FOREWORD
Chinese legendary paintings are monumental works worthy of Chinese art history and civilisation. It carries the unique artistic temperament of the ancient oriental nation like a flowing history or a silent movement. Art records China’s long history of five thousand years and splendid rivers and mountains tens of thousands of miles across. As digital technology is widely used in the creative culture industry, displaying paintings extends beyond merely using a plane of paper, but through the use of vivid animations to attract audiences to the story a thousand years ago.
Together, China Cultural Centre in Sydney and Network of International Culturalink Entities launch ‘Ideorealm — Digital Animation of Legendary Chinese Paintings’ series of short video projects. Elements have been selected from China’s famous paintings, covering paintings of landscapes, ladies, gardens, etc., spanning from the Five Dynasties to the Ming Dynasties (A.D 907 – A.D 1644). These short videos activate paintings using digital technology, deconstruct painting techniques, appreciate the stories of paintings and give them new life in the form of animation. Details of the paintings are magnified under advanced imaging technology, whether it is painted on rice paper or silk. Scrolls unroll as the Guqin plays: trees sway, mountain streams pour, some people sail on the river while some amble among the mountains…. Looking from a three-dimensional visual angle, animated ‘A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains’ reveals beautiful scenes of green hills and clear lakes hidden in the paintings. Through animation technology, figures who spring out of the paintings become more vivid. Besides, ‘Taoyuan Fairyland’, ‘Autumn Scenery of Mount Huabuzhu and Mount Que’, ‘The Autumn Landscape’, ‘Ladies of Tang Palace’, ‘East Village’, ‘Early Snow River View’, ‘Early Spring’ and ‘Cranes Above Kaifeng’ all start with audio-visual way of new media. It gives an illusion of crossing layer upon layer of peaks and knolls, a vast expanse of misty water, bridges and ferries, pavilions, and travelling, fishing, admiring falls with figures in the paintings. When people fuse together in harmony with scenery, it creates an artistic conception of landscape a few paces away containing a thousand miles of delight.
This is a silent baptism of aesthetics. ‘Ideorealm — Digital Animation of Legendary Chinese Paintings’ series of short videos will catch people’s attention with new technologies, and present an abundant, multidimensional ‘oriental garden’ full of classical aesthetics. Vivid animations are partnered with exquisite narration to tell the stories portrayed by each painting, to guide audiences through the fairyland inside paintings, to feel the unique atmosphere and leisure of Chinese paintings, and to explore profound mysteries behind inks and colours. When the dynamic nature of technology meets with the steady ancient culture, making traditional paintings come alive. They link tradition with modernity, attract the younger generation to travel through the time tunnel and to discover the real charm of this treasure of China.
《千里江山图》 北宋（公元960年-1279年） 王希孟
Qian Li Jiang Shan Tu (A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains), Northern Song Dynasty (A.D 960 – A.D 1279), Wang Ximeng
Qian Li Jiang Shan Tu (A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains) is a blue and green scroll masterpiece completed within half a year by Wang Ximeng, an eighteen years old painter in the Northern Song Dynasty. It is a representative work of outstanding artistic achievements in the blue and green landscape paintings of the Song Dynasty. The scroll is 51.5cm long and 1191.5cm wide and now exhibits in the Palace Museum in Beijing.
The stunning landscape in Qian Li Jiang Shan Tu (A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains) is colored with mineral azurite and stone green, thick mountains and rocks, lush and greenery picture, and rich colors. By using the scatter method, the painting presents the artistic effect of “scene moving follows the step”, vividly expressing the concept of harmonious coexistence between human and nature.
