Since the early 20th century, plenty of archaeological discoveries, represented by Tibetan Buddhist statues of Longxing Temple in Qingzhou, have provided new materials for China’s historical study and new perspectives to re-interpret China’s art traditions for us. As early as the 9th century, the first general art history book in the world was written in China, which is Famous Paintings of the Past Dynastiesauthored by Zhang Yanyuan. However, a large number of ancient artworks have been unearthed in the latest century, which are unimaginable and incomprehensible even for Zhang Yanyuan. It is these new materials that allow us to trace the art history of China to ancient times and to reflect on some basic concepts, terms, classification standards and research methods of art history. As a special project of the 34th World Congress of Art History, the exhibition “Smashed and Reassembled” demonstrates refreshing images of Chinese medieval art. These important art pieces have been put on display at home and abroad many times over the last two decades and documented in various textbooks of Chinese and global fine arts history. Enlightening and inspiring, this exhibition offers us a new perspective by stressing on the original intention of Buddhist sculptures and the way they were buried. I hope these new opinions and thoughts about traditional Chinese art can contribute to the research in art history. It is also my wish that the discipline of art history can make more progress among the diversified culture and bring new vigor to contemporary art practice. (Fan Di’an)
