Drifting Across Riversand Seas: A Study of Boat Imagery inChinesePaintings Through theDynasties

Maozi isa Doctor of Art， assistant professor，graduate student supervisor，andmemberofChina ArtistsAssociation.Wangonce worked for and is currentlyemployed at the ime ， mainlyengaged inart creationand theoryresearch.

This book focuses on the imagery of boats and ships in ancient Chinese paintings. It explores their symbolic meaning，social function，and aesthetic value from the aspects of history，culture，and art，applying methods of modern thought and cultural research.Sorting out the imagery of boats and ships in classic Chinese paintings，it analyzes the evolution of boats in different themes such as landscape paintings，figure paintings，and genre paintings，and reveals their close connection with literati pleasures，scholars'feelings，religiousbeliefs，and market life.

Drifting Across Riversand Seas： A Study of Boat Imagery inChinesePaintings Through theDynasties

Wang Maozi

NanfangDailyPress

March2025

68.00 （CNY）

Chinese culture and the nature of art.

A in China -a land crisscrossed by riversand abundant in waterways since ancient times.Evolving from practical vessels to cultural symbols，thetransformationof boatsin Chinese culture reflects theunique charm and profound depth of Chinese civilization.This bookfocuseson therepresentation and symbolic significance of boat imagery in Chinese painting， offeringaunique lensthrough which to explore the essence of

The cultural roots of boat imagery canbe traced back to ancient times. Archaeological findingsreveal that as early as the Neolithic Age， China’s ancestors had already begun using simple watercraft like dugout canoes.With the advancement of human civilization，boats evolved beyond mere transportation and production tools to become vital mediums connecting the material and spiritual worlds.In ancient Chinese culture，boats carried profound symbolic meanings and cultural connotations，embodying ourancestors'deep insightsinto nature，life，and the cosmos.The appearance of thecharacter“舟\" （boat/canoe） in oracle bone script， followed by derived characters like“舫\"（pleasureboat/barge），“臚\" （ship/warship），and“船\"（ship/boat）， reflects the continuous deepening of ancient people's understanding ofwatercraft.This cognitive evolution manifested in the development of writing and in early mythology and religious rituals. For example，in the legendary taleof Yu the Great controlling floods，boats played a pivotal role，symbolizing humanity’s wisdom and courage in conquering nature.

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China's unique geographical environment provides fertile soil forthedevelopmentofboat culture.The crisscrossing network of great rivers and waterways made boats essential tools for survival and development in ancient China.Major riversystems like the Yellow River，Yangtze River， and Pearl River not only served as cradles of Chinese civilization but also became thriving centers of boat culture.Archaeologists havediscoverednumerousboat relicsand relatedartifacts in these areas，providing ample physical evidence forresearch into China's ancient boat culture.Over time， boats gradually transcended their practical functions to become important subjectsand sources of inspiration for literaryand artistic creation.From the lyrical metaphors in the Book of Songs，to the philosophical analogies in the works of various ancient scholars， and later to the artistic expressions of literati painters，boat imagery has remainedanindispensableelement in Chinese culture.

In Chinese painting，the imagery ofboatsunderwentasignificant transformation from concrete representationtoabstract symbolism.This process isclosely linked to theoverall development of Chinese painting art.The expression formsand connotations ofboat imagery have evolved over time，fromsimple depictions in early murals and silk paintings to later elements of landscape paintings，and finallyto vehicles forphilosophical expression in literatipaintings.Forexample， in the Han Dynasty and earlier， boatswere frequently depicted as objectsofmythology，history，or real life.During the Wei，Jin，and Southern and Northern Dynasties， as seen in Gu Kaizhi's Nymph ofthe Luo River，boats beganassuming richerliteraryand philosophical connotations.The Tang and Song dynasties witnessed boats becomingessential compositional elements in landscape paintings， where theynotonlyenhanced spatial depth butalso infused humanistic resonance. During the Yuan，Ming，and Qingdynasties， the flourishing of literati painting transformedboats intopersonal expressionsofartisticemotion andmetaphysicalcontemplation. Thisartistic evolution reflects not onlythedevelopmentofChinese paintingartbutalso significant shifts in Chinese cultural thought.

Since the dawn of human civilization，boats have playeda pivotalroleasmankind'searliest waterbornetransportation.These vessels not only connected distant regionsandfacilitatedcultural exchangeandtradebutalsoserved as crucial vehicles for exploring the unknown world.From primitive raftsto today'shigh-techships，the evolutionof boat craftsmanship standsasatestamenttohumanity's unceasing intellectual progress.

The culture of boats and ships constitutesan indispensable chapterinthedevelopmentof Chinese civilization，serving asa microcosm ofthe Chinese nation's millennia-long struggleand progress.Thesevesselsbearthe imprintsofanancientcivilization's developmental journey，not only testifying to the Chinese people's extraordinarywisdomand craftsmanship in water endeavors but also reflecting the unique charm of Chinese culture.From thefishingand huntingactivities ofantiquity to the expansion of theimeSilkRoad，China's shipbuilding and navigation technologies consistently maintained world-leading standards，making outstanding contributionstohumancivilization.

Within China's religiousand philosophical traditions，boats haveconsistently carried profound symbolic meanings. Confucius declared，\"When the Way （Dao） prevailsnot，I shall setadrift on the sea upon a raft\"Zhuangzi posed thequestion，“Nowthat you have a gourd large enough to hold five bushels，why not use it as a giant buoy to float upon riversand lakes？\"Both employ boat imagerytorepresenttranscendent detachment from worldly concerns. Theintroduction of Buddhism enriched thissymbolic lexicon with concepts like the“Cihang Pudu\"（The Ferry of Compassion CarriesAllto Liberation）.Buddhist scriptures frequently use terms like \"Dharma Boat\"and“Prajna Boat\"to symbolize the Dharma'ssalvationof allliving beings.Thesemetaphors deeply influenced Chinese literary andartisticexpression.Inclassical philosophy，boatsbecamevehicles for governance allegories.The famous dictum“Water can carry oroverturnaboat\"establishes the ruleras the vessel and the peopleas the water，articulating fundamental principles of peopleoriented governance （people'swill is the foundation of the state）.

Insummary，thestatusand significanceofboatsin Chinese culture operate on multiple levels. They serve not only as witnesses tomaterialcivilization but also as vital vessels of spiritual culture.By studying the origin， development，cultural evolution， andreligiousandphilosophical symbolsofboats，we gain deeper insight into the unique charm and profound essenceof Chinese civilization.Thisunderstanding isof great significance forus toinheritand develop China's outstandingtraditionalculture andtore-examineandreinterpret Chinese culturewithin a globalized context.