There is only one genuine piece, a printed copy, and many imitations. The following is an illustration of the flourishing period of the Ming Dynasty
Illustration of the flourishing period of the Ming Dynasty
Chen Junjian, a long scroll that has influenced Chinese painting for six hundred years
The Chinese Academy of Fine Arts is in Zhejiang, China The Academy of Fine Arts is in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. The Zhejiang Painting School has led the Chinese painting world for six hundred years. The recognized first founder of the Zhejiang Painting School was Dai Jin, who served as the royal court painter of Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty 580 years ago.
Dai Jin (1389-1462) was a native of Qiantang, Zhejiang Province. His courtesy name was Wenjin, his alias was Jing'an, and he was also known as Yuquanshan. A master of Chinese painting in the Ming Dynasty, his landscape paintings originated from Li Tang, Ma Yuan, Xia Gui and others in the Song Dynasty. He entered the palace before the age of 40 and attended the Renzhi Palace with other masters of painting. He returned to his hometown at the age of 54 and founded the Zhejiang School of Chinese Painting.
Everyone knows that Dai Jin was poor before returning to his hometown. Unknown to him, he hid his name to avoid disaster and lived on the banks of the Qinhuai River in Nanjing Confucius Temple under the pseudonym Yuan Jiang, selling paintings to survive. Calligraphy and painting are always and everywhere the highlight of the media. Under the spotlight, wearing a mask to earn a living is like licking blood from the sword of the Jinyiwei of Dongchang in the Ming Dynasty. The difficulty is evident. Recently, I came across a long scroll of calligraphy and painting, on silk, 27 x 410 cm, with an inscription and postscript "The Prosperity of the Ming Dynasty" and signed by Yuan Jiang. Interpreting this calligraphy and painting, the whole story of why Dai Jin, a master of Chinese painting for 600 years, was able to pioneer the Zhejiang School, is clearly visible on the back of the paper.
The main content of the painting "The Ming Dynasty" (see part of my photo album) is: the Qinhuai scenery of the Ming Dynasty centered on Nanjing Confucius Temple in 1433 AD. In the spring of the eighth year of Emperor Xuanzong's reign in the Ming Dynasty, Nanjing experienced a long drought. The seven-year-old crown prince Zhu Qizhen, who later became Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty, accompanied his father, Emperor Xuanzong, Zhu Zhanji, and his biological mother, Queen Sun, and his younger brother Zhu Qiyu, who later became Emperor Daizong, to visit the Confucius Temple in Nanjing with his imperial envoy Zhenxie. The three emperors of the fourth Ming Dynasty (Zhu Qizhen served as emperor twice), and the Empress Dowager Sun, the mother of Yingzong, appear in a painting at the same time. There are other untested relatives of the emperor in the painting. The painting was completed in 1442 AD, the seventh year of Renxu reign of Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty. At that time, Yingzong Zhu Qizhen was sixteen years old, the age to take charge of the government.
The calligraphy and painting scroll*** consists of five parts.
1. The title of the painting is in large seal script. It is from the prosperous period of the Ming Dynasty, Renxu Yuanjiang. The work was completed in 1442 AD, the seventh year of Emperor Yingzong's reign in the Ming Dynasty. At that time, Dai Jin was fifty-four years old. The Xuanzong family of the Ming Dynasty was envoy to Qinhuaihe in Nanjing for nine years. Prince Zhu Qizhen had been enthroned as Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty for seven years.
2. Main picture hand scroll, silk, ink pen, 26×410 cm, iron line drawing and halo leaf drawing. It depicts Nanjing Tongji Gate to Jubao Gate, which is today's Zhonghua Gate, ten miles of Qinhuai River, folk customs and customs of the Ming Dynasty, and ten landscapes. The Dacheng Hall of Confucius Temple, Tianwenshu, Wende Bridge, Gongyuan, etc., the scenery of 564 years ago is vivid in my mind. More than 520 Ming Dynasty figures, including emperors, queens, princes, other royal families of the Ming Dynasty, and soldiers and civilians from all walks of life, are vividly displayed on the screen. The Qinhuai River is bustling with people, and it is a picture of the peaceful and prosperous Ming Dynasty.
