# The Riverside Scenes During the Qingming Festival

An Ancient Masterpiece Comes to Life

The Along the River During the Qingming Festival is one of China’s most celebrated historical artworks. Created by Zhang Zeduan during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), this panoramic painting offers a breathtaking glimpse into daily life during the Qingming Festival in 12th-century China.

A Window to the Past

Measuring 25.5 centimeters in height and stretching an impressive 5.25 meters in length, the scroll painting depicts the bustling life along the Bian River in the capital city of Bianjing (modern-day Kaifeng). The artwork captures:

• Merchants conducting business
• Scholars traveling by boat
• Farmers tending their fields
• Artisans practicing their crafts

The Qingming Festival Tradition

The painting derives its name from the Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day), a traditional Chinese holiday when families honor their ancestors by cleaning gravesites and making offerings. The festival typically occurs in early April and marks the arrival of spring.

Artistic Significance

What makes this painting extraordinary is its:

Feature	Description
Perspective	Uses a “scattered perspective” technique
Detail	Contains over 800 human figures
Scope	Shows urban and rural scenes simultaneously

Modern Interpretations

In 2010, China created an animated version of the painting for the Shanghai World Expo. This digital interpretation brought the ancient artwork to life with moving figures and changing scenes, allowing visitors to “walk through” the Song Dynasty landscape.

“The Riverside Scenes During the Qingming Festival is not just a painting – it’s a historical document that preserves the soul of Chinese civilization.” – Art Historian Li Lin

Today, the original painting is housed in the Palace Museum in Beijing, where it continues to captivate visitors with its intricate details and vibrant portrayal of ancient Chinese life.