Goddess+of+the+Luo+River+--+Gu+Kai+Zhi



Title: Goddess of the Luo River Artist: Attributed to Gu Kai Zhi Country of Origin: China Culture: Chinese Period: Southern Song (960-1279) Size: 26 X 646 cm Current Location: Liaoning Provencial Museum Provenance:
 * Identification**

Gu Kai Zhi is one of the leading figures in Chinese painting, his //Goddess of the Luo River// is an illustration inspired by the romantic poem ‘Ode of the Goddess of the Luo River’ written by [|Cao Zhi]. This hand scroll tells the tragic love story of the mortal prince Cao Zhi and his immortal love, the goddess of the Luo River. Several copies of this hand scroll exist, but none are dated earlier than the Song Dynasty. One copy is housed in the Palace Museum in Beijing, another is located in the Freer Art Gallery in Washington D.C.,. This entry will focus on a third known as the Liaoning version, which uniquely incorporates the text of the poem directly into the landscape.
 * ‍‍‍‍Introduction‍‍‍‍**



This silk hand scroll features a continuous composition, with the narrative developing from right to left. The original piece most likely consisted of eleven scenes divided into five acts (Chen 56), however it is now exhibited in an incomplete and considerably damaged state with faded color. What remains of the scroll shows evidence of artistic innovations of its time, and nevertheless communicates the tragic love story between a mortal and a supernatural being. The scroll opens with the first 38 lines of the poem, written in vertical columns reading top to bottom above a small landscape scene containing two willow trees. The text shapes the landscape in a way that seems natural and fitting, this interplay of text and landscape is continuous throughout the narrative, giving the composition a cohesive flow. The text presents the setting and the events that are about to unfold. It is this scene, where we first see human figures entering the composition. The prince of the western Jin, Cao Zhi, enters the landscape and stops at the bank of the Luo river, two attendants stand by his side holding his arms, as the others, eight in total, follow closely behind. These figures are depicted with an emphasis on mass and volume, heavy and squat, with a strong sense of three dimensionality. In addition to the figural treatment, the carefully drawn costumes reflect the sixth century style. The rhythmic folds in their drapery connect the figures as if to depict a unified entity. The prince halts to a stop, because it is here where he first encounters the Goddess of the Luo River (洛神). Vertical columns of text break up the landscape, that describe the goddesses’ beauty, and ultimately lead the viewer toward her image, creating a dynamic, flowing visual effect. In addition to the text, several images of nature also pull the viewer toward the goddess, including a pair of flying geese, a row of boulders along the riverbank, and a lunging dragon, flying into the sky towards the text that sits adjacent to her head. The goddess, shown in three-quarters profile, like most of the figures in the painting, hovers over the swirling, cloud-like waves of the river. Though her image is not complete, due to damage, she is still recognizable, with her garments flowing in the wind. She seems to be moving leftward, yet turns back to look at the prince. Throughout this scene of the first encounter, the illustration echoes its related text, while maintaining the visual rhythm (Minford 314). A rising sun in the distance, and a wall of columnar text falling into a rocky valley mark the end of this scene.
 * Descriptive Analysis**

The next scene shows the goddess situated between two flagged poles, floating in an empty space along the riverbank that appears to be above the landscape, without regard to perspective. Her ethereal garments display a sense of movement, as they flow in the wind. The next few images of the goddess involve direct interactions with the prince, showing the short time where he fell in love with her simple actions and endearing, supernatural beauty. Ten lines of vertical columnar text break up the landscape and pause to tell the unfortunate events about to transpire. The prince, along with his three attendants, faces the goddess as a scene of gift exchange occurs. Both offer up a piece of jade, yet this jade seems to oppose the transient nature of their relationship. The prince, afraid of being betrayed by the goddess, has a change of heart, resulting in the next seen of lament for lost love. Here the goddess travels around with other supernatural women, by the river bank, and up into the landscape.

