CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Thursday, May 13, 2021 | 17 LIFE Capturing the ages

A painting exhibition at the showcases important figures from ancient China, Wang Kaihao reports.

hey are emperors, sages, literati. That partially explains why officials, wartime heroes many exhibits have no information and heroines, and others of their creators’ names. in Chinese history. And, Since ancient times, “The painting of figures contin­ Tpainting is one of the best ways to ued to thrive within royal courts of eulogize them. painting important the Ming and Qing (1644­1911) In the Hall of Literary Brilliance figures has been dynasties,” Ma says. “But the paint­ (Wenhua Dian), the painting gallery ers following the emperors’ order at the Palace Museum in , valued for its social had little room to mix in their per­ also known as the , function to educate sonal styles.” an exhibition opened on May 1 to During this time, the painting of showcase important Chinese fig­ people and give a figures tended to be more connected ures through 55 ancient artworks. realistic depiction of with folk art and ordinary people’s On Paragons of the Nation: Figure lives. For instance, a displayed Ming Paintings From Across the Ages in life.” portrait of Zhang Fei, a military gen­ the Palace Museum Collection, Ma Shunping, curator and eral from the third century, mixes which runs through June, many researcher at the department of his image with elements of tradi­ exhibits are newly shown. painting and calligraphy of the tional New Year woodcut paintings, The Forbidden City was China’s Palace Museum which appear on people’s doors. imperial palace from 1420 to 1911, Ma says the ongoing exhibition is and the paintings were collected by the first phase of a series in the Wen­ the ruling royal families. is being fully unrolled to the public hua Dian gallery that focuses on “Since ancient times, painting for the first time and is a key refer­ ancient Chinese figures through important figures has been valued ence for studies on the evolution of painting. Another three exhibitions, for its social function to educate . each lasting two months, will be pre­ people and give a realistic depiction A presumably Tang Dynasty (618­ sented through the autumn of 2022, of life,” says Ma Shunping, the exhi­ 907) color copy of the Admonitions respectively on hermits, ordinary bition’s curator and a researcher at Scroll, drawn on silk, was taken to women and urban life. the department of painting and cal­ the United Kingdom around 1900 Last year, the four exhibitions ligraphy at the museum. when Beijing was invaded by the were planned to run in the Meridian “The masters of ancient Chinese Eight­Nation Alliance. It is now Gate Galleries, the biggest exhibi­ art were excellent in painting housed in the . Beijing’s Palace Museum is displaying its collection of figure paintings, which offers a panoramic view tion space in the Palace Museum, as important figures,” he says. However, three sections of the work of the art genre’s evolution over centuries in ancient China. JIANG DONG / CHINA DAILY a tribute to the 600th anniversary of An iconic artist is (348­ of a total 12 have been lost. After the completion of the Forbidden 409) from the Eastern Jin Dynasty arriving in , it was separated City. However, the COVID­19 pan­ (317­420), credited for the piece into three pieces and mounted on order and fulfilled their role in the seen as a hunter in the wild, which “The literati preferred a symbolic demic disturbed the original sched­ Admonitions of the Instructress to wooden lattices rather than main­ ruling system, they would be consid­ further shows his longing for a free and conceptual style that empha­ ule, and the exhibitions are being Court Ladies, simply known as the taining its original appearance, Ma ered virtuous by the emperor,” he life beyond the throne. sized an elegant atmosphere rather held one after another in the Wen­ . The painting says. says. than a realistic portrait of details as hua Dian Gallery. illustrated a fourth­century poetic “This exhibited piece in the Palace Biographies of Exemplary Women, Evolution of styles shown in the painting of historic fig­ Due to COVID­19 restrictions, up text left by the official , Museum is a unique example for us also a Song Dynasty facsimile of Gu’s Despite the painting of important ures,” he says. to 3,000 visitors are allowed daily in which offered advice to women in to have a full view of the milestone work, tells of “virtuous” stories of figures being an early genre in tradi­ “Consequently, landscape paint­ the gallery — 2,000 in the morning the royal court, and made it better work by Gu,” he says. women, hailing them for their wis­ tional , its status faded ing, which better reveals philoso­ and 1,000 in the afternoon. Reserva­ understood through 12 stories in dom and kindness. after the Yuan Dynasty (1271­1368), phy, values and cultural cultivation, tions are needed in advance via pictures. Historical icons “The painting also has a huge when that format began to boom in was favored by them.” gugong.ktmtech.cn or the official With Gu’s original painting Highlights of the exhibition importance for historical studies, contemporaneous Europe. Professional painters might be account of the Palace Museum on believed to have disappeared, a include some epoch­making male apart from its artistic value,” Ma Ma attributes the reason to the more skillful in meticulously por­ WeChat, at no extra charge. Song Dynasty (960­1279) mono­ figures, such as Confucius, who says. rise of Chinese literati paintings — traying people’s facial expressions chrome facsimile on show gives peo­ encouraged scholars to serve the “Costumes and objects appearing those drawn by scholars, officials or and folds on clothes, but, in the art Contact the writer at ple an idea about that masterpiece. country rather than staying in her­ in the pictures even bear character­ writers — at that time. circle, they had to give way to those [email protected] Ma says this 6­meter­long painting mitages, the Great Yu, a legendary istics from the Han Dynasty (206 ruler who united China in ancient BC­AD 220), echoing archaeological times, and Zhao Kuangyin, the discoveries today.” founder of the Song Dynasty. This feature may indicate that Gu Ma has also set a section to tell also copied a painting from an earli­ New dads among those granted women’s