《千里江山图》是北宋一位十八岁的少年画家王希孟用时半年完成的青绿长卷巨作，是宋代青绿山水画中具有突出艺术成就的代表作。画卷纵51.5cm，横1191.5cm，现收藏于北京故宫博物院。
《千里江山图》的“青绿山水”，是用矿物质的石青、石绿上色，山石厚重，画面富丽，色泽灿烂。画作通过采用散点透视的方法，呈现了“景随步移”的艺术效果，生动表达了人与自然和谐共存的理念。
《桃源仙境图》 明 (公元1368年-1644年) 仇英
Tao Yuan Xian Jing Tu (Taoyuan Fairyland) is a vertical green landscape painting created by Qiu Ying, Ming Dynasty (A.D 1368 – A.D 1644)
Tao Yuan Xian Jing Tu (Taoyuan Fairyland) is a masterpiece created by Qiu Ying, one of the “Legendary Four Artists of the Ming Dynasty”. The scroll is 175cm long and 66.7cm wide and currently collected in the Tianjin Museum.
Tao Yuan Xian Jing Tu (Taoyuan Fairyland) adopts a vertical and lofty chapter and is divided into three layers, presenting a secluded resort far away from the bustling city. Through the author’s ingenious depiction of natural landscapes and dynamic characters, the characters in the painting and the scenery complement each other and express smartly. The joy of seclusion in the minds of literati at that time.
《桃源仙境图》是“明四家之一”——仇英的代表作，画卷纵175cm，横66.7cm，现藏于天津博物馆。
《桃源仙境图》以竖幅高远章法，分三层叠进，呈现一个远离尘世、虚无缥缈的隐居胜地，通过作者对自然山水与动态人物的巧妙刻画，使画中人物与景色交相辉映，灵动地表达了当时文人心中的隐居之乐。
《鹊华秋色图》 元（公元1271年-1368年） 赵孟頫
Que Hua Qiu Se (Autumn Scenery of Mount Huabuzhu and Mount Que) Yuan Dynasty (A.D 1271 – A.D 1368) Zhao Mengfu
Que Hua Qiu Se (Autumn Scenery of Mount Huabuzhu and Mount Que) is created by Yuan Dynasty painter Zhao Mengfu. The scroll is 28.4cm long and 90.2cm wide. Currently collected in Chinese Taipei Palace Museum.
Que Hua Qiu Se (Autumn Scenery of Mount Huabuzhu and Mount Que) depicts the autumn scenery of Jinan Mount Huabuzhu and Mount Que. It adopts the composition of plain and distant, the virtual and the real coexist, the painting is clear and calm, presenting a quiet and leisurely natural style. The colors of the two peaks in the picture are more eye-catching. Other sceneries like tiny islands and trees are painted with different shades of cyan. Houses, cows and some leaves are painted with warm, bright colors such as red and yellow. It shows the clearness and cleanliness of autumn, and also shows the peace and tranquility of humanity.
《鹊华秋色图》是元代画家赵孟頫所作，画卷纵28.4cm，横90.2cm，现藏于台北故宫博物院。
《鹊华秋色图》描绘了济南华不注山和鹊山的秋景，采用平远构图，虚实相生，画境清旷恬淡，呈现出恬静而悠闲的天然风味。图中两座山峰颜色较为醒目，其他诸景如洲渚、树木等多施以深浅不一的青色，房屋、牛群和一些树叶则用红、黄、精等暖色系，色调冷暖交汇，既显示出秋的清旷高洁，亦呈现出人情的和乐安详。
《江山秋色图》 南宋（公元1127年-1279年） 赵伯驹
Jiang Shan Qiu Se Tu (The Autumn Landscape), Southern Song Dynasty (A.D 1127 – A.D 1279), Zhao Boju
Jiang Shan Qiu Se Tu (The Autumn Landscape) was created by Zhao Boju, royal family member of the Song Dynasty. The scroll is 56.6cm long and 323.2cm wide. Currently collected in the Palace Museum in Beijing.
