中国十大传世名画

卜杭宾

Chinas long history has delivered us with many priceless masterpieces in traditional Chinese painting. While some of them were lost or destroyed during wars， many more survived thousands of years and are now conserved and protected within museums throughout China and around the world. Here are 10 of the most famous Chinese paintings of all time：

Nymph1 of the Luo River

Artist and writer Gu Kaizhi （ca. 344–406） painted Nymph of the Luo River on a long silk scroll during the Eastern Jin Dynasty （317–420）. The narrative scroll， from which four copies dating to the Song Dynasty （960–1127） survived （now exhibited in Beijing， Liaoning and Washington2）， illustrates the poem Ode to the Nymph of the Luo River， written by Cao Zhi （192–232）.

It is a large scroll that should be “read” horizontally， depicting the love story between the poet and the nymph， from their meeting to their parting.

Emperor Taizong Receiving the Tibetan Envoy

Emperor Taizong Receiving the Tibetan Envoy depicts the meeting of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty （618–907） and Ludongzan， Gar Tongtsen Yulsung， an envoy sent by Songtsan Gampo （617–650）， the ruler of Tibet， to accompany Princess Wencheng back to Tibet to be his queen. Yan Liben （601–673）， the artist who created this painting， was one of the most revered3 Chinese figure painters in the early years of the Tang Dynasty. The ink and colour on silk handscroll4， 129.6 cm long and 38.5 cm wide， is now in the collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing.

Noble Ladies in Tang Dynasty

Noble Ladies in Tang Dynasty are a serial of paintings drawn by Zhang Xuan （713–755） and Zhou Fang （ca. 730–800）， two of the most influential figure painters of the Tang Dynasty， when the paintings of noble ladies became very popular.

The paintings depict the leisurely， lonely and peaceful life of the ladies at court， who are shown to be beautiful， dignified and graceful. Four most-renowned paintings in the serial are Portrait of Lady of Guo Going Sightseeing in Spring （by Zhang Xuan）， Court Ladies Preparing Silk （by Zhang Xuan）， Court Ladies Adorning Their Hair with Flowers （by Zhou Fang）， Court Ladies Swinging Fans （by Zhou Fang）.

Zhang Xuan used fine brushwork5 to make paintings of people and was especially good at painting noble ladies， infants and pommel horses. Zhou Fang was influenced by the pure and detailed style of the Jin Dynasty artist Gu Kaizhi， and his portrayals of court ladies are characterized by round faces and plump figures.

The paintings are now kept in several museums around China.

Five Oxen

Five Oxen， a painting by renowned Tang Dynasty artist Han Huang （723–787）， is housed in the Palace Museum in Beijing.

Han Huang was born in Changan during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong （685–762）， and served as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Dezong （742–805）.

Han was renowned for painting people and animals with detailed facial expressions. He was especially distinguished at painting agricultural life and livestock， including oxen and goats.

Five Oxen is 139.8 centimeters long and 20.8 centimeters wide. The painting， as the name suggests， is of five oxen without any background. The oxen are positioned in a line， each with distinctive appearance， walking or standing， holding their heads high or low. The oxen have bright， piercing eyes and different temperaments： lively， docile6， romping7 and even eccentric.

The Night Revels of Han Xizai

The Night Revels of Han Xizai by Southern Tang （937–975） artist Gu Hong-zhong reproduces the historical scene of Southern Tang Minister Han Xizais evening banquet. It shows the host and guests， singing and dancing， laughter and joy， as well as the protagonists detachment and a sense of gloom. The surviving copy is a 28.7 cm × 335.5 cm， ink and color on silk handscroll made during the Song Dynasty， and is now housed in the Palace Museum in Beijing.

Han Xizai （902–970） was a scholar-official of the Southern Tang court. As he wanted to save himself from a delicate political situation， Han pretended to live a dissolute life， so as to dispel Emperor Li Yus （937–978） doubts and suspicion.

Gu Hongzhong （910–980） was a court-painter in the painting academy of the Southern Tang Dynasty during the Five Dynasty and Ten Kingdoms period （907–979）. Emperor Li Yu sent Gu to spy on one of Hans sumptuous parties， leading Gu to produce this famous artwork.

This narrative painting is split into five distinct sections： Han Xizai listens to the pipa， watches dancers， takes a rest， plays string instruments， and then sees guests off. It shows precise portraits of more than 40 figures with fine and continuous brush lines and delicate colours.

The work was not only a painting about personal life， but also represented many features from that period.

A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains

Wang Ximeng， a teenage artist during the Song Dynasty of China， painted A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains in 1113. Wang studied landscape painting at the Imperial Painting Academy， and was taught personally by Emperor Huizong of Song. He was only 18 years old when he painted this artwork， and he passed away probably around the age of 20.

