“MANUSCRIPTA” DIARY

E. Teryukova State Museum of the History of Religion, St. Petersburg, Russia; St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia E-mail: [email protected] P. Tugarinov State Museum of the History of Religion, St. Petersburg, Russia E-mail: [email protected] E. Zavidovskaya National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan E-mail: [email protected]

ON THE RESULTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “FOLK IMAGES AND LATE IMPERIAL ” (ST. PETERSBURG, 29—30 JUNE 2017)

Abstract. The article deals with the conference “Folk Images and Late Imperial China” which was organized by the State Mu- seum of the History of Religion and the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences and by the Culture Research Centre, National Chung Cheng University (Chiayi, Taiwan) in St. Petersburg on June 29—30, 2017. The confer- ence engaged the leading researchers of Chinese folk art and religion from Taiwan and St. Petersburg and included 26 papers on Chinese folk images in Russian and international museum collections, the symbolism of Chinese folk images and semiological structure of myth, the evolution of Chinese folk images in the 20th century, the art of nianhua in contemporary China and Taiwan, the interaction of high and folk culture in , Chinese religious syncretism and its portrayal in art. Key words: Chinese folk art, , Chinese folk images in Russia, museum collections, symbolism of Chi- nese folk images Acknowledgment. The publication was prepared under the grant from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Project No. 15-21-10001.

The State Museum of the History of Religion and the St. Petersburg counts almost 300 years and dates back to Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Acad- Peter the Great's decree to establish the Academy of Sci- emy of Sciences hosted the international conference ences. St. Petersburg has been enjoying the status of “Folk Images and Late Imperial China” on June 29—30, a leading centre for the research of the 2017, which became the first event of this kind within for three hundred years. The Asian Museum was founded the framework of Russian-Taiwanese collaboration in in 1818, later it was reorganized to become the Institute arts and humanities in the past several decades. The con- of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sci- ference was organized by the State Museum of the His- ences. Its collection of manuscripts is the largest in Rus- tory of Religion, the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of sia and one of the largest and most valuable in the world. the Russian Academy of Sciences (Russia) and the Mazu The faculty of Oriental Languages was founded in Culture Research Centre of the National Chung Cheng St. Petersburg University in 1854. The faculty grew to University (Chiayi, Taiwan). The conference was sup- become a recognized centre for the study of Oriental ported by the Cultural Division of the Representative languages, history, and culture. Another decree by Peter Office in Moscow for the Moscow-Taipei Coordination the Great issued in 1714 led to the foundation of Russia's Commission on Economic and Cultural Cooperation. first public museum, the Kunstkamera, where The city where the conference took place is of spe- St. Petersburg's first Chinese collections were housed. cial significance. The history of Chinese studies in Later large collections of Chinese artefacts were gath-

© E. Teryukova, P. Tugarinov, E. Zavidovskaya, 2017. Manuscripta Orientalia, 23/1 (2017), pp. 67—70 68 Manuscripta Orientalia. VOL. 23 NO. 2 DECEMBER 2017 ered at the State Hermitage Museum and the State Mu- the History of Religion held an exhibition titled “Around seum of the History of Religion. Old China with Academician Alekseev”, published an Academician Vassily Mikhailovich Alekseev is album on Chinese prints from the collection of the State a central figure in the history of Chinese studies in Museum of the History of Religion [2], and developed St. Petersburg, he was both a collector and researcher of a multimedia program “Around Old China with Acade- Chinese folk art. During his travels to China in 1906— mician Alekseev” available on the museum's website and 1909, 1912 and 1926 V. M. Alekseev collected several as a part of the permanent display [3]. In 2015, a Rus- thousands of folk images, prints, temple epigraphy, as sian-Taiwanese research group was granted funding for well as secular and religious artefacts. Later his collec- further study of Alekseev's collection, combined work tion was divided between St. Petersburg's (Leningrad's at resulted in publication of a number of articles in Russian, the time) leading museums and research centres. Ap- Chinese and English by Russian and Taiwanese members proximately 1000 sheets from this collection are now of the research group. The work undertaken by Professor held at the State Museum of the History of Religion. Yang Yujin (National Chung Cheng University) at Unlike blockprinted folk images from St. Petersburg's museums, including the Museum of the V. M. Alekseev's collection that found their way to the History of Religion, resulted in a series of articles on the State Hermitage Museum, collection at the State Mu- images of Zhong and Wealth God Caishen [4]. In seum of the History of Religion has been accessible to 2016 she published a catalogue of the touring exhibition researchers, but had not become the subject of dedicated of Chinese folk images from the collection of the State study. Until recently, the only publications on the Mu- Museum of the History of Religion, “Russian Collection (” 㖵ᯟި㯿ᲊ␵ᵘᶯᒤ⮛״“) ”seum's collection of Chinese folk images were two of Late Qing Nianhua works by I. P. Garanin titled “Nineteenth-Century Chi- in Taiwan [5]. Russian members of the research group nese Anti-Christian Prints” and “Chinese auspicious have published more than ten articles in Russian and Prints from the Collection of V. M. Alekseev” [1]. English on the formation of Alekseev's collection at the Well-known Russian researchers of Chinese folk images State Museum of the History of Religion and its various B. L. Riftin and M. L. Rudova mentioned the collection aspects, such as artefacts and V. M. Alekseev's notes for of the State Museum of the History of Religion, but un- those prints, the collection has been introduced as a new fortunately never made it the focus of their attention. To relevant source for the study of Chinese religious syncre- draw the attention to the collection, the State Museum of tism [6].

