Chapter 19 Section 3 Yongle Palace Murals

The development of figure painting in the Yuan Dynasty was not great.Literati and artists all devoted themselves to landscape, flower and bird painting, while the world of figure painting was mainly left to folk painters.Most of them are engaged in the creation of temple murals.Among the existing murals of the Yuan Dynasty, the murals of Yongle Palace in Shanxi are the most splendid. Yongle Palace was originally located in Yongle Town, Yongji County, Shanxi Province.According to legend, Lu Dongbin, one of the founders of Taoism, was born here.In the Tang Dynasty, the "Lugong Temple" was built in his former residence. During the Song and Jin Dynasties, the temple was changed into a temple. It was burned down by wild fire in 1244. It was rebuilt from the third year of Yuan Zhongtong (AD 1262), which lasted more than 30 years. It took one year (AD 1294) to complete the work.Among them, the murals of the halls were painted and completed later, around AD 1325-1358. In 1959, due to the construction of Sanmenxia Reservoir, all the buildings and murals of Yongle Palace were relocated to Beilongquan Village, Ruicheng County, 22 kilometers away from Yongle Town.

There are four existing halls in Yongle Palace, all of which have murals, such as the Sanqing Hall, which depicts gods and earth from all sides, and the "Chaoyuan Tu" that pays homage to the "Three Qings".The painting of the life story of Wang Chongyang, the founder of Quanzhen Sect, is painted in Chongyang Palace.Dragon and Tiger Hall (Wuji Gate) are painted with portraits of Shen Tu and Yu Lei.The painting "Chunyang Emperor Xianyou Manifestation Picture" painted in Chunyang Palace is a series of pictures depicting Lu Dongbin from birth to taking the exam, attaining Taoism, leaving home, transcending ordinary people, and playing in the world of mortals, with a total of 52 pictures.Lu Dongbin was a Jinshi in the late Tang Dynasty. His name was Yan, his style name was Dongbin, and his name was Chunyangzi.Legend has it that he was only a Jinshi at the age of 64. After traveling to Chang'an, he met Zhong Liquan, received the secret decree of the inner alchemy and the Tiandun swordsmanship, and then obtained the Tao and lived in seclusion in Lushan Mountain.His theory had a certain influence on Taoism in the Song Dynasty, and he was revered as one of the five patriarchs of Quanzhen Daobei.After the Song Dynasty, his stories were widely circulated among the people, and there were many attached novels, which passed on Lu Dongbin as one of the Eight Immortals.These legends, which have been processed by the folks for a long time, are quite magical and vivid, reflecting various complex ideologies and moral concepts in society.Based on these records and legends, these 52 pictures were collectively drawn by Zhang Zunli, Tian Dexin, Cao Demin, etc. from Qinchang Zhuhao's ancient sect.The most wonderful one is "Zhongli Quandu Lu Dongbin Picture".

This picture depicts the scene of Lu Dongbin's "visiting on the Li [li] water in late spring, meeting Zhong Ion..." persuading him to enter Taoism.In the painting, the two sit facing each other on a big rock in the deep mountain, surrounded by rolling hills, green ancient pines, gurgling springs, and a scene of late spring.Zhongliquan, who has a bold personality, is showing his chest and belly, leaning forward, talking enthusiastically.Lu Dongbin sat with his hands folded, gentle and elegant, with his head bowed, as if he was listening or thinking.The painters created two characters with different personalities here.In addition to the difference in the shape of the face and dynamics, special attention is paid to the portrayal of the character's heart.For example, Zhong Liquan leaned on the rock with his right hand to support his slightly forward body, staring at the other party with piercing eyes, showing a sense of urgency.The spread legs and the left hand with two fingers stretched out on the legs make people feel that he is quick to talk and has a bold personality.In contrast, Lu Dongbin's posture is restrained and respectful, with an expression of sincerely listening to the teachings.Especially the detailed depiction of the thumb on the left hand, lightly twisting the cuff, shows his intense psychological activities.In terms of painting method, this picture inherits the tradition of figure painting in the Song Dynasty. The brush is bold and unrestrained, and the clothing pattern is depicted with concise and definite lines with twists and turns, which has a strong texture.The colors are bright but not gaudy. The clothes of the characters are dyed emerald green and light yellow respectively, which stand out against the heavy background.