ChinaHistoryDigestSite

A glimpse into the past

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 15:59:40 +0800

Viewers given an intriguing insight into the formalities of daily life as dynastic era plots unfold, Wang Kaihao reports.

Television or online streaming can offer tantalizing glimpses of bygone eras. Costume dramas, by definition, show the fashion of yesteryear in stunning clarity. But, aside from the clothes, social mores, politeness, manners and deference provide an elegant backdrop to unfolding plots. The Longest Day in Chang'an, broadcast over the summer, was no exception. The historical thriller, aired first on online streaming media platform Youku, put into sharp focus the intricate aesthetics of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Viewers were gripped by the rituals, cuisine, architecture and daily life of the era.

Royal Nirvana, a 60-episode series, began airing in November also through Youku, and again assuaged the viewers' appetite for, what is literally, traditional appeal.

It tells how Xiao Dingquan, a timid prince, grows into a brave leader who is devoted to the country's stability and prosperity, and how he overcomes the various crises that arise with alarming frequency.

The story, adapted from a popular online novel, is set in a fictional ancient Chinese dynasty. However, the clothes, decorations and rituals all point to the Song Dynasty (960-1279), a period renowned for its elegant yet simple artistic style. It is generally considered a boom time of cultural brilliance and social prosperity.

Yang Wenjun, director of the series, admits that like many successful fictional historical dramas of the past decade, the producers of this show wanted to have a production that is authentic in its depiction of the time.

"It may be fiction, but historical detail is essential," director Yang said during a recent public screening of the series at a Beijing cinema. "It was essential to follow convention, particularly when we borrowed rituals from the Song Dynasty."

Only by so doing, he says, can an expression of beauty become more "implicit", and better fit into the context of traditional culture.

Yang mentions that "China is a land of propriety". This puts an onus on a director to portray ceremonial rituals, as well as the observed formalities in interpersonal relationships.

Rites have been a core element of Confucianism. Sages, who've been widely worshipped in traditional culture, have been role models who could practice their philosophical principles in everyday life, even in trivial details, says Gao Jing, chief ritual director of the series.

For example, Xiao the protagonist is inspired by Confucian principles when tackling serious situations. When Xiao falls into a fatal dilemma, he still takes some time to straighten up without fear, following the behavior codes like that of ancient Confucian sages. And when the lead female role, Lu Wenxi, meets her beloved, like every maiden of that time in a traditional Chinese family, she communicates not face-to-face, but sitting behind a folding screen, as was required by the societal rules of the period.

Gao says the production team was able to draw on ancient knowledge. The Twenty-Four Histories, collective term to describe 24 officially-compiled history books, has 56 volumes elaborating on "rites", Gao says. In History of the Song Dynasty alone, there are 28.

Besides history books, other Song-Dynasty literature provided references, ranging from the 12th-century official list of rites released by the royal court, to the famous prose collection, Reminiscences of the Eastern Capital, and Shilin Guangji, an encyclopedia for everyday life.

Detail is all-important. For example, in scenes involving drinking tea, Daguan Chalun, a book written by emperor Zhao Ji of the Song Dynasty - a notoriously weak ruler but a talented follower of the fine arts - highlighted how to roll tea powder and properly add water. The sipping of the liquid provided a chance to communicate rather than drink.

Besides the depiction of the tea ceremony in the series, the handwritten letters by the prince followed the style of the emperor's calligraphy.

How actors walk, swing their long sleeves gracefully, their posture and bowing correctly also enhances authenticity, actor Bao Dazhi says. "These rites are far removed from modern life, but it's good to learn how to act out the history. It's a must for professionalism."

He recalls one scene where he had to dance while holding a hu before talking in the royal court. In ancient China, a hu was a piece of wood used to remind high officials of their talking points when meeting emperors at the palace.

To give audiences a fuller picture of that time, grand ceremonies were acted out in the show, like the crown prince's coming-of-age ceremony, his royal wedding, and his teacher's funeral, although lengthy ceremonies were simplified, Gao says.