Jiang Shan Qiu Se Tu (The Autumn Landscape) depicts the scenery of mountains and rivers in the north. The layout of the picture is rigorous, the outline is lean, the color is gorgeous, mainly in azurite green with other bright and harmonious colors like vermilion, ocher, white, etc. In the layout, the traditional “scattered perspective” method is used to combine lofty and far-reaching styles, which brings the effect of large capacity, odd layout, and degree of opening and closing, and a harmonious relationship among the variability. The entire artwork is fulfilled with “morale” of the literati, expressing the author’s deep feeling of loss of his homeland.
《江山秋色图》是由宋朝宗室赵伯驹所创作，画卷纵56.6cm，横323.2cm，现藏于北京故宫博物院。
《江山秋色图》描绘的是北方山水的景色，画面布局严谨，勾勒精细，设色绚烂，以石青石绿为主，兼用朱、赭、白等色，色调明快和谐。在布局上用传统的“散点透视”法，将高远、平远和深远适当地结合起来，造成容量大、布阵奇、开合有度的效果，在多变之中得到一种和谐的整体感。整体画面充满文人的“士气”感，表达了作者对失去故土的思念之情。
《唐宫仕女图》 唐 (公元618年-907年) 张萱、周昉
Tang Gong Shi Nv Tu (Ladies of Tang Palace), Tang Dynasty (A.D 618 -A.D 907), Zhang Xuan and Zhou Fang
Tang Gong Shi Nv Tu (Ladies of Tang Palace) is composed of five Tang Dynasty figure paintings, which are Zhang Xuan’s Zhang Xuan’s Guo Guo Fu Ren You Chu Tu (Lady Guoguo Spring Tour, currently collected in Liaoning Museum) and Dao Lian Tu (Work Scene of Mashing and Sewing, currently collected in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston), Zhou Fang’s Zan Hua Shi Nv Tu (Ladies Wearing Flowers Hairpins, currently collected in Liaoning Museum), Hui Shan Shi Nv Tu (Lady With A Fan, currently collected in Beijing Palace Museum) and Gong Yue Tu (Musical Performances in the Palace, currently collected in Chinese Taipei Palace Museum) in the late Tang Dynasty.
Tang Gong Shi Nv Tu (Ladies of Tang Palace) mainly describes the living conditions of aristocratic women in the Tang Dynasty. Lines are meticulously crafted, the colors are rich and mostly in red. The appearance of people and objects are plump, the movements are concentrated and natural. Amazing Tang scenery has been vividly portrayed.
《东庄图》 明 (公元1368年-1644年) 沈周
Dong Zhuang Tu (East Village), Ming Dynasty (A.D 1368 – A.D 1644), Shen Zhou
Dong Zhuang Tu (East Village) is an album of Chinese paintings created by Shen Zhou, the founder of the Wumen School of Painting and one of the “Four Ming Schools”. The album was originally 24 pictures and 21 pictures are in existence. It is now in the collection of Nanjing Museum.
Dong Zhuang Tu (East Village) was painted by Shen Zhou for his friend Wu Kuan’s private garden, Dong Zhuang. This artwork is in folio format. Water has been used as an important element, where the fine pen marks are exquisite and the thick pen marks are expressive. The geographical location and the garden features implicitly and powerfully express the quiet, elegant and handsome garden charm. In the use of color, Shen Zhou’s successfully created and achieved excellent color performance by blending clear water color with heavy ink color and light crimson color.
《东庄图》是吴门画派的创始人也是“明四家之一”的沈周所创作的中国画册页，该册页原为24幅，存21幅，现藏于南京博物院。
《东庄图》是沈周为其好友吴宽的私家园林东庄所绘，此册页为对开形式，作者以水作为重要元素，细笔精妙绝伦，粗笔写意传神，精准地把握着园林的地理位置与园林特色，将幽静淡雅而俊逸灵动的园林神韵含蓄而有力地表现出来。在色彩运用方面，将清透水色与浓重墨色、浅淡绛色的相汇相融，取得了出色的色彩表现效果，是沈周本人的成功创作实践。
《江行初雪图》 五代（公元907年-960年） 赵干
Jiang Xing Chu Xue Tu (Early Snow River View), The Five Dynasties (A.D 907 – A.D 960), Zhao Gan
Jiang Xing Chu Xue Tu (Early Snow River View) is an ink and color painting on silk created by Zhao Gan during the period of the Five Dynasties. The artwork is 25.9cm by 376.5cm. Currently collected in Chinese Taipei Palace Museum.
