Along the River During the Qingming Festival
by Zhang Zeduan, 1120
Details
- Year
- 1120
- Medium
- Ink on silk handscroll
- Size
- 24.8 cm × 528.7 cm (9.8 in × 17.3 ft)
Along the River During the Qingming Festival is one of the most celebrated paintings in Chinese art, a 5.28-meter handscroll depicting life in the Northern Song capital of Kaifeng. Painted around 1120 CE by Zhang Zeduan, the scroll shows over 800 figures engaged in daily activities during the Qingming (Tomb-Sweeping) Festival, from farmers and merchants to scholars and entertainers.
The painting unfolds from rural countryside through busy suburbs to the bustling city center, a journey viewers experience by slowly scrolling through the scene. A crowded bridge over the Bian River forms the climactic center, with a boat nearly colliding with the structure. The detailed depictions of architecture, clothing, and commerce provide invaluable historical documentation of Song dynasty urban life.
The original is a treasure of the Palace Museum in Beijing's Forbidden City.
About Along the River During the Qingming Festival
The original is at the Palace Museum (Forbidden City) in Beijing. Due to its fragility, it's rarely displayed publicly.
The handscroll measures 24.8 cm × 528.7 cm (9.8 inches × 17.3 feet). Viewers unroll it gradually, experiencing the scene as a journey.
The scroll contains over 800 human figures plus animals, boats, and buildings. Each figure has distinct clothing and activities appropriate to their social status.
The painting provides detailed documentation of Song dynasty urban life, including architecture, commerce, entertainment, and fashion that would otherwise be unknown.
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