Study On The Image Of Mythical Beasts In The Stone Portrait Of Han Dynasty In Xuzhou

As artistic images derived from beautified and deified birds and animals in the nature,the mythical beasts were created by the ancients.Mostly,they are visualized from the fight with the natural phenomena and the desire for a better realm,and then become a spiritual expectation in the process of the conquest of nature and extermination of devils.The application of the image of the mythical beasts represents an artistic phenomenon that is widely used and long standing in the ancient China.The images of mythical beasts were mainly used in the form and decorations of the ancient art,from the coloured pottery and bronze wares of Xia and Shang dynasties,to bronze minors,lacquerwares,textile fabrics,stone carvings,eaves tiles,portrait bricks and stones of the period of two Han dynasties.Among others,the application of the image of mythical beasts in the stone portrait of Han Dynasty in Xuzhou,due to its special material and technique,highlights the sober and simple grandness,and also evolves into a rich variety of types in terms of the influence of the Chu-Wu Culture.Therefore,the study on the image of mythical beasts in the stone portrait of Han Dynasty in Xuzhou,has a positive significance for the exploration of the profound implied meaning and cultural connotation of the image of mythical beasts in China,and the comprehension of the cultural connotation and folk beliefs embedded in the art of Han Dynasty.The article summarizes the origin of the image of mythical beasts in the stone portrait of Han Dynasty in Xuzhou,integrated with the local environment of Xuzhou,from the two aspects of emergence and development of the image of mythical beasts,and its background and formal expression of the image of stone mythical beasts in the portrait of Han Dynasty.Therefore,it is known that it has a variety of types and forms,including the difference between good and ill luck in the property,and the difference between the prototype and combined images.On the basis of examples,the image of mythical beasts in the stone portrait of Han Dynasty in Xuzhou scattered around the country are analyzed and sorted in a concentrated way,focused on the auspicious and evil animals,which are mainly divided into three types,and its implied meaning and cultural connotation are summarized.At the same time,it is analyzed that the main functions and symbols of the image of mythical beasts in the content of stone portrait of Han Dynasty in Xuzhou represent:“the orientation in the universe",and"Yin-Yang and Five Elements",which reflect the unique cosmology of people in the Han Dynasty;bless god and human beings,as the symbol of the auspicious world;identify the heaven and the fairyland,to guide a path of becoming immortal;between heaven and earth,responsible for being immortals;devour ghosts and deter the enemy,accompany beside the tomb,and guard the gateway of heaven and earth.The article is divided into four parts:the introduction mainly includes the definition of the image of mythical beasts,the stone portrait of the Han Dynasty and other related concepts;the current situation of academic research on images of mythical beasts and stone portraits of Han Dynasty at home and abroad,significance and methods,innovation and expected results of this dissertation.The first chapter includes the source of the image of mythical beasts:from the two aspects of the emergence and development,and the evolving background of mythical beasts in the stone portrait of Han Dynasty,its origin and development are summarized.The second chapter includes the subject types and classification of forms of the image of mythical beasts in the stone portrait of Xuzhou in Han Dynasty:more than 180 images of mythical beasts in the stone portrait of Xuzhou in Han Dynasty were collected and sorted,and the origin,shapes and implied meanings of various mythical beasts were analyzed and studied,combined with the examples of stone portraits in Han Dynasty.The third chapter involves the cultural connotation of the image of mythical beasts in the stone portrait of Han Dynasty in Xuzhou:combined with the example of mythical beasts in the stone portrait of Han Dynasty in Xuzhou,three kinds of identities embodied in the image of mythical beasts were systematically summarized,namely,the symbol of the cosmology,the guider of the fairyland,and the expression of the thought of blessing.During the process of investigation,the documents such as the published photo albums,writings and archaeological reports,were referred to collect the existing images of mythical beasts in the stone portrait of Han Dynasty and related images,and go deep into the historic site of Han Dynasty tombs and Stone portrait of Han Dynasty Museum in Xuzhou,supplemented with the photographs,and graphic data and texts that had not yet been published.In addition,by comparing the documents with the real portraits of Han Dynasty,the prototypical meaning of the images of mythical beasts was found out,and then the most detailed research results in terms of the integration of figures and tables and the total classification table of the image of mythical beasts in the stone portrait of Han Dynasty in Xuzhou were obtained so far.It is concluded that the image of mythical beasts in the stone portrait of Han Dynasty in Xuzhou mainly includes the followings:the symbol of the cosmology,the guider of the fairyland,and the expression of the thought of blessing.The investigation and organization of images of mythical beasts in the stone portrait of Han Dynasty in Xuzhou and their sym’bolic meanings,are not only important for the study on the portrait art of Han Dynasty,but also an important way for understanding the nationality,culture,totem,myth and so on in Han Dynasty and before.It is also a beneficial supplement to the treasure house of traditional Chinese culture and art.