Portraits of Periodical Offering of Liang

The ''Portraits of Periodical Offering'' () were tributary documentative paintings (with illustration on each of the portrait) produced by various Chinese dynasties and later as well in other East Asian dynasties, such as Japan and Vietnam. These paintings were official historical documents by the imperial courts. The term "" roughly translates to "duty offering pictorial". Throughout Chinese history, tributary states and tribes were required to send ambassadors to the imperial court periodically and pay tribute with valuable gifts (; ''gòngpǐn'').

Drawings and paintings with short descriptions were used to record the expression of these ambassadors and to a lesser extent to show the cultural aspects of these ethnic groups. These historical descriptions beside the portrait became the equivalent of documents of diplomatic relations with each country. The drawings were reproduced in woodblock printing after the 9th century and distributed among the bureaucracy in albums. The ''Portraits of Periodical Offering of Imperial Qing'' by Xie Sui (), completed in 1751, gives verbal descriptions of outlying tribes as far as the island of Britain in Western Europe.

Portraits of Periodical Offering of Liang (526-539 CE)

The ''Portraits of Periodical Offering of Liang'' () was painted by the future Emperor Yuan of Liang, Xiao Yi (ruled 552-555 CE) of the Liang dynasty while he was a Governor of the Province of Jingzhou as a young man between 526 and 539 CE, a post he held again between 547 and 552 CE, and had the opportunity to meet many foreigners. It is the earliest surviving of these specially significant paintings. They reflect foreign embassies that took place, particularly regarding the three Hephthalite (Hua) ambassadors, in 516–520 CE. The original of the work was lost, but three copies or derived works are known.

Portraits of Periodical Offering of Liang (526-539 CE) (Song dynasty copy of the 11th century CE)

A surviving edition of this work is a copy from the Song dynasty in the 11th century, the ''Song copy of the Portraits of Periodical Offering of Liang'' (), and is currently preserved at the National Museum of China. The original work consisted of at least twenty five portraits of ambassadors from their various countries. The copy from the Song dynasty has twelve portraits and descriptions of thirteen envoys; the envoy from Dangchang has no portrait. The work included individual descriptions, which follow closely the dynastic chronicle '' Liangshu'' ( Volume 54).

The envoys from right to left were: the Hephthalites (), Persia (), Korea (), Kucha (), Japan (), Malaysia (), Qiang (), Yarkand (), Kabadiyan (), Kumedh (), Balkh (), and finally Merv ().

The remaining countries, now lost, are thought to have been: Gaojuli (Goguryeo), Yutian (Hotan in Xinjiang), Xinluo (Silla), Kepantuo (Tashkurgan in present-day Xinjiang), Wuxing fan (in Shanxi), Gaochang (Turpan), Tianmen Man (somewhere between Henan, Hubei, and Guizhou), Dan 蜑 Barbarians of Jianping (between Hubei and Sichuan), and Man 蠻 Barbarians of Linjiang (East Sichuan). There may also have been: Zhongtianzhu , Bei tianzhu (India), and Shiziguo (Sri Lanka), for a total of twenty-five countries.

Individual portraits

Some of the main portraits are:

File:Hua ambassador to the Southern Liang court 516-520 CE.jpg, Hephthalite ( ''Hua'') ambassador
File:Persian ambassador to the Southern Liang court 516-520 CE.jpg, Persian ambassador ( ''Bosi'')
File:Baekje ambassador to the Southern Liang court 516-520 CE.jpg, Korean ambassador ( ''Baiji'', Baekje)
File:Kucha ambassador to the Southern Liang court 516-520 CE.jpg, Kucha ambassador ( ''Qiuci'')
File:Kumedh ambassador to the Southern Liang court 516-520 CE.jpg, Kumedh ambassador ( ''Humidan'')
File:Kabadiyan ambassador to the Southern Liang court 516-520 CE.jpg, Kabadiyan ambassador ( ''Kebotan'')
File:Langkasuka ambassador to the Southern Liang court 516-520 CE.jpg, Malaysia ambassador ( ''Lang-ga-siu'', Langkasuka) to the Southern Liang court 516-520 CE
File:Dengzhi ambassador to the Southern Liang court 516-520 CE.jpg, Qiang ambassador ( ''Dengzhi'')

Tang dynasty ''The Gathering of Kings'' (circa 650 CE)

A Tang period painting consists in a version of the Liang portraits of Periodical Offerings, entitled ''The Gathering of Kings'' (, ''Wanghuitu''). It was probably made by Yan Liben (, 601-673 CE). From right to left, the countries are Lu (魯國) which is a reference to the Eastern Wei , Rouran (), Persia (), Baekje (), Kumedh (), Baiti (), Merv (), Central India (), Sri Lanka (), Northern India (), Tashkurgan (), Wuxing City of the Chouchi (武興國), Kucha (龜茲國), Japan (), Goguryeo (), Khotan (), Silla (), Dangchang (), Langkasuka (), Dengzhi (), Yarkand (), Kabadiyan (), Barbarians of Jianping (), Nudan (). See the complete ''Wanghuitu''.

