In the late 1970s, after the end of the Cultural Revolution and Mao Zedong’s death, China saw many reforms. The nation opened up to the world and embraced “capitalism with Chinese characteristics.” This shift saved the CCP from losing power like many other communist parties in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but artists have acquired status that likens to peasants. Many were unfamiliar with the dynamics of a market economy, finding it difficult to make a living with dwindling financial support from the state (the tiehua factory in Wuhu, for example, was eventually closed). Additionally, after the Tiananmen Square protests, the government clamped down on freedom of expression, harming the more personable nature of art. Now, some speculate that both the free market and government act together to constrain artists and reduce their work to a meaningless capital or a way to show China’s greatness, though some resistance inherently exists.

Realist Rooster, Traditional Bamboo

Characteristic of contemporary tiehua, this piece is a mix of new and old–more traditional bird-and-flower style bamboo combined with a realist rooster. In modern China, artists have managed to enrich Chinese art with outside influences while still maintaining its Chinese identity. The rooster is a newer element first popularized during the days of socialist realism, but elements go back to history. The artist could be nostalgic for both influences.

Contemporary Interpretation of Song-Style Landscape

This contemporary piece very clearly resembles landscape paintings of the Song dynasty. An important element of Chinese art that has been tolerated in new Chinese art is a clear return to tradition. Previously, the party allowed only socialist realism in the public eye, and still supports realism as an official state style. This artist resists this through his/her citation of Song-Era elements.

Working Class in Detail

This tiehua depicts the working class–which was popularized especially during the socialist-realist days. Nonetheless, tiehua historically found a place in various levels of society. This image would (and still can) appeal to the rural working class, or even peasants. Interestingly, artists now struggle in China and themselves have status akin to that of old peasants. Take note, however, of the blending of man and nature.

Real to Cosmic

This piece is especially influenced by traditional Chinese ways. Artists have both looked around the world and around Chinese history for inspiration. Here, the iconic ‘distant mountains’ element is present, along with a simple, flourishing natural foreground. Most notably a manis in the center fishing in what seems to be nothingness. It’s possible that this symbolizes a transition between the real world and the cosmic world–a reflection of old spirituality that would once be strongly discouraged by radical CCP members.

With the rise of the Chinese Communist Party and its eventual takeover of Mainland China in 1949, a new form of art arrived: socialist realism. Simply put, this artwork sought to both glorify the “New China” that the CCP was creating and also engineer a pro-Communist mass culture. This culture was, of course, far-left and thus was prone to resisting many aspects of the old order in China. The big shift here was the fact that mass culture in all levels of society was resistant, not just that of the literati and/or working class (with which an association with saved tiehua from demise under Mao Zedong).

1956: The Glory of “New China”

In tiehua‘s state-supported return to the picture in 1956, the art form was reborn in the public eye after years of wars and economic turmoil. In this instance, as seen by the much more detailed and elaborate subject matter, there was a massive departure from the old, simple landscapes of the past. This coincided with the CCP’s ideology: to abandon the past and create a society that is completely new and advanced.

Realist Resistant Youth

The CCP harnessed younger generations even long before it took power. In this tiehua, we see a symbolic representation of this. A young man is fighting a turbulent tide with confidence and leaving behind older figures on a slower boat, with distant mountains to top it all off. Depicted in much greater detail than ever before due to Western realist influences that were now openly applied to art, this young man is symbolically fighting a path towards “New China.”

In the late-Qing dynasty, Chinese society had grown restless. The population had tripled due to previous prosperity, but this added a burden: the wealth and power of Chinese society was increasingly centralized and society was unchanging. Unchanging, the empire fell far behind its European counterparts, who began initiating (and winning) trade wars. China even fell behind one of its historic satellites: Japan, who even joined the Western powers in the strategic marginalization of China. Peasants and marginalized religious groups led massive rebellions, greatly hurting the standing of literati and the dynastic order at large. Society was not harmonious as per the Confucian vision. Intellectuals in this age were not eager to assimilate to Western ways in order to preserve their nation (as seen in the example of the Boxers). This philosophy proved insufficient in fending off China’s growing plight, leading to a wave of calls for radical changes.  This eventually caused the final collapse of the Qing dynasty and the establishment of the politically unstable Republic of China. The new republic began some forms of modernization, but remained vulnerable to Japanese militarism.

New and Old 

This tiehua shows a mixture of mechanization, as seen in the presumably prefabricated human figures, and handcrafted elements. The subject matter is quite traditional in this piece, but the method of construction is a bit more modernized. View the other panels of this piece:

Tang Peng or 20th Century?

Certainly, many preferred the past for its uncorrupted Confucian order, simplicity, and overt Chinese character. Through selection of subject, many artists can indicate their views on all kinds of subjects, Chinese society in this case. While this piece allegedly hails from Tang Peng long ago, it is also a style the was popular in this time of Imperial China’s crossroads.

With many former Song subjects alienated during the rise of the Qing dynasty, great conflicts arose. It was highly dishonorable to serve two dynasties, thus subjects had to become either remnant or eremitic. In tiehua, the sentiment was more so eremitic, i.e. to retreat into nature away from society (a more Taoist concept). This is not to say that Confucian scholars did not enjoy landscapes–from their perspectives, landscapes acted as an escape from the errors and ills of society. Nonetheless, the hegemonic rule of Manchus was hurtful to the Hans, who now had fewer opportunities in the government and civil service exams for success. Many developed careers outside of this single narrative. Interestingly, though, the threat of ethnic identity resulted in an outpouring of creativity, much of which resistant in some way or another:

Eerie Landscapes & Distant Mountains

Traditional Bird-and-Flower

Tang Peng Landscape Escape