On the morning of April 20, Prof. Li Beilei, a PhD Supervisor at the School of Arts of Southeast University, was invited to deliver an academic lecture titled “Exploring the Origin of Art through Rock Images at Archaeological Sites: A Case Study of the Shizitan Rock Images” in the conference room on the third floor of the Arts Building. The lecture was chaired by Zhou Ziqiang, Vice Dean of the School of Arts and Design, and attended by over 100 representatives of faculty and students from related disciplines. This event was part of the “Transcendence and Breakthrough: Constructing China’s Art Theory System and Academic Research” high-end forum series hosted by the university.

Focusing on the “rock images” at the Shizitan Site in Ji County, Linfen, Shanxi Province, Prof. Li delved into the critical topic of “the origin of art”. He systematically reviewed diverse scholarly interpretations of these images and proposed that the entire composition embodies the cosmic concepts of heaven and earth, yin and yang, constructing a universal framework that integrates sky, earth, and humanity. Prof. Li argued that the “deity-like figures” depicted in the images likely represent ancient “celestial officials” responsible for astronomical observations, suggesting the rock art could be termed the “Celestial Officials Diagram”. He emphasized that civilization and art originated from ancient astronomy, a perspective that not only aligns with the inclusion of astronomy experts in the “Biographies of Art” from the Twenty-Six Histories but also profoundly reveals the foundational essence of Chinese art.

Following the lecture, participating faculty and students engaged in discussions with Prof. Li on topics such as ancient artistic origins, rock images, and their connection to early astronomy. The event offered a fresh academic lens and systematic research methodology, significantly broadening the scholarly horizons of attendees. This lecture marked one of the specialized art-themed sessions under the university’s ongoing high-end forum series.

Written by: Lv Xingyi

Photo by: Zhang Jianyu

Source: NYNU Academic Activities (Chinese)

https://www.nynu.edu.cn/info/1048/29666.htm