A Study Of The Images Of Prominent Officials Of The Ming Dynasty From Sancai Tuhui

"SancaiTuhui" is an encyclopedia with texts and illustrations compiled by Wang Qi and his son Wang Siyi in Ming dynasty. The eighth volume includes the portraits of sixty-nine prominent officials in Ming dynasty, each portrait is supplemented by a brief biography. Why did Wang Qi select these officials? What are the key criteria for the officials to be select as prominent? Are those portraits credible? What historical cultural information do the portraits imply? All these questions are what should be analyzed in this paper, which is divided into four major chapters.Chapter one, portrait interpretation and character analysis ofthe sixty-nineprominent officials. The first part is to summarize the story of these sixty-nine prominent officials’lives by combining historical facts with organized biographies from "SancaiTuhui". Based on their biographies, this partdevelops insights into the comparison among four time periods:Hongwu to Xuande years, Zhengtong to Chenghua years, Hongzhi to Zhengde years and Jiajing to Wanli years. The second part analyses key criteria for Wang Qi to select these officials from three respects, which are political achievements, personal character and literary capability. Third, after comprehensive comparison between time periods and selection criteria, it concludes that the key criteria has transformed from political achievement to personal character as time went from early Ming dynasty tomid-late Ming dynasty.Chapter two, analysis of clothing and appearance in the portraitsof the prominent officials. The first section makes further study and research on the imperial robe, crown, futou and black gauze cap. The second section makes further study and research on formal dress, informal dress and court dress the officials wear.The third section analyses and explains that why some officials hold tablets in their hands. The fourth section is on the basis of cases study of Fang Xiaoru, Wen zhengming and Wang Shouren. In this section, the difference of clothing and appearance in portraits between "SancaiTuhui" and historical records before "SancaiTuhui" is discussed. This section also briefly analyses the facial features in the portraits of prominent officials in "SancaiTuhui".Chapter three, analysis on Wang Qi’s view of prominent officials. Firstly, Wang Qi’s view of Jingnan rebellion is discussed based on the biographies of Xu Huizu and Fang Xiaoru. Secondly, Wang Qi’s stance and view of The Great Rites Controversy is analyzed based on the biographies of Yang Tinghe and Fei Hong.Summarization and conclusions derived in this paper. Portraits of prominent officials in "SancaiTuhui" are the reflections of Wang Qi’s ideal official images in Ming dynasty. The portraits both demonstrate political status and conventional hierarchies, aiming at not only evoking reverence and reminiscence, but also guiding and expostulating later generations. Wang Qi started his official career from Jiajing years, through Longqing years to Wanli Years, his selection towards prominent officials in Ming dynasty embodies his view of prominent officials and his political position. Emphasis on officials moral and virtue also reflects the political reality during mid-late Ming dynasty.