Along the River During the Qingming Festival

Qingming Shanghe Tu
Zheng Zeduan
Portrait of an early
12C Chinese City
清明上河圖
Along the River on Qingming Festival
張澤端
北宋開封
All rights reserved. Rights belong to their respective owners.
Available free for non-commercial, Educational and personal use.
First created May 2007. Version 3.0 - 31 Aug 2016. Jerry Tse. London.

History of Chinese painting
It is generally accepted that
Chinese painting began
around East Jin 東晉 (317-
420), in the 4C. By the Tang
Dynasty (618-907) the
foundation of all branches of
Chinese painting were laid. In
Song Dynasty 宋 naturalism
in Chinese Painting reached
its zenith.
One of the oldest Chinese painting
dates back to the Jin Dynasty 晉
(265-420). Like the painting, ‘Along the
River During the Qingming Festival’ is
also in a hand scroll format. The scroll is
made up of several scenes but unlike
the painting ‘Along the River During
Qingming Festival’ the scenes are not
continuous.

Along the River During Qingming Festival is the most celebrated Chinese painting today. It was painted in
the early 12C, just before the end of Northern Song Dynasty. It is a very unique painting, because it
painted the daily life in the city and the scenes are continuous. It gives us a valuable historic record as
well as helping us to visualise the daily life of a Chinese city about 900 years ago.
Along the River During the Qingming Festival

There are many versions of
the painting by later artists.
Some versions are straight copy
of the original and others were
complete different.
One straight copied reproduction
version by Zhao Mengfu 趙孟頫
(1254-1322) of Yuan Dynasty is
widely available today.
His version has some fine calligraphy on the top of the painting.
Difference Versions

There are some 30 versions of the painting, apart from Zhang Zeduan’s original. I have included the more common versions
here. Zhao Manfu’s version is a straight copy made in Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) about 100 years later. Several later
copies of this copy is also known. The location of this original copy is not known.
Zhao Mengfu’s 孟趙頫 Version
(Yuan)

Qiu Ying (1494-1552) is one of the four master painter of the Ming Dynasty. Although the artist used the
same title, in his version the scenes are totally different to that of the original. The idea of producing a
painting with different connected scenes must appealed to him.
Qiu Ying’s 仇英 Version (Ming)

This was painted by the Qing (1644-1912) court painters, on 1736 for the Qianlong Emperor. The painting
is on display at the National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan. Many people have confused this with the
origin painting by Zhang Zeduan in Song.
Qianlong’s Version (Qing)

Qianlong’s Version (Detail)
Very colourful version with the palace at the end of the scroll.

This is a curious version by Luo Dongping, who thinks that the original should be twice as long with
scenes extended to the left of the scroll.
The 1990’s version (PRC)

An animated digital version of the painting was created first for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.
The Animated version (PRC)

The animated version is 30 times larger than the original size, with moving characters and objects. It was
titled as River of Wisdom. The version has a 4 minutes day to night cycle.
The Animated version (PRC)

Historical Background (Sinking in a sea prosperity)
Historians divide the Dynasty of Song (960-1279) into Northern Song (960-1127)
and Southern Song (1128-1279). The capital of Northern Song was Kaifeng 開
封 . After defeated by Jin in 1127, Song moved its capital to Hangzhou 杭州 .
Song adopted a policy of shifting the
power from the military to it scholar
officials, with disastrous results. Its
government was militarily weak but
the economy enjoyed a period of
prosperity not seen before. The
desire of a strong government
created many stories of heroines in
Chinese opera. An example of this
was the Female Generals of the
Yang Family 楊門女將 . This was
surprising at a time when female
equality was suffering set backs
from the more liberal attitudes in
Tang Dynasty.
A female fighting general in Chinese opera.

Historical
Background (Sinking in a
sea prosperity)As mention before, Song saw the
development of Chinese
paintings to new heights. In
addition it created specialist
academies to encourage the
development of science. With the
adoption of the factory system in the
porcelain industry, China was on
the verge of a scientific and
industrial revolution, some 400 to
600 years before the West.
New city plans were developed and
led to the first appearance of night
markets. The economy was
booming and Song saw the
beginning of a commercial
revolution. Even with many newly
invented weapons but militarily Song
was sinking.

