The Dawn of China’s Collecting Culture

When discussing China’s art collecting traditions, scholars identify several historical peaks—most notably the Song Dynasty (960–1279), when aristocratic pastimes evolved into a systematic cultural movement. As collectors Liu Wenjie and Ma Weidu observed, China experienced five major collecting booms, with the Song period marking the first nationwide fascination with antiquities. This era birthed “Bogu” (博古), a term encapsulating both the study of ancient artifacts and the broader ideal of connecting past and present wisdom.

The Song collecting phenomenon didn’t emerge in isolation. After centuries of political fragmentation, the reunified Song Empire fostered unprecedented scholarly engagement with history. The imperial court’s compilation of the Xuanhe Bogu Tu (宣和博古图), documenting 800+ royal bronze artifacts, set the standard for antiquarian research. Meanwhile, private collectors like Zhao Mingcheng (husband of poet Li Qingzhao) amassed thousands of inscriptions in works like Records of Metal and Stone (金石录).

The Twin Pillars of Song Antiquarianism

### Bogu Illustrations: When Art Met Archaeology

Two distinct artistic traditions emerged to satisfy collectors’ needs:

1. Technical Catalogues: Pioneering works like Lü Dalin’s Archaeological Illustrated (考古图) featured precise etchings of ritual bronzes, noting dimensions, inscriptions, and even provenance—a methodology praised by modern scholar Wang Guowei as “establishing standards for future generations.”

2. Lifestyle Paintings: Scenes of literati examining treasures became popular subjects. Liu Songnian’s Bogu Tu and Qiu Ying’s later Appraising Antiques in Bamboo Garden (竹院品古图) depicted scholars gathered around ancient vessels, often with tea implements nearby—a visual manifesto of Song elite aesthetics.

### Marketplace Revolution

Kaifeng’s markets buzzed with antique trading, as recorded in Dream Pool Essays (梦溪笔谈):

– Dongjiao Market: Operated predawn as a “ghost market” for paintings and curios
– Panlou District: Specialized in jades and rare books
– Xiangguo Temple: Hosted retired officials selling regional artifacts

The demand fueled unethical practices too. Ye Mengde’s Summer Retreat Conversations (避暑录话) lamented how imperial enthusiasm caused rampant tomb raiding, with some farmers deliberately smashing artifacts to bypass laws protecting “unusually shaped” cultural relics.

The Intellectual Undercurrents

Beyond mere acquisitiveness, Song collecting reflected profound ideological shifts:

1. Challenging Classical Texts: As Neo-Confucians questioned traditional scriptures, physical artifacts became tangible evidence for reconstructing ancient rites. Lü Dalin argued that bronces could “correct Confucian scholars’ mistakes.”

2. Museum Before Museums: Emperor Huizong’s 11,000-piece collection in specially built palaces (稽古阁, 博古阁) anticipated modern curation principles.

3. Social Performance: The legendary “West Garden Gathering” immortalized by Li Gonglin showed elites like Su Shi and Mi Fu debating amidst displayed antiquities—a ritual blending scholarship with status display.

Enduring Legacy

The Song model reverberated through later dynasties:

– Ming Revival: 16th-century collectors religiously reprinted Song catalogues. Qiu Ying’s Along the River During Qingming included detailed antique shop scenes.
– Modern Impact: Auction houses like China Guardian still handle Song-style Bogu paintings, while contemporary terms like “zhongdingwen” (bronce script) originate from Song classifications.

As Wang Guwei noted, no subsequent period matched the Song’s “fusion of research passion and aesthetic delight”—a lesson for today’s often commercially-driven art markets. The true Bogu spirit, as seen in those tea-sipping scholars of ancient scrolls, reminds us that collecting thrives when it bridges eras rather than merely accumulates treasures.