Chinese Stone Carvings

Stone Carvings from Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty inherited a system from the Qin Dynasty. The emperors of the Western Han Dynasty adopted the custom of using terra-cotta warriors and horses as burial objects. But the terra-cotta figures are not as splendid and mighty as the Qin terra-cotta figures. Figures from the Han Dynasty are full of life interests. They reflect the charm of the culture of the Chu Kingdom, romantic and humorous with deep cultural features. The most distinct sculpture of the Han Dynasty is the well- known stone carvings from the tomb of Huo Qubing. These stone carvings are of great importance.

The carvers carved stones based on the original shape of the stones by using the skills of relief, line carving, and circular carving. Thus the stone carvings, like nature itself, have a sense of strength. The caving skills reflect the courage of the young general and the depth of the Han culture.

Large stone carvings

Sculptural art from the Han Dynasty achieved new heights due to the development of palace and mausoleum construction, especially in the development of large stone carvings.

The earliest a pair of large stone carvings in China are the stone statues of Spinning Damsel and the Herd Boy in Shaanxi Province. The statues are about 3 miles apart from east to west. According to the Biography of Emperor Wudi, the statues were made in the third year of Emperor Wudi's reign (120 BC).

The statues of Spinning Damsel and the Herd Boy were set on the eastern and western banks of Kunming Pond, so the statues are also called Stone Carvings at Kunming Pond. The statue of the Herd Boy is 258cm tall with his right hand on the chest, left hand close to his stomach, kneeling. The statue of Spinning Damsel is 228cm tall with her hands in her sleeves.

This group of statues is based on the ancient Chinese legend of the Spinning Damsel and the Herd Boy (refer: Chinese Legends part 6). They show the simple classical style of stone carvings during the Han Dynasty. They are representative of early Chinese garden sculptures. The style of the Kunming Pond and the carved tomb of Huo Qubing show the development of sculpture during the Han Dynasty.

Pottery figures from the Han Dynasty indicate the strong cultural features and the romanticism of Chu culture as well as the interests of people at the time. However, the beginning period of the Western Han Dynasty was still an early stage in Chinese traditional culture. Against this background, the works at Kunming Pond and the tomb of Huo Qubing display the characteristics of the culture in the Han Dynasty and reflect the profundity of the philosophy of the time.

The tomb of Huo Qubing

The tomb of Huo Qubing is known for two factors. The first is Huo Qubing's brilliant military success during the Han Dynasty. The second is the artistic achievement in the tomb.

Huo Qubing (140-117 BC) was an outstanding and brave general during the Western Han Dynasty. He led his troops to repulse numerous incursions by the Xiongnu (Hsiung-nu) and brought peace and prosperity to society. He worked as commandant when he was 18 years old and died at the early age of 24 due to the plague. During this period, he defeated multiple incursions by the Xiongnu. His most famous victory took place at Qilian Mountain. He defeated the troops of Xiongnu that had long occupied northern China, which not only relieved the troubles in the northwest but also opened the Hexi Corridor leading to ancient Xiyu (western regions).

Emperor Wudi (156-87 BC) and the entire nation felt very sad after the death of this war hero, so the Emperor gave orders to hold a ceremonial funeral for Huo Qubing and built a spacious tomb for him just beside his own.

In ancient China, being buried in the imperial mausoleum was a great honor. According to historical records, more than 20 tombs were found in the mausoleum of Emperor Wudi, all great statesmen, famous warriors, concubines and relatives of the emperor. The building of the tomb of Huo Qubing showed the emperor valued this young general.

On the mound of the tomb, the muck pile accumulated by the natural stone symbolizes the Qilian Mountain, to commemorate Huo Qubing's outstanding achievements in that place. These stone carvings include the Horse Stepping on a Xiongnu Soldier, A Kneeling Horse, A Galloping Horse, A Yield Tiger, A Lying Elephant, Stone Fish, A Stone Frog, Bull, A Giant Fights A Bear. A Monster Bites Sheep and others. These stone carvings scattered in front of the tomb of Huo Qubing became part of the natural environment. The stone carvings represent the scene of Qilian Mountain and the fierce battle at the time, as well as the scene after the victory of the battle of Qilianshan.

Horse Stepping on a Xiongnu Soldier

The stone carvings are eye-catching for their artistic expression. These stone carvings are not exquisitely carved but are made by crude rock and little carving. They look very powerful. The horses, carved in three different postures—stepping, lying and galloping—remind people of the valiant general and his warriors.

