View source for Caihua

{{Short description|Traditional Chinese art}}
{{expand Chinese|topic=cult|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox Chinese
|pic=故宫太和门椽子彩画.JPG
|caption=''Caihua'' of the [[Forbidden City]]
| s = 彩画
| t = 彩畫
| l = "Colour-painting"
| p = cǎihuà
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|c|ai|3|.|h|ua|4}}
}}

'''''Caihua''''' ({{lang-zh|s=|p=cǎihuà|t=彩畫}}), or "colour painting", is the traditional Chinese decorative painting or [[polychrome]] used for architecture and one of the most notable and important features of historical [[Chinese architecture]]. It held a significant artistic and practical role within the development of East-Asian architecture, as Caihua served not only decoration but also protection of the predominantly wooden architecture from various seasonal elements and hid the imperfections of the wood itself. The use of different colours or paintings would be according to the particular building functions and local regional customs, as well as historical periods. The choice of colours and symbology are based on traditional Chinese philosophies of the [[Wuxing (Chinese philosophy)|Five Elements]] and other ritualistic principles.
<ref>{{cite book |author1=孙大章 |title=中国古代建筑彩画|trans-title=Ancient Chinese Architectural Colored Drawings
|date=1991|publisher=建筑工业出版社|isbn=7-112-07328-6|language= Chinese}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author1=赵双成 |title=中国建筑彩画图案|trans-title=Chinese architecture painting design|date=2006|publisher=天津大学出版社|language= Chinese|isbn=978-7561822494}}</ref>
The Caihua is often separated into three layer structures; timber or lacquer layer, plaster layer, and pigment layer.{{cn|date=January 2022}}

==History==
{{Expand section|date=January 2022}}
The origins of Caihua can be traced back to the [[Zhou dynasty]],<ref>{{cite book|author1=刘敦桢 (Liu Dunzhen) |title=中国古代建筑史|trans-title=History of Chinese Ancient Architecture|date=1991 |publisher=中国建筑工业出版社; 第2版 (China Architecture Building Press) |isbn=9787112019298 |edition=2}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1253353500|title=Flags, color, and the legal narrative : public memory, identity, and critique|date=2021|publisher=Springer|others=Anne Wagner, Sarah Marusek|isbn=978-3-030-32865-8|location=Cham, Switzerland|pages=129|oclc=1253353500}}</ref> as the [[Zuo Zhuan]] and [[Guliang Zhuan]] detailed: {{Blockquote
|text=''“秋，丹桓宮楹。禮，天子、諸侯黝堊，大夫倉，士黈，丹楹，非禮也。''<ref>{{cite wikisource| title=春秋穀梁傳 |volume=莊公, 二十三年 |wslink=春秋穀梁傳/莊公 |author=穀梁子}}</ref>
''(the duke painted red the pillars of [duke] Huan's temple. According to rule, King and royalty use dark and white, gentry use white, yeoman use yellow. Red pillars are against etiquette.)''}}

The [[Rites of Zhou]] similarly records a ritualistic usage of motifs and colour, based on each respective aspects' corresponding symbolic value.

==Gallery==

<gallery mode="packed">
File:Expo 2010 Henan Exhibit, China Pavilion - Han Pottery Tower.jpg|Painted elements can be seen on [[Han dynasty]] pottery tower.
File:Han Pottery Tower 1 (better image).jpg|Painted elements can be seen on [[Han dynasty]] pottery tower.
File:Pavilion 敦煌361窟壁画南壁东.jpg|Example of Tang dynasty decorative motifs, from mural of [[Mogao Caves]].
File:莫高窟158窟东壁门南左侧.png|Example of Tang dynasty decorative motifs on architecture, from mural of [[Mogao Caves]].
File:台湾紋様、中華民国時代に中国唐王朝の紋様から貰ったモノ３.png|Recreation of Tang dynasty ''caihua'' architectural decorations.
File:台湾紋様、中華民国時代に中国唐王朝の紋様から貰ったモノ８.png|Recreation of Tang dynasty ''caihua'' architectural decorations.
File:Tang Sancai Courtyard Model (9948341426).jpg|Tang dynasty ''[[sancai]]'' model of a building.
File:独乐寺观音阁“观音之阁”匾.jpg|Remnants of [[Tang dynasty|Late Tang]] or [[Liao dynasty]] decorations on ''[[dougong]]'' of Guanyin Pavilion of [[Dule Temple]].
File:五彩遍装斗拱.JPG|alt="Wucai Caihua"(Five Coloured Painting)-decorations as detailed on the Yingzao Fashi.|Song Dynasty ''"Wucai Caihua"'' (Five Coloured Painting)-''[[dougong]]'' decorations guide as detailed on the [[Yingzao Fashi]]
File:丹粉刷饰.jpg|alt="Danfen Caihua"(Red and White)-decorations as detailed on the Yingzao Fashi.|Song Dynasty "Danfen Caihua" (Red and White)-''[[dougong]]'' decorations guide as detailed on the [[Yingzao Fashi]].
File:青绿叠晕棱间装.jpg|Song Dynasty "Qinglü" (Blue and Green)-decorations guide as detailed on the [[Yingzao Fashi]].
File:解绿装.jpg|Song Dynasty "Jielü Caihua" (Open Green)-decorations guide as detailed on the [[Yingzao Fashi]].
File:營造法式五 04.jpg|Song Dynasty ''ruyi''-decorations on beams guide from the [[Yingzao Fashi]].
File:營造法式五 06.jpg|Song Dynasty ''ruyi''-decorations on beams guide from the [[Yingzao Fashi]].
File:營造法式五_07.jpg|Song Dynasty pillar decorations guide from the [[Yingzao Fashi]].
File:營造法式五 23.jpg|Song Dynasty decorations used in between ''dougong''-brackets guide from the [[Yingzao Fashi]].
File:Pingyao Zhenguo Si 2013.08.26 15-47-58.jpg|Buddhist decorations of Ten-Thousand Buddha Hall of [[Zhenguo Temple]], [[Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period|Five Dynasties period]].
File:Geyuan Temple 2.JPG|Decorations on [[Liao dynasty]] Geyuan Temple.
File:晋祠水镜台宋式彩画.JPG|''Caihua'' found on [[Jinci]] temple, Song Dynasty.
File:Song Silang's Tomb Fresco, Northern Song Dynasty, Luoyang.jpg|Frescos of Song Silang's Tomb, Northern Song Dynasty.
File:Northern Song Fresco Tomb of Song Silang 07.jpg|Frescos of Song Silang's Tomb, Northern Song Dynasty.
File:莆田元妙观三清殿斗拱（宋代原构）.JPG|Weathered decorations on [[Yuanmiao Temple (Putian)]] ''dougong''. Originally Song dynasty construction.
File:应县净土寺2020 (2).jpg|[[Jin dynasty (1115–1234)|Jin dynasty]] Jingtu Temple of [[Shanxi]].