*** The conference “Folk Images and Late Imperial P. A. Komarovskaya (St. Petersburg State University) China” held in St. Petersburg not only aimed to present presented the results of field research conducted in 2010 the results of this joint project, but also to engage the in Yangjiabu near the town of , one of the Chi- leading researchers of Chinese folk art and religion from nese nianhua manufacturing centres. She pointed out Taiwan and Russia. The conference included 26 papers that present day traditions of this centre are rooted in the on Chinese folk images held in Russian and international heritage of the Qing period. The traditional method of museum collections, on symbolism of Chinese folk im- printing from woodblocks is used to produce New Year ages and semiological structure of myth, evolution of images, while most of the plots typical for early twenti- Chinese folk images in the 20th century, the art of eth century remain unchanged and some of the new god nianhua in contemporary China and Taiwan, interaction images are added. Some of the contemporary Yagjiabu of high and folk culture in Chinese art, Chinese religious prints are the same as nianhua from the collection of the syncretism and its representation in art. State Museum of the History of Religion, which were At the opening session, I. F. Popova (Institute of printed over a hundred years ago and procured by Aca- Oriental Manuscripts RAS), E. A. Teryukova (State Mu- demician V. M. Alekseev during his trip of northern seum of the History of Religion), P. V. Rud' (Kunstkam- China in 1907. R. V. Berezkin (Fudan University) gave era), T. I. Vinogradova (RAS Library), and I. Bez- a talk titled “Zhima and Performances in South- ruchenko spoke about museum and private collections of ern in the Modern Period” based on field re- Chinese folk visual arts in Russia, Lithuania, Portugal search conducted in Wuxi, Changshu, Zhangjiagang, and gave an overview of collections from the State Mu- Suzhou and Jingjiang, and was a contribution of undis- seum of the History of Religion, Institute of Oriental puted academic novelty. He demonstrated that today Manuscripts, and Kunstkamera. Lin Ching-chih from the such types of Chinese folk images as zhima (translated National Chengchi University described the use of inno- as “paper horses”), which originally had a ritual purpose, vative digital research methodology in the study of Chi- are becoming a part of sung narrative performances bao- nese folk images and the development of a unified data- juan (“precious scrolls”), which are still popular in some base covering nianhua manufacture and sales centres in regions of Southern Jiangsu. P. A. Tugarinov (State Mu- China, which makes it possible to identify specific re- seum of the History of Religion) focused his talk on the gional functional and stylistic features. phenomenon of contemporary Taiwanese New Year A special session was devoted to folk visual arts in prints and the fact that their imagery is incorporating the 20th century and their contemporary status in China new non-traditional plots and artistic formats. According and Taiwan. In her talk titled “Nianhua Workshop Centre to P. A. Tugarinov, contemporary Taiwanese New Year in Yangjiabu (Shangdong): Traditions and Modernity”, images are an untapped and incredibly informative re- “MANUSCRIPTA” DIARY 69 source for the study of identity formation and awareness ince, they have been classified as intangible cultural heri- among the residents of Taiwan. tage by the local administration. Taiwanese regional reli- The second day of the conference was devoted to ico- gious practices and visual art tradition were introduced by nography and symbolism in Chinese folk visual arts and Hsieh Jui-Long of Mingdao University in his paper “Stud- incorporation of folk prints into ritual practices. Yang Yu- ies on the Mural Paintings in Mazu Temples in Taiwan”, jun from National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan dem- where he traced the origins of the Mazu cult in the coastal onstrated that, despite the fact that Chinese auspicious areas of continental China in the time of the , symbolism has often been the centre of researchers' atten- this deity has later occupied a central place among folk tion, the issues related to their visual representation and beliefs. During citizens of the ancient symbolic meanings in late imperial folk prints have not Minyue country immigrated to Taiwan and brought along been thoroughly analysed. The goal of her paper was to their religious beliefs. Goddess Mazu, who had originally identify some of the typical auspicious