Ancient China And South Korea And Color Portraits And A Comparative Study

Both China and South Korea are eastern countries and both Chinese and South Korean people are yellow people. In the history, the two countries shared a border and interdependent with each other. Cultural exchanges were quite frequent between the two countries. The colored figure paintings in the Sui and Tang dynasties in China imposed great influences to South Korea at that time. With time passing and environment changing, a South Korean aesthetic taste was formed in the Korean Age in South Korea.After analyzing the similar color taste in ancient China and South Korea, the article studies the contents and characters of colored figure paintings in the Sui and Tang dynasties in China and symbolic painters and major artworks, including Buddha niches and frescos in tombs. Then, the article researches the colored figure paintings in the Korean Age of South Korea, including symbolic painters and important artworks of genre paintings, folk paintings and frescos to seek the characters of the colored figure paintings in the two countries of the times.In the end, the article compares the style and contents of colored figure paintings in the Sui and Tang dynasties in China and the Korean Age in South Korea. It points out that influenced by the five color idea in the East, the colored figure paintings in the Sui and Tang dynasties mostly presented the activities of imperial families and aristocrats, advocated their political status, luxury life and religious thinking. These paintings showed the conception of maintaining the honor of the five colors and highlighted the shining colors. The scenes were splendid and grand. The paintings contained a large number of figures. They represented the colorful culture and prosperous society of the Tang Dynasty. Influenced by the scholar painting style in the Ming and Qing dynasties of China, the colored figures paintings in the Korean Age were mostly folk paintings, genre paintings and paintings of scholar-officials. Except that portraits of imperial families and the government emphasized painstaking work, accuracy and magnificence, most paintings were in white and black or in light colors. They showed a natural charm advocating the changes of the five colors. They were natural and simple, highlighting folk life style and optimistic humor. The scenes were simple and vivid, full of life taste, indicating the freedom of culture and harmonious society in the Korean Age under Lee's reign.