The Research On Decorative Pattern Of Chu State

This thesis takes the decorative pattern in utensil of Chu State as the research object, based on many kinds of iconography as the foundation, puts it into the background of the history of the decorative pattern since Neolithic age and discuses the Modeling feature and evolution process of many kinds of pattern of Eastern Zhou period from design theory, bases on the background of Chu State, pays attention to the archaeology and literature, restores the symbolic significance of various decorative patterns, analyzes decorative features and visual effects of the decorative pattern in utensil of Chu State and its aesthetic significance and the idea of design, and probes into the relationships of the decorative pattern among Chu State, Qin and Han dynasties and some of the southern ethnic minorities, and the application of the state of Chu patterns in modern design and enlightenment to modern design.This thesis consists of preface, five chapters and conclusion.The Preface introduces origin, purpose, significance, research background, methods, innovations and so on, reviews the relevant research for patterns of Chu State, which providing a new view for this article.At first,the first chapter defines the time and space of decorative pattern of Chu State, then analyzes many kinds of factors which affected the development of the decorative pattern of Chu State, including Chu state’s geographical environment, climate, resources and cultural tradition, politics, science and technology, economy and so on.The second chapter mainly focuses on the category and elements of decorative pattern of Chu State. According to typology, patterns are classified into six major categories, stars pattern, animals pattern, plant pattern, natural object pattern, geometric pattern, and character pattern. Every major category can also be classified into smaller ones, such as polaris pattern, arctic pattern, solar pattern, patterns of clouds and lighting. Animal pattern can be classified into phoenix pattern, dragon pattern, realistic animal pattern, other animal pattern.The form of expression and artistic characteristics of the patterns of Chu wares are studied in Chapter three comprehensively. First of all, the functions of patterns in wares will be discussed, including utility function and psychic function. And then, the forms of expression of patterns will be expounded in bronzewares, lacquerwares, jade, pottery, glazed wares. Furthermore, layout form, development vein, artistic feature and symbolic significance of patterns in every ware will be analyzed. Finally, the decoration principle of patterns in Chu wares will be analyzed from the perspective of the design, that is, decoration principle of showing utensil function, decoration principle of stylization, decoration principle of acting as circumstances permit, decoration principle of pursuing order feeling.Esthetic significance and design concept of patterns of Chu State will be analyzed in Chapter four mainly. First, the design concepts will be summarized in Chu pattern, such as making towards object form, esteem god and sacrifice ghost, likes dynamic esthetic sense and loathing static state, like decorating the complicated style, absorbs all available elements and so on. And then, from the perspective of visual thinking, its type will be sudied, based on the cultural connotation of Chu patterns, and its esthetic significance will be discussed.The influences of Chu patterns on posterity and the enlightenment modern design will be expounded in Chapter five. First, the relationship of inheritance between Chu patterns and the Qin and Han Dynasty will be straightened out. The Chu culture factor used in Chu Kingdom and ethnic minorities in the surrounding areas will be analyzed, and the relationships between them will be discussed. Finally, some forms and the enlightenment of Chu patterns used in modern design will be discussed.The research shows that Chu pattern continues and develops most of the themes used by the ruling class since the Shang and the Western Zhou Dynasties, in which the Chu people’s admiration towards the astronomical calendar is always reflected, and to form the pattern group led by Donghuangtaiyi(polaris). The Chu people had certain innovations in pattern modeling, combination and presentation techniques, which the southern ethnic aesthetic taste is integrated into. Some presentation techniques such as carve and rosace are used in patterns to form highly regional characteristics of the objects, just like Chasing Screen, Drum with Phoenix Stand, Tomb Guardian, Man-holding-two-dragons Shaped Jade Pendant so that it stands out from States of East Zhou Dynast.