The Water and Land Ritual paintings (水陆画) are a style of traditional
Chinese painting based on
religious or
Chinese mythological subjects. The paintings are mainly intricate portraits of
deities, historical figures, and the contrasting lives of common people and tragedies, in an ornate style with rich use of vivid colors and patterns. The paintings can encompass a wide range of mediums, including scroll-painting, murals, and even sculptures.[1][2]
Despite their often mythological subject matter, the parts of the Water and Land paintings that are dedicated to commoners show a realistic, often downtrodden and tragic view of their everyday lives, as part of the ritual to reflect on the suffering of the deceased.[1] The paintings preserve the intricacies of their respective eras' fashions and give a greater view of their cultural and spiritual landscape. The visual similarities in the portraits between the divine figures and traditional
Chinese opera costumes also illuminate the mutual inspiration between the two art forms.[2]
The history of Water and Land Ritual painting can be traced back to the
Three Kingdoms period, with other early mentions during the late
Tang dynasty,[3] and became popular during the
Yuan,
Ming and
Qing dynasties as a part of the Buddhist
Liberation Rite of Water and Land to appease and enshrine spirits of the deceased. While the painting style has its origins in Buddhist ritual, the paintings also include
Taoist and
Ruist figures as reflections of local
folk-religious culture.[1][2]
Many of the best-preserved paintings are from the Ming and Qing dynasties, particularly in
Shanxi and
Hebei.[3]
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abc北京文物鉴赏编委会 (2005). 明清水陆画 Paintings for water-and-land service of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Beijing Art Photography Publishing.
ISBN9787805012896.