History of the painting
An extraordinary painting about
daily life of the ordinary people.
It is very rare, as most paintings
are either portrait, landscape and
objects like flowers or animals.
The painting tells us a lot about the
what daily life was like nearly a
thousand year ago.
Surprisingly, little is known about
the painter Zheng Zeduan. He was
a court painter and originally from
Shandong.
The length of the scroll is just over
5m. It painting has some 700+
persons, 83 animals, 29 boats, 13
wagons etc. It depicts a street
scene, which was about 7 km
outside the walled city of Kaifeng.
A map showing the location and the river bend
depicted in the painting of the capital of Northern
Song Dynasty, Kaifeng, in Henan province.
Reproduced from 《清明上河》筆記圖 a book published by Joint
Publishing 三店聯書 by 超趙廣

History of the painting
The history of ancestral worship dates
back to the beginning Chinese history.
The Qingming festival 清明節 is
one of the festival, when people visit
their ancestral graves. It is normally
held in early Spring around the same
time of Easter.
The painting was painted for the
emperor of the day. It passed through
the imperial collection of Yuan, Ming
and Qing Dynasty. It was stolen 4
times and ended into private hands.
It was in 1949 that the painting was
bought back to Beijing from a museum
in the North-East of China. It stays in
Beijing and rarely on show to the
public.
Chinese joss paper folded into the shape of
traditional Chinese gold nugget, used as offerings
of riches to the dead. It is customary to burn these
and others paper offerings during Qingming
festival at the grave side.

Packed Donkeys Scene
The painting begins with a line packed donkeys bring firewood or coal into the city. Most of the trees are
bare. The rural houses have thatched roofs.

Countryside Travellers Scene
Below is a group of travellers leaving the city with warm clothing. Above are travellers coming into the city,
perhaps after visited their ancestral graves.

Mooring Cargo Boat Scene
At the edge of the cities, there were several fast food eating places for travellers with the mooring boat. Near
the bottom is one the grain ship laden with cargo. Some sacks were being unloaded and carried off on
people’s backs.

The best way to describe the perspective of painting is from the view point of a bird
flying along scenery, changing its positions as well as its heights.
The scene on the left shows a high viewing point with the horizon ways above the
top of the painting. The scene on the right shows the horizon is somewhere just
above the tree tops.
Changing view points

River Bank Services Scene
A passenger boat in the middle of the picture and a man was seen cooking on the boat.

The Great River Rowing Boat Scene
On the right is a boat being tow upstream by a team of men. More men are carrying sacks of grains on their
backs. On the left is a group 8 men steering and rowing their boat upstream.

The Rainbow Bridge Scene
A boat lowered its mast to pass the bridge. Lots of spectators watching on a very busy bridge, with stall
sellers on both side of the bridge.

Clearing the way
Chinese wheelbarrow cart
Tool seller
Hot snacks stalls
Sedan chair
for ladies
Rainbow Bridge Near side

The New Wine Shop Scene
On the approach to the bridge is a great wine shop, advertising ‘new wine on sales’. A mobile stall parked
just outside the shop. Next to the shop is takeaway or takeout counter. The wine shop offers food on the
ground floor but with a more relaxed atmosphere on the upper rooms. Couple of ships are negotiating
upstream.

The River Bend Scene
More mooring places at the bend of the river. A wagon wheel repair shop was on the side street. A sedan
chair parked outside of a tea house. A female servant is bringing a cup of tea for the lady inside the sedan
chair. There was a two cattle driven wagon. On the left is a fortune telling shops.

One of the very few female (a servant) in
the painting, reflecting the decline of
female status within society and the
ascendance of Confucius scholars and
values. The Lady would eat their meal
inside the sedan chair and not to be seen.
The very cruel practise of feet binding was
started in Song.
A lady carriage.
Probably a family member
accompany the lady in the
sedan chair.
Carpenters of the
wagon repair shop.
Cake for sales
Selling
Ointment
patches.

The Road Junction and Sedan Chairs Scene
There was q sedan chairs station just outside a rich man house, with several layabouts sitting by the
entrance. Seven pigs were on their way to the market, in front of a shop selling coal and firewood. A lot of
people was standing on the bridge leading to the city gate tower.

The City Gate Scene
This was the city gate tower, as a camels caravan laden with goods passing through. Just behind the gate
tower was the tax office, with traders paying taxes and tax inspector looking at the goods. A large and
popular restaurant was on the left of the picture.

Interpretation of the painting
The traditional interpretation describes
the painting as a scene of the capital
Kaifeng at the Qingming festival, in
Spring. It depicts the arrival of the
grain delivery boats to the capital from
the south China. Annually some
300,000 tons of grain arrived to the
capital this way.
However, a new interpretation cast doubt
on this traditional explanation. Eight
points were cited to support the view that
the painting depicts scenes in the
Autumn and not spring. This included
people using fans, “new wine” being
advertised, water melon etc. Qingming
in this case does not refer to the
festival but to the enlightening policy
of the government.
I find this interpretation not very
convincing, as none of trees in the
painting have leaves. The city wall was built in 956. So it was
about 60-70 years when it was painted.

Spring or Autumn?
Trees with no leaves. Spring or Autumn?
A very large scale restaurant. There were 72 such large restaurants
in the capital.
Water melons or cakes? A fan or a bag?

The Official Residence Scene
At the end of the picture was a person asking for direction, outside an official residence. A large public well
was providing water for the city and a tanker was coming out of the side road.

