Art & Heritage Project, China – UK (2021) Part One: Research

PART ONE: Research

by Alan Rutherford

  Why China?

For more than 2,000 years, the Chinese have created stories to make sense of disasters and upheavals they’ve encountered. Blending myriad religious, philosophical and folklore traditions, these myths and legends continue to capture the imagination. Across continents and many thousands of miles away, a similar tradition once existed in the north of Britain, in a Celtic land that would later become known as Scotland.

Western artists have long explored the phenomena of mythology and pre-Christian Celtic customs, superstitions and earlier belief systems. German artists such as Anselm Kiefer, Josef Beuys and Caspar David Friedrich have all referenced the forest for example as a spiritual keystone of German identity and Mathew Barney (USA) has embraced Beuys’s love of myth and symbols.

In the fast moving, ever shifting complex world of modernisation, globalization and urbanisation there is always a concern that the heritage, customs and cultures of the past may slowly disappear.

The project has created the opportunity to address this disappearance and to explore cultural heritage as a strategy. Importantly, it has been an opportunity to explore the differences between the West as a project and the Far East and how creativity is both understood and practised.

The Connections through Culture programme additionally is strongly linked with the following project aspirations:-
  • Opportunity to work internationally and share skills
  • Opportunity to learn, share and create within a global setting
  • Create dialogue and stimulation globally of role of artist and their importance


In the Beginning (not that beginning, the beginning of the project) 

The project began with consideration of places and spaces such as the forest, the countryside and mountains, the village, the town and how these might be viewed through the prism of folklore, myth and tradition, with the aim of examining the animals, creatures, trees and plants that can act as a bridge between the earthly and unearthly worlds. These subjects function as visual emblems that appear in folkloric traditional legends and could be used as a starting point.

By research and investigation, the project would search for the energy and feelings that myth, folklore and tradition brought to the mind and the soul. There were compelling possibilities for an investigation process that would examine the connections and parallels that can be found within the Chinese and Celtic worlds of folklore and myth. For example, legends of Serpents and Wishing tree customs still exist in both cultures. Myths and legends of the forest can also be found in abundance. In addition to the possibility of examining these connections, the artists would also be able to explore the local legends and myths that are prominent at the historic sites.

Activities undertaken by the artists would explore this heritage and to make art works that can bring the heritage and tradition of the site to new audiences, with the aim of engaging with the local public through the art works and to push the conversation and contribute to local heritage. A series of ‘interventions’ will be installed in the towns, that could function as new readings of the heritage and connections.

Location, Location, Location!

The artists discussed three locations that the Ruan Yisan Heritage Foundation (RYHF) has connections with: Shunchang, Tu Lou and Chongwu – all in Fujian Province. The foundation has developed links with volunteers and local interested parties.  

Tu Lou (image credit: Google)

The Fujian tulou (simplified Chinese: 福建土楼; traditional Chinese: 福建土樓; lit. 'Fujian earthen buildings') are Chinese rural dwellings[1] unique to the Hakka in the mountainous areas in southeastern Fujian, China. They were mostly built between the 12th and the 20th centuries.[2]

A tulou is usually a large, enclosed and fortified earth building, most commonly rectangular or circular in configuration, with very thick load-bearing rammed earth walls between three and five stories high and housing up to 800 people. Smaller interior buildings are often enclosed by these huge peripheral walls which can contain halls, storehouses, wells and living areas, the whole structure resembling a small fortified city. (wikipedia)

Initially the artists were interested in working at all 3 sites, however it became apparat that due to funding and logistics, this would not be possible. Tu Lou would have to wait until another opportunity arose to work at the site.
Shunchang



(image credit: Yuanjie Li)

Yuanjie Li made a site visit to Shunchang and reported that ‘In Shunchang, I learned about the origin of the Dasheng culture (The prototype of the famous Chinese mythical character monkey king), saw the stone temples and tombs on the top of Bao mountain, and explored the traces of folk belief culture’

It is perhaps outwith the scope of this essay to provide a full history and explanation of the worshiping of monkey deity such as the Fukien cult of Ch'i-t'ien Ta-sheng. It is believed however that in Fujian province, where monkeys abound in the forested mountains, the locals lived side by side with these creatures and instead of trying to drive them away, they gained respect for them and this seemingly gave birth to Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, a fictional character in the classical novel "Journey to the West" by Wu Cheng'en. (foot note)

To gain a brief understanding of Shunchang and the Monkey cult, the following extract from ‘[Interview] Wang Yimin: The indissoluble bond between the PekingOpera film "Havoc in Heaven" and Shunchang’ (Shunchang News Network, 19/09/202) provides background information:

‘Question: Why is the belief culture of Qitian Great Sage originated in Shunchang?