File:永安寺传法正宗之殿里转转角铺作.jpg|Decorations on corner '' dougong'' brackets from inner hall of Yong'an Temple, [[Yuan dynasty]]. 
File:Datong Wenmiao 2013.08.29 11-41-52.jpg|Datong Confucian temple inner hall decorations.
File:Zhengding Longxing Si 2013.08.31 16-56-13.jpg|Ming dynasty decorations on Hall of Amitābha at [[Longxing Temple]].
File:Wutai Foguang Si 2013.08.28 10-46-32.jpg|Ming dynasty decorations on Jialan Hall at [[Foguang Temple]].
File:Zhengding Longxing Si 2013.08.31 16-59-16.jpg|Ming dynasty decorations on Hall of Amitābha at [[Longxing Temple]].
File:Zhengding Longxing Si 2013.08.31 16-57-18.jpg|Ming dynasty decorations on Hall of Amitābha at [[Longxing Temple]].

File:Tempera_design_in_Beijing_Dongyue_Temple.jpg|''Xuanzi''-style decorative design on the Beijing Dongyue Temple
File:故宫乾清门椽子万寿彩画.JPG|Caihua found on the [[Gate of Heavenly Purity]] of the [[Forbidden City]]
File:Palace color decorative painting.JPG|''Hexi''-style decorative design on the Imperial Palace gate of the [[Forbidden City]]
File:故宫欽安殿椽子彩画.jpg|Underside decorations of Qin'an Hall of the [[Forbidden City]]
File:Interlocking_wooden_brackets.jpg|Decorations on support beams inside a palace of the Forbidden City.
File:Datong Guandi Miao 2013.08.29 10-56-34.jpg|Datong [[Guandi]] temple.
File:Mirror_Bridge_IMG_0392.jpg|Decorations on [[Summer Palace]] pavilion
File:媽宮城隍廟-山門斗拱.jpg|[[Magong Chenghuang Temple]] decorations, [[Taiwan]].
File:Bai_Gu_Jing_at_Long_Corridor_1.JPG|Painted mural depicting an event from [[Journey to the West]] on the [[Long Corridor]] from [[Qing Dynasty]] [[Summer Palace]]

File:在滕王阁内 03.jpg|''Caihua''-decorations of [[Pavilion of Prince Teng]], inspired by Song dynasty [[Yingzao Fashi]] decorations. 
File:Tengwangge (Prince of Teng Pavilion) (31500501656).jpg|''Caihua''-decorations of [[Pavilion of Prince Teng]], inspired by Song dynasty [[Yingzao Fashi]] decorations. 
File:View from Top of Tengwangge (Prince of Teng Pavilion) (31445668861).jpg|''Caihua''-decorations of [[Pavilion of Prince Teng]], inspired by Song dynasty [[Yingzao Fashi]] decorations. 
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Hexi Caihua]]
* [[Ancient Chinese wooden architecture]]
* [[Chinese architecture]]
* [[Yingzao Fashi]]
* [[Architecture of the Song Dynasty]]
* [[Dancheong]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
*{{in lang|zh}} http://www.gd.gov.cn/zjgd/lnwh/fywh/ctms/content/post_108920.html
[[Category:Chinese art]]
[[Category:Architectural styles]]
[[Category:Architectural elements]]
[[Category:Chinese painting]]
[[Category:Architecture in China]]
[[Category:Chinese architectural history]]