3. Liu Hongshi’s running script in Futai, Jiangsu Province, introduces the author Dai Jin and his paintings. The running script is located in the blank space above the painting, the same as the scroll. The text is recorded as follows:
One volume of Pictures of the Ming Dynasty is a masterpiece created by Dai Jin, a painter of the Ming Dynasty. Dai's courtesy name was Wenjin, also known as Jing'an, and also named Yuquan Shanren. He was good at painting. Ye Cheng, the kindergarten teacher, and Chang Dexu's family were all great, and most of them were led by Ma Yuan and Xia Gui. The figures, ghosts, gods, flowers, fruits, feathers, and animals are all extremely exquisite. The colors are heavy and light, and the mastery is no less than that of the sages of the Tang and Song Dynasties. The explanations of the paintings are drawn with iron lines, and halo leaves are also used at intervals. His figures have some pauses in his painting, but his unique skills have surpassed those of the Southern Song Dynasty and others, and he has become the best in Ming Dynasty paintings. In the Hongwu year, he lived in Jinling and made painting his career. During the Yongle period, he followed his father Jingxiang to the capital and opened up his realm. Until the Xuande period, the name of his paintings became more famous. That is, he was conscripted into the palace by Emperor Xuanzong to enshrine Danqing. Along with famous figures such as Xie Jing, Ni Duan, Li Zaishi, Rui Zhou and Wen Jing, he was also on duty at Renzhi Hall. The landscape paintings he made were based on the methods of Ma Yuan and Xia Gui, and were based on Guo Xi and Li Tang. He also achieved perfection in the other flowers, birds, figures, etc. The brushwork is exquisite and detailed, especially the profound skill, which has become a competition and jealousy. Wang Shidao also said that his paintings were very influential, and his reputation became even more prosperous during the mid-Ming Dynasty.
He has created many masterpieces such as Fishing Alone on the Autumn River, Accumulation of Green in the Spring Mountains, Elegant Gathering in Nanping, Snow Rock Machine Road, Boating in Wind and Rain, etc., which have been collected in the National Palace Museum. Dai Jinzhi was quite miserable in his later years because he was poor after returning home. Dai Jin was also good at calligraphy, and one word of calligraphy is truly worth a thousand gold. Ten Miles of Qinhuai was built in the 37th year of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty. It was named Qinye in ancient times. It flows through Nanjing City, exits the city and merges into the Yangtze River. It is an ancient city. The origin of Jinling. The Map of Qinhuai's Prosperity in Ten Miles depicts the scenes and features of the Ming Dynasty in its heyday, including the section from Tongji Gate to Jubao Gate, and the customs and customs of the people in Ten Miles. It can be said that there are ten scenic spots in the Qinhuai River within ten miles, connected by a river into the Yangtze River. It has been the capital since ancient times and flourished in the Six Dynasties. I like to see the famous saying that the capital flourished in the early Ming Dynasty. This painting, with its exquisite depiction of scenes, characters, and architecture, is truly priceless and should be treasured.
Liu Hongzhi in the west window of the official post office in Futai, Jiangsu Province
(Note: The Nanping Gathering Picture is now in the Forbidden City in Beijing, and the Wind and Rain Boating Picture is in the National Palace Museum in Taipei." His father Jingxiang's "Xiang" character Liu Futai is only in the upper half of the book. Referring to other sources, we know that the full character is "Xiang".)
4. Commentary on the calligraphy of Weng Tonghe in the ninth year of Guangxu's reign in the Qing Dynasty. Weng was then the Minister of Industry and the Minister of Military Machinery. The evaluation of the running script is as follows:
I have read that this painting is actually a rare treasure. The master of painting Dai Jin of the Ming Dynasty came out of Ma Yuan.