Wang Yimin: The belief in Qitian Dasheng is a traditional folk belief and custom formed in Shunchang County, Fujian Province, with monkey god worship as the core, Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism culture, and sacrificial activities as the main manifestation. It can be t raced back to the end of the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties. It is rumored in the end of Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of Ming Dynasty. It has a history of thousands of years and has a unique position in Chinese monkey belief.

Shunchang County is located in the northern part of Fujian Province, at the southern foot of the Wuyi Mountains. The mountains of northern Fujian are densely forested and historically the ruins of ape monks. In the process of understanding nature, the ancestors gradually formed the custom of worshiping the monkeys, and in later generations they continued to absorb the nutrients of var ious popular stories, merged wi th Confucianism and Buddhism, and finally had today's "Monkey King" faith. Shunchang Qitian Dashengʼs faith and custom culture has a profound relationship with "Journey to the West". It is the birthplace of Qitian Dashengʼs faith and custom culture, and is praised as the ancestral place of Qitian Dasheng by believers at home and abroad.’

‘Journey to the West’ has featured in Television and Theatre with a Japanese television drama based on novel that was filmed in Northwest China and Inner Mongolia. The show was produced by Nippon TV and International Television Films and broadcast from 1978 to 1980 on Nippon TV. It was later dubbed with English and shown by the BBC. More recently, there has been ‘Monkey: Journey To The West’, an operatic stage adaptation conceived by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett in collaboration with Chinese actor and director Chen Shi Zheng in 2004. The opera made its world premiere at the Manchester International Festival in 2007 as a part of the opening show.

Shunchang is a very interesting site and is rich with historical legends. However, as mentioned due to funding and logistic, we opted to work and one site only and unfortunately as with Tu Lou, Shunchang would have to wait until another day.

  Chongwu


(image credit: Sherry)

Chongwu sits by the sea, as do a lot of villages and towns in Scotland. It has a strong connection with the sea and all types of sea going vessels would have been passing by from the earliest times of the town’s construction (14th century) to the modern day. The city of Quanzhou sits nearby on the Luojiang River and was visited by Marco Polo when he eventually left China in 1292.

Location of Chongwu in Fijian Province, SE China (image: Google maps)

Detail of area, showing city of Quanzhou (left) and Chongwu (right) on the peninsula (image: Google maps)

  Today, Chongwu is one of the few remaining walled cities in China. In ancient times, cities around the world were walled, and only a century ago China had hundreds of walled cities scattered around the country. The walls were built in 1384, and are 2.5 kilometres long and 7 meters high. The ancient walled city sits on a peninsula next to the sea and is located 24 kms away from the city of Quanzhou. The modern Quanzhou is an important seaport and the most dynamic city for the private economy in Fujian Province. In the past Quanzhou was the ancient starting point of the Maritime Silk Road and once a crucial harbour along the Maritime Silk Trade Routes and China’s gateway to the world during the medieval time (1000–1400).

A number of famous medieval explorers, such as Marco Polo (1254 - 1324), Friar Odoric of Pordenone, and Ibn Battuta, visited Quanzhou and wrote descriptions of the port as one of the biggest harbours in the world, with ships of all sizes and provenances docking and setting sail, and a vibrant market in which merchants from across many different regions exchanged their wares

 

The Stars Above and the Seas Below

Making a connection with the sea, I listened to the sound of the South China Sea during a video walk round of Chongwu.

This led me to become interested in the maritime tradition of Chongwu and it’s location by the sea.

