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respectively.[3] 掛軸 [1]
Transcriptions
considered an art in itself.[5] Mountings for Chinese paintings can be
divided into a few types, such as handscrolls, hanging scrolls, album Standard Mandarin
leaves, and screens amongst others.[6] In the hanging scroll the actual Hanyu Pinyin lìzhóu
painting is mounted on paper, and provided at the top with a stave, to guàzhóu
which is attached a hanging cord, and at the bottom with a roller. zhóu
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabet Quải Trục
Contents
Chữ Hán 掛軸
History Korean name
Description Hangul 족자
Mounting styles
Japanese name
Arrangements and formats
Kanji 掛軸
Features and materials
Method and processes
See also
References
External links
History
Scrolls originated in their earliest form from literature and other texts written on bamboo strips and silk banners
across ancient China.[5][7] The earliest hanging scrolls are related to and developed from silk banners in early
Chinese history.[5][8][9] These banners were long and hung vertically on walls.[5] Such silk banners and
hanging scroll paintings were found at Mawangdui dating back to the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE).[8][9]
By the time of the Tang dynasty (618–907), the aesthetic and structural objectives for hanging scrolls were
summarized, which are still followed to this day.[2] During the early Song dynasty (960–1279), the scrolls
became well suited to the art styles of the artists,[7][8] consequently hanging scrolls were made in many
different sizes and proportions.[5]
Originally introduced to Japan from China as a means of spreading Buddhism, it has found a place in Japanese
culture and art and plays an important role in interior decoration.[10]
Description
The hanging scroll provides an artist with a vertical format to display his art on a wall.[3][7] It is one of the
most common types of scrolls for Chinese painting and calligraphy.[11] Horizontal hanging scrolls are also
very frequently used and a common form.[11] The hanging scroll is different from the handscroll in that the
latter is not hung. The handscroll is a long narrow scroll for displaying a series of scenes in Chinese
painting.[7][11] This scroll is intended to be viewed section for section during the unrolling and flat on a
table,[11] which is in contrast to a hanging scroll that is appreciated in its entirety while guiding the eyes
through the artwork.[5][8]
Mounting styles
There are several hanging scroll styles for mounting, such as:
(3)
Mounting styles, including yisebiao (1), ersebiao (2), and sansebiao (3)
(1) (2)
Arrangements and formats, including panoramic screens (1) and couplets (2)
The artwork in the middle of the scroll is called huaxin ( 畫⼼ ; literally "painted heart").[1] There is sometimes
a section above the artwork called a shitang ( 詩塘 ; literally "poetic pool"), which is usually reserved for
inscriptions onto the work of art, ranging from a short verse to poems and other inscriptions.[7] These
inscriptions are often done by people other than the artist.[7] Although inscriptions can also be placed onto the
material of the artwork itself.[8] The upper part of the scroll is called tiantou ( 天頭 ; symbolizing "Heaven")
and the lower part is called ditou ( 地頭 ; symbolizing "Earth"). [1][5]
At the top of the scroll is a thin wooden bar, called tiangan ( 天杆 ), on which a cord is attached for hanging the
scroll.[3] Two decorative strips, called jingyan ( 惊燕 ; literally "frighten swallows"), are sometimes attached to
the top of the scroll.[2][5] At the bottom of the scroll is a wooden cylindrical bar, called digan ( 地杆 ), attached
to give the scroll the necessary weight to hang properly onto a wall, but it also serves to roll up a scroll for
storage when the artwork is not in display.[2][3][5][14] The two knobs at the far ends of the lower wooden bar
are called zhoutou ( 軸頭 ) and help to ease the rolling of the scroll.[2] These could be ornamented with a
variety of materials, such as jade, ivory, or horn.[5]
(1) (2) (3) (4)
Elements of a hanging scroll: decorative strips known as jingyan (1, 2) at the top, attached and loose
respectively; an inscription panel known as shitang (3) above the artwork; a rolled-up hanging scroll with a label
strip (4) on the back and two knobs known as zhoutou (4) on the sides
In the late 20th century a new method was created called 'dry mounting' which involves the use of heat
activated silicone sheets in lieu of paste which reduced the amount of time from a few weeks to just a few
hours. This new method is generally used for mass-produced artwork rather than serious art or conservation as
mounting done this way tends not to be as robust as wet mounting whose scrolls can last for over a century
before it requires remounting.