Weng Tonghe in the ninth year of Guangxu.
5. Collection seal. The red seal of Wanli's Treasure Appraisal is located in the inscription and postscript.
Based on various materials, the author compiled the basic chronology of Dai Jin as follows:
Dai Jin was born in 1389 in Qiantang, Zhejiang, now Hangzhou. In 1398, the 31st year of Hongwu's reign in the Ming Dynasty, Dai was 10 years old. Before that, he followed his father Jing Xiang to study and sell paintings in Nanjing. His father was a professional painter. Beginning in the fourth year of Yongle, Zhu Di, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, gathered famous teachers from all over the world and compiled the "Yongle Dadian" in handwriting. It is unknown how many of the hand-drawn illustrations in "Yongle Dadian" were created by Dai Jin. In 1407, the fifth year of Yongle's reign, Ding Hai Dai Jin was 19 years old. He painted "Returning to the Fields to Celebrate Birthday" for the court dignitaries. In the spring of the 19th year of Yongle's reign in 1421, Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty moved the capital to Beijing, changed the capital to Nanjing, and designated Beijing as the capital. At the age of 33, Dai Jin entered Beijing and became famous for his paintings. Dai Jinxiang befriended Dai Lun, a powerful figure in the imperial court. In 1426, the first year of Xuande, Dai Lun was appointed Minister of War. Dai Jin was 38 years old and entered the palace as a royal court painter, taking turns in Renzhi Palace. In 1432, the seventh year of Xuande's reign, when Dai Jin was 44 years old, Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty killed Dai Lun, the Minister of War, causing disaster to Chi Yu and Dai Jingxiang. Dai Jin fled the capital in a hurry. From then on, Dai Jin traveled to Shanxi, Henan, Jiangsu and other places, painting incognito and using the pseudonym Yuan Jiang until he was 54 years old. In 1433, the eighth year of Xuande's reign, when Dai Jin was 45 years old, the Xuanzong family of the Ming Dynasty, including the three emperors and one empress, visited the Confucius Temple on the Qinhuai River in Nanjing. Dai Jin may have met him by chance, or at least knew about it. In 1442, the seventh year of the reign of Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty, Dai Jin was 54 years old. At that time, Emperor Yingzong Zhu Qizhen was 16 years old. Based on this event, Dai Jin completed the picture "The Ming Dynasty". In the picture, Dai Jin praised Yingzong's merits and was pardoned and vindicated by Yingzong of Ming Dynasty. Dai Jin stopped hiding under the pseudonym Yuan Jiang. Dai Jin returned to his hometown in rich clothes and returned to Qiantang to teach as a disciple. With the support of the imperial court, Dai Jin formally founded the Zhejiang School of Chinese Painting, and his son Dai Jin entered the palace as an official. In 1460, Yingzong was restored and became emperor for the second time. In Gengchen, the fourth year of Tianshun's reign, at the age of 72, he painted "Nanping Elegant Collection". In 1462, the sixth year of Tianshun's reign, he died at the age of 74. In the eighth year of Tianshun reign of Emperor Yingzong, he died in the spring of the first month, and he was thirty-eight. Zhu Jianshen, the eldest son of the Ying Dynasty, succeeded him as emperor, with the reign name Chenghua, and his reign was 23 years. Dai Jin's painting school can be protected by the state and endure for a long time.
