Along the River During the Qingming Festival

“Along the River During the Qingming Festival” is one of China’s ten greatest surviving masterpieces, belonging to the Northern Song dynasty’s genre paintings. It is currently housed in the Palace Museum in Beijing. Created by Zhang Zeduan, the painting measures 24.8 centimeters in width and 528.7 centimeters in length. It is executed on silk with color, using a handscroll format and a scattered perspective composition to vividly capture the urban landscape and the lives of people from various social classes in the capital city of the Northern Song dynasty, Bianjing (now Kaifeng, Henan).

This painting not only showcases the bustling cityscape of the Northern Song era but also, through meticulous depiction, reflects the social life details of the time. The scroll portrays 814 people, over 60 animals, 28 boats, more than 30 buildings, 20 carts, and 8 sedan chairs, illustrating characters of different statuses and a wealth of activities, with varied clothing and expressions, lively and realistic. Moreover, the scroll reveals social issues of the era, such as military laxity, lack of fire prevention, and city defense weaknesses, reflecting the artist’s concerns about city defense, safety, and transportation.

“Along the River During the Qingming Festival” holds immense historical value and, through its unique composition and delicate brushwork, displays the characteristics of Song dynasty architecture and the prosperity of urban life, making it unique in the history of Chinese and world painting.