About 8000 years ago, the ancestors of the Weihe River Basin made the first batch of painted pottery in northern China. Since then, painted pottery has widely appeared in various Neolithic cultures in the Yellow River, Liaohe River, Yangtze River and other basins, and the colored pottery in Gansu in the upper reaches of the Yellow River is the most developed, forming a unique colored pottery culture. 

Within one year from December 25, 2019, you can learn about the history of Gansu painted pottery that has lasted for more than 5,500 years by entering the National Museum of China "The Early Light of National Colors-Gansu Painted Pottery Art Exhibition", and appreciate the outstandingness in the ancient art history of the world The charm of the painted pottery. 

Large amphora inlaid with turquoise pattern. Photo by Li Yun 

Human shaped tank. Photo by Li Yun 

Swirl pattern pointed bottom bottle. Photo by Li Yun 

1. The ornamental world of color and shape 

In the exhibition hall, 195 pieces (sets) of exquisite prehistoric colored pottery form a fascinating world of colored pottery. 

Gansu is one of the origins of Chinese civilization. The endless Yellow River, the majestic and fertile Loess Plateau, and the Hexi Corridor, which stretches for thousands of miles, gave birth to many Neolithic and Bronze Age cultures. As an important part of these early cultures, painted pottery has become a unique cultural tradition. After thousands of years, with the rise and prosperity of bronze culture, it gradually fell silent under the yellow earth, and was not rediscovered until the 1920s. 

Looking around the exhibition hall, it is not difficult to find that in the world of painted pottery, red, black, and white are constant colors, while patterns change. From a simple touch to later dazzling patterns, from straight lines to curves, from swirl patterns, grid patterns, zigzag patterns, to gourd grid patterns, four circle patterns, and round patterns, painted pottery has experienced more than 5500 years , Opened a glorious first chapter in the history of Chinese art. 

You are no stranger to the human face fish-pattern basin. It is a masterpiece of painted pottery from the Yangshao cultural period 7000-5000 years ago. The painted pottery of the Yangshao culture is painted on the finely polished clay red pottery, using black color extensively. Wide band patterns, straight triangle patterns, dot patterns, vertical arc patterns, fish patterns, petal patterns, etc. are common. You can see a small, sharp-bottomed bottle in the showcase, which is small but very beautiful. As a typical artifact of the Yangshao culture, this sharp-bottomed bottle is painted with swirl patterns. The explanatory card introduced that the decorative patterns of this pointed-bottom bottle were more complicated and gorgeous than the decorative patterns of the same-sized colored pottery of the same era, indicating that it may not be a daily necessities, but has a special function. Experts say that this sharp-bottomed bottle belongs to the late Yangshao period, and the appearance of the swirl pattern had a huge impact on the later Majiayao culture. 

The words of experts are constantly confirmed by exhibits in the exhibition. From 5000 to 4000 years ago, the Majiayao culture rose and reached its peak. The colored pottery of this period was shared by red and black, the patterns were varied and varied, and the lines were smooth and meticulous, forming a gorgeous and elegant artistic style, so it was known as the "king of colored pottery." A four-tiered pot with swirl pattern, small mouth and big belly, is a pottery urn for storage. There are 4 hook-shaped buttons on the outside of the pot mouth to cover and seal. Most of its surface is painted in black with swirls and water ripples of varying sizes. The smooth lines and exquisite composition make it a representative work of Majiayao culture. 

Throughout the exhibition, there is an "exceptional" exhibit-a large ear jar with turquoise pattern. As an artifact in the decline stage of colored pottery, its extraordinary lie in its unique shape: its ears and the belly of the pot are pasted with turquoise pieces and shell pieces of various sizes. They are symmetrical and neatly arranged, which look like from a distance. Wearing a "mini skirt". 

2、 Life songs of nature 

The awe and love of nature by the prehistoric people is unparalleled. They painted flowers, birds, fish and insects, the sun, animals, and people on painted pottery. 

