The symbolism of images of lions in residential carving art in Huizhou region

Abstract

The article is devoted to the development of the symbolism of the lion image in the traditional decorative and applied arts of China, taking carved wooden reliefs of Huizhou region as a case. The research is undertaken to carry out a comprehensive aesthetic analysis of the image of the lion in the architecture of traditional wooden residential buildings of the Huizhou region, as well as to identify the main semantic constants of the image in comparison with other similar images in traditional Chinese art. A survey of the publications of Russian art historians specialising in traditional Chinese architecture, in addition to the works of Chinese scholars who have deliberately studied the image and symbolism of the lion in architecture, reveals an absence of information regarding this image in the decorative scheme of traditional wooden dwellings in the Huizhou region. Furthermore, there is a paucity of detailed analysis of the symbolic meaning of the image. However, the architectural reliefs with the lion in this region of China exhibit distinctive characteristics in terms of both content and expressive methods. However, the architectural reliefs with the lion in this region of China exhibit distinctive features in terms of both content and expressive means. Consequently, the study of these reliefs has become an urgent topic of research on the buildings of Huizhou region, as it is an ancient architectural monument that has been preserved in its entirety. A range of iconographic, formal and stylistic methods, as well as iconological interpretation, were employed to facilitate the classification and analysis of images of the lion, in addition to the symbolism and artistic features of wooden carved images located both inside and outside dwelling houses. The study determines that the image of a lion has undergone significant changes over time, from the status of the king of beasts to a benevolent symbol, which was formed under the influence of aesthetic preferences that developed during the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1636–1912) dynasties. The ‘inverted lion’ form, groups of several lions in various combinations, decorative elements that soften the harsh image of the predator, the rare presence of colour, and rich texture and detailing were the stable image techniques that characterise the distinctive local carving style.