Following this scene, a group of willow trees shade the prince, who sits with his attendants watching the goddess as she departs. She stands in the same three-quarters position as in the first encounter, with her body turned to the left and her head turned back towards the prince, revealing her hesitancy. Within this dramatic departure scene, a river lord appears to calm the waves, as communicated through surrounding text. As the river lord appears, more mystical creatures follow, a girl (Nüwa) and a man (Ping Yi) play music together. The next scene, the climax of the painting, shows the goddess departing with her entourage of mythical beasts. Columns of text, along with a separate female deity split the scene; the prince stands at the riverbank under willow trees with his attendants, while the goddess takes off above the water in her dragon drawn carriage. The final scene concludes the narrative, in a pattern of text and corresponding image. The prince is shown in the top floor of his boat, with his attendants sailing on the river. In the next scene the prince is shown under willow trees in a rocky landscape. The last scene shows the prince and his attendants taking off away from the river on horses and horse drawn carriage. The carriage is ornately decorated with flags flying off of the rear, the horses are also outfitted in royal headresses. The prince although riding away, looks back to catch one last glimpse of the Luo river goddess.


 * Formal Contextual Analysis**

Gu Kai Zhi (344-405) lived during the Six Dynasties period, a transitional time in Chinese history, between the Han and Tang dynasties. During this time, great changes were taking place, politically, culturally and artistically. This point in time marked a change in the recognition of artists. Previously, painters, craftsmen and calligraphers were thought of more as artisans, as the art being created was functional, serving a specific purpose, be it religious, funerary or otherwise. This transition of recognition allowed artists to be less restrained in subject matter, and gave them the opportunity to follow their own personal style and voice (Braziller 13). The transition is seen in Gu Kaizhi's figural treatment, there is much more of a focus on individual figures and portraying them in a realistic manner, as opposed to human figures in earlier Chinese art. This realism is heightened by the figures expressions, gestures and postures, they are painted in a way that emphasizes their humanity, conveying their emotional presence and spirit. This technique of 'describing spirit through form' is present in many of Gu Kaizhi's works, and is later recorded as the first of Xie He's Six Laws of painting, the fundamental skill of 'breath resonance --life motion' (Braziller 20).In addition to this hand scroll, another one of Gu Kaizhi's masterpieces, The Admonitions of the Court Instructress, is also known for exhibiting this same depth and spiritual dimension to the figures within the painting.

This time period marks a greater interest in landscape, as seen in the artist's inclusion of natural scenery throughout the scroll, rather than placing the figures in empty space like earlier paintings. In the scroll, landscape is rudimentary in style, serving as more of a supplementary device, figures are often disproportionate to the nature around them, highlighting their precedence in the narrative (Cahill //Chinese Painting// 62). This way, Gu Kaizhi keeps the figures and the narrative as the main focus. In //Goddess of the Luo River// landscape has the dual purpose of both being a component of the physical environment of the story, as well as transmitting abstract visual metaphors directly from the poem (Hung 49). This is most evident in the first scene of the scroll, where the prince is describing the beauty of the goddess. This section of the poem, as translated by Burton Watson, states:


 * “Her body soars lightly like a starteled swan **
 * Gracefully like a dragon in flight **
 * In splendor brighter than the autumn chrysanthemum **
 * In bloom more flourishing than the pine in spring **
 * Dim as the moon mantled in filmy clouds **
 * Restless as snow whirled by the driving wind **
 * Gaze far off from a distance: She sparkles like the sun rising from morning mists **
 * Press closer to examine: She flames like the lotus flower topping the green wave" **
 * (Minford 314). **

All eight of these elements (birds, dragon, chrysanthemum, pine, moon, snow, sun, lotus) that describe the goddess' beauty are visually present in the first scene of the scroll, Gu Kaizhi literally illustrates the similes found in the poem that define the goddess (Chen 10). It is also in this scene where the viewer is confronted with symbols that represent the contrast between the world of humans and the world of the spirits. The goddess, surrounded by these eight elements of nature and the supernatural, faces the prince who is surrounded by elements of the world of man, his attendants, their royal garments and belongings. This encounter between the natural world and the world of man foreshadows the difficult truth that is to come, the man and deity cannot break the barrier that separates them (Chen 12). This barrier is seen again in the climax of the departure scene, when the goddess takes off in her dragon drawn carriage. Another female spirit splits the scene between the prince and the goddess, and symbolically represents this barrier. An interesting note about the figural treatment in Goddess of the Luo River: scholars have speculated that the first scene of the scroll, featuring Cao Zhi and his attendants shows a connection between the manner that the royal figures appear in the scroll and the portrayal of royal figures in a relief carving located in a Northern Wei Buddhist cave located in Longmen (Hung 52).

