Murals have been found in different countries and nations since the beginning of human civilization, a period of nearly ten thousand years. Many beautiful murals dating from the ancient times in Egypt, Rome, Russia, and Babylon are still well preserved today. Their unique artistic charm still influences us. China is also known for her ancient murals, of which the famous Dunhuang Murals of the Tang Dynasty are most representative. They reflect the elements of politics, economy, culture, and religion of the glorious period of the Tang Dynasty. This album of murals of the Tang Dynasty is a collection of photographs of more than 200 representative murals of the Tang Dynasty preserved by our curator Yang’s family. They show flying Apsaras, heavenly music goddess, Buddha images, Bodhisattva, Arhat, Buddha’s warrior attendant, Buddhist sponsor worshipers of the court and nobility of the Tang Dynasty, Tang imperial family members and nobles hunting, and Tang imperials family members and nobles worshipping Buddha. These murals depict every aspect of the life of the court and nobility of the Tang Dynasty, covering politics, economy, culture, religion, and music of that period in Chinese history. The murals vividly show the expressions of the people, their headdresses, costumes, hand ornaments, their bodies, gestures, and animals. This series of Ancient Chinese Art will systematically show different categories of cultural relics from different historical periods in China, demonstrating the most beautiful artistic attainments of each dynasty. Readers will appreciate the soul of ancient Chinese art while reviewing these cultural relics directly and tranquilly. The beauty of ancient Chinese art transcends time, space, cultures, races, beliefs, etc.

Written by a team of eminent international scholars, this book is the first to recount the history of Chinese painting over a span of some 3000 years.

In the great tradition of publications on Chinese art from the Metropolitan Museum, China: Dawn of a Golden Age will become an essential text for years to come. This book is the catalogue for a major exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (October 5, 2004 to January 23, 2005).