As the new year approaches, a snowfall comes silently. On December 20, the Liaoning International Communication Center organized a cultural event known as “Artistic Painting of Hongshan Culture” at LuXun Academy of Fine Arts, inviting international students from India and Jordan in Liaoning to study sculpture of the Hongshan goddess to understand Hongshan Culture and Liaoning’s regional culture.
The Sculpture Art School at LuXun Academy of Fine Arts was established in 1951, known as one of the earliest institutions for teaching and creation of sculpture art in the People’s Republic of China.
Passing through the corridor exhibiting sculptures, Indian student Dileep and Jordanian student Ghada entered the classroom with artistic atmosphere. Mr. Tian Jialong at the Sculpture Art School, along with two students, Zhou Mingkai from the same school and Gao Yihang from the School of Humanities, were awaiting their arrival in the classroom. A unique sculpture class featuring Hongshan Culture was about to start.
The clay facial sculpture of the Hongshan goddess is a representative cultural relic unearthed from the Niuheliang site of Hongshan Culture on November 2, 1983.
When this “beautiful face” was unveiled to the public, hundreds of millions of descendants of the Chinese nation saw the clay image of their ancestor from 5,000 years ago for the first time. The clay facial sculpture of the Hongshan goddess is quite similar to that of a real human being with a lifelike modeling, which is hailed by archaeologists as “the only piece extant in China”. The sculpture of the goddess reminds the world that Hongshan Culture originating in west Liaoning entered the stage of ancient states 5,000 years ago, declaring the birth of early city-state primitive countries.
Mr. Tian first introduced the significance of the clay facial sculpture of the Hongshan goddess to the origin of Chinese civilization. “The process of college students at home and abroad studying the sculpture of the Hongshan goddess not only involves learning the art of sculpture but also delves into the traditional Chinese culture and Liaoning’s regional culture.” Subsequently, he patiently explained the steps and main techniques of sculpture to the students. He said, “The sculpture of the goddess uses the techniques of relief sculpture while the sculpture of the jade pig-shaped dragon requires the techniques of circular engravure.”
After mastering the basic structural characteristics and sculpture techniques of the Hongshan goddess, Dileep, Ghada, Zhou Mingkai, and Gao Yihang were divided into two groups for practice, using blocks of plaster to start shaping. They were dedicated to the sculpture despite the challenging task, and then the image of the Hongshan goddess was gradually shaped in their hands. Dileep was the first to complete the overall appearance and he meticulously adjusted the facial proportions of the clay goddess using sculpting tools under the guidance of Mr. Tian. Ghada constantly perfected details of the sculpture by referring to the photos of the goddess from the front and sides. The sculpture class lasted the entire afternoon, but the Chinese and international students still wished to continue.
Jaipur, Dileep’s hometown, also has many goddess statues with a long history. He believed that the unique design and profound significance of the clay facial sculpture of the Hongshan goddess made this sculpting class at LuXun Academy of Fine Arts quite unforgettable. It was also an excellent opportunity to understand the history of China and the origins of Chinese civilization.
Ghada had visited the Niuheliang site and learned about Hongshan Culture. “The slightly upturned lips of the goddess seemed to smile with words unspoken, which was full of a sense of mystery and left a lasting impression on me.” Ghada said, “It was valuable to experience Hongshan Culture in an art form, helping me get a deeper understanding of it.”
