Exploring the Impact of Neo-Confucianism on Material Art Through the Artistic Characteristics of Kesi in Song Dynasty

Abstract

The Song Dynasty was a period of great development in ancient Chinese art, including material art. Kesi, a type of material art is taken as an instance to explore how Neo-Confucianism influenced the development of art during the Song dynasty, a period marked by new developments in thought and culture. Neo-Confucianism impacted not only the political realm but also the art of painting, and further had a significant influence on the composition, coloring, and techniques of silk textile. The ornamental kesi taperstry paintings of the Song dynasty as a material artistry, similar with the style of flower and bird paintings of the period, focused on the realistic depiction of objects, using silk as a substitute for the brush. With image analysis, historical document research, and the corroboration between documents and physical objects, this article elucidates the artistic characteristics of kesi (silk tapestry) under the influence of the "investigation of things to extend knowledge" philosophy in Song dynasty.