It may be of the past, but the series can offer inspiration for modern times, Gao adds.

"People generally follow Western business etiquette today," she says, but also points to a revival of traditional customs.

"The values of traditional customs were based on respect and order, and this essence of traditional propriety may get more highlighted in our current everyday life."

Contact the writer at wangkaihao@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 12/04/2019 page19)

Xi reaffirms significance of multilateralism

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 15:06:52 +0800

International order at crucial crossroads, he tells foreign representatives to forum

President Xi Jinping reaffirmed China's resolute stance on upholding multilateralism and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind on Tuesday as he met at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with foreign representatives who attended the 2019 Imperial Springs International Forum.

The forum was held Sunday and Monday in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.

Global governance is facing complex challenges, Xi said, adding that the international order is at a crucial crossroads and the fundamental question is whether multilateralism or unilateralism will prevail.

The current international order is not perfect, but it doesn't need to be destroyed completely to build a new one. It needs to be reformed and improved, he said.

Xi called on all nations to shoulder their responsibilities, initiate constructive dialogue, uphold the principle of seeking common ground while allowing the existence of differences and contribute more positive energy to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

As a nation with nearly 1.4 billion people, China's biggest contribution to humanity is to handle its own affairs well, Xi said, adding that China would like to shoulder its international obligations and responsibilities.

China will prove with its real practices that a strong country may not seek hegemony, and this has been shown by the country's history, culture and tradition over the past 5,000 years, Xi said.

The people of all countries have the right to select development paths that fit their own countries' situations, and no nation can achieve rejuvenation by copying the development paths of others, he said.

Noting that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Xi said that progress over the past decades proves that socialism with Chinese characteristics is the right path for China's development.

China will firmly uphold its path, continue to deepen reform and opening-up and achieve the "Two Centenary Goals" as planned, Xi said, adding that he is confident of China's future.

Some representatives, including former Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama and Tanzania's former president Benjamin William Mkapa, made speeches during the meeting.

They extended congratulations on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and appreciated China's contributions to promoting global peace and sustainable development.

They said that China's reform and opening-up will benefit the whole world - especially developing countries. At the same time, several countries' practice of putting their own interests first and upholding unilateralism has led to an increase of conflict and friction.

The Belt and Road Initiative and the proposal of building a community with a shared future for mankind, put forward by Xi, has great significance to promote global peace and prosperity, they said.

Founded in 2014, the forum has become a new high-end platform for in-depth conversations between China and the rest of the world. This year's forum was attended by over 260 former heads of state or government, leaders of international organizations, academic experts and business leaders.

anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 12/04/2019 page1)

Towering discoveries

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 15:44:44 +0800

New archaeological findings in Northwest China cast fresh light on the cultures that thrived along the Silk Road, Wang Kaihao reports.

In popular culture, there is an unusual expression: "nine-story tower haunted by ghosts." And an online novel that spawned a raft of screen thrillers on the theme of this "haunted tower" on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau has grabbed people's imagination in recent years.

It is perhaps hard to tell whether it is a spotlight or a gloomy shadow that has been cast over the Reshui graveyard, an archaeological site of around 300 tombs dating back to between the 6th and 8th centuries, in Dulan county, Qinghai province.

Having gained fame in recent years, continuous robberies have led to many treasures being taken from the burial site. However, in March, 2018, a nationwide legal-enforcement campaign was set up to combat tomb-raiding and retrieve lost artifacts to put an end to that chaos.

Clockwise from top left: Archaeologists preserve murals in a newly excavated Tubo tomb in Ulan county, Qinghai province; Keyak Khduk, the ruins of a Tang Dynasty (618-907) beacon tower in Yuli county, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region; and abundant funeral objects are unearthed in a newly found tomb of Tuyuhun khanate in Tianzhu county, Gansu province. Photos Provided to China Daily

To rescue this ransacked site, archaeologists began an excavation of a major tomb at the graveyard - Xuewei No 1 - in September.

