Drawing on the postscript by Cai Jing on the scroll of A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains as direct evidence, and the activities of Cai Jing and Emperor Huizong as indirect evidence, supplemented by the physical materials of the imperial silk fabrics Emperor Huizong favored his subjects with, this paper preliminarily investigates Wang Ximeng’s life experience amid the political turmoil of the late-Northern Song Dynasty. His admission to the Imperial Painting Academy, his service in the Imperial Archives, and his learning of painting under Emperor Huizong were all influenced to some extent by Cai Jing’s manipulations and operations. An analysis of the scenes depicted in the Scroll indicates that Wang Ximeng was well acquainted with the natural and cultural landscapes of various regions, including Xianyou in Fujian, Mount Lu and Poyang Lake in Jiangxi, Suzhou, Kaifeng, and other places. Furthermore, under the instruction of Emperor Huizong, Wang Ximeng broadened his vision of panoramic depiction of grand mountains and vast rivers and mastered refined artistic expression of grand blue-and-green landscape painting. He visualized in his painting the poetic sentiment of “Viewing Mount Lu from Pengli Lake” by Meng Haoran, thereby expressing the aesthetic ideology of “Abundance, Prosperity, Joy and Grandeur” that was prevalent in the late-Northern Song Dynasty.
Round fan paintings of flowers and birds thrived in the Song Dynasty benefited from the prosperous in the fan-making industry and the prevalence of sketch painting across all social stratums. As people’s aesthetic standards improved, the designs of round fans diversified and the compositions of round fan paintings grew in variety, reflecting unique features of the time. This paper classifies the development of round fan paintings of flowers and birds in the Song Dynasty into three phases: early-Northern Song, mid- and late- Northern Song, and Southern Song, and discusses the evolutionary patterns and influencing factors of round fan paintings of flowers and birds in different stages. It is concluded that the Song Dynasty attained a high level of accomplishment in terms of the design and cultural connotations of round fan paintings of flowers and birds which had a profound influence on the development of such paintings thereafter.
The literati of the Tang and Song dynasties expressed their yearning and love for the natural beauty of landscape by extolling the natural aesthetics of tea. They reveled in the joys of the mountains and forests by drinking spring water and savoring tea, transcending the constraints of fame and status. Tea became a sanctuary for their soul. Compared to the Tang literati, the literati of the Song Dynasty preferred leisurely tea drinking, reflecting a view about the silent enjoyment of life. The tea poetries of the Song Dynasty presented three approaches to the enjoyment of life: the Confucian notion of being content with a simple but virtuous life, the Daoist idea of embracing rejoice in complying with Heaven and knowing its mandate, and the Zen Buddhist principle of ultimate tranquility and desirelessness. Tea drinking activities also served as a means for the Tang and Song literati to contemplate the principles of the universe and life. The Song literati showed a more rational aspect in their poems about tea. They derived insights about the ups and downs of life from the experience of drinking tea; they also compared the essence of tea with human nature, using this analogy to clarify their philosophical beliefs and motivate themselves, which showcased their high-heartedness and unworldliness. For the Tang and Song literati, tea drinking was an exceedingly decorous cultural activity. The profound connotations of literati tea in the Tang and Song dynasties constitute a crucial component of Chinese tea culture.
The Song Dynasty was an era of introspection, with a tendency for refinement and thriving civilian culture. At the same time, its culture was relatively closed and introverted, and elegant. Under such a background, the tea culture of the Song Dynasty was gentle, soft, and clear. During this period, the tea ceremony focused on simplicity and valued aspirations. Due to the increasing demand for high-quality tea from the ruling class, the tribute tea system gradually improved, and the tea-whisking method became popular with a focus on cleanliness, simplicity, and elegance. Besides, the use of tea utensils was also quite meticulous. Tea held a unique position in politics, diplomacy, daily life, and etiquette at the Song imperial palace. Additionally, tea was also endowed with many spiritual connotations, permeating into the cultural entertainment life of emperors and officials in the imperial palace, thus giving birth to many elegant tea-drinking techniques and cultural masterpieces. The Song imperial tea culture led the new trend of the times in the promoting and popularizing of tea-drinking customs among the people.
The sources of porcelains in the Song Dynasty court were diverse. As porcelains began to play an ever-significant role for monarchs and officials, the capital established kilns for porcelain production in the late-Northern Song. Some porcelain products entered the court as items produced by government-run workshops directly under central authority. This shift was of great significance as, to some extent, the Jingdezhen imperial kiln factory of the Ming and Qing dynasties was an elevated version of the Song Dynasty’s official kilns model. During Emperor Huizong’s reign, a series of favorable conditions led to the establishment of official kilns, which also reflected the aesthetic preferences of the emperor.