One of the most excellent among the many stone carvings of domesticated and wild animals in the tomb is the Horse Stepping on a Xiongnu Soldier. The sculpture vividly displays the great power of the Western Han Dynasty and Huo Qubing's immense military contribution. The horse is brave, strong, placid and firm. The soldier under its feet, although in the panicked last moments of his life, has a fierce expression. Even though his failure is destined, he still holds his weapon, as if putting up a desperate last struggle.

Making a tomb Qilian Mountain

These stone carvings have a direct relationship with Qilian Mountain. Besides, the stones on the tomb are also arranged in the shape of Qilian Mountain, hence the name "making the tomb a Qilian Mountain." A Galloping Horse and A Lying Horse present the rural and pastoral landscape after winning the Xiongnu. The galloping horse symbolizes the vitality of life and the lush grass. It is 145cm tall and 240cm long and is carved into a huge stone. Its hind legs are bent, the forelegs humped up, and the head flung back. The carvings on the forelegs and hind legs are very prominent, giving the stone horse a strong and mighty posture and a touch-and-go dynamic sense. The lying horse and ox are strong but calm with a heavy and quiet air that suggests a quiet and harmonious idyllic life.

There are also some stone carvings that describe the tough battle life, such as the stone carvings of A Giant Fights A Bear and A Monster Bites Sheep. They represent a life-and-death fight between people and the beast and are reminiscent of the difficulties and dangers of the battlefield. The stone carving of A Giant Fights A Bear is carved in low relief on a piece of 277cm-long and 172cm-wide stone. The figure is crude and primitive, but it gives out a feeling of strength.

Some single animal sculptures are also impressive. The stone carving of a frog is made in green granite, round and a bit pointed. Its texture, feel and shape is similar to the frog.

Artlessness behind handiness

It is necessary to question, after seeing the above stone carvings, why sculptural technique from the Han Dynasty seem so crude and uncompleted when compared with the elegant and delicate figures of the earlier Qin Dynasty. The truth is that there were many horse figures made during the Han Dynasty and many metals sculptures inherited the realistic style of the Qin terra-cotta warriors and horses and the romantic nature of the Chu culture.

There is another famous representative sculpture of the Han Dynasty: The bronze statue of a Horse Stepping on a Swallow. The romantic image of the swallow sets off the power and strength of the horse, providing a rich imaginative experience for the viewer. The stone carving technique is based on high conception. That is the unique aesthetic considerations of the Han Dynasty.

Skillful but not exquisite

The stone carvings of the tomb of Huo Qubing adopted a realistic technique and deforming style. When craftsmen carved the figures of animals, they used the natural characteristics of the material to reflect those of the animals. The stone is carved based on its nature. It is skillful and not exquisite with Chinese traditional aesthetic values, in sharp contrast with the aesthetic value of clever contrivance and specious skill from the late Qing Dynasty.

Chinese culture is reserved, undemonstrative and gentle and has been so for more than a thousand years. The reserved beauty of the tomb of Huo Qubing is like the beautiful jade hiding in the stone. Although it is not exquisitely carved, it contains the profound philosophy of great art.

Carved stone animals in the Eastern Han Dynasty

The carved stone animals that guard the mausoleums are outstanding representatives of the stone carvings from the Han Dynasty. These carved stone animals are fantastic. They resemble tigers but are not tigers. They are ferocious, strong, vigorous and powerful. A piece of stone carving unearthed in Xianyang, Shaanxi Province, in 1959 is 105cm tall and 159cm long. The stone animal has its chin up and chests out with two eyes that are wide open. It is roaring and looking around superciliously. The complete sculpture is forceful and powerful. The waving of the body gives a feeling of vitality.

These type of carved stone animals guarded the mausoleums and was always in pairs. Two such animals stand in front of the tomb of a procurator from the Eastern Han Dynasty. The words Tianlu (god blessing you) and Bixie (avoidance of evil) are engraved on their arms. Ouyang Xiu (1007-1072) an outstanding writer and historian from the Northern Song Dynasty mentioned these two words in a book and later generations used the same words to name the imaginative feral animals. The carved stone animals from the Eastern Han Dynasty are filled with vitality, power, and wisdom, which have a far-reaching impact on decorative stone carvings from mausoleums of later ages. On the whole, sculptural arts from the Han Dynasty contains an important and inherent characteristic of traditional Chinese culture.