“Han Palace Spring Dawn” is a traditional subject in Chinese figure painting, primarily depicting the lives of palace concubines. This scroll, “Han Palace Spring Dawn,” was painted by the Ming Dynasty artist Qiu Ying and is regarded as one of China’s top ten surviving masterpieces. Its theme centers on a Han imperial palace bathed in the gentle light of a spring morning, portraying the varied charms of the harem beauties (with approximately 115 figures depicted). This heavy-color silk scroll is currently housed in the National Palace Museum in Taipei.
“Han Palace Spring Dawn” is acclaimed as one of China’s top ten surviving masterpieces. This handscroll depicts the daily minutiae of palace life in early spring—activities such as dressing up, watering, plucking branches, arranging flowers, raising animals, singing and dancing, playing musical instruments, gathering around the hearth, playing chess, reading, engaging in playful contests with grass, gazing in the mirror, admiring paintings, sketching images, entertaining infants, delivering food, and fanning. It portrays a total of 115 figures—including imperial concubines, palace maids, princes, eunuchs, and painters—each attired in vibrant garments and posed in varied manners, simultaneously appearing idle yet busily engaged. This vivid portrayal attests to the artist’s extraordinary observational acumen and masterful realism. The figures are depicted in clothing styled from the Tang dynasty onward, and the term “Han Palace” is used generically to denote the palace of that era.
“Han Palace Spring Dawn” is a long scroll figure painting that vividly recreates the daily life of palace maids in the Han dynasty. Its brushwork is vigorous and its coloring elegantly rendered; lush trees, striking rocks, and splendid palace buildings are interwoven to set forth a scene as resplendent as a celestial paradise, showcasing the artist’s masterful skill in both line and shading. This work not only reflects the artist’s optimistic, life-affirming humanistic spirit but also expresses his admiration for the dazzling, refined courtly life. It is considered Qiu Ying’s crowning achievement and has earned the reputation of being China’s “premier long scroll of heavy-color court ladies.”
If you are interested in Qiu Ying’s works, I also recommend watching this very famous “Bu Nian Tu“.
