Mountain are the most representative.
2. A variety of techniques to shape details. The details of the stone statues use a comprehensive application of high relief, openwork, openwork and other techniques to express certain details of the objects created, giving people a real sense of weight. The carved patterns on the stone horses and saddles such as the swallow's nest are all amazing.
3. The line carving is loyal to the shape, and the decoration is clever and breakthrough. In the line carvings of the figure's folds and stripes, we strive to express texture and thickness. There is no unreasonable line, and no line is only used to outline the outline. All line carvings are loyal to the authenticity of the shape. But in reality, there are refined generalizations. The organization of the folds is thick and fine, simple yet complex, simple yet concise yet memorable. However, not all the treatments are in line with the real objects. In the decoration of patterns, the stone carving techniques are very bold. The shapes of auspicious animals are often partially abstractly deformed. The patterns of male tigers are cloud-like or leaf-like. This kind of breakthrough It is often found in unexpected places, but it has artistic charm.
Be law-abiding and try to avoid publicity.
1. Clothes and armor are all recorded. The characters in the Dongqian Hunan Song stone carvings, whether they are the clothes of civil servants or the armor of military officials, from the large shapes to the small floral patterns, all correspond to the relevant historical records, and they adopt a strictly realistic attitude. For example, the Jinxian crown worn by civil servants and the number of beams on the top of the crown reflect the rank and official status. The robe with wide sleeves and belt on the right side has a belt, and the skirt (robe) is exposed under the robe to cover the feet. The cloud-headed shoes of the gang, the folded collar on the chest, and the wat in both hands are consistent with the classics and can also be found in Song Dynasty paintings. The general's tasseled helmet, sleeves on the arms, gaiters on the calves, a silk rope across the chest tied by a leather belt, and a waist protector around the waist, including the leather braided iron inlay of the armor, None of them conformed to the format of the time.
2. All postures and moods are in line with etiquette. All the postures of the Dongqian Hunan Song stone sculptures are guarded by ceremonial guards, and none of them are out of the ordinary. This is in stark contrast to the Buddhist statues of the time and the personalities expressed in the stone figurines of imperial tombs in the Northern Song Dynasty (such as the Changzhi Buddhist Temple in Shanxi and the Dazu Rock Carvings in Chongqing). This phenomenon cannot but be related to the idea of ??"preserving natural principles and destroying human desires" advocated by Neo-Confucianism in the Southern Song Dynasty, giving people the impression of a land of etiquette and a strong Confucian style.
3. The decorative details are all natural. The textures of characters' clothing can be roughly divided into four types: hanging, pulled, squeezed, and floating. In the figure shapes of Dongqian, Hunan and Song Dynasty stone carvings, the clothing patterns of civil servants are all hanging patterns, while the clothing patterns of generals are tied and squeezed, and there is absolutely no floating or stretching. Performance. That is to say, all the characters adopt a static posture, even in an environment without natural wind. Everything conforms to the natural texture caused by this static state, expressing the character's inner peace and simplicity, with no distractions and energy sinking into the Dantian. However, when craftsmen deal with details, they often incorporate agility into a knot or a pattern, so that the inner force of movement is hidden in the static.
4. The building components are all in accordance with the "French style". Among the Dongqian Hunan Song stone carvings, some are stone components from the tombs and archways of that year. A very obvious feature can be seen from these components, that is, these architectural or architectural components are in line with the "Building Methods" of the Northern Song Dynasty official system. The stone archway at the tomb of Aoshi Shihe in Xiazhuang Province, whether in terms of structure, column type, winding style, hanging fish, brackets, or tiles, is in line with the "Fashion Style" of the Northern Song Dynasty, and has also become material proof of the implementation of the "Fashion Style" in the Southern Song Dynasty. .
The styles are clearly divided into periods, each showing the characteristics of the times.
1. The style of the early Southern Song Dynasty (approximately 1120-1190) represented by the stone carvings on the tomb passage of the imperial edict of Yue State. The stone carvings of this period are mainly distributed in the tomb of Mrs. Ye Taijun of the State of Ji, the tomb of Yue Gong Shizhao, the ancestral tomb of the Shi family in the back mountain of Baohua Temple, the stone carvings of Qikeng tomb, the Longshou Mountain stone carvings, the stone carvings at the foot of Paiji Ridge and the Gunye'ao stone carvings. . This period coincided with the early days of the founding of the Southern Kingdom, when hundreds of systems were first established, and the society was frugal. The stone carvings were mainly in a simple style, and the statues were naturally less deliberately carved. The shape of the tomb passage was not large, and it had a strong folk flavor.
2. The tomb passage in the mid-Southern Song Dynasty (about 1190-1220) represented by the stone carvings of the tomb passage of Prime Minister Shi Hao. The stone carvings of this period are mainly distributed in the tomb of Prime Minister Shi Hao, the tomb of Xiuzhi Lang Shi Ruozhan, the tomb of Qi Gong Shi Jian, and the tomb of Zhongsan doctor Shi Juan. This period was in the Zhongxing era of the Southern Song Dynasty. The social atmosphere was positive and progressive, and the scholar-bureaucrats fulfilled their duties and were modest and low-key. The style of stone carvings is also frugal and simple, with little extravagance. The statues have a calm and indifferent expression, the civil servants have a quiet and thoughtful expression, the warriors are elegant, and the stone animals are loyal and tame, but the regulations have shown a tendency to be arranged.