themes and to trace been the protector of ships, first became the patroness of their connection to the material culture of China in past the Taiwan Strait and then grew to become the highest and present. The imagery and compositional elements that Taiwanese deity. At present, there are hundreds of Mazu resulted from interaction with other cultures became the temples in Taiwan and the number of worshippers keeps subject of her special attention. A researcher from the Na- growing. tional Palace Museum in Taipei Chiu Shih-hua presented Presentations on V. M. Alekseev's collection at the a paper titled “Folk Images in the Court Paintings during State Museum of the History of Religion constituted the Jiaqing Reign (1796—1820)”. The speaker demon- a separate session. E. A. Zavidovskaya (National Tsing strated that, after the publication of The Rites of Zhou Hua University) presented the results of her study of classical Chinese literature developed the image of a clay a number of drawings from the museum's collection de- bull ploughing the first furrow in spring, which later be- picting the folk pantheon deities from the province of came known as “the Spring Bull” chun niu. This rite was (Qufu, Taian counties). All these images are of founded on the traditional division of the agricultural year high artistic value and, according to the speaker, stand into twenty-four seasons. According to tradition, an officer out against other samples of Chinese folk art in the col- brought “the Spring Bull” and broke it with his whip, so lection due to difference in their functionality. Unlike that the villagers could take its shards home. “The Spring nianhua and zhima, which were traditionally used to Bull” symbolized affluence and was believed to protect decorate private houses or burnt during the ritual, these from misfortunes. The tradition of whipping the Spring images were intended for family altars and small temples Bull survived up to the present day in Tainan City. The and could be painted by the artists who decorated tem- paper titled “Sending off the Plague: From the Ship Paint- ples. A great number of these images depict fox spirits ings to the Practice of Taoist Ritual” by Hung Yingfa (the huxian worshipped in Shandong. The topic of the im- Research Centre for Humanities and Social Sciences, mortal fox cult was elaborated on by T. E. Pal'mova Academia Sinica, Taiwan) was focused on the ancient (St. Petersburg State University), who discussed their tradition of depicting ship, which has been wide-spread in symbolic meaning and functioning in a folk culture Jiangxi. The speaker demonstrated that there were two based on V. M. Alekseev's collection. M. V. Kor- types of images: hanchuan and changchuan — the ship of manovskaya (State Museum of the History of Religions) screams and the ship of songs. Both are related to the Tao- analysed theatric prints from the Museum's collection, ist sòngwƝn ritual of sending off the plague and used to V. N. Mazurina (State Museum of the History of Relig- symbolize a sacrificial offering to ancestors. Kuo-Hsing ions) spoke about prints depicting moon rabbits, Hsieh from Academia Sinica in his paper titled “Shaman O. S. Khizniak (State Museum of the History of Relig- Facial Makeups of Masqueraded Song Jiang Militia of ions) presented the results of her study of Stove God Taiwan Folk Religion” identified the specific features of Zao-wang images. another ritual practice dating back to the 16th century — The conference coincided with exhibition “The Sea- religious theatric performances with martial arts elements son of Flying Fish. Contemporary Taiwanese New Year performed by the Song Jiang militia at temple holidays in Graphics” hosted by the State Museum of the History of Southern Taiwan and their links to folk art forms. Song Religions and held under the umbrella of the St. Peters- Jiang militia uses unique makeup intended to expel de- burg Cultural Forum and assisted by the Cultural Divi- mons and evil spirits. Song Jiang militia troupes conduct sion of the Moscow-Taipei Coordination Commission on performances in Taiwan and in the south of prov- Economic and Cultural Cooperation.

Notes

1. Garanin, 1960, idem, 1961. idem, 2014b. 2. Mazurina, 2015: 94. 5. Idem, 2016. 3. http://gmir.ru/virtual/virt-collection/chinese-folk-paintin 6. Teryukova & Zavidovskaja, 2015a; idem, 2015b; idem, g/. [Accessed: August 4, 2017]. 2016; idem, 2017; Teryukova & Zavidovskaya & Khizhnyak, 4. Yang, 2013a; idem, 2013b; idem, 2013c; idem, 2014a; 2016. 70 Manuscripta Orientalia. VOL. 23 NO. 2 DECEMBER 2017

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