Jiang Xing Chu Xue Tu (Early Snow River View) describes the working scenes of people in fishing villages along the Yangtze River during the period of early snow. Forms of close-range and medium-range shots have been implemented, just like the current close-up photography technique. The use of this technique enlarges the characters in landscape paintings, condensing a large number of characters in a close scene, presenting in front of us, and makes these characters as regular key elements in the landscape paintings. This scroll reflects the pursuit of self-individuality in Southern Tang painting art, and reflects the civilian art style of real life. It has become the most contemporary feature of Southern Tang painting.
《江行初雪图》是五代时期画家赵干创作的一幅绢本水墨设色画作，该作品纵25.9cm，横376.5cm，现藏于台北故宫博物院。
《江行初雪图》全卷描写长江沿岸渔村初雪人们劳作的情景，独取近景、中景的表现形式，一如今日摄影中的特写技法。这种技法的使用把山水画中的人物进行了放大，使众多的人物浓缩在面前的一个近景中，使山水画中常常作为点缀的人物成为画面中的主角之一。此画卷反映出了南唐绘画艺术上追求自我个性，反映现实生活的平民化艺术风尚，成为了南唐绘画最具时代性的特征。
《早春图》 北宋 (公元960年-1279年) 郭熙
Jiang Xing Chu Xue Tu (Early Snow River View), The Five Dynasties (A.D 907 – A.D 960), Zhao Gan
Zao Chun Tu (Early Spring) is created by Guo Xi, a royal painter from the Northern Song Dynasty. The painting is 158.3cm by 108.1cm. Currently collected in Chinese Taipei Palace Museum.
Zao Chun Tu (Early Spring) depicts the scene in the mountains in the north during early spring. It adopts a panoramic composition and integrates high, far-reaching, and flat techniques in one painting. The whole picture presents a strong vertical feeling. Through the meticulous depiction of the mountains, the author successfully expressed the seasonal changes of winter and spring, the earth’s recovery, and the replacement of all things. The picture is quiet and vibrant, full of vigor and delight, created a feasible, impressive, travelable, and habitable rhyme.
《早春图》由北宋宫廷画家郭熙所作，该画作纵158.3cm，横：108.1cm，现藏于台北故宫博物院。
《早春图》描绘的是初春时期北方山中的景象，采用全景式构图，融高远、深远、平远技法于一画，整幅画面呈现强烈的纵深感。通过对山的细致刻画，成功地把冬去春来、大地复苏、万物更替的季节变化表现出来。画面静谧而生机勃勃，气势浑成，情趣盎然，营造了可行、可观、可游、可居的境界。
《瑞鹤图》 北宋 (公元960年-1279年) 赵佶
Rui He Tu (Cranes above Kaifeng), The Northern Song Dynasty (A.D 960 – A.D 1279), Zhao Ji
Rui He Tu (Cranes above Kaifeng) is created by Song Huizong Zhao Ji, who was the last emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty. The painting is 51cm by 138.2cm. Currently collected in Liaoning Museum.
Rui He Tu (Cranes above Kaifeng) depicts the spectacular scene of cranes hovering above the palace. The composition has changed from the traditional. Eaves reflect the flying cranes above, give the storyline to audiences, where the surreal expression technique has been implemented. Each flying crane has its own postures. The picture is full of vitality, solemn and luxurious feelings, and expressing Song Huizong’s expectation of prosperity and peace in his empire.
