China has been known for its artistic brilliance since ancient times. However, many precious artworks have been lost to disaster or war. Fortunately, since the second half of the 20th century, China has seen an increase in field archaeological investigation and excavation. Astonishing archaeological discoveries have been made almost every year in the past two to three decades, which is like unearthing a treasure trove of ancient artifacts. An unprecedented number of ancient artworks have been unveiled, making it possible for us to re-chart China’s art history, especially the art history before the Tang and Song Dynasties. Most art historians and ancient Chinese art aficionados are still not familiar with these newly discovered artifacts and archaeological materials. Therefore, it is important to make these new discoveries and knowledge accessible to broad audiences. Hence, this book was compiled.

In this book, two long-term archaeologists talk about the latest developments in art archaeology and give special attention to the most important artistic forms of each era or dynasty, such as the painted pottery and jade carvings of the Neolithic Age, and the bronzes of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, the tomb figurines of the Qin and Han Dynasties, the Buddhist sculptures of the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, and the tomb murals painted in and after the Tang and Song Dynasties. The book, which contains more than 600 color pictures, aims to map out China’s art history in an all-round manner and invite readers to embark on amazing adventures to explore and discover the beauty of Chinese art.