Glazed Steeds and Saddles

Located in Xiuding Temple at the southern foot of Qingliang Mountain in Anyang City, Henan Province, stands the "Tang Pagoda" - the Xiuding Temple Pagoda, acclaimed as China's first ornate pagoda.The pagoda consists of three parts: the top, body, and base, reaching a height of 20 meters. It is a single-story square relief brick sarira stupa.In 2024, it was brought back into public attention from the pages of Chinese architectural history through its appearance as a scene in the popular game "Black Myth: Wukong."This drew widespread attention to the enduring essence of Eastern aesthetics.The entire pagoda is inlaid with molded glazed floral bricks, carved with magnificent scenes of deities and celestial beings: immortals, warriors, court ladies, apsaras, musicians, children, guardian figures, dragons, tigers, lions, heavenly horses, pythons, and flowers, totaling 3,775 pieces.During my field visit in October, observing the weathering erosion and restoration marks on different light-facing surfaces of the pagoda body, I was inspired to create artistic interpretations of several impressive floral bricks that left a deep impression on me. I wanted to personally explore the beauty of Chinese architecture through the use of color, which led to the creation of the "Freehand Brushwork of Xiuding Fragments" series.