Accumulated Snow on Mt. Taibai, from the series Eight Views of the Guanzhong Region

INK RUBBINGS For millennia in China, important texts have been carved into flat stone tablets, or stelae, that were erected in public spaces. By the early seventh century, people began making copies of these inscriptions by placing large sheets of dampened paper over them, pressing the paper into the carved-out text or image, and then patting the surface of the paper with inked pads. This simple form of printing left the carved out text or image appear white on a black background. These rubbings became highly prized by scholars, and were widely distributed and exchanged. In some cases, ink rubbings preserved the inscriptions of stelae now lost or damaged.

EIGHT VIEWS OF GUANZHONG (关中八景 / 關中八景 Guānzhōng bājǐng) The popularity in China of the theme Eight Views of Xiāoxiāng, created in the 11th century during the Song dynasty (960–1279), inspired later Chinese artists to create "eight views" of other regions of China. One of the first, dating to later in the Song period, was Eight Views of Guānzhōng [GWAN-JONG], depicting eight scenic locations in the Guānzhōng region. This area encompasses the historic capital city of Xi’an and the surrounding plains in Shaanxi Province, a region rich in culture and history.

The Eight Views of Guānzhōng were depicted in various mediums including painting, poetry, and calligraphy. Artists emphasized both the natural beauty and cultural significance of each location, often incorporating seasonal and temporal elements. The theme remained popular through the Ming and Qing dynasties, influencing later artistic traditions and serving as an important documentation of Guānzhōng's historical landscape. These examples are ink rubbings based on paintings by the 19th-century artist Wǔ Tíngguì.

The Guānzhōng region encompasses the historic capital city of Xi’an and the surrounding plains in Shaanxi Province.