The Origin and Development of the Painted Boats

Release time:

2024-07-26

The earliest painted ships can be traced back to the pre-Qin period, when ships were mainly used for traffic and transportation. With the development of society, the aristocrats and scholar-officials

The earliest painted ships can be traced back to the pre-Qin period, when ships were mainly used for traffic and transportation. With the development of society, the aristocrats and scholar-officials gradually began to pursue more comfortable and beautiful boats in order to play and enjoy life on the water.

By the Han and Tang dynasties, the manufacturing technology of ships had made significant progress, and beautifully decorated cruise ships began to appear. These boats were not only fully functional, but also very fastidious in appearance, used for water recreation of the nobility and royalty. Painted boats were common in the royal gardens of the Tang Dynasty and were used by emperors and nobles to enjoy the lake.

The Song and Yuan Dynasties was the golden period of the development of the painted original boat. Many ornate ships are depicted in the Song Dynasty's "A Picture of the River on the Qingming Festival", reflecting the popularity and refinement of painted boats at that time. With the prosperity of the city's economy, the painted boat is not limited to the aristocracy, the public class also began to use the painted boat for water activities, such as flower appreciation, poetry, parties and so on.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the manufacturing process of the original boat was further improved, the decoration was more gorgeous, and the design was more diversified. There are often carved, painted and elegant decorations on board, reflecting the essence of traditional culture. The royal gardens of the Qing Dynasty, such as the Summer Palace and the Old Summer Palace, had specially built painted boats for the water excursions of emperors and concubines.

The original boat is usually beautifully decorated, with painted, carved, gold foil and other decorations on the hull, highlighting wealth and elegance. It is not only used for viewing and entertainment, but also as a place for banquets, parties and literati gatherings. The original boat is often designed with pavilions and pavilions and other architectural elements, and there may also be corridors, halls, buildings and other structures on the boat, making it a mobile water building.