The First Five Volumes of “The Great Series of Chinese Silk Art” Unveiled at the Second “Liangzhu Forum”
“The Great Series of Chinese Silk Art” is a major cultural project in Zhejiang Province, guided by the Publicity Department of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee and the Zhejiang Provincial Federation of Social Sciences. Following “The Great Series of Chinese Paintings,” it represents another significant cultural initiative with regional characteristics, national positioning, and international vision launched by Zhejiang’s cultural circle. From November 25 to 27, 2024, the Second “Liangzhu Forum” was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, under the theme “Exchanges, Mutual Learning, and New Forms of Human Civilization.” The forum, jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the National Cultural Heritage Administration, and the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, is a concrete implementation of the eight actions to support the high-quality joint construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative. On this occasion, the first achievements of “The Great Series of Chinese Silk Art” were officially released.
On November 25, the “The Great Series of Chinese Paintings” Archive Hall officially opened during the Liangzhu Forum, with its inaugural exhibition titled “The Golden Age of Compilation: The Song Dynasty Paintings Exhibition of ‘The Great Series of Chinese Paintings.’” Simultaneously, the first achievements of “The Great Series of Chinese Silk Art” were exhibited, including the first five volumes officially published: The Hunan Provincial Museum Volume (Warring States to Han Dynasty), The Palace Museum Volume: Costumes, The China National Silk Museum Volume (Ming and Qing Dynasties), The Guangdong Provincial Museum Volume, and The Xinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology Volume. Provincial Party Secretary and Governor Wang Hao, along with other leaders, visited the Archive Hall to view the exhibitions of “The Great Series of Chinese Paintings” and “The Great Series of Chinese Silk Art.” Zhejiang University Party Secretary Ren Shaobo, President Du Jiangfeng, University Development Committee Chairman and “The Great Series of Chinese Paintings” Editorial Committee Director Zhang Xi, university leaders Zhu Shiqiang and Huang Xianhai attended related events. Professor Zhao Feng, General Editor of “The Great Series of Chinese Silk Art” and Dean of the School of Art and Archaeology at Zhejiang University, provided on-site explanations of the first achievements.
The first results of the “Chinese Silk Art Series” are exhibited in the “Chinese Painting Series” collection
On November 27, the International Academic Symposium on “The Great Series of Chinese Paintings” was held at the Zhejiang University Museum of Art and Archaeology, where the first five volumes of “The Great Series of Chinese Silk Art” were officially released during the opening ceremony. The symposium, themed “The Colorful World: Civilizational Narratives in Artistic Images,” brought together nearly 60 experts and scholars from the fields of art, culture, and historical research to engage in academic exchanges and discussions on ancient Chinese painting art and related topics. The opening ceremony was presided over by Zhejiang University Vice President Huang Xianhai, with Vice Governor Hu Wei of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University Party Secretary Ren Shaobo, and University Development Committee Chairman Zhang Xi, General Editor of “The Great Series of Chinese Paintings,” in attendance. Vice Governor Hu Wei and Party Secretary Ren Shaobo delivered opening speeches and jointly unveiled the first five volumes of “The Great Series of Chinese Silk Art.”
Hu Wei, Vice Governor of Zhejiang Province, and Ren Shaobo, Secretary of the Party Committee of Zhejiang University, grandly unveiled the first five volumes of the “Chinese Silk Art Series”
Vice Governor Hu Wei stated that “The Great Series of Chinese Paintings” has provided the academic community with abundant research materials and opened a window for the world to understand Chinese traditional culture and history. The release of the first five volumes of “The Great Series of Chinese Silk Art” will further enhance the world’s understanding and appreciation of Chinese traditional culture and promote the follow-up work of “The Great Series of Chinese Paintings.” Taking this international symposium as an opportunity, we should adopt a more open mindset, embrace broader inclusivity, actively participate in international cultural exchanges and dialogues, promote mutual understanding, respect, and integrated development of diverse cultures, and add more splendid colors to the vibrant tapestry of world civilization.
