The Southwest : a study of regional identity in material culture and textual sources during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 C.E.)
This dissertation studies examples of social and cultural memory and identity manifested in the art of the southwest, present-day Sichuan province, during the Eastern Han dynasty. Through the study of the southwest's material culture, considered special for its distinct artistic style and content by scholars in the field of Chinese art, combined with analysis of early textual sources, it highlights a number of important findings associated with the region's social make-up, economic activities, burial practices, education and governance, all of which contributed to the formation of a distinct regional identity. The southwest's geographical isolation and its great distance from the Central Plains; the difficulties and dangers of road and river transport from all directions; its multi-ethnic make-up and the engrained cultural prejudice from the north, especially from the capital's governing elite and literati, were all factors that contributed to a sense of regional separation that manifested itself in a distinct material culture and is hinted at in early textual sources. The main sources of material culture examined in the dissertation are pictorial brick tiles and stone reliefs discovered in stone and brick
Elias, Hajnalka Pejsue
Southwest ; Eastern Han Dynasty ; Material Culture ; Regional Identity ; Stelae
The Southwest : a study of regional identity in material culture and textual sources during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 C.E.). This dissertation studies examples of social and cultural memory and identity manifested in the art of the southwest, present-day Sichuan province, during the Eastern Han dynasty. Through the study of the southwest's material culture, considered special for its distinct artistic style and content by scholars in the field of Chinese art, combined with analysis of early textual sources, it highlights a number of important findings associated with the region's social make-up, economic activities, burial practices, education and governance, all of which contributed to the formation of a distinct regional identity. The southwest's geographical isolation and its great distance from the Central Plains; the difficulties and dangers of road and river transport from all directions; its multi-ethnic make-up and the engrained cultural prejudice from the north, especially from the capital's governing elite and literati, were all factors that contributed to a sense of regional separation that manifested itself in a distinct material culture and is hinted at in early textual sources. The main sources of material culture examined in the dissertation are pictorial brick tiles and stone reliefs discovered in stone and brick
southwest study regional_identity material_culture textual_source eastern han dynasty study examples social_cultural memory identity manifest art southwest present_day sichuan province eastern han dynasty study southwest material_culture consider special distinct artistic_style content scholar field chinese art combine analysis early textual_source highlight number_important finding associate region social make_up economic_activity burial_practice education governance contribute_formation distinct_regional identity southwest geographical isolation great distance central difficulty danger road river transport direction multi_ethnic make_up cultural prejudice north especially capital govern elite factor_contribute sense regional separation manifest distinct material_culture hint early textual_source main_source material_culture examine pictorial brick_tile stone relief discover stone brick