Personnel affairs related to the picture "The Ming Dynasty":
1. Dai Lun is from Gaomi. In Yongle, he taught and promoted the etiquette department in Changyi to Shizhong, and together with the editor Lin Changmao, he served the emperor's grandson as a storyteller. Li Zhongyun and Yude. Renzong ascended the throne and his grandson became the prince. He moved to Xima and still served as a lecturer. The first ancestor ordered his great-grandson to practice martial arts, and his great-grandson also liked it, and sometimes went out to ride and shoot. Lun and Changmao thought that Taisun would be rich in the Spring and Autumn Period. It was not appropriate for him to waste his knowledge and engage in wandering, and he would give advice from time to time. Xuanzong ascended the throne, favored palace officials, and promoted Lun to serve as Minister of War. After a while, he remonstrated and disobeyed the imperial edict, and ordered the counselor to take charge of military affairs. When the emperor came to attack him, Lun defended him, which offended the emperor's anger. He set up a bamboo basket and died, and took up residence in his family. "History of Ming Dynasty". Xuanzong ascended the throne, and Dai Lun, the Minister of War. Xuanzong killed Lun. "History of Ming Dynasty"
2. Xuanzong tabooed Zhanji, Renzong's eldest son. Renzong ascended the throne and was established as the crown prince.
In the second year of the year, in the eleventh month of Jihai, the emperor's eldest son was born and the whole world was given amnesty. In the third year of the twelfth month of the lunar month, Qi Zhen, the eldest son of the emperor, was made the crown prince. In the third month of Guiwei, the queen Hu was deposed and the imperial concubine Sun was made the queen. In the spring of ten years, he died in Qianqing Palace, at the age of thirty-eight. The temple name is Xuanzong and he is buried in Jingling Mausoleum. "History of Ming Dynasty"
3. Ming Yingzong, Zhu Qizhen, was the eldest son of Xuanzong. Mother, imperial concubine Sun. When he was born in April, he was established as the crown prince and the concubine was named the queen. In the first month of the spring of the tenth year of Xuande, Xuanzong died, and Renwu became emperor. "History of Ming Dynasty"
4. Ming Dynasty Zong, Emperor Gongren Kang Dingjing, Qi Yu, the second son of Xuan Zong. In the autumn and August of the 14th year of Zhengtong, Yingzong went hunting in the north (and was detained by Waci, a descendant of the Yuan Dynasty). In the ninth month of Guiwei, the king becomes emperor. Next year will be the first year of Jingtai. "History of Ming Dynasty"
5. In the spring of the eighth year of Jingtai, the emperor became ill. Welcome the emperor's restoration. (This is the restoration of Yingzong and the name change to Tianshun)
The Yingzong Tianshun died in the first month of spring in the eighth year of the reign of Emperor Yingzong, and he was thirty-eight years old. The temple name is Yingzong and he is buried in Yuling. "History of Ming Dynasty"
6. Dai Jin met Emperor Xianzong of the Ming Dynasty in the 19th year of his life, which was 40 years after the painting of "The Ming Dynasty" was completed. "Wang Zhi was relegated to Feng Yu, and his party Wang Yue, Dai Jin and others were demoted."
7. Yuan Jiang, whose courtesy name was Wentao, was a native of Jiangdu (about 1671-1743) and was active in the period between Kangxi and Qianlong in the early Qing Dynasty. The history of painting is unknown. The author believes that the above-mentioned time is when the paintings signed by Yuan Jiang appeared in the Qing Dynasty. Judging from the handed down works signed by Yuan Jiang, "Flying Snow in Liang Yuan", "Double Tides" and "Moon Appreciation", the painting style is consistent with that of Dai Jin, both of whom studied under the tutelage of Li Tang, Ma Yuan, Xia Gui and Guo Xi.
8． Weng Tonghe (1830-1904) was born in Changshu, Jiangsu Province. A veteran of the three dynasties of the Qing Dynasty. In the eighth year of Guangxu's reign, he served as Minister of Industry and Minister of Military Machinery.
9. Liu Hongshi, Futai, Jiangsu, is not mentioned in the "History of the Qing Dynasty". "History of the Ming Dynasty" was compiled in the fourth year of Qianlong's reign. In the Ming Dynasty, there was a censor of the governor's capital, but there was no record of the governor of Jiangsu. I will check Jiangsu local chronicles when I get the chance.
