Abstract

This lecture will present Professor Xiaofeng Huang’s recent research on a round fan painting from the Yuan-Ming transition period, Lü Dongbin at Yueyang Tower, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This rare surviving work depicts Lü Dongbin’s ascension at Yueyang Tower—a subject rarely seen in surviving paintings—yet its imagery and context remain underexplored. Professor Huang will analyze several distinctive visual elements: the tavern-like depiction of Yueyang Tower, the fan inscribed with the character “endurance”, and the painted mural within the scene.

By comparing this painting with Yuan-dynasty architectural representations, such as Xia Yong’s Yueyang Tower, Professor Huang argues that this work is deeply engaged with urban and commercial culture. It reflects the influence of popular culture on painting during the Yuan-Ming transition, showcasing broader 14th-century trends in visual and material culture. Moreover, it signals the emergence of a new, non-elite audience that began to play a significant role in the history of Chinese painting.

Speaker Bio

Huang Xiaofeng (b. 1979, Nanchang, Jiangxi) is the Professor and Dean of the School of Humanities at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA). He earned his PhD from CAFA in 2008, specializing in Chinese art history with a focus on premodern painting. His publications include New Eyes on Old Pictures: How to Look at Chinese Paintings; The Peddler Painting: Small Vendors and Grand History; Lady Guo’s Spring Outing: A Moment in the Life of Tang Dynasty Beauties; The Garden Gathering: Figure Painting in the Song Dynasties. He also translated Professor Craig Clunas’ Empire of Great Brightness: Visual and Material Cultures of Ming China.

Event Information

• Free and open to the public
• April 18th (Friday)
• 9:00 – 10:30 PM ET
• Online Streaming via Zoom.

Please note

Advanced RSVP required.
The event will be conducted in Chinese with simultaneous English translation.