Wind gauge
Well
PharmacyA wealthy
official’s
residence
The painter asking
for direction?
Official with his escorts.
Tax office at the city gate
Camel caravan
from the west
A wealth residence
with a lot of layabouts

The following painting was copied by Zhao Mengfu version, which is on an automatic
scrolling if left alone. Alternative you can jump the various scenes by using the index
button.
Forward - [PgDn]. Jump back [PgUp].
Pause and Resume without music [S].
清明上河圖

Countryside to the Outskirt (auto advance)
Beginning in the countryside, with budding branches, as a team of donkey carrying coal
into the city, passing a few cottages.
Jump back [PgUp] &
Resume Forward - [PgDn].

Outskirt to the River Bank
An official returning to the city, with the lady inside the sedan chair in the background. A
well covered group leaving the city, passed some cottages. Behind were farming
tending their fields, while the cows were idle.
Jump back [PgUp] &

River bank to the Mooring
By the mooring, grain boats were being unloaded and being sold. There were pleasure
boats and passenger boats here too. Passengers could come ashore to eat and on the
right side of the street there were a few drinking bars.
Jump back [PgUp] &

Mooring to the Rainbow Bridge
There were a collection of boat mooring here and served by more eating places. In the
foreground was a large passenger boat being pulled upstream, with crews on alert and
ready to act. It also had a toilet on board.
Jump back [PgUp] &

The Bridge to the Rainbow Busy Area
A boat was approach the bridge. The crews were frantically preparing the boat, lowering
the mast to pass under the bridge. Some crews were the bridge and on the shore
catching the ropes. It was such a drama, that it attracted a crowd of onlookers.
Jump back [PgUp] &

The Rainbow Busy Area to the Shopping Area
The busy junction on the approach to the Rainbow Bridge, here we had the first two
stories house, which sell new wine. In front was a single wheel cart using as a mobile
stall. Both sides of the bridge were lined stall selling snacks, tools, hot drinks. There
were two wind gauges. On the bridge two sedan chairs were tried to avoid each others.
Jump back [PgUp] &

Shopping district to the Exclusive Residential Area.
A busy shopping street with wagon repair shop, carpenter, tea house, a eating place and
a crowd of onlookers attracted by goods on sale by a street seller. The travelling wagon
on the foreground pulled by oxen. A female servant attending her lady in the sedan
chair. Further on was a stall of the fortune teller, behind was a wealthy residence. Jump back [PgUp] &

The Residential Area to the Gate Tower
The first wealthy residence with lots of layabouts sitting at the entrance. A group of
sedan chairs waited for hiring. Behind them a herd of pigs. Two oxen carriages were
making their way out of the city. Groups of onlookers standing on the bridge watching
the water flowing below.
Jump back [PgUp] &

Gate Tower to Official Residence
A camel caravan passed through the Gate Tower. A tax office here collecting tax as
merchants entered the city. Next to it is a shop selling bows and arrows. Next to that it
the large three stories restaurant. In front of it was a family travelling by sedan chairs
with the male company on horse back followed by servant carrying their luggage.
Jump back [PgUp] &

Official Residence
The last house of the painting was the residence of a high official. Next to it was a
pharmacy and wells providing water for the citizens. In front of the house was an official
on a horse with his entourage of guards, clearing the way. A tanker carried wine (?) into
the city passing a group of wealthy young men. On the top of the painting there were two
carts pulled by four horses, passing a doctor clinic and a fabric shop.

Index
Countryside
Outskirt
River Bank
Mooring
Rainbow Bridge
Wine shop Area
Shopping Area
Residential Area
Tower Gate
Official Residence

Music – Ode to the Yellow River, the Second
Movement of The Yellow River Concerto,
composed by Yin Chengzong 殷承宗 , Chu
Wanhua 儲望華 , Sheng Lihong 盛禮洪 , Liu
Zhuang 劉庄 . Performed by Yin Chengzong
(piano), accompanied by the Slovak Radio
Symphony Orchestra.
The Yellow River Concerto 黃河協奏曲
was based on the Yellow River Cantata 黄河
大合唱 by Xian Xinghai 冼星海 , a work
dating from the period of the Sino Japanese War.
The cantata, itself was based on the poem
written by Zhang Guangnian 張光年 .
Leading an anti-Japanese resistance theatre troupe across the Yellow River at Hukou (Kettle
Mouth), Zhang Guangian’s poem was inspired by the sound and wind of the narrow gorge and
the magnificent waterfall.
The piece contains themes representing anger, grace and nostalgia, illustrating various
stages of the Yellow River, a symbol Chinese civilisation, a source of fertility but at the same
time a force of nature.
Hukou waterfall on the Yellow River.
Notes on Yellow River Concerto

All rights reserved. Rights belong to their respective
owners. Available free for non-commercial and personal
use.
The End
Music – Yellow River Piano Concerto arranged by a
collaboration between musicians including Yin
Chengzong and Chu Wanghau and based on the
Yellow River Cantata by composer Xian Xinghai.
A modern reconstruction of the Rainbow Bridge today in Kaifeng, Henan.

Along the River During the Qingming Festival

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