Individual portraits

Some of the main portraits are:

File:于闐國 Yutian Khotan in Wanghuitu circa 650 CE (with portrait).jpg, upMan from Khotan (于闐國 ''Yutian'') visiting the Chinese Tang dynasty court, in ''Wanghuitu'' circa 650 CE
File:龜茲國 Qiuci Kucha in Wanghuitu 王会图, circa 650 CE (with portrait).jpg, upAmbassador from Kucha (龜茲國 ''Qiuci-guo'') at the Chinese Tang dynasty court. ''Wanghuitu'' (王会图), circa 650 CE
File:Korean ambassadors to the Tang court, 7th century CE.jpg, Envoys of the three kingdoms of Korea (Silla, Baekje, Goguryeo)
File:王会图 白題國.jpg, upright=0.6, Ambassador from Balkh (白題國 ''Baitiguo'') ''Wanghuitu'' (王会图), circa 650 CE
File:Ambassador from 謁盤陀 Qiepantuo Tashkurgan in The Gathering of Kings (王会图) circa 650 CE.jpg, upright=0.6, Ambassador from Tashkurgan (謁盤陀 ''Qiepantuo'') ''Wanghuitu'' (王会图), circa 650 CE
File:王会图 靺國 (Merv).jpg, Ambassador from Merv (靺國 ''Moguo'') ''Wanghuitu'' (王会图), circa 650 CE
File:王会图 Sri Lanka (獅子國).jpg, Ambassador from Sri Lanka (獅子國 ''Shiziguo''), ''Wanghuitu'' (王会图), circa 650 CE
File:Ambassador from Zhong Tianzhu (中天竺 Central India) in The Gathering of Kings (王会图) circa 650 CE.jpg, upAmbassador from Central India (中天竺 ''Zhong Tianzhu'') to the court of the Tang dynasty. 王会图 circa 650 CE

Southern Tang ''Entrance of the Foreign Visitors'' (10th century CE)

Emperor Yuan of Liang, Xiao Yi made another painting entitled "Entrance of the Foreign Visitors" (), now lost. A copy named "Entrance of the Foreign Visitors of Emperor Yuan of Liang" () was made by the painter Gu Deqian () of the Southern Tang dynasty (937–976 CE), native of Jiangsu. From right to left, the countries are Lu (魯國) which is a reference to the Eastern Wei, Rouran (芮芮國), Tuyuhun (), Central India (), Western Wei () , Champa (), Sri Lanka (), Northern India (), Tashkurgan (), Wuxing City of the Chouchi (), Dangchang (), Langkasuka (), Dengzhi (), Persia (), Baekje (), Kucha (), Japan (), Yarkand (), Khotan (), Silla (), Kantoli (), Funan ().

''Portraits of Periodical Offering of Tang'' (Song dynasty copy, 11-13th century)

The ''Portraits of Periodical Offering of Tang'' by painter Yan Liben, depicting foreign envoys with tribute bearers for the Tang dynasty arriving at Chang'an in 631, during the reign of the Emperor Taizong of Tang. The painting consists of 27 people from various states. The original work was lost, and the only surviving edition was a Song dynasty copy, which is currently preserved at the National Palace Museum in Taipei.

''Portraits of Periodical Offering'' (Qing dynasty, 18th century)

In the mid-18th century, the painter Xiesui () again painted a ''Portraits of Periodical Offering of the Imperial Qing'' (''Huángqīng Zhígòngtú'' , completed in 1751), showing various foreign people known at that time, with texts in Chinese and Manchu. See the complete Huangqing Zhigongtu.

Huang Qing Zhigong Tu - 030 - Barbarian man of France (Falanxi).jpg, French man, 18th century
File:Huang Qing Zhigong Tu - 023 - Barbarian man of the province of Helvetia (Heleiweijiya sheng), of the Great Western Ocean (Europe).jpg, Man from Helvetia
File:Huang Qing Zhigong Tu - 024 - Barbarian man of Hungary (Wengjialiya) in the Great Western Ocean.jpg, Man from Hungary
File:Huang Qing Zhigong Tu - 029 - Barbarian man of England (Yingjili).jpg, Man from England
File:安南國夷官.jpg, Vietnamese dignitaries of the late-Lê dynasty (1533–1789)
File:暹羅國夷官.jpg , Siamese (Thai) State Official

Related works

File:職貢圖（仇英）6.jpg, Tribute delegation of Liao dynasty "" to the Southern Song dynasty as depicted in the Periodical Offering Painting () by Ming dynasty artist Qiu Ying ()
File:萬國來朝圖.jpg, Delegations of various Turkic khanates during annual tributary visit to Beijing, Qing dynasty court painting ''Wan Guo Lai Chao Tu ()'' (''Court Reception of Ten Thousand Nations'')
File:First Ryukyan mission to Edo.JPG, Japanese depiction of first Ryukyu mission to Edo, 17th century
File:Ngoại Quốc Đồ - 外國図 - Map of Foreign Countries, Lê dynasty, Vietnam.jpg, Tributary envoys and foreign dignitaries of Champa, Lan Xang, Siam, Myanmar, Demak, Cambodia, Lan Na, Persia and Ryukyu to the Lê dynasty court (Vietnam) in Thanh Hóa. (16th-century painting)

See also

* Foreign relations of imperial China
* Tributary system of China
* List of tributary states of China
* ''Twenty-Four Histories''
* Chinese historiography
* Monarchy of China
* ''Pax Sinica''
* Zongli Yamen

References

Notes

External links

Picture of Liang Chih-kung-t'u
(Chinese)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Portraits Of Periodical Offering
Foreign relations of Imperial China
Tributaries of Imperial China
Chinese paintings
Chinese iconography