Since then, the fruitful discoveries made there have helped to lift the veil of mystery surrounding the site, adding more pieces to the jigsaw that make up the ancient Silk Road.

"It is so far the most complete ancient tomb ever excavated on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau," Han Jianhua, the lead archaeologist on Reshui graveyard, told the media at a briefing in Beijing on Nov 22 at a conference of the National Cultural Heritage Administration. "The entire structure of the grave has been cleared out, which is a breakthrough for our studies into funereal customs in the region."

The outer wall of the newly-excavated tomb spans 33 meters from east to west and 31 meters from north to south, and is built up by thick layers of earth. Remains of cloisters and sites for religious sacrifices were also unearthed.

And Han was quick to emphasize that the abundance of findings in terms of cultural relics offered evidence of its crucial role in cross-cultural exchanges at that time.

The kaleidoscopic array of artifacts ranging from wooden slips bearing Tibetan words, gold ware and silk pieces, to lacquer ware, turquoise, and crystal, were uncovered there. And some of the decorative patterns on these items feature the styles typical to the Sogdian and Sassanian people - both originally from today's Iran and Central Asia.

"The complex structure of the graveyard and the myriad funeral objects and diverse range of styles reveal a slice of history that shows how the different ethnic groups communicated with each other," says Zhu Yanshi, a researcher with the Institute of Archaeology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"The term 'nine-story tower haunted by ghosts' is a bit of a gimmick, and a little misleading," he adds. "Additional scientific research will present a more rounded picture and give the public a better understanding of its significance."

In addition to the findings at Xuewei No 1 tomb, new archaeology discoveries in Northwest China have uncovered historical texts related to the Silk Road from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) to modern times, the pinnacle of cultural and economic prosperity in the history of dynastic China.

As a crossroad of cultures at that time, the region witnessed the rise and fall of the Tang era and the Tibetan Tubo Kingdom (618-842), as well as several other regimes established by different ethnic groups that were closely interconnected.

For example, on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, archaeological discoveries made in September in Tianzhu Tibetan autonomous county, Gansu province, unveiled more evidence of the Tuyuhun khanate - a crucial power that was a contemporary of the Tang Dynasty. An unearthed tomb of a Tuyuhun ruler, rare for its kind, contributed to filling in some of the gaps in the family tree of the rulers from that lost khanate and its key role on the Silk Road.

Secret crown

Another discovery in Qinghai province raised scholars' eyebrows at the conference of the National Cultural Heritage Administration on Nov 22.

On a mountain slope in the province's Ulan county, over the course of a yearlong excavation, starting in September 2018, archaeologists unearthed a tomb of a Tubo noble with exquisite murals.

"Tombs decorated with murals were common at that time in the area inhabited by Han people," Tong Tao, chief archaeologist working on the site, says. "But it's extremely rare among Tibetans."

The murals contain scenes of hunting and banquets, animals and flowers, as well as other auspicious patterns.

"The drawing technique is Tang style, but what is depicted in the murals is the nomadic life on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau," Tong says.

Discovery of a concealed compartment in the tomb brought an even bigger surprise, because no such thing had ever been found in any ancient grave in China, according to Tong, let alone the fact that a gold-gilt crown with pearls and sapphires, sitting alongside a gold cup inlaid with turquoise, was found inside.

"Such things only existed in novels or films before, not in real archaeology," he smiles. "Crowns easily attracted tomb raiders, so it is rare to find such an artifact during archaeological research in China. We can figure out how scrupulous the designers of this grave were to ensure its safety."

As the crown is decorated with winged-dragons and phoenixes, and the concealed compartment is put on some grain seeds, often indicating expectation for a country's prosperity, Tong speculates that it represents the tomb occupant's close link with the Tubo rulers.

"After over one millennium, the crown still stands there and a cup is put in front of it," he says. "It indicates worship toward a time of glory and legend."

He also adds that it represents the peak of Tubo culture, when it had gathered wealth holding the doorway of the Silk Road and a highly developed civilization was incubated as a result.