The background of the scene is largely colored gold—the color symbolizing wealth and royalty—further glorifying the country.

The hand scroll is 1，191.5 cm long and 51.5 cm wide. It depicts spectacular landscapes， excellent architecture， exotic animals， and humans living in harmony and peace. It is now part of the collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing.

Along the River During the Qingming Festival

Along the River During the Qingming Festival was painted by Zhang Zeduan （1085–1145）， a court artist of the North Song Dynasty （960–1127）. The handscroll captures the rich scenery and natural landscapes along the shores of Bian River in the Northern Song capital Bianliang， which was located near modern-day Kaifeng in Henan Province.

Painted in light colors on silk and measuring 24.8cm × 528.7cm， the original work is now in the collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing.

Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains

Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains is one of the few surviving works by the painter Huang Gongwang （1269–1354）. The painting is created based on the Fuchun rivers8 early autumn scenery. Huang made full use of the Chinese traditional techniques. The arrangement is a masterpiece of movement and stillness as well as density and expansiveness. The ink likewise ranges from extremely dry to moist， and the strokes also vary from centered brushwork to slanted.

Painted between 1348 and 1350， the Chinese landscape painting was burnt into two pieces in 1650. Today， one piece9 is kept in the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou， while the other piece10 is kept in the Taipei Palace Museum. The entire painting combined would measure 691.3 cm in length.

Spring Morning in the Han Palace

Created by the Ming Dynasty （1368–1644） painter Qiu Ying （ca. 1494–1552）， Spring Morning in the Han Palace is a silk scroll painting noted for its bold use of colors. With a length of 574.1 centimeters and a width of 30.6 centimeters， it is considered very large relative to other similar decorative artwork. Qiu Ying is one representative painter in the Ming Dynasty， and is regarded as one of the Four Great Masters of the Ming Dynasty along with Shen Zhou （1427–1509）， Wen Zhengming （1470–1559） and Tang Yin （1470–1523）.

This long scroll is an imaginary representation of various activities in a Han Dynasty （206BC–220AD） palace on a spring morning. The intricate composition is rendered with crisp brushwork and beautiful colors. Trees and rocks decorate and punctuate the garden scenery of the lavish palace architecture， creating marvelous scenery similar to that of immortal realms. In addition to the groups of beauties， leisure activities of the literati， such as the zither， chess， calligraphy， and painting as well as appreciating antiquities and planting flowers are depicted， making it a masterpiece among Qiu Yings historical narrative paintings.

One Hundred Horses

One Hundred Horses was drawn by Lang Shining in the Qing Dynasty （1644–1911）. Lang was a missionary from Italy with birth name Giuseppe Castiglione. Working as a court painter in China for over 50 years， his talent in painting was regarded highly by Chinese emperors Kangxi， Yongzheng and Qianlong. He helped to create a hybrid11 style that combined the Western realism with traditional Chinese composition12 and brushwork.

This paper painting， 813 cm long and 102 cm wide， captures 100 horses in various postures. They are kneeling， standing， frolicking， rolling， eating and running on the grassland—staying alone and among groups. The artwork is now preserved in the Taipei Palace Museum.

中国历史悠久，国画杰作众多，价值连城。有些画作在战争中损毁或遗失，但更多画作传世千年，现藏于国内外各大博物馆。此处辑录的是中国十大传世名画：

《洛神赋图》

《洛神赋图》为东晋（317—420）画家和诗人顾恺之（约344—406）所作，绢本，长卷。这幅叙事画卷乃据曹植（192—232）的《洛神赋》而作。有四件宋（960—1127）摹本传世，分别藏于北京故宫博物院、辽宁省博物馆和美国弗利尔美术馆。

这幅古画为长卷，需横览，绘曹植与洛神自邂逅定情到怅然分别的人神之恋。

《步辇图》

《步辇图》为唐代（618—907）颇受尊崇的人物画家阎立本（601—673）所绘，以吐蕃王松赞干布（617—650）迎娶文成公主入藏为背景，描绘了吐蕃使臣禄东赞晋见唐太宗时的场景。此画纵38.5厘米，横129.6厘米，手卷，绢本设色，现藏北京故宫博物院。