stories. Four Song­era er period. Ma says many such artists works, including the Admonitions made copies of paintings of ancient Scroll, are on display in the gallery figures through history due to the and make up for a highlighted sec­ significance of the morals surround­ six­month parental leave at Volvo tion, because the dynasty is usually ing them. seen as an apex of painting historic However, as painters sometimes figures in China. tried to display their original crea­ By LI FUSHENG More displayed paintings from tivity, they accidentally fell into [email protected] other dynasties portray famous anachronism, depicting a different women in China, such as Mulan, a period. Swedish premium carmaker Volvo Cars is a brand legendary heroine who disguised For example, an exhibited Ming Volvo is benefiting its 40,000 plus that associates with herself as a man to serve in the Dynasty (1368­1644) portrait is of employees globally by rolling out army and became known world­ Yue Fei, a Song general known for a program that gives both new safety, sustainability wide through Disney productions his loyalty to empire and devotion to moms and dads a parental leave and is based on her story, and Wang recovering lost territory. The paint­ of six months. Zhaojun, one of the “four beauties” er ignored Yue’s traditional image in According to the program, family­oriented. of ancient China who was honored martial attire and made him sit and called Family Bond, anyone who These values of for promoting friendship between read a book in the painting, but mis­ has worked at Volvo for at least two ethnic groups through her takenly gave him a Ming official’s one year is eligible for the paren­ diversity and marriage. robe. tal leave. It can be taken anytime promoting the family “In ancient China, a lineal primo­ Nevertheless, for rulers who within the first three years of par­ geniture system was the foundation wanted to reveal their expectations enthood. is a perfect match to of royal rule, so women played a key through paintings, historical accu­ “When parents are supported our brand and can part in politics,” Ma says. racy from centuries earlier may not to balance the demands of work reinforce our brand. “It would be unfair if we only have to be their first concern, and and family, it helps to close the focused on men, who are more visi­ they were sometimes dissatisfied to gender gap and allows everyone We want to be on the ble in historical records, when simply be patrons. to excel in their careers,” said shopping list of more selecting paintings of important fig­ Zhu Zhanji (1399­1435), a Ming Hakan Samuelsson, chief execu­ ures.” Dynasty emperor, was one such fine tive of Volvo Cars. families looking for a Nevertheless, he adds, the origi­ arts enthusiast. In his own painting, “We have always been a family­ car.” nal purpose when creating these he portrayed the third­century royal oriented and human­centric com­ paintings during imperial times was prime minister and strategist Zhuge pany. Through the Family Bond Hakan Samuelsson, to exhort women to behave within Liang as a man lying amid bamboo program, we are demonstrating chief executive of Volvo Cars certain norms and therefore restrict forests in leisure. and living our values, which in their rights. Coincidentally, in another exhibit, turn will strengthen our brand.” “If the women in royal court exe­ Zhu’s portrait drawn by an anony­ The global program, which has scheme in some regions in 2019, more options so they don’t miss cuted their power within a political mous Ming painter, this emperor is been in place since April, is more in which 46 percent of all appli­ out on their careers. And if we inclusive and supportive than cants were fathers. have more diverse management, I many other company policies When studying the outcome of believe we will be able to think around the world. It applies to all its pilot, the company found that out of the box,” he said. legally registered parents, includ­ employees appreciated the policy There may be windfalls as well. ing adoptive, foster care and sur­ for being gender­neutral, inclu­ Samuelsson said this may make rogate parents. sive and adaptable to personal Volvo a more attractive employer Samuelsson said the carmaker needs. and even help with its brand made the decision to offer the The studies also gave impor­ image among potential custom­ default six months of parental tant insights on how to encourage ers. leave in September 2020. more employees to take parental “Volvo Cars is a brand that associ­ “We think this is the right thing leave and make it for both par­ ates with safety, sustainability and to do for Volvo Cars. Maybe in ents the new “norm”. is family­oriented. These values of China it is also becoming more Volvo Cars said some of the diversity and promoting the family important, as the new second­ obstacles that limit the uptake of is a perfect match to our brand and child policy promotes bigger fam­ parental leave include parents’ con­ can reinforce our brand. We want to ilies,” he said. cerns around the potential effect it be on the shopping list of more fam­ “We would like to be a family might have on their team, fears ilies looking for a car,” Samuelsson friendly company where female around long­term career opportu­ said. employees pursue their career nities, and a cultural mindset about Volvo Cars aims to provide without the fear of being overtak­ what is expected of fathers in the mobility in a personal, sustaina­ en by male counterparts and to workplace and at home. ble and safe way. It is also com­ encourage fathers to stay at home Samuelsson said the program mitted to cutting its carbon Top: Part of a Song Dynasty (960­1279) monochrome facsimile of the Admonitions Scroll offers a good with their kids,” he added. will help solve these problems. footprint, and plans to become a view of the original fourth­century masterpiece by Gu Kaizhi. WANG KAIHAO / CHINA DAILY Before rolling out the program “The Family Bond program climate­neutral company by Center: A portrait of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1644­1911). JIANG DONG / CHINA DAILY globally, Volvo Cars started a pilot offers the stay­at­home mom 2040. Above: A painting by Zhu Zhanji, a Ming Dynasty (1368­1644) emperor, features an unusual image of the ancient strategist Zhuge Liang. WANG KAIHAO / CHINA DAILY This section is sponsored by Volvo Cars.