Ruins of a fortress

More discoveries have been made further westward along the Silk Road. In Yuli county, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, an excavation of a Tang Dynasty beacon tower has been full of new findings, even though it only started in October.

Over 800 artifacts have been unearthed from the site named Keyak Khduk, including precious documents written on paper and wood slips, according to Hu Xinjun, a leading archaeologist on the program. Military logs, personal letters, account books, and works of literature, combine to portray not only how frontier military units of the Tang Dynasty were organized and managed, but also what the soldiers' lives were like while safeguarding the outpost.

It has been over a century since Marc Aurel Stein, a British explorer, did preliminary research on the site in 1914.

"These newly found documents are encyclopedic, and fill many gaps in our research," Hu says. "Through the letters, we have a full understanding of the military network then, as the names of many outposts have disappeared in historical recordings."

There are 11 remnant beacon towers in Yuli county, unveiling the history of Anxi Frontier Command, established by Tang in 640 to rule the "west regions" in today's Xinjiang.

"There is also evidence to prove the rule of Chinese central government over this area in history," Hu says.

Speaking of these new findings in Northwest China, Song Xinchao, deputy director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, says they join to "compose a chain of stories" on the Silk Road.

"The relations between different ethnic groups and between central government and frontier regions are thus vividly portrayed," he says. "In-depth communication is seen at these sites. That has always been the fundamental strength to maintain national unity with diversity and prosperity."

Contact the writer at wangkaihao@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 12/03/2019 page18)

Fanning fashion's cultural flame

Sat, 30 Nov 2019 16:06:09 +0800

Plenty of homegrown fashion houses look to China's rich history for design inspiration, but a few, like Yaying, are finding ways to continue a cultural legacy.

On the first day of November, Chinese womenswear fashion brand Yaying launched its 2020 haute couture collection in Beijing.

Set against the backdrop of the city center, on the rooftop of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in the capital's Wangfujing area and overlooking the Forbidden City exactly one month after National Day celebrations, the show was a testament to the grandeur of the brand's vision and the global relevance of its exquisite Chinese culturally-inspired fashion.

This season, Chen Xi, the creative director of the brand, draws inspiration from the Forbidden City as not just a tribute to the finest Chinese aesthetics and craftsmanship, but also as a celebration of the Forbidden City's 600th anniversary next year, with a focus on the private collection of Chinese fans housed within the palace's museum.

With the theme of "Chinese Fans (Hua Shan)", the show and the collection seeks to renew tradition and reshape it for the present.

Fans are the epitome of Chinese culture with a long heritage, and are an excellent witness of time with many symbolic meanings in Chinese culture and tradition, especially among the former royal family as well as within art and culture - as seen in Xu Yang's classical painting Emperor Qianlong's Southern Inspection Tour.

From his research on the subject, Chen provides examples of particular fans that stood out among the paintings of both Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong, such as the big round ceremonial fan used for shade when they departed Beijing (once referred to as Jingshi); the folding fan that was popular among scholars of the time; and the small round fan the courtesans carried while on excursions to Yanyulou (a landmark building in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, that Qianlong visited eight times).

"These fans are beautiful, elegant and graceful, and we extracted elements from their outline or pattern and arranged them into a new form to produce a modern visual effect," Chen says.

The selection of the fans was not just a whim, either, according to Chen, who notes that he always wanted to design a collection inspired by the shapes, colors and designs of the artifacts, particularly citing their exquisite craftsmanship and a sense of duty to preserve that.

"We have a responsibility to preserve and develop these skills and traditions," he says, adding: "Yaying has always humbly dedicated ourselves to making good clothes, and we aim to continue passing on and renewing the concept and craftsmanship of Eastern royal aesthetics to our consumers."

In contrast to the impression of traditional Chinese aesthetics in the past, the brand employs light and bright colors as its main tone.

Drawing from the color palette of the Forbidden City, Chinese jade is complemented by the relaxing color of living coral, indigo blue and futuristic silver, a reference to the concept of time and to balancing modernity and Eastern aesthetics to tell a beautiful story of timeless Chinese elegance.

