China: The Three Emperors

This magnificent exhibition is devoted to the artistic and cultural riches of Imperial China. Spanning the reigns of three Emperors, Kangxi (1662—1722), Yongzheng (1723—35) and Qianlong (1736—95), it focuses on the most powerful rulers of China’s last dynasty: the Qing. Each Emperor employed the greatest artists and workshops of his day to glorify his rule.

China: The Three Emperors, 1662—1795 features over 370 treasures, including precious robes and palace furnishings, paintings and painted scrolls, weapons and ceremonial armour, clocks and astronomical instruments, antique jades and bronzes, ingenious scientific instruments, the finest porcelain, carvings and lacquer ware, elegant furniture, a sedan chair and an imperial throne.

The exhibition starts with the formal, ritual portraits of the the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong Emperors. Even though all three emperors were Manchus they are shown in these portraits wearing formal, ceremonial robes in Chinese style. The Qing Dynasty was founded by Manchus living in the North East of the Eurasian content. In the 16th and 17th centuries the Qing organised the first state north of the Great Wall and then invaded south China. Much of the early part of the Kangxi Emperor’s rule was spent in consolidating and extending his territory. The Qianlong Emperor also undertook major military expansion, north-east and north-west. Both emperors led extensive expeditions themselves. The Yongzheng Emperor by contrast centred his time on Beijing and is best known for his transformation of government practice.

The dramatic effect of these embroidered yellow robes is also seen in a surviving court robe belonging to the Kangxi Emperor. In all three portraits the Emperors are seated on dragon thrones. Such portraits were not intended as personal, intimate representations; they were undertaken, primarily, to make present the emperor when ritual offerings were made to them after death. In addition, similar formal portraits were painted on occasions of particular court significance.

The Court

Only emperors, and occasionally empresses, could sit on carved laquer thrones like the one exhibited in this gallery with incense burners, cranes and fans, typical of a formal court setting. This room also displays paintings that depict the three major palaces of the emperors: the Palace in the centre of Beijing (sometimes known as the Forbidden City), the complex of buildings and palaces more than 100 kilometres to the north of the city at Chengde and the palace to the west of Beijing, constructed by Castiglione and other Jesuits in European style, known as the Yuan ming yuan. The many different cultures and religions of the empire were recreated, in particular, in the monasteries and temples built at the Chengde Palaces. The emperors, especially Kangxi and Qianlong, moved between all these palaces. Yongzheng confined himself much more to the Forbidden City.

In true Manchu style, the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors went on long journeys north to the territories known as Mulan for ceremonial hunting in many years of their reigns. Several of the paintings in the room illustrate aspects of these hunting expeditions. To reinforce their authority in their Chinese territories, the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors also undertook journeys through the south of China, particularly the Yangtse region. The purpose of all of these expeditions was to impress the emperors’ subjects.

Ritual

In a state with a multitude of different peoples religious belief and practice were necessarily diverse. Shamanism, the original belief-system of the Manchus, was practiced alongside Buddhism while Confucian Court ritual was essential to the legitimacy of the Qing dynasty. There were two major types of ritual. The first comprised offerings made to dead emperors by their descendents. Offerings were made to spirit tablets which were set on thrones and meant to embody the dead ancestor. The other major group of rituals involved seasonal and annual offerings at the altars of Heaven, Earth, Sun and Moon, Agriculture and Silk.

Religion

All the Qing emperors understood the importance of supporting the major religions within the Empire — traditional Manchu shamanism, Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism. Christianity and Islam were tolerated. The Qianlong Emperor in particular was closely associated with Tibetan Buddhism while the Yongzheng Emperor was also involved in Chan Buddhism – the Chinese equivalent of Zen Buddhism. Painted hangings and embroideries in this gallery compliment depictions of the Qianlong Emperor as the Bodhisattva Manjushri. A Bodhisattva is a being who has attained enlightenment but vowed not to leave the cycle of birth and death (Samsara) until all other beings are enlightened. Buddhist utensils and scriptures are also included.

