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Visit Henan, Explore China Episode I: A Glimpse of Chinese Civilization Through Yangshao Painted Pottery
Source：dahe.cn
Published：2022-08-02 11:15
Editor's note: In a letter replying to senior experts at the National Museum of China on July 8, 2022, President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed firming up cultural confidence, preserving the fine accomplishments of Chinese civilization and using cultural relics to promote exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations. Henan, with the largest number of ancient kiln sites, has produced the most complete range of ceramic products in China. Generally speaking, the Henan-centered Chinese ceramic culture could be considered as one of the important cultural heritages nurtured by the Yellow River culture. Starting today, we are launching the "Visit Henan, Explore China" series, featuring 6 short videos to help you catch a glimpse of wonderful Henan and brilliant Chinese civilization. Here is the first episode: A Glimpse of Chinese Civilization Through Yangshao Painted Pottery.
编者按：2022年7月8日，习近平总书记在给中国国家博物馆老专家的回信中强调，推动文物活化利用，推进文明交流互鉴，守护好、传承好、展示好中华文明优秀成果。作为文物大省的河南，不仅是中国品种最全的陶瓷产区，而且还是拥有古陶瓷窑址数量最多的省份，可以说以河南为中心的中国陶瓷文化是黄河文化孕育出的重要文化遗产之一。2022年8月2日起，大河网推出6期双语特别报道——“在河南，遇见China”。让我们一起，通过陶瓷文化，“豫”见中华文明。今日推出第一期：《从仰韶彩陶品中华文明》。
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NB: This is not a word-for-word transcript
As an old saying goes, pottery is the predecessor of porcelain. So, how much do you know about the painted pottery of Yangshao Culture?
俗话说，先有陶，后有瓷。那么，优美而古朴的仰韶彩陶，又有着什么样的故事？
A painted pottery bowl of the period of Yangshao Culture. [Photo/dahe.cn]
Yangshao Culture, dating back to some 7,000 to 5,000 years ago, was named after Yangshao village of Mianchi county, Henan province, where it was discovered for the first time in 1921. Painted pottery is a key component of Yangshao Culture, which is often painted with geometric or animal patterns, the main feature of Yangshao Culture. Therefore, Yangshao Culture also enjoys a reputation of "Painted Pottery Culture".
仰韶文化因1921年首次发现于河南省渑池县仰韶村而得名，距今约7000至5000年。仰韶彩陶是仰韶文化的重要组成部分，常绘有几何型图案或动物形花纹，这是仰韶文化的主要特征，故仰韶文化又享有“彩陶文化”之盛誉。
A painted pottery basin of the period of Yangshao Culture. [Photo/dahe.cn]
The picture above shows us a pottery basin painted with animal patterns from the Yangshao Culture period. It has a flat bottom, a protruding body, a smooth inside and a rough surface, which is one of the representative works of Yangshao Culture.
上图是一件仰韶文化时期的彩陶盆，其上绘有动物形花纹，盆底部略平，腹部突出，盆内壁光滑，外表粗糙，是仰韶彩陶工艺的代表作之一。
A pottery pot of the period of Yangshao Culture. [Photo/dahe.cn]
So far, a large number of Yangshao painted pottery has been discovered in Henan with rich varieties, a long time span and a clear line of development. Dahe village of Zhengzhou city, Miaodigou village of Sanmenxia city and Xipo village of Lingbao city are well-known Yangshao Culture sites in Henan.
河南仰韶文化彩陶出土数量巨大，器物种类比较丰富，从早到晚发展脉络清晰，时间跨度也较长。河南郑州大河村、陕县庙底沟、灵宝西坡等都是著名的仰韶文化遗址。
A pottery bottle of the period of Yangshao Culture. [Photo/dahe.cn]
The art of Yangshao painted pottery, with a very long history, bears the Yangshao people's understanding of clan, belief, nature, astronomy, calendar, etc., which has exerted a great influence on later art forms. Painted pottery, though only one of the ancient art forms in China, is of great academic value in the study of Chinese art history, especially painting and art and craft. Besides, it is also worth noting that Yangshao Culture is the first archaeological culture discovered and named in China, playing a significant role in archaeological research and history.
仰韶文化的彩陶艺术，经历了漫长的发展演变，承载着仰韶人对族属、信仰、自然、天文、历法等方面的认知观念，对后世的艺术形式产生了巨大的影响。彩陶艺术虽然只是中国原始艺术形式中的一个简单门类，但在研究中国美术史，尤其是绘画、工艺美术等方面，有着十分重要的学术价值。同时，仰韶文化还是中国第一个被发现和命名的考古学文化，在考古学研究和考古学史中都具有重要地位。
策划：王曦辉 张培君
文案：赵汉青
出镜：杨佳欣
制作：何蒙贺
审校：张军平
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Editor：Zhao Hanqing