3. The style of the late Southern Song Dynasty (about 1220-1280) represented by the stone carvings of the tomb of Prime Minister Shi Miyuan. The stone carvings of this period are mainly distributed in the tomb of Prime Minister Shi Miyuan, the tomb of Shi Mijian, the Minister of War, the tomb of Tongfeng doctor Shi Bin, the tomb of Zheng Guogong Shi Mizhong, the tomb of Si Feng Langzhong Shi Migong, the tomb of Shi Yu, the Minister of War, and the tomb of Yinqing Guanglu The tomb passage of Shiyan is also represented in the stone carvings of the Fuquan Mountain tomb passage, the Zhongying Temple stone carvings, the Yangshan Village stone carvings, the official burial Hetou Xi'ao stone carvings, the Qianjia'ao stone carvings, the stone carvings in front of the tomb of Yu Tianren, the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, and the stone carvings in front of Gao Chang's tomb as a gift to the young master. The stone carvings in front of Qiu Chou's tomb and the stone carvings at the tomb of Prime Minister Zheng Qing, etc. During this period of the Southern Song Dynasty, the economy was prosperous and luxurious, and the social mentality was relatively complacent. This is reflected in the stone carving style, which has a clearer sense of luxury than the middle period. The knife decoration and carving are exquisite. In addition to the local Meiyuan stone and Guangxi stone, the materials used include those from other places. Similar to Taihu stone mining and transportation. The expressions of the statues are mediocre and complacent, the civil servants and generals are ceremonial and lack the psychological connotation. The stone beasts emphasize momentum and hold their heads high, giving them an air of arrogance.
The trend of civilianization is becoming more and more obvious.
1. Use local materials and be frugal and not extravagant. The stone used for Dongqian Hunan Song carvings is basically Meiyuan stone or Guangxi stone. Both types of stone are produced in Yinzhou District. Meiyuan Stone is slightly purple in color and Guangxi Stone is red in color. Both stones are sedimentary sedimentary rocks with fine texture and are suitable for detailed carving. They are the main building stones among local people. When the Taishan Weir was built in the Tang Dynasty, local stones from Guangxi and Meiyuan were used. It can be seen that these two stones have been mined for a long time and are still produced today. The Shi family had the ability to purchase better stones from other places, and Taihu stone was actually used in some of the tomb passages of the Shi family in the later period, but generally they were sourced from local folk materials. This reflects from one side the family's frugality and lack of luxury. wind.
2. Follow the shapes of things and advocate frugality. Another characteristic of Dongqian Hunan Song stone carvings is that when using the entire stone, they are basically based on the shape of the original stone to improve the utilization rate of materials. Therefore, although some stone statues are out of proportion vertically and horizontally, when viewed as a whole, they are still integrated and have no abnormality. This tradition of making shapes according to objects benefits from the experience of folk craftsmen. It not only embodies the folk spirit of advocating frugality, but also inherits the historical tradition of taking shapes according to materials in the stone carvings of Huo Qubing's tomb and Buddhist grottoes in previous dynasties.
3. Absorb folk craftsmanship and coexist with craftsmanship and agility. The human figures in Chinese folk sculptures are mostly based on Buddhist sculpture techniques. Due to the regulation and perspective of Buddhist statues, they often have large heads and small bodies, with long upper bodies and short lower bodies, making the whole body disproportionate. Compared with the figures created by professional craftsmen from the Tang Tombs and Northern Song Dynasty imperial tombs, or compared with the Ming Dynasty Yu Youding tomb statues in Dongqian Lake, the Dongqian Hunan Song stone carvings show the characteristics of the craftsmanship of folk craftsmen. It seems that although the Shi family was the Prime Minister and Duke of the country, no royal craftsmen were used when building tombs and tombs at that time. Most of them were made by folk craftsmen from Siming and eastern Zhejiang. The aesthetic agility and naive craftsmanship of folk craftsmen coexist harmoniously in these stone carvings, especially in the shapes of animals.
4. The pursuit of fashion expressed by the Taishi chair. There is a stone chair in the Shizhao tomb passage in Luye, which is the only non-regulated instrument among the stone carvings in the Southern Song tomb passage in Dongqian Hu. This was precisely a fashion and status symbol at the time. Before the Song Dynasty, people in Han Dynasty only used stools but not chairs. The chair was a new daily utensil developed from the "Hu bed" in the Western Regions. In the Song Dynasty, chairs were initially only available to people with the status of Taishi, the emperor's teacher. Later, only noble lords were eligible to enjoy them, so they were called "Taishi chairs". After Shi Zhao's death, he presented "Grand Master Yue Guo Gong" to those who were qualified to enjoy the Grand Master's chair, so a stone chair was specially used to accompany the tomb passage. This is also an example of Dongqian, Hunan and Song Dynasty stone carvings seizing the opportunity to express the folk mentality.