According to ancient data, the slander wood during the Yao, Shun, and Yu periods was made of wood. The wooden capitals stood in the open air and could not withstand the wind and rain all year round and were easily damaged. Therefore, by the Han Dynasty, wooden pillars were gradually replaced by stone pillars, but their shape still maintained the style of wooden pillars, with a slender column body and a horizontal plate on the capital. This became the earliest and most popular Huabiao style. Basic form.
At the same time, after the Han Dynasty, the shape of Huabiao itself became increasingly sophisticated. For example, a cloud plate, a dew plate, and a jade are added to the top, and the column body is decorated with dragons and other patterns.
Among them, the "dew-bearing plate" pattern on the Chinese watch is said to be related to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.
When Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was still alive, he ordered people to set up a bronze immortal on the altar of the gods in the palace of the Han Dynasty. He raised his hands above his head and held a copper plate to receive the nectar from the sky, thinking that people drank the nectar. Then you can live forever.
This is naturally nonsense, but later this form was passed down, and the immortal was cancelled, and was simplified to a disk placed on the pillar, which was the "dew plate" later formed on the Huabiao .
As there were more and more patterns on the Chinese watch, its image became more and more beautiful, so its scope of application became wider and wider. Later, people used it in front of palaces, bridges, mausoleums and city walls. This kind of building was erected.
Because of this kind of building, because it is decorated with a "dew tray" and there is a horizontal plate on the capital, it looks like a bouquet of flowers from a distance. For this reason, people Call it "Huabiao."
However, because it was later widely used in palaces, bridges, mausoleums and other places, for this reason, people also called it Shinto Pillar, Optimus Prime, Wanyun Pillar, etc. Stone pillars, tables, markers, tablets, etc.
The most complete set of Shinto pillars preserved in our country later is the "Qinjun Shinto Pillar". This stone pillar was unearthed from the old path of Yongding River in Shijingshan District. There are only two of them and they were built in 105.
The top of the Qinjun Shinto stone pillar is missing, but the column body and base are intact. The two pieces have the same specifications, with a height of 2.25 meters, a square column with a length of 0.48 meters and a width of 0.43 meters. The column body is carved with long straight vertical patterns, and the upper part of the column is carved with two chi tigers coiled on the side of the column to support the forehead of the column.
On the forehead, there are 3 lines of Han Li vertical inscriptions. The first and third lines have 4 characters each, and the second line has 3 characters. The content is the same, which is "Han Gu Youzhou Shu Zuo Qin Jun" Shinto".
According to the Qinjun Shinto Pillar, it can be seen that the Shinto Pillar of the Han Dynasty has three parts: one is the lower base, that is, the pillar base; Some of the lower parts are decorated with reliefs; the third is the round upper cover on the top of the column, on which there are often tombs carved in the shape of animals or figures.
In addition to the Qinjun Shinto pillars preserved in the Han Dynasty, there are also several pairs of Huabiao pillars with exquisite carvings and beautiful shapes in front of the Xianling Mausoleum of Tang Emperor Li Yuan and the Qianling Mausoleum of Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi.
Among them, the Huabiao of Xianling Mausoleum is located 100 meters outside the south gate of the inner city. The entire stone carving category is very simple, but the carving art value is very high. It is thick and simple, resolute in shape, strong and rough, and open-minded and high-spirited.
The dragon pattern embossed on the base of the Ruhua watch and the Suan Ni carved in the round on the top are very simple and vivid in shape. The round sculpture of Suan Ni has a tall body and uses a realistic technique to carve out the image of a ferocious beast. The thick body and concise lines pursue realism without paying attention to the decoration of the appearance. It not only depicts the beast's nature, but is not intimidating and can make people like it. , which is a representative and fine product of Tangling stone carving art.
At the same time, although the details of the base of the Huabiao are broken, the exquisiteness and magnificence of the year can still be seen.
The most famous Huabiao in the Qianling Mausoleum is located between the east and west breast peaks in front of the mausoleum, with stone steps paved with Fuping black jade below. Behind the Huabiao are more than a hundred giant stone sculptures. The Huabiao stands suddenly on the In front of it, it marks the starting point of Qianling Sima Road.
This pair of Chinese watches is 8 meters high and 1.12 meters in diameter. It consists of a double-layered square base, a covered lotus seat, an eight-diamond column, a lotus top base and a round stone. The upper and lower columns Lotus petals are carved at the junction, vines and pomegranate patterns are carved in the middle, and the top of the column is peach-shaped.
Each side of the column is engraved with the auspicious sea pomegranate pattern using the reduced-base brushwork used in stone carvings. The remaining three sides have been eroded by wind and rain, and the patterns on them are no longer identifiable.
It is said that the reason why the column base and column top are carved in the shape of lotus petals is because Buddhism was the state religion in the Tang Dynasty, and in Buddhism the lotus is a symbol of Buddhism’s goodness, and because the lotus is associated with pity, , so among Buddhist believers, the lotus symbolizes the Buddha's compassion and shouldering the great responsibility of saving all sentient beings.
The spherical stone at the top of the Huabiao is a symbol of nectar from heaven. This round stone looks like a huge dewdrop, held up high by a lotus. It is a significant landmark from ancient times used to indicate the location of the tomb, and it also has a certain symbolic meaning. Mausoleum decorations.
The two Huabiao are so high in nature that they surpass all stone carvings. They are each carved from a seamless boulder and are integrated into one piece, adding a bit of solemn and sacred atmosphere to the cemetery.
In Qianling Mausoleum, in addition to the two in front of Sima Dao, there are also two Chinese watches in front of the tombs of the three kings, two princes, and four princesses. However, there are no such ones in front of the tombs of the eight courtiers. Explanation: In addition to the above two meanings, the Qianling Huabiao also has the function of indicating the identity of the tomb owner.
On the other hand, from ancient books, we also know that in the Han Dynasty, people still erected Chinese watches at the postal booths to prevent the messengers from getting lost.
In this way, since the Han Dynasty, Huabiao has gradually developed from the early slanderous wood into small decorative architectural objects set up at bridgeheads and cemeteries. On the one hand, it still has a symbolic role, but more importantly, it has evolved It has become a kind of decoration that "decorates the appearance of the house".
Han Dynasty Cheng Terrace
Han Dynasty Huabiao Bronze Terrace
Huabiao in front of the mausoleum of Emperor Taizu of the Tang Dynasty