《唐宫仕女图》

《唐宫仕女图》是张萱（713—755）、周昉（约730—800）所绘的一组画。二人为唐代人物画名家，当时仕女画风行。

此画绘宫廷仕女闲静寥落的生活，人物优美、典雅、端庄。这组画中最著名的四幅作品是张萱所作《虢国夫人游春图》《捣练图》以及周昉所作《簪花仕女图》《挥扇仕女图》。

张萱以工笔人物写生见长，擅绘仕女、婴儿和鞍马。周昉绘画远师晋代的顾恺之，不求藻饰，注重细节，仕女造型以面容圆润、体态丰腴为主要特征。

这组画现藏于国内几家博物馆。

《五牛图》

《五牛图》为唐代著名画家韩滉（723―787）所作，北京故宫博物院藏。

韩滉生于唐玄宗（685—762）开元年间，长安人，唐德宗（742—805）年间任宰相。

韩滉以人物、畜兽画著称，神态刻画细致入微，对田家风俗和牛羊等家畜的描摹可谓曲尽其妙。

《五牛图》纵20.8厘米，横139.8厘米。顾名思义，画的是五头牛，画面上没有背景衬托。五头牛一字排开，各具状貌，姿态互异：或行，或立，或俯首，或昂头。五牛瞳眸炯炯有神，性情各不相同：活泼、温顺、喧闹甚或乖僻。

《韩熙载夜宴图》

《韩熙载夜宴图》为南唐（937—975）画家顾闳中所作，再现了南唐大臣韩熙载夜宴宾客的历史场景，描绘了宴会上主客揉杂、弹丝吹竹、清歌艳舞、调笑欢乐的场面，又刻画了主人公超脱不羁、沉郁寡欢的复杂性格。现存宋摹本手卷，绢本设色，纵28.7厘米，横335.5厘米，现藏于北京故宫博物院。

韩熙载（902—970），南唐文臣。他为了从复杂的政治局势中脱身，消除后主李煜（937—978）对自己的猜忌，以声色为韬晦之所，营造颓废无为的假象。

顾闳中（910—980），五代十国（907—979）南唐画家，任南唐画院待诏。后主李煜派其潜入韩府偷看韩熙载夜宴的奢华场面。顾闳中目识心记，绘制出这幅名画。

该叙事画卷分为五段场景，即听乐、观舞、暂歇、清吹、散宴。作品描绘了40多个人物，造型准确精微，线条工细流畅，色彩绚丽清雅。

这幅画不仅展现了韩熙载的个人生活，也反映了那个时代的多种风情。

《千里江山图》

北宋政和三年（1113年），少年画家王希孟绘制了《千里江山图》。王希孟曾入画学为生徒，工山水，得宋徽宗亲授。他创作此画时年仅18岁，20岁左右去世。

这幅画的背景主要是金色，象征财富和皇权，彰显了国家的荣耀。

画卷纵51.5厘米，横1191.5厘米，展现了秀美山川、非凡建筑、珍禽异兽、安居百姓。现藏于北京故宫博物院。

《清明上河图》

《清明上河图》，北宋（960—1127）宫廷画师张择端（1085—1145）所作。该手卷，反映了北宋都城东京汴梁（今河南开封附近）汴河两岸的街市繁荣景象和自然风光。

原画纵24.8厘米，横528.7厘米，绢本浅色。现藏北京故宫博物院。

《富春山居图》

《富春山居图》为画家黄公望（1269—1354）少数的存世作品之一。画家充分利用水墨技法描绘了富春江一带的初秋景色，山水布置动静结合，疏密得当，墨色浓淡干湿并用，中锋圆浑、侧锋峻峭，极富变化。

这幅山水画作于元至正八年（1348年）到至正十年（1350年），清顺治七年（1650年）曾遭火焚，断为两段。现分藏于浙江省博物馆和台北故宫博物院。两段相加横691.3厘米。

《汉宫春晓图》

《汉宫春晓图》是明代（1368—1644）画家仇英（约1494—1552）的一幅绢本重彩仕女画，纵30.6厘米，横574.1厘米，就装饰绘画而言，堪称巨制。仇英是明朝代表画家，与沈周（1427—1509）、文征明（1470—1559）、唐寅（1470—1523）合称“明四家”。

《汉宫春晓图》以春日晨曦里的汉代（公元前206—公元220）宫廷为题，以长卷的形式描绘了宫闱的各种日常活动。构景繁复，用笔清劲，赋色妍雅，林木、奇石与华丽的宫阙穿插掩映，铺陈出宛如仙境般的瑰丽景象。除却美女群像之外，复融入琴棋书画、鉴古、莳花等文人式的休闲活动，实为仇英历史故事画中的精彩之作。

《百骏图》

《百骏图》，清（1644—1911）郎世宁所绘。郎世宁，意大利传教士，原名朱塞佩·伽斯底里奥内。郎世宁任宫廷画师五十多年，画才深得康熙、雍正、乾隆赞许。他将西洋现实主义手法与中國传统构图和笔法相融合，开创了一种中西杂糅风格。

《百骏图》，纸质稿本，纵102厘米，横813厘米。此图共绘有100匹骏马，在草地上或跪或立，嬉闹翻滚，觅食奔跑，聚散不一，姿势各异。现藏台北故宫博物院。

（译者为“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛获奖者）