A new exploration in the study of historical stories of the Han Dynasty
Time: March 5, 2025, 14:00-16:00
Venue: Conference Hall, East Building, Gulou Campus, Nanjing University
Speaker: Zhu Hu, Doctor of Fine Arts, Postdoctoral Fellow in History at Peking University, Professor at the College of Fine Arts, East China Normal University.
Moderator: Xu Zhijun
Content Summary:
This lecture will offer a preliminary survey of the origins and development of historical narrative imagery in Han dynasty art, based primarily on archaeologically excavated images accompanied by inscribed captions. Historical narrative scenes constitute a significant category within Han pictorial art, most commonly found on Han dynasty engraved stone reliefs. Scholars typically classify such images—depicting legendary or historical figures and events—as a distinct genre in their analyses. Beyond stone reliefs, historical narratives also appear on a variety of other media, including mural paintings, engraved bricks, lacquerware, and bronze mirrors. Drawing on extant archaeological evidence, the prominent historical figures represented in Han visual culture can be broadly categorized into four main groups: sage kings and exemplary rulers, loyal ministers and righteous heroes, filial sons, and virtuous women. In addition, a smaller number of depictions feature immortals and other exceptional figures, further enriching the thematic range of historical storytelling in Han visual tradition.