See also
Ink and wash painting
Kakemono
Seal
References
1. "⽴軸 " (http://www.npm.gov.tw/dm/album/htm/note004.htm). National Palace Museum.
Retrieved 16 August 2011.
2. Lee, Valerie; Gu, Xiangmei; Hou, Yuan-Li (2003). "The treatment of Chinese ancestor portraits:
An introduction to Chinese painting conservation techniques" (http://cool.conservation-us.org/ja
ic/articles/jaic42-03-007.html). Journal of the American Institute for Conservation. 42 (3): 463–
477. doi:10.2307/3179868 (https://doi.org/10.2307%2F3179868).
3. "A Look at Chinese Painting" (http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/Chinese/html_pages/glossar
y.htm#thirty). The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
4. Andrews, Julia F. (1994). Painters and politics in the People's Republic of China: 1949 - 1979
(https://books.google.com/books?id=h3kDsTxGSJMC). Berkeley: University of California
Press. p. 232. ISBN 978-0-520-07981-6.
5. Sze, Mai-Mai (1957). The Tao of painting (https://books.google.com/books?
id=zJ89AAAAIAAJ). Taylor & Francis. pp. 62–65. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
6. Norwich, John Julius (1993). The arts (https://books.google.com/books?id=g4FUAAAAMAAJ)
(updated impression ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 96. ISBN 978-0-19-869137-2.
7. Dillon, Michael (1998). China: A historical and cultural dictionary (https://books.google.com/boo
ks?id=VA5tKw11K8YC). Richmond: Curzon. p. 273. ISBN 978-0-7007-0439-2.
8. "Technical Aspects of Painting" (http://depts.washington.edu/chinaciv/painting/4ptgtech.htm).
Retrieved 15 August 2011.
9. Sullivan, Michael (1984). The arts of China (https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_CzdICSqnELk
C) (3rd ed.). London: University of California Press. p. 71 (https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Cz
dICSqnELkC/page/n13). ISBN 978-0-520-04918-5.
10. "Hanging Scroll(2018)" (https://ateliers-japon.com/#hangingscroll). Les Ateliers de Japon.
11. Qu, Lei Lei (2008). The simple art of Chinese brush painting (https://books.google.com/books?i
d=GGFRtpz5WmYC). New York: Sterling. pp. 58–9. ISBN 978-1-4027-5391-6.
12. "宣和装 " (http://www.npm.gov.tw/dm/album/htm/note005.htm). National Palace Museum.
Retrieved 16 August 2011.
13. "Approaching "Pride of China": Understanding Chinese Calligraphy and Painting" (https://web.
archive.org/web/20111005122814/http://www.english.cciv.cityu.edu.hk/website/?redirect=%2F
pride_of_china%2F). Chinese Civilisation Centre. Archived from the original (http://www.englis
h.cciv.cityu.edu.hk/website/?redirect=/pride_of_china/) on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 17 August
2011.
14. Spielvogel, Jackson J.; Duiker, William J. (2010). The essential world history, Volume 1: To
1800 (https://books.google.com/books?id=AxWLxjyOUooC) (6th ed.). Boston, MA:
Wadsworth/Cengage Learning. p. 258. ISBN 978-0-495-90291-1.
External links
MoreInfo: Formats (Mounting) (https://web.archive.org/web/20131203050417/http://tech2.npm.g
ov.tw/sung/moreinfo/index.htm#5). National Palace Museum. (for a diagram of the components
of a hanging scroll)
Short documentary about how a japanese hanging scroll is being made (https://vimeo.com/658
08110)
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