Oriental aesthetics

These oriental aesthetics have long been a subject and the highlight of the designs for many local brands.

Ne Tiger, as the fashion brand that has opened China Fashion Week for 19 consecutive years, brought its collection based on the travels to the west of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) explorer, Zheng He. The collection displays the exotic charm and culture of countries along the ancient Silk Road, as well as offering modified Chinese traditional costumes, such as qipao dresses made with breezy fabric more suited to the hot weather in regions of Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, Guyan, a brand from Shenzhen, Guangdong province, draws inspiration from plum blossoms, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum - four kinds of flowers that are widely used to eulogize noble virtues in China since ancient times. They are embroidered on modern-styled Tang suits and qipao while, once again, fans also play a role.

It brings us neatly back to Yaying's latest collection, which portrays Chinese aesthetics and traditional elements in a more abstract form, with motifs taken from Chinese fans appearing throughout the collection.

The geometric tailoring and structures allude to the ceremonial fan used by the royal family that symbolizes their majesty. Dragon, river and cliff patterns add a cultural and poetic elegance, as well representing the independent and self-confident feminine spirit today.

The three-dimensional structure of the folding fan is recreated using a number of precise, hand-pleating techniques, underlining a women's strength underneath her gentle temperament.

The circular court fan is a symbol of refinement and is piece of exquisite art in itself, and is adapted to include iconic Chinese elements such as the ruyi cloud, which symbolizes blessings and harmony, and peony flowers that exude energy and elegance.

Exquisite Craftsmanship

With its suits, the brand is looking to accentuate a woman's strength with simple, yet strong, silhouettes, especially that of its three-dimensional curved shoulder blade design - masterfully made-to-measure and adorned with beaded patterns, once again alluding to ruyi clouds, rivers and cliffs. Each pattern is the product of 351 hours of hand-sewn craftsmanship.

Inspired by a Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) blue glazed plum vase with a white dragon pattern, the brand's artisans spent over 104 hours recreating the pattern with embroidery entirely by hand, emblazoned with iridescent sequins of 15 different colors and sizes. There is even a stunning black gown covered with 1,032 small, hand-pleated fans that required 205 hours of skill and precision to create.

Just a month after the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Chinese fashion continues to be buoyed by the increasing popularity and attention given to Chinese culture.

And as Zhang Huaming, chairman of EP Yaying Fashion Group, will attest, culture is the soul of a country and its people. It is also something the brand has remained committed to protecting in its role as both inheritor and innovator.

Founded in Jiaxing city, Zhejiang province, in 1988, Yaying's fortunes have been almost directly tied to the country's reform and opening-up policy of the past 40 years. The fashion group has grown from a small garment factory into a modern business with more than 5,000 employees and an enviable portfolio of luxury fashion brands and retailers, including EP Yaying, Doublelove, N. Paia, Da Ya Jia, GraceLand, and Little Space.

Rooted in arts and culture

To keep pace with the market, in 2016, the group reinvented its main brand EP Yaying, launching a dual-brand development strategy, "The World's EP, China's Yaying".

EP, which focuses on producing ready-to-wear clothing, offers contemporary fashion styles that harmoniously integrate Oriental and Western aesthetics and artistic elements, reflecting both global fashion and contemporary Chinese lifestyle.

Yaying, meanwhile, is the company's haute couture line, tracing its Chinese roots and focusing on the deep exploration of China's traditional culture, aesthetics, fashion and craftsmanship - integrating contemporary aesthetic tastes into its designs for the modern women, but with a clear, exquisite Chinese cultural identity.

Yaying's 2017 Spring/Summer collection saw the debut of its imperial robe-themed series, which met with rave reviews, firmly establishing its "Eastern royal aesthetics" credentials. The brand continues to draw inspiration from Chinese culture, not only for creative inspiration but also in the hope that it can help connect the past with modern fashion, injecting new energy into the industry and enabling a new generation of fashion-conscious women to rediscover that culture.

