Emperors Antique

Friday, December 6, 2013

Shang (BC 1600-1100)

Compiled from Collecting Chinese Antiquities in Hong Kong

From 2000 BC-500 BC, Chinese civilization blossomed with the development of a writing system, the discovery of advanced bronze metallurgy, and the beginning of urban centres, with palaces, temples and the workshops of specialized industries. In this highly stratified society, hundreds of politics emerged, including three powerful dynastic states - Xia, Shang and Zhou. The Xia Culture was discovered through the archaeological finds in 1959 at Erlitou in Henan (South of the Yellow River). The unearthed bronze artifacts marked the beginning of the Bronze Age in Ancient China.

The most important ritual symbols of this age were bronze vessels. The manufacture of bronze vessels required abundant resources and intensive labour. While the finest flowering of Shang art is seen in its bronzes, primitive greenware pottery appeared in the late Shang period. There has been considerable speculation as to how it originated. Archaeological sites from the middle of the Shang period have been discovered in modern Honan, Hoph, snf Shansi that show numerous examples of a hard pottery with impressed decorations, with a purplish-brown body. The high temperature porcelleanous glaze used at this time and during the late Shang period reveals the development of primitive porcelain. Still, much remained unknown about the Shang culture.

Green Jade Axe and Green Jade Column Suffused with Greyish White

Compiled from Collecting Chinese Antiquities in Hong Kong

L: 8cm and 6.7cm

Earthenware Vessel with Mineral and Leaf Pigments

Compiled from Collecting Chinese Antiquities in Hong Kong

Earthenware Vessel with Mineral and Leaf Pigments,

H: 40cm, Gansu Yang Shao Culture, Banshan Phase

Neolithic (BC 8000-2100)

Compiled from Collecting Chinese Antiquities in Hong Kong

During the Neolithic period, human groups in China established permanent, agricultural villages and began making pottery. By the end of the Neolithic period, some groups were living in highly stratified societies ruled by powerful leaders. The Neolithic period ended with the introduction of Bronze vessels for use in rituals around 200 BC. The areas covered by what is now modern China was made up of distinct regions each of with its own separate identity. Based on the similarities in such things as pottery, houses and style of burials, archaeologists have identified many different cultures.

Many Neolithic cultures flourished during the years 5000-3000 BC. The YangShao culture of the central plains of Shannxi, Henan was well-known for painted pottery. They were often decorated in black paint with complex designs. After the YangShao Culture came, the LongShan culture flourished in the lower Huang He. They produced extremely delicate eggshell-thin pottery.

The Majiayao, Banshan and Machang cultures developed in the upper Huang He and produced various types of pottery. In the Dawenkou culture of Shandong and North Jiangsu, pottery was more sophisticated. Vessels more frequently had appendages such as spouts legs and ring bases. Their tombs were usually made of elaborately constructed chambers filled with objects of jade, ivory, turquoise and black/white ware.

The Hong Shan culture in Liaoning, Northern Hebei produced painted pottery and large amounts of jade carving. In the lower region of River Changjiang, the Liangzhu culture also produced jade carving. This culture is well-known for its great variety of jade carving as well as superb carving techniques. The most important of these jade carvings are the ceremonial disks (bi), broad-bladed axes (yue) and ritual tubes (cong).

The Emperor Who Owned the World

Compiled from Infamous Chinese Emperors

Some quick facts about this infamous emperor:

He was the second child among his siblings
He founded the Northern Qi Dynasty.
Reigned from 550-559.
Started out as a capable ruler who degenerated into a despot.
He was noted for his extreme punishments.
His dynasty had six rulers.

Who was he?

He was Gao Yang, who later ruled as Emperor Wenxuan. Gao Yang. Gao Yang’s father was Gao Huan, the prime minister and de facto ruler of the Eastern jin Dynasty. After Gao Huan’s death, his eldest son Gao Cheng took over. Gao Cheng had wanted to get rid of Gao Yang, but that never happened as he was assassinated by a subordinate. Emperor Xiaojing of the Eastern Wei Dynasty, who had been reduced to a puppet by Gao Cheng, had been waiting for the opportunity to make a comeback.

Gao Yang entered the fray at this critical juncture. He was not taken seriously in the past, as he always wore a dubious look on his face. He had the assassin killed and declared to the public that Gao Cheng had merely been wounded. This helped reduce tension in the court and soothe public fears and put their minds at ease. He then succeeded his brother and soon dethroned Emperor Xiaojing.

During the first few years of his reign, Gao Yang worked in harmony with his ministers and concerned himself with the hardships and sufferings of the common people. He set up schools, encouraged farming and did many things to win the support of the people. He even successfully trained a strong army and launched expeditions to the north. The Northern Qi Dynasty became the most powerful state during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. In less than six or seven years, however, dazed by his own success, Gao Yang began to indulge in alcohol and women and behaved peevishly.

He often went on killing sprees when he was drunk. In fact, many eunuchs, maids and prisoners died during his reign. When his two younger brothers, Gao Jun, the king of Jianping and Gao Huan, the king of Gangsu came to see Gao Yang and pleaded with him to drink less and stop killing people for pleasure, he had both of them arrested and locked in the iron cage. He tried to kill them and when that failed, he burnt them to death.

In 559, Gao Yang fell ill from excessive drinking and sexual activities. On his dying bed, he summoned Gao Yan, his sixth brother, who was the King of Zhongshan to see him. He begged Gao Yan not to kill his son, Gao Yin. In 560, one year after Gao Yang’s death, Gao Yang dethroned Gao Yin and proclaimed himself the emperor. He killed Gao Yin soon after.