Women and Femininity in Ancient China: A Revealing Way of Life
Treasures from the Nanjing Museum
Women and Femininity in Ancient China
Women and Femininity in Ancient China – Treasures from the Nanjing Museum, at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, presents multiple facets of female imagery that explore changes in social and cultural trends throughout China’s history.
In collaboration with the Nanjing Museum, more than 100 artefacts and artworks related to women are on display, ranging from the Shang dynasty (1766-1047 BC) to the early twentieth century.
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The first section focuses on material culture with the display of daily objects and artworks that span from the splendour of court ladies to the unadorned beauty of peasants.
Female creative talent on display
The creative talents of female artists are shown through poems, calligraphy, paintings and handcrafted items. And with newly designed multimedia displays, the exhibition demonstrates the development of the art-tech industry and illustrates the new soft power of Chinese culture on the world stage.
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A guild of Qing dynasty (1644-1911) court painters wove reality with imagination in a thirteen-metre-long handscroll. Ancient Court Ladies at Leisure depicts popular pastimes of noble women in the Song dynasty (960-1279).
As women did not participate in archery back in the day, an alternative version deemed fit for elegant ladies was created – an addicting game called pitch-pot, where participants took turns throwing arrows into a specially designed pot with loop ears, and the winner was determined according to where the arrows were positioned.
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This is one of the most famed entertainment pictorial guides of the Song dynasty, imitated by a Qing dynasty painter. However, you may ask, why would people from the prosperous period of the Qing Empire be fascinated by the past?
Long history of cultural practices
To some, imitation infers negative connotations. Yet the trend of imitating cultural practices has a long history dating back to the Song dynasty.
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At that time, the literati were keen to endorse ancient laws and regulations through the study of artefacts. Since there were limited objects to be shared, imitated creations were in great demand.
Art objects replicated
Interests began with copper, porcelain, and jade pieces, then later in paintings and other media. Whilst artisans were creating copies for commercial purposes, they slowly mastered the fundamental techniques required to break through.
Instead of merely replicating elemental compositions from the originals, they combined details relevant to their times and aesthetics.
Women artisans acclaimed
Eventually, with proficient skills and innovative ideas, the artisans themselves became celebrated, and the variations of the artworks linking their times with the past were highly regarded as legitimate art forms on their own.
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Qing emperors understood the importance of merging the old with the unfamiliar through culture.
In the beginning, Manchu society and sovereignty were built through the accumulation of tribes through marriages.
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Even though they conquered the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and established the Qing dynasty, their Nordic lifestyle and status as an ethnic minority group with a population of only 1 per cent of the Han Chinese were even less potent.
Manchus embraced customs
Therefore, to better strengthen and consolidate their regime, apart from governing with violent domination and resorting to cultural oppression on the one hand, they Sinicised, almost naturally.
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In fact, the Manchus quickly embraced the high customs of their Han subjects and designated themselves as the advocator of Han Chinese cultural inheritance.
Early Qing dynasty emperors Kangxi and Yongzheng initiated essential cultural export projects, but it was after the accession of Qianlong when the arts truly flourished.
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As the fourth emperor of the Qing dynasty, Qianlong led China into the Golden Age of political and economic prosperity.
Women and Femininity in Ancient China
He was a major patron and collector of the arts, as well as an artist in his own right. Not only was Qianlong passionate about preserving Manchu culture, but he also commissioned numerous Han Chinese artists to recreate art by former grandmasters.
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He nurtured and encouraged artists to experiment with new styles. Modern historians describe him as a noted scholar with over 43,000 published poems, along with being an accomplished ink painter and calligrapher.
Qianlong was an advocate of Chinese culture
Qianlong saw himself as the protector of Chinese cultural heritage. He conserved his legacy through the possession of all genres of art from previous dynasties to works of the finest craftsmen of the time.
To elevate his taste, within the collection are imitations and copies acquired for referencing and learning from the past, and to practice distinguishing masterpieces from replicas.
Women and Femininity in Ancient China
Hence, beyond his success as a ruler, it is in the fields of art and culture that he made his most outstanding contributions to China’s history.
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One may say the Manchus’ conquest of the Han Chinese was more cultural than colonial.
The occurrence of cross-cultural learning is also an essential part of building knowledge.
Other exceptional pieces include a red pleated silk skirt and a green satin blouse, whose importance lies more in their first arrival in Hong Kong than in their historical significance.
The museum’s docent shared that when the Hong Kong team first unboxed the red skirt, they sensed that something about the presentation needed to be fixed.
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They had never seen such a garment before, so using paintings and books as references, they reconstructed the ancient outfit and discovered that the button fastenings were historically inaccurate.
Meticulous attention to historical details
The team spent hours going through the references and eventually solved the puzzle. They shared their findings with the Nanjing Museum and together decided to display the piece as it is seen now.
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As for the green blouse, the back can finally be shown to the public. At previous exhibitions, it was hung on the wall, and only the front of the garment was displayed.
The Hong Kong team used a T-shaped rack to stand independently, allowing an all-around view of the butterfly embroidery.
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This knowledge exchange between the two institutions is helping to build a stronger, more mutually beneficial relationship. But more importantly, this partnership is leading to a better understanding of history.
To encourage engagement with patrons, the museum is hosting a series of interactive programmes and games.
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One of the more popular stations is the vanity mirror, where the audience can learn about the makeup and hairstyles of different dynasties. The animated character is motion-sensitive and comes to life following the player’s movements.
Another favourite station provides tools for designing unique phone wallpapers based on motifs and symbols found in ancient embroidery or on porcelain. Patrons create a pattern and download it to their phones.
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These games allow players to explore the changes and ideas of historical trends, bringing the past into the contemporary world.
Shunzhi Period (1644-1661), Porcelain. Women and Femininity in Ancient China
These historical treasures not only give a brief glimpse into the everyday life of women from different classes but also reinvigorate the concept of female beauty throughout China’s history.
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This well-curated story encourages younger generations to explore Chinese historical and cultural roots.
It is an excellent example of how technology can enable a better understanding of history and make formerly dusty old things appealing.
Text Man Shek / Photos Martin Wray & Hong Kong Heritage Museum
