Shanxi Pavilion

130 X 194 cm     ac     2010/9/28

Shaanxi Province is one of the cradles of Chinese civilization, with its long history, rich cultural heritage and gorgeous natural landscape. The Spring and Autumn Period of the Jin Dynasty flowered here.In this painting, Dr. Chen brings together many of the cultural treasures of Shanxi Province. To the left, he paints the Yungang Grottoes and Yungang Mountain within the ancient city of Pingyao, which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Archaeological sites in Shanxi date 180 million years back in the Paleolithic civilization, and some of the relics of the Buddha are said to lie within the White Tower (depicted near in the center) — the first of four famous Buddhist mountains in China. The bottom of the painting alludes to the rich, fiery coal mines of Shanxi. To the right, we see the famous Guan Yu, whose spirit emphasizes “loyalty, benevolence, bravery.” Images of the Taihang Mountains, bronzes from the Zhou Dynasty, merchants, folk art and other cultural highlights complete the scene.