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| Images Carrying Meanings: The Political Proclamation and Source of Forms in Six Paintings of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty |
| Huang Jie |
| School of Art and Archaeology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310028, China |
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Abstract The unity of poetry and paintings is a significant pioneering contribution that Zhao Ji, Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty made to Chinese art. Though it has recently been a heated topic in the academic circles to study the paintings by Emperor Huizong, there is only one paper entitled “Three Questions on the Painting of Listening to Qin” by the author discussing on the unity of poetry and paintings. Most of the papers study the paintings only. However, as indicated by the forms of these paintings, poetry as an integral component is in perfect harmony with paintings and they complement each other. Therefore, it is biased and far from enough to study the paintings only. From the perspective of iconography and the unity of poetry and paintings, this paper, based on the six paintings with confirmed years by Emperor Huizong, studies the images in paintings and the poems inscribed or written by the emperor himself and, in particular, the connection and integration of the discourse systems of poetry and paintings. The paper aims at tracing the sources of the forms and the implied meanings of each painting based on related historical facts and classic works. The theme of “Plum Blossoms and Mountain Fowls”, borrowed from Huang Tingjian’s poems in praise of narcissus and plum blossoms in 1101, the first year of the Reign of Jianzhong Jingguo, proclaims the harmony of the imperial family and reveals the ambivalence of Emperor Huizong on the Yuanyou Party members. “Literati Gathering”, on the story “Eighteen Scholars of the Tang Dynasty Ascending Yingzhou”, refers to the elegant gathering at the Western Garden of his times and his appreciation of Su Shi, a literary master, in a euphemistical way. The drunken man in the picture should be Su Shi. Superficially, it looks like the image is presenting a desire for talents and the joys of having them, but it is actually a major political adjustment or gesture after the political change in 1106, the fifth year of the Reign of Chongning, i.e. actively recruiting talents and loosening confinement on parties, which is also regarded as another political sway of Emperor Huizong. The theme of “Hibiscus and Golden Pheasants”, taken from “Lingtai” and “Fuyi” of the Book of Songs, alludes to his desire of surpassing King Wen who shared happiness with the people. “A Five-colored Parrot”, on the story of the five-colored parrot of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty and Zhang Yue’s “Parrot Poem and Preface”, suggests his expectation that ministers should repay and protect him and also his uneasiness in confronting with the northern tribes. “Auspicious Cranes”, taken from “Ode to Xidu” and “Ode to Xijing” and the legends of phoenixes and cranes in a grand view of prosperous times, is not only a political manifestation of a flock of cranes flying over the Duan Gate in 1112, the second year of the Reign of Zhenghe. It embodies not only the high morality of the king attracting phoenixes and cranes of auspiciousness, but the ideological mobilization of the imperial court to launch a war against the Western Xia Regime. Meanwhile, it is a proclamation that he would inherit the ambitions of his father and his brother to retake the old land of the Han and the Tang Dynasties. “Auspicious Dragon Stone”, based on the Qian Diagram in the Book of Changes and stone art, declares that we should learn from and praise nature, and the virtue of Emperor Huizong is held in high compliment. In short, each of the paintings is a piece of art with stories embedded in delicate structures and forms, appealing to viewers. The paintings reflect the high ambition of Emperor Huizong to build a great empire, his inner desire for harmony and peace, his incompetence in compromising party struggles, and his admiration for the literary and artistic works of Su Shi and Huang Tingjian who were involved in the party struggles. The profound beauty of the paintings of the Song Dynasty is justified in his paintings. Therefore, his paintings set an eternal model standard that all the images carry meanings. The auspicious omens generally recognized are but a semblance.
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Received: 11 May 2021
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2021, Vol. 51 