The exhibition uses “luxuriant flowers and leaves” to show the morphological characteristics of plant patterns such as petals, leaves, fruits, and gourds, “birds on the wind” to show the morphology and evolution of bird patterns, and “aquatic family” to show fish patterns and frog patterns. The morphology and change characteristics of the creatures used "domesticated and wild" to show domestic animals such as pigs, dogs, and sheep, and animals related to animal husbandry and hunting life such as deer, beasts, and lizards. Some of these images are purely artistic decorations, and some contain connotations of faith. The sun, plants, animals, and human-shaped decorations show the natural ecology of the place where people live. 

On the shoulder and abdomen of the thin-necked pot with pig face pattern, four pig faces are drawn in succession. Each pig shares a pair of eyes with the one next to it, which is vivid and ingenious. Domestic pigs were one of the earliest domesticated animals by the ancestors. This painted pottery pot may be the proof that primitive agriculture began to flourish. 

Not far from this pottery pot with the potential for "emoji packs", there is a "low-key and connotative" pot-a human and animal pattern pot. Compared with other pottery in good condition, it is really shabby, and there are some gaps at the mouth, but please pay attention to the pattern on its body: a person and an animal are painted on both sides, and the waist of the person and the animal has a layer The thick wrapper shows the close relationship between man and this animal, and the animal looks like a horse. However, horses have not yet been introduced into China during this period, and no horse bones have been unearthed at any domestic site. Therefore, experts speculate that this animal related to humans may be a dog. 

3、The spiritual home of prehistoric people 

In ancient times, primitive faith was the most important spiritual pillar of people. The patterns of painted pottery that can best reflect these characteristics are the salamander pattern and the god-man pattern. Their common feature is the combination of natural creatures and people, which embodies the simple thinking of soul communication in primitive beliefs. 

The salamander is the baby fish. In the salamander pattern bottle in the showcase, the salamander is the image of a human face, with round eyes, open mouth and teeth, the body is curved and twisted, and there are scaly grid patterns. The two sides are painted with claw-shaped patterns, the image is realistic and vivid, with the characteristics of the combination of salamander, man, and snake. Some scholars believe that it may be the image of Fuxi with a human head and a snake body. 

The most peculiar exhibit in the exhibition hall is the "human-shaped jar". This human-shaped tank completely molds the tank body into a human body. The human arms are the ears of the tank, and the big feet in boots are the bottom of the tank. The painted patterns express the character's clothing characteristics: the top is made of pottery, the hem is tucked into the pants drawn with a black grid pattern, and the trouser legs below the knee are collected into the fat boots decorated with folds. The human face is blackened and the ears are punched. The eyes should have been inlaid with stone eyeballs, but they have fallen off. The audience all praised the clever ideas of the ancestors. Experts say that the shape and color painting of this humanoid jar show the clothing characteristics of the nomadic tribes in the Hexi Corridor. 

Also reflecting the cultural fusion on the Hexi Corridor, there is also the "Crying Pattern Human Head Cover". This portrait sculpture with a crying expression is actually a pottery cover top. It shows a tearful image of a sad man in two forms: sculpture and painted. The weeper wears long hair, faces the sky, casts his eyebrows down on both sides, and tightens his lips. Together with the tears drooping from his eyes and the snot flowing from his nostrils, the sorrow of a weeper is vividly expressed. Experts say that the weeping person is probably mourning for the dead relatives. This kind of weeping pottery may be a sacrifice placed in front of the deceased's tomb. According to historical records, the nomads of the steppe, the Huns and the Scythians used a knife to cut their faces when mourning the dead, letting blood and tears flow out, expressing their sadness. The Hexi Corridor is close to the grassland and may also have this custom. The tears on the face of the weeping statue may also be mixed with blood or scars. 

Gansu painted pottery from the rise to the decline lasted more than 5,500 years of vicissitudes, and painted a gorgeous and gorgeous history of the development of painted pottery. Painted pottery not only reflects the social production level and the ever-changing ecological environment at that time, but also expresses the spiritual beliefs and aesthetic pursuits of ancient art creators. Entering the " The First Light of National Color --Gansu Painted Color Pottery Art Exhibition" you can see the colorful world cast with mud and fire, lines and color blocks, and feel the imagination and creativity of prehistoric ancestors. 

(Pictures and texts transferred from: "Guangming Daily" electronic version 　 original published in: "Guangming Daily" 08 January 07, 2020)

The article is reproduced from the Chinese Archaeology Network, Institute of Archaeology, Academy of Social Sciences