It sits down river from the city of Quanzhou, a major port on the Maritime Silk Road. The town would have witnessed many, many different types of vessels coming and going. In fact many of the men of the town would go off to sea each day in pursuit of catching and landing fish.

 

Above: Marco Polo

  One of the most famous characters from history to visit the area is probably Marco Polo and ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’ documents the Italian traveler’s 17-year stay in China. Before he left the country he visited Quanzhou, as the last stop of his journey. He was deeply impressed by its burgeoning trade, abundant natural resources and friendly people. He wrote, “There is a port along Citongcheng (the ancient name of Quanzhou), famed for its bustling shipyards. Hordes of businessmen gather there with bountiful products available. Delicate Dehua porcelain is sold at reasonable prices. A Venice silver coin can buy you eight porcelain cups.”



Above: Quanzhou in an illuminated manuscript of The Travels of Marco Polo

Quanzhou’s shipbuilding technology also surprised Marco Polo. As one of the major shipbuilding bases in the Song and Yuan dynasties. Some of the sturdiest and most advanced ships in the world, known for their stability, seaworthiness, and safety facilities stored in water-tight compartments were built in Quanzhou. The travel book states, “The Khan issued another order to build 14 ships, each one equipped with four masts, able to sail long distances… Among them at least four or five ships can accommodate 250-260 sailors.”



Above: 'Embarking for Home', Marco Polo; his travels and adventures (1880)

In 1292 Marco Polo leaves China, never to return. The Polos wanting to return to their home asked Kublai Khan but he did not let them. Kublai Khan sends the Polos to escort a Mongol princess to her wedding in Persia. The Polos travel to one of the Chinese port city of Quanzhou to Sumatra, Sri Lanka, India and finally to Persia.

Quanzhou hosts the biennial festival ‘Maritime Silk Road International Arts Festival’. More than 1,200 artists and 130 cultural organizations from over 50 countries and regions gathered in 2019 at the festival and brought performances with distinctive features. Forums on art development and exhibitions of intangible cultural heritages of the Maritime Silk Road taking place simultaneously.

With it’s location at the start of Maritime Silk Road, the fortified town of Chongwu has indeed a long history of being connected to the sea. It’s inhabitants would have witnessed many grand and beautiful ships of all sizes leaving and entering the Quanzhou port. While all of these ships have long since gone, one does remain and it is known as the ‘Quanzhou Ship’. When viewed, it can give us an idea of the design, scale and construction of a typical ship of the Song Dynasty period.



The Quanzhou Ship


The Quanzhou Ship (泉州湾古船) or Quanzhou wreck, was a 13th-century Chinese seagoing sailing junk that sank near the city of Quanzhou in Fujian Province, and was discovered in 1973.



Above: Quanzhou Maritime Museum

The ship is presently preserved in the Quanzhou Maritime Museum, which has a special "Quanzhou Bay Ancient Ships Exhibit" dedicated to this vessel and several other vessels recovered in similar circumstances.



Above: The ship is situ 

It was a three-masted ship, with the original length of 34.6 metres (114 ft) and width ("beam") of 9.82 metres (32.2 ft). The ship is about an average size for a ship used in long-distance trade of its era. According to archaeologists, the composition of the cargo found on board the ship indicates that it was a merchant vessel returning to Quanzhou from Southeast Asia. The primary cargo of the ship was incense wood; around 2,400 kilograms (5,300 lb) of it was found in 12 out of the 13 compartments of the ship

Above: 2D plan of Quanzhou ship 

   

Sailing by Star Light – Ursa Major

The biggest feature in the bottom of the Quanzhou Ship hull was a special device in the joint between the main keel and the tail keel. Seven copper coins were found there, along with a mirror. The coins are believed to represent the 7 stars in the Big Dipper asterism (part of Ursa Major or The Great Bear) and the mirror representing the moon. In Quanzhou folk tales, they imply that the ship would be safe on it’s voyage as the coins and mirror would bring luck.



