Chinese Paintings from Japanese Collections

Filled with magnificent examples of Chinese paintings from four dynasties, spanning the 8th through the 17th century, this book traces Japan s role in preserving part of China s cultural heritage. Exploring a high point in the cultural exchange between China and Japan, this volume presents forty masterpieces of the Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties that made their way to Japan over a period of eight centuries. These paintings are significant as mirrors of the two cultures. The book explores themes such as the role of Japan in preserving key parts of China s cultural and artistic heritage; the aspects of Japanese identity that derive from traditional Chinese culture; the use of Chinese paintings as models for key traditions of Japanese painting; and the use of Chinese paintings as status symbols in Japan. Filled with exquisite reproductions, the book offers in-depth analysis of each painting, including its religious or secular significance and provenance in China and Japan.