The 9th Orchid Pavilion Gathering: A Toast to the Ancestors

The Orchid Pavilion Gathering series, hosted annually by China Institute Gallery, celebrates the spirit of the renowned congregation organized by the scholar-artist Wang Xizhi in the spring of 353 BC. This year, in conjunction with the spring exhibition “Eternal Offerings: Chinese Ritual Bronzes from the Minneapolis Institute of Art,” curator Dr. Liu Yang will take the audience through a journey of art appreciation and intellectual discourse, with careful examination of the masterpieces on display. The remarkable historical gathering at Lanting in 353 BC has inspired generations of artists and historians, leaving an enduring legacy that even reached Japan, as seen in the 1913 gathering in Kyoto led by collector Naitō Konan. Spanning both time and geography, we invite enthusiasts of Asian art in New York to join us in continuing this tradition of literary assembly and raising a toast to the ancestors.

Schedule

3:00 - 3:30 PM Gallery Walkthrough with the curator, Dr. Liu Yang

3:30 - 4:15 PM Lecture "A Toast to the Ancestors: Wine Vessels of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties”

4:15 - 4:30 PM Q&A

4:30 - 5:00 PM Reception with baijiu

Lecture "A Toast to the Ancestors: Wine Vessels of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties"

Wine and its vessels played a crucial role in the ancestral rituals of ancient China, particularly during the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE), where wine-drinking was central to ceremonies and state functions. Bronze wine vessels were not just practical containers but symbols of power and ritual authority. However, in the Western Zhou (c. 1046–771 BCE), royal concerns over excessive drinking led to a decline in their prominence, as food vessels became more dominant in ritual practices. Despite this shift, wine vessels continued to evolve, showcasing diverse forms and intricate ornamentation. By the Eastern Zhou (770–256 BCE), regional innovations introduced elaborate motifs, inlays, and new decorative techniques reflecting changing artistic and ritual traditions. Recent archaeological discoveries have refined our understanding of these vessels, helping to clarify their dating and authenticity. This lecture will examine the transformation of wine vessels from the Shang to the Eastern Zhou, emphasizing their ritual significance, artistic development, and the latest research findings that continue to reshape our knowledge.

Speaker

Dr. Liu Yang

Chair of Asian Art and Curator of Chinese Art at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia). He earned his Ph.D. in Art History and Archaeology from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Before joining Mia, Dr. Liu was Senior Curator of Chinese Art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales. Since 1998, he has curated over a dozen traveling exhibitions from China and authored or co-authored numerous books, three of which have won awards. Notable exhibitions include “Power and Beauty in China’s Last Dynasty” (2018) and “Eternal Offerings: Chinese Ritual Bronzes” (2023), and collaborations with Robert Wilson and Tim Yip. Dr. Liu is also an Advisory Committee member for the China Center at the University of Minnesota and the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts.

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Images:

- Jade mountain illustrating the gathering of scholars at the Lanting Pavilion, 1790, light green jade, the John R. Van Derlip Fund and gift of the Thomas Barlow Walker Foundation.

- Wine vessel in double-owl shape you, late Shang dynasty (c. 1300-1046 BCE), bronze, bequest of Alfred F. Pillsbury.

“Eternal Offerings: Chinese Ritual Bronzes from the Minneapolis Institute of Art” is organized by the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Generous support for the exhibition and related catalogue provided by the Blakemore Foundation, the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor, the Bei Shan Tang Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation, and Christie’s.

China Institute Gallery’s presentation of “Eternal Offerings” is made possible, in part, by support from the following: Center for Language Education and Cooperation; E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation; Angela H. King, Joseph Tse Foundation; and an anonymous donor.

Host or Publisher China Institute