Above: The Big Dipper

In the Chinese night sky, The Great Bear is split into two constellations and is the seat of divine justice. The ‘Seven Stars’ in China can refer to sun; moon and the five major planets but also to Ursa Major ➚ (the Northern Dipper or Plow or Great Bear). The Great Bear appears directly overhead at times over parts of China and was therefore considered the center of the heavens and a supreme astral deity. Known as 北斗 Běi dǒu ('Northern cup') in China it was represented as a red faced god who determining death and plays chess with the Southern Dipper. The seven stars of the dipper are important in Daoism and are often shown as august figures in pictures who can bring long life and wealth. In the ‘Flying Star’ system of Feng Shui it is these stars that determine good fortune. The Dipper has been used in the west to quickly locate the pole star but the Chinese used other pairs of stars to find it, for example the stars in the constellation of Orion. Knowledge of the stars of the southern hemisphere is known from the Song dynasty well before contacts with western astronomers and strongly suggests trading links with people south of the equator

In Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night Over the Rhône (Nuit étoilée sur le Rhône) the big dipper appears in the sky. It is also depicted on a carved stone, c.1700, in the town of Crail in Fife, Scotland.



Above: Ursa Major depiction, Crail, Fife

 

Fishing and Ship building in Western Scotland

As discussed, the project has generated a strong interest in coastlines, the seaside, maritime heritage and thinking about the cultures and traditions associated with these places.

It is well known and documented that Glasgow was once an industrial titan and global player in the ship building market. It is estimated that at one point in time, between 20 and 25% of all the ships that were afloat on the seas were built in Glasgow. However the focus of my interest was not on the large city, but on a more parochial setting for ship building and fishing, the Ayrshire town of Irvine.

 

Irvine

It would indeed be thrilling to make a connection between Chongwu and a costal town in Scotland. As illustrated, during the first phase of the project I became interested in the Chinese Junk ship. A unique wreck from the early 12th century had been found up river from Chongwu, which is known as the ‘Quanzhou’ ship. It became clear to me that people of the sea have such amazing stories and history.

Over in Chongwu, my college Sherry was looking at the identity of the town's woman, who have equal (but perhaps not acknowledged) strength, as when the men go off to sea, the woman took care of the town, the buildings, maintaining and carrying out day to day tasks.

During this first phase of the project I made a visit to Irvine to see the harbour and the Scottish Maritime Museum. I wanted to measure up the size of the Quanzhou ship. I thought it might be interesting to visualise it in the space outside the front of the museum.

How spectacular would a Chinese junk look in the space next to a Clyde puffer? It would be pretty big, for sure.I was interested in looking at and playing with scale. After this I went down to Irvine beach and made some drawings in the sand of a 2D plan of the Chinese Junk. That is how far my research and simple test pieces went.

It Is worth mentioning at this point, that lockdown measures were in place until May 2021, with partial easing in April. Before this, travel between local authorities was forbidden. The Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine was the first place / site that I visited when locked down was eased and rules began to be relaxed.



Above: location of Irvine, on the west coast of Scotland



Above: detail map of Irvine  



Above: view of Irvine harbour from the Maritime museum 



Above: The Harbour side, Irvine 







Above: A Clyde puffer at the Scottish Maritime museum, Irvine

  Above: 2D Drawing of Chinese Junk on Irvine Beach   

 

Mallaig

During the summer of 2021, I had the opportunity to visit Mallaig, in the West Highlands of Scotland. There is a heritage centre in the town and it presents a detailed journey from the earliest settlement to the modern town. The main overbearing things in the town's history are fishing, ferries and the train line to Fort William. I doubt that Clyde puffers would ever have traveled as far north as Mallaig. However, the fishing industry is something that connects it with other seaside towns all along the west coast and seaside town such as Irvine. 

It was interesting to see how important and central fishing and the sea was to this small community. Everyone was associated with it in one way or another. 



Above: location of Mallaig



Above: detail map of Mallaig

 

Above: images of fishing life in Mallaig (Heritage centre)



Above: local crofters who lived near Mallaig (Heritage centre)



Above: typical Mallaig fishing boat (Heritage centre)



Above: Fishing boat in for repair in Mallaig harbour
   


Next: In Part 2 of Art & Heritage Project, China – UK (2021)  - Creativity & Making
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