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.
The majority of the canvas is occupied by tall green mountains, which represent the powerful force of nature. They occupy the background and the foreground of the painting is taken up with the meandering river and valley. Several dwellings, bridges, trees, roads, and people dot the landscape which gives it life by signifying that people interact with their environment. As the landscape painting progresses towards the right, the buildings grow bigger and more sophisticated until one reaches the grand palace or temple complex, which is presumably of great significance. A Chinese inscription together with the red seals found at the top-right corner add authenticity and literary quality to the image. From the mountains as part of nature, the painting’s scenery transitions to water, then to people’s dwellings and finally to the temple or palace, which signify human civilisation. This indicates the traditional Chinese philosophical perspective of achieving a harmonious existence within nature and the ability of people to adapt their environment to suit their needs.