Empire

The Qing entered China from the north to defeat it militarily. Not only did the Kangxi Emperor lead his own troops in battle, both he and the Qianlong Emperor took a detailed interest in the activities of their generals. The depiction of both Emperors in military garb and the very fine armour and helmet of the Kangxi Emperor are direct evidence of their involvement. Several great banquets are shown in large paintings; one will be displayed in this gallery. These gatherings often took place north of the Great Wall.

The Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors were fearless riders, although they also travelled by sedan. A sedan chair is displayed in this room and is depicted in one of the banqueting paintings. The troops that conquered China for the Manchus were arranged in what are known as ‘the eight banners’. The coloured armour of these banner men is displayed in this room.

The Jesuits

The Qing were curious about foreign dress and practices and recorded them in several paintings. The Jesuits had gone to China to seek converts in the 16th and 17th centuries and remained important members of the Qing Court. They were technical advisors on scientific instruments and inspired Chinese court artists to emulate foreign traditions. This room displays some magnificent paintings by the famous Jesuit Court artist Lang Shining, known by his western name of Giuseppe Castiglione. Paintings by foreign artists are included alongside comparable examples by Chinese court artists. Clocks were welcome gifts and some quite extraordinary clocks made in Britain, France and Germany have only survived in China.

The Kangxi Emperor (1662-1722)

In addition to his military prowess the Kangxi Emperor was famous for his scholarly abilities and his patronage of the arts. This room displays artefacts from the scholar’s table — brush pots, brush rests, ink stones and ink sticks. Such items were regarded as the vehicles for some of the highest forms of art in China but are almost unknown in the western world. Kangxi is shown at his desk in an informal scholar’s hat, poised to write.

The Yongzheng Emperor (1723-1735)

The private life of Yongzheng is represented in this gallery by paintings of twelve concubines, arranged according to the four seasons. The many roles in which he envisaged himself are shown in a set of thirteen album leaves in which he appears spearing a tiger, wearing a European wig, as a Daoist Monk and a Buddhist devotee. The Yongzheng period is famous for fine porcelains and lacquer ware. A range of different examples are presented, particularly a very fine group of glazed plates, all in different colours.

The Qianlong Emperor (1736-95)

Emperor Qianlong perhaps surpassed all other emperors in his zeal for collecting and in the many copies he commissioned. Fine archaistic items were made in the forms of, or with the décor of, ancient bronzes, ceramics and calligraphy. This room concentrates on some aspects of this interest in collecting and in replication. Qianlong was an avid calligrapher and some examples of his work are displayed. To ensure that the role of his collections would be recognised and respected Qianlong had his collections enshrined forever in elaborate catalogues. These are also on display.

The Literati

The Qing period saw a well-developed tradition of literati painting continuing earlier interests in monochrome painting of landscapes, mountains, rivers, birds and flowers. The traditional school is represented by exceptionally good paintings by the four Wangs from the Palace collection. Opponents to literati painting undertook more iconoclastic approaches to their subject matter. The paintings of fish and birds by Bada Shanren are a fine example of this approach. A jade mountain presents in solid, physical form, the Chinese use of mountains as places of contemplation, of imagination and of metaphor.

Auspiciousness

For more than two millennia the Chinese have ensured good outcomes for themselves and their offspring by reading omens and depicting signs of good fortune in their houses, palaces and temples. Natural phenomena, such as birds, flowers and particular weather conditions, have always been treated as signs of good fortune. This room presents paintings, embroideries and artefacts that embody the imagery of these auspicious signs that were essential decoration of the palace. For instance, the double gourd is seen as a sign of many descendents, while the crane is always an auspicious bird and is shown in embroideries and paintings. Many such emblems or symbols depend upon puns. The word for ‘crane’ is a homonym for the word for ‘harmonious’. Significant gifts to the Emperor, the ruyi scepters, are also on displayed. These have rarely, if ever, been seen outside Beijing.

Pressetext

China: The Three Emperors, 1662-1795
Royal Academicians in China