The reasons why the picture of "The Ming Dynasty" is authentic from Dai Jin:
1. Analysis of the historical reality represented in the picture. In the eighth year of Emperor Xuanzong's reign in the Ming Dynasty, there were four members of the emperor's family. Their attire, clothing, age and appearance were most familiar to the palace painter Dai Jin who had just fled the capital. During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty, the Qinhuai River in Nanjing was full of scenery and people, and the government and the public were in various moods. Dai Jin, who has been studying painting and selling paintings here for a long time, is most familiar with it. These two conditions were not met by other painters of the same era or by "Yuan Jiang" nearly three hundred years later during the Kangxi and Qianlong periods of the Qing Dynasty.
2． Dai Jincheng was in a very embarrassing situation in front of the picture "The Ming Dynasty". It is signed Yuan Jiang, with the word "Yuan" written very small in the center to form a dot. As a fugitive from the imperial court, Dai Jin always reminded himself to "be careful". Liu Futai, Jiangsu Province, wrote Dai Jin's father Jing Xiang, with the word "Xiang" written only on the upper half. He was the second-rank governor of Liu, to avoid the imperial court's taboo on the word. Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty killed Dai Lun, and Dai Jingxiang was unlucky. Dai fled in and out, and happened to meet Xuanzong's family on a tour of Nanjing, and conceived the idea for a painting. Dai Jin waited until Yingzong was 16 years old and could take charge of the throne before he published the picture "The Ming Dynasty" to promote Yingzong's wisdom. Fourteen years later, in the eighth year of Zong Jingtai's reign in the Ming Dynasty, Yingzong returned as a hostage of Washi and became emperor again. From this, the influence of "The Ming Dynasty" on social public opinion cannot be underestimated. Zhu Qizhen's 200,000-strong army defeated the Yuan clan Waca. This is a negative lesson from the picture of "The Great Ming Dynasty" which praises the prosperous age and greatness of the Yingzong and makes the Yingzong proud.
3. When he painted the picture "The Ming Dynasty", Dai Jin was still a fugitive. Dai Jin faked his name as Yuan Jiang. In this picture, Dai Jin used the method of breaking up the calligraphy to insert his own character "Wen Jin" into an eye-catching place in the painting.
In the center of the scroll, near the archway of "Tianwenshu" is the central viewpoint of the painting. In front of the Dacheng Hall of the Confucius Temple, the family of Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty, with Xuanzong and Empress Sun under the canopy, and the seven-year-old Crown Prince Zhu Qizhen, standing in front with great ambition, became the focus of everyone's attention and were very eye-catching. There is a small boat in the Qinhuai River closest to the emperor's family. The person hiding in the cabin curtain is Dai Jin, the author of this painting. This is a self-portrait taken by Dai Jin when he was forty-five years old. I wonder if the master has other portraits of himself that have been handed down. On the shore very close to the boat, several Dongchang Jinyi guards, like wolves and tigers, were watching the boat. Leaning on the bow of the boat, the artist is seen in profile, staring at the sign in the hand of a fortune teller on the shore, which has the words "Observation and Measurement of Characters" written on it.
If you take a closer look, you will see that the words "See Wen Jin" are hidden in it. It's just that the word "jin" doesn't have a walking side. There are two dots on the word, which means that it combines with the shape of a person walking on the bow of a small boat to form the word "jin". Dai Jin, Zi Wenjin. Dai Jin deserves to be regarded as a great master of Chinese painting with high IQ. This is in line with the practice of artists from the Southern Song Dynasty to the early Ming Dynasty who did not formally sign their paintings.
About Liu Hongshi in Futai, Jiangsu, he was probably a figure in the late Qing Dynasty. The Forbidden City Museum mentioned in his inscription was located in the same place as the Forbidden City in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The Qing Dynasty said that the Forbidden City refers to the Forbidden City, which should be the Forbidden City of the Ming Dynasty in Nanjing. . The predecessor of the current Nanjing Museum was probably the Palace Museum before the Republic of China.
There are now a large number of prints of this painting on the market, which does not mean that Dai Jin did not create this picture of the prosperous Ming Dynasty.