A Comparative Study Of Han Dynasty Stone Relief In Northern Shaanxi And Western Shanxi

The Han Dynasty stone reliefs carry the nostalgia and imagination of the Han dynasty for a better life,and the imagination for the activities of the dead.The northern part of Shaanxi and the western part of Shanxi are located along the border with the ethnic minorities,After the spread of stone reliefs from the Central Plains to this area,they have formed cultural characteristics with unique local ethnic styles.The stone reliefs in this area are distributed in the Wuding River and Sanchuan River basins,with concentrated distribution points.The total number of unearthed stones in this area is smaller than that in other regions,but it is sufficient to display the cultural features of the Han Dynasty in northern Shaanxi and western Shanxi.The Han Dynasty stone reliefs have a sequential relationship between northern Shaanxi and western Shanxi in terms of time,and there is a trend of dissemination and inheritance in carving techniques and themes.Through the content of the portraits,we can truly experience the gradual process of regional cultural integration.Therefore,this article aims to comb the transmission sequence between northern Shaanxi and western Shanxi through the analysis of the shape and structure of Han Dynasty stone tombs;Then,a comparative study is conducted on the layout,color painting techniques,and subject matter content of Han Dynasty stone reliefs in the two regions,in order to identify issues such as ethnic integration,funeral beliefs,and social thoughts reflected.In the introduction section,the article defines the research object,clarifies the significance of the research,reviews the research results,analyzes the current short comings,and finally indicates its own research ideas and methods.The main part of the article is divided into three chapters.The first is a comparative study of Han painted stone tombs in Shaanxi and Shanxi,analyzing the regional distribution patterns of the tombs in the two regions,mainly through a typological analysis of the burial forms and excavated artefacts.The author attempts to conclude that the two places are characterized by early and late staging,and that the burial forms and excavated artifacts are also characterized by the succession of the western Shanxi region to the northern Shaanxi region.Secondly,it is a comparative analysis of Han Dynasty stone reliefs in the Shaanxi and Shanxi regions,studying the cultural connotations of the two regions’ stone reliefs from three aspects: configuration and layout,carving techniques,and painting techniques.Thus,It is found that the portrait stones are a kind of art with a strong tradition and heritage.Western Shanxi stone reliefs are deeply influenced by northern Shaanxi,which can be described as the inheritance and development of stone reliefs in northern Shaanxi.Finally,based on a comparative analysis of the content of the two regions’ stone reliefs,it is found that different themes such as the fairy world,real life,and border decoration have ideological consistency in their phased development and changes.The types of themes displayed in the western Shanxi region are less than those in the northern Shaanxi region,but some themes have been developed.Based on historical records,this paper summarizes the changes in the central ideology of the people in both regions.The end of the article is a summary of the conclusions of the full text,pointing out the shortcomings of current research and issues that need to be further explored in the future.