The cave relief exhibits the same rythmic lines in drapery as the drapery on the figures in the Liaoning scroll, the arrangement of the figures is also similar to that of the scroll. The relief pays tribute to the Northern Wei emperor Xiaowen, depicted here in a southern fashion, he is known for unifying northern and southern cultures, especially for popularizing Buddhism in the north (Hung 52). This similarity in the depiction of royal figures suggests that the artist of the Liaoning scroll may have been influenced by the reliefs in this cave.

Figures in the Goddess of the Luo River are painted in very dramatic poses, echoing the dramatic story taking place within the hand scroll. To point out, the final scene of the scroll, the prince takes off with his entourage, away from the Luo River, but turns his head back one last time to catch a glimpse of the Goddess. This dramatic gesture suggests his true longing for the goddess, and his ultimate disappointment, it also calls on the viewer to empathize with the prince and his lost love. This theme of a woman's beauty as an overwhelming force of desire and longing, as well as a poetic and artistic inspiration is a considerable shift from previous confucian themes of women's virtue as a source of inspiration (Hung 52).This is the beginning of a significant trend in female iconography that is carried on into the Tang dynasty forward (Hung 52). Gu Kaizhi's choice of the narrative hand scroll format works to enhance the temporal aspect of the development and conclusion of a story, as the viewer unrolls and rolls up the scroll the passing of scenes communicates the progression of time in the story taking place (Chen 9). The continuous narrative is also supported by the reappearing characters, who, scene by scene develop the story with their changing expressions and gestures. In //Goddess of the Luo River// a continuous composition is additionally accentuated by the intersperesing of text. The calligraphic text in the painting does not stylistically reflect the time the painting was dated, experts have confirmed the calligraphy was added later in the 12th century (Cahill Lecture Notes 14). Altogether, the landscape elements, the figures and their billowing drapery, and the interweaving of text work in sync to create a rhythmic flow through the scenes.

//** Personal Interpretation **// In my opinion, this scroll is very important to the history of Chinese painting. Innovative techniques in composition, landscape, figural treatment and theme are all present and reflective of the time it was painted. These innovations are the beginnings of trends that evolved further in later dynasties. The subject matter is interesting to me, and the rhythmic composition paired with abstract, metaphorical lines of poetry is something I really enjoy. Cao Zhi is a great poet, Gu Kaizhi is a great painter, getting a chance to explore some of their materpieces was rewarding and insightful.

//Braziller, George. First Masterpiece of Chinese Painting: The Admonitions Scroll. New York:2003.// //Cahill, James. Chinese Painting. Geneva: Skira. 1960.// //Cahill, James. Six Dynasties Painting and Pictorial Designs. Lecture Notes from: A Pure and Remote View: Visualizing Early Chinese Landscape Painting- Lecture Series. 2009 // //Chʻen, Pao-chen, and Chih Tsʻao. The Goddess of the Lo River a Study of Early Chinese Narrative Handscrolls (volumes I and II). Ann Arbor, MI: University Microfilms International.// //Hung, Wu.The Origins of Chinese Painting (Paleolithic to Tang Dynasty). Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting. New Haven: Yale UP, 1997.// //Minford, John. Classical Chinese Literature: From Antiquity to the Tang Dynasty.New York: Columbia UP. 2000.// //Loehr, Max. The Great Painters of China. New York: Harper & Row, 1980.// //Miyagawa, Torao, Alfred Birnbaum, and Yoshiko Doi. Chinese Painting. New York: Weatherhill/Tankosha, 1983.//
 * References Cited **
 * Additional Sources Consulted**