The Birdman

A rubbing of the Han painted stones found in Linyi City, Shandong Province, about 80 B.C.

Images of winged men like angels in Islam, Christianity, and Judaism can be found In Han painted stones. People during the Han Dynasty believed that after ceaseless efforts meditating, disciplining, and mastering the energies of the universe, mortals could grow wings and fly to the heavenly state. The painted stones depict the imaginative world after death as having immortals, rare beasts, auspicious clouds and stars.

Info:

Han Painting Rubbing:

Han painting rubbings are rubbings from painted stones and bricks of the Han Dynasty. They are not rigid replicas of original works but new artistic creations. A good rubbing is an artwork transforming original three-dimension status into two-dimension images in an authentic manner. It shows special textures and concave-convex, bearing distinctive characteristics of stone and bronze inscriptions.

Where to see Han painted stones & bricks:

The National Museum of China, located at the east side of the Tian'anmen square in Beijing, collects some painted stones.

Other special museums:

1、 Lvliang Han Painted Stone Museum, Lvliang City, Shanxi Province
2、 Xuzhou Han Painted Stone Museum, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province
3、 Tengzhou Han Painted Stone Museum, Tengzhou City, Shandong Province
4、 Suide Han Painted Stone Museum, Suide County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province

By Cindy Xu

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