The New City of Feng

The historical painting entitled Ding Guanpeng's account of the Feng City section of Chang'an during the time of Liu Bang at the beginning of the Han Dynasty is a reconstruction of the early Han capital which shows great architectural and social detail. The painting was jointly produced by the painters of the Qing imperial court, not the work of Ding Guanpeng alone. The full attribution is: Tang Dai (唐岱) Sun Hu (孫祜) Shen Yuan (沈源) Ding Guanpeng (丁觀鵬) Wang Youxue (王幼學) Zhou Kun (周鯤) Wu Gui (吳桂) The painting shows Feng City as a prosperous political and urban centre in the time of Liu Bang, the founder of the Han Dynasty, with a focus on order, prosperity and imperial authority; the streets, which are crowded with officials, merchants, labourers and ordinary people, indicate a well-organized society backed by both commerce and effective governance. The accurately depicted buildings, gates and palace complexes show off the magnificence of the newly emerging Han state and its desire to secure lasting stability following the collapse of the Qin Dynasty. Ding Guanpeng blends documentary accuracy with artistic refinement so that the city becomes at the same time a historical record and an ideal representation of imperial civilization. The picture honours the establishment of the Han Dynasty as a significant turning point in Chinese history and stresses the continuity of culture, the strength of the administration and the harmonious relationship between ruler, city and society.