Along the River During the Qing Ming Festival


ZHANG ZEDUAN (act. ca. 12th century) Along the River During the Qing Ming Festival Handscroll, ink and colour on silk 24.8 x 528.7 cm Thanks to the genius of the Northern Song painter Zhang Zeduan, the artistic jewel Along the River During the Qingming Festival not only testifies to the supurb artistry of Song painting but also captures like a precious old photograph realistic scenes from the Northern Song capital Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng). Comprising 814 figures, 28 boats, some 170 tress, 20 carts and 8 sedan chairs in all by scholars' count, the five-metre painting is strewn with all kinds of businesses including restaurants, guesthouses, incense and herb shops, pharmacies and street stall and with a wide variety of architectural structures including the rainbow bridge, city gate, shops and residences. The painting offers glimpses of culture and customs in the Song capital, then the most prosperous metrolpolis in the world, that preceded us by a millennium. The title Along the River During the Qingming Festival is derived from the earliest colophon on the painting. The inscriber Zhang Zhu described that Along the River During the Qingming Festival by Zhang Zeduan is ranked in the divine class. This has led the scroll being established as Along the River During the Qingming Festival in historical records. "Qingming" is generally believed to be referring to a solar division, or the Qingming Festival, although it has also been taken as a pun for alluding to the favourable time of a golden age. The Bian River served as the Song capital's artery. It was wise of the painter Zhang Zeduan to have made the commercial activities along the Bian River rather than tomb sweeping around the time of Qingming Festival as the focus to reveal facets of life most typical of the capital. The Qingming Festival was not just a time for paying respects to one's ancestors, it also marked the reopening of the transport route stretching thousands of mile from south of the Huai River to the capital city. Since the first supplies usually arrived from the whole country aaround the time of the Qingming Festival, inhabitants of the capital would go up the river to visit the markets besides sweeping tombs. As such, the reopening of the Bian River has come to symbolize the prosperity of the state as well as the vitality of the populace.

ZHANG ZEDUAN (act. ca. 12th century)

Handscroll, ink and colour on silk
24.8 x 528.7 cm

Thanks to the genius of the Northern Song painter Zhang Zeduan, the artistic jewel Along the River During the Qingming Festival not only testifies to the supurb artistry of Song painting but also captures like a precious old photograph realistic scenes from the Northern Song capital Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng). Comprising 814 figures, 28 boats, some 170 tress, 20 carts and 8 sedan chairs in all by scholars' count, the five-metre painting is strewn with all kinds of businesses including restaurants, guesthouses, incense and herb shops, pharmacies and street stall and with a wide variety of architectural structures including the rainbow bridge, city gate, shops and residences. The painting offers glimpses of culture and customs in the Song capital, then the most prosperous metrolpolis in the world, that preceded us by a millennium.

The title Along the River During the Qingming Festival is derived from the earliest colophon on the painting. The inscriber Zhang Zhu described that Along the River During the Qingming Festival by Zhang Zeduan is ranked in the divine class. This has led the scroll being established as Along the River During the Qingming Festival in historical records. "Qingming" is generally believed to be referring to a solar division, or the Qingming Festival, although it has also been taken as a pun for alluding to the favourable time of a golden age.

The Bian River served as the Song capital's artery. It was wise of the painter Zhang Zeduan to have made the commercial activities along the Bian River rather than tomb sweeping around the time of Qingming Festival as the focus to reveal facets of life most typical of the capital. The Qingming Festival was not just a time for paying respects to one's ancestors, it also marked the reopening of the transport route stretching thousands of mile from south of the Huai River to the capital city. Since the first supplies usually arrived from the whole country aaround the time of the Qingming Festival, inhabitants of the capital would go up the river to visit the markets besides sweeping tombs. As such, the reopening of the Bian River has come to symbolize the prosperity of the state as well as the vitality of the populace.