"In the age when fashion designer is no longer an unusual occupation, Chinese fashion seems to be a concept that is getting confusing and contradictory. However, if I have to define Chinese fashion, Yaying is one of the first brands that jumps into my mind," says Xu Fengli, a Chinese fashion blogger.

To celebrate the company's 30th anniversary last year, EP Yaying premiered its dual-brand 2019 Spring/Summer collection at the closing ceremony of the China International Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2019. Themed "Convergence & Creation", the two collections displayed the balance between mankind and nature, art and culture, tradition and the contemporary. Both the show and collection received unanimous acclaim from the media and the public alike.

In order to preserve and develop traditional handicrafts, the group set up a workshop in 2012 that gathers many professionals who have been practicing traditional craftsmanship for decades, such as embroidery, beading, weaving and hand painting. It also grooms their successors; young and new talent to inherit and innovate these traditional crafts.

"What makes excellent Chinese haute couture? Only those who know how to both inherit and innovate can witness and create the future," Xu concludes.

It is an area in which another homegrown fashion brand is looking to excel. Like the other Chinese fashion houses mentioned, Jefen - established by Xie Feng - used the recent China Fashion week to present a clothing line that introduced elements of traditional culture in a modern context. In this case, rather than motifs and symbolism, the brand took a rather more practical approach, combining fabrics and materials, such as silk gauze and linen, with western-styled tailoring.

The future direction

Today, EP Yaying is represented in more than 210 cities with over 500 stores across China and Malaysia, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Macao and Kuala Lumpur.

In 2020, the brand will enter the American and Australian markets, and continue to share its contemporary, elegant fashion aesthetic with the world.

Looking forward to the next 30 years, Zhang notes: "We will continue to cultivate a higher degree of cultural self-confidence, rooted in Eastern culture with a global perspective.

"The Chinese believe in harmony and the world is home to all. We will continue to create more value for our customers and contribute to the great rejuvenation of Chinese culture in the global fashion industry."

xuhaoyu@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/30/2019 page13)

Art-inspired afternoon tea fit for emperor

Sat, 30 Nov 2019 14:29:14 +0800

A visit to Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi province, which was named Chang'an and served as the Chinese capital during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), is a direct approach to learning the history of the prosperous dynasty.

However, for those who would like to be charmed by the dynasty but not travel, taking afternoon tea at the Ritz-Carlton Beijing, Financial Street is an ideal alternative.

In cooperation with Chinese luxury brand Duanmu, the hotel has recently announced its themed afternoon tea, aiming to bring guests a cultural experience of the Tang Dynasty with its handcrafted desserts.

Founded in 2011, Duanmu is a Beijing-based company specializing in handicrafts made of wood and brocade including bags, boxes and mirrors.

Qi Tian, founder of Duanmu, said the brand customizes wood-made products for cultural institutions and private collectors. Duanmu creates products by drawing inspiration from Tang Dynasty fashion.

"The Tang Dynasty represents the top classical fine art of ancient China and it is also the aesthetic appreciation that the brand has promoted," he said.

Duanmu has gained enlightenment from the Tang Dynasty. It has revived the classic wood inlaying techniques of the dynasty to design patterns for its products, Qi said.

In the collaboration, the afternoon tea offers four exquisite treats featuring Duanmu's products of jewel boxes, shoulder bags, mirrors and handbags.

The four desserts are made of red plum cakes with yogurt cream, blueberry cheesecake, earl gray mousse with hazelnut chocolate and chestnut mousse with rum chocolate, respectively.

Along with the designed delicacies, sandwiches and salty snacks are offered.

Running until February 2020, the afternoon tea is priced at 528 yuan ($80), including two glasses of sparkling wine and two cups of coffee or tea.

The hotel also grants an opportunity for guests to win a trip to Xi'an. This includes the round-trip tickets from Beijing to Xi'an by Hainan Airlines and two nights' stay at the Ritz-Carlton, Xi'an.

liangkaiyan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/30/2019 page6)