英文摘要
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As one of the nomadic tribes of northern China, the Khitan established the Liao Dynasty and initiated a remarkable culture of gold. In terms of craft skill, as well as workshop and art taste, the Liao Dynasty was inspired by both the Tang and Song dynasties. Compared to these Chinese dynasties, however, the gold and silver wares of the Liao Dynasty exhibited a much wider application. For example, Khitan's nobility had gold and silver wares even in their funeral rituals. The craft skills applied in the Liao's gold and silver wares included hammering, chasing and repoussé, engraving, mercury amalgam gilding, wire drawing, and filigree. Of all these skills, ”chasing and repoussé” and ”engraving” were the most appealing to the Liao people because together they created a special layering of light and shadow that yielded a much-appreciated artistic effect. In addition, a high level of technical skill was exhibited in Liao goldsmiths' engraving of artifacts, which have incredibly smooth and coherent lines.As indicated by both the latest excavation findings and early research on Liao archeological materials, it is necessary to seek a deeper appreciation of Liao dynasty gold and silver art craft. Moreover, because the development of this art craft was dynamic, with numerous changes, it is essential in research to return to archeological materials to clarify the difference between each stage of development. Accordingly, this study sets forth several key perspectives. First, each stage of development was distinctive. Second, gold granulation work was discovered in gold jewelry excavated from Liao tombs-an art craft that continued until the late Liao period. Third, many skills such as ”wire drawing,” ”filigree,” ”mercury amalgam gilding,” and ”gold silver inlay,” although developed in Central China, retained the Liao style and its characteristics. One famous example, the ”gold ball” made of ”filigree,” arguably reflects the sustained influence of the Siberian style.In conclusion, ”craft” is not merely a skill showing a track of craft development, but rather a micro-culture intertwined with broad trends of culture, taste, and productivity. A craft, when considered as a micro-culture, not only reflects the artistic sensibilities of a certain period of time, but also reveals the traces of cultural exchange in the context of a larger cultural climate.
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