International Symposium on “Chinese Painting through the Ages” and the Launch of “Chinese Silk Art”
Ren Shaobo emphasized that serving national strategies, promoting cultural inheritance and innovation, and fostering civilizational exchanges and mutual learning are significant missions for high-level universities. Zhejiang University has devoted 19 years to creating “The Great Series of Chinese Paintings,” showcasing the glorious and extraordinary characteristics of Chinese civilization through vast image archives. Zhejiang University will continue to follow President Xi Jinping’s directives, focusing on image culture to explore the genetic codes of Chinese civilization’s inheritance and development, and further advance the “latter half” of cultural resource inheritance, tracing cultural origins, and promoting excellent cultural dissemination. The university will gradually advance the compilation of “The Great Series of Chinese Silk Art,” expanding the results to broader fields and establishing the “Zhejiang University School” in art and image archaeology, becoming a splendid sight in the cultural construction of the new era and contributing to the building of a culturally strong nation.
Ren Shaobo delivered a speech for the opening ceremony
Following the opening ceremony and keynote reports, the symposium’s theme “Ancient Paintings and Silk Art” was held in the educational space of the Zhejiang University Museum of Art and Archaeology. Renowned scholars, including Yu Yanjiao, Second-Level Researcher at the Hunan Provincial Museum; Professor Matteo Compareti from Capital Normal University; Professor Wang Le from Donghua University; Professor Su Miao from Zhejiang Sci-Tech University; Dr. Zhang Hongxing, Senior Researcher at the Victoria and Albert Museum in the UK; Professor Gu Chunhua from Anhui Polytechnic University; Researcher Yan Yong from the Palace Museum; Professor Mei Mei from Bard College in New York; Researcher Bai Fang from the Guangdong Provincial Museum; Professor Zheng Juxin from the China Academy of Art; Associate Researcher Wang Dan from Zhejiang University; Researcher Wang Shujuan from the China National Silk Museum; and Professor Zhao Feng, Distinguished Professor at Zhejiang University, were invited to speak, sharing new materials and cutting-edge research on ancient Chinese paintings and silk art, and engaging in lively academic discussions.
Prof. Zhao Feng invited to speak
Prof. Matteo Compareti invited to speak
Researcher Yan Yong invited to speak
“The Great Series of Chinese Silk Art” is listed as a National Publication Foundation Project and a major cultural research project in Zhejiang Province, implemented in collaboration with academic institutions such as Zhejiang University, the China National Silk Museum, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, and Donghua University. The project plans to complete in 10 years a comprehensive and systematic survey of over 20,000 Chinese silk artifacts in more than 80 related museums, archaeological institutes, and collections worldwide. Through analytical research, naming and cataloging, and publishing, the project will produce 100 volumes of high-quality catalogs, creating the most comprehensive, academically advanced, systematically complete, and precisely imaged grand series of Chinese silk art to date.
The Hunan Provincial Museum Volume (Warring States to Han Dynasty) of “The Great Series of Chinese Silk Art”
First achievements are on display at the Zhejiang University Museum of Art and Archaeology
Chinese silk artifacts are delicate and require stringent preservation conditions, with collections scattered globally. Conducting a comprehensive identification, selection, and information collection of Chinese silk artifacts worldwide is a monumental task. At the same time, authentic, detailed, and precise image data and other foundational materials are prerequisites for high-level silk art research. To ensure the high-quality, centralized debut of Chinese silk artifacts globally, the project team has established standardized advanced technical standards, inviting senior researchers from dozens of academic institutions worldwide to select the finest Chinese silk artifacts. After naming, dating, investigation, organization, artifact restoration, high-definition digital photography, and other foundational work, the team collaborates on interdisciplinary research in archaeology, history, technology, and art, compiling foundational materials and academic achievements to publish a 100-volume masterwork.
China is the birthplace of silk, and silk art is an essential carrier of Chinese civilization and a crucial medium along the Silk Road spanning Asia, Africa, and Europe. The project team of “The Great Series of Chinese Silk Art” will continue its comprehensive collection, systematic organization, academic research, and value interpretation of global Chinese silk art, upholding the fine traditions of “The Great Series of Chinese Paintings” and establishing Zhejiang University as a research hub in the field of art and image archaeology. By telling the story of Chinese silk, deeply understanding the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization, and explaining the human civilizational exchanges witnessed by the ancient Silk Road, the project will enhance dialogue with the countries jointly building the “Belt and Road.”