User:Yang Jing

Grain Paintings

Yang Jing

Abstract

This article introduces the grain painting, an intangible cultural heritage, mainly covering its materials, features, historical development, typical representatives, classifications, and cultural connotations.

I. Introduction

The art of Chinese grain painting is a superb folk craftsmanship in the long-standing farming civilization of China, with a history of over 1,700 years. Different from traditional painting relying on pigments, the colors of grain painting are derived from nature: golden corn kernels, crimson sorghum, silvery coix seeds, and inky kidney beans—each grain serves as a natural “palette”. Creators conceive according to the natural shapes, colors, and textures of grains, grass seeds, rapeseed, flower seeds, etc. After anti-corrosion and anti-insect treatment, through processes like dyeing, cutting, piecing, pasting, arranging, and carving, and using modeling techniques such as composition, lines, light and shade, and color, they meticulously create images of calligraphy, landscapes, figures, flowers, and birds, sublimating food originally for satiety into artworks carrying aesthetics. Not only is grain painting natural, environmentally friendly, and full of rural charm, but it also implies the beautiful meaning of “national peace and security, and abundant harvests”, thus being called the “spiritual food” hung on the wall.(Han 2018, 1)

II. Historical Development

The origins of grain painting can be traced back to the Neolithic Age, when primitive ancestors arranged grains into totemic symbols as ritual objects for worshiping heaven and earth and praying for harvests. During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, grain inlay techniques appeared in the decoration of ritual vessels, symbolizing power and faith. In the Tang and Song dynasties, with agricultural prosperity and the development of handicrafts, folk artisans began using grains to paste auspicious patterns for home decoration, marking the transition of grain painting from imperial courts to ordinary households. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, grain paintings were widely used in folk activities such as weddings and birthday banquets. Themes like "abundant harvests" and "loong and phoenix bringing good luck" not only expressed yearnings for a better life but also conveyed the philosophy of "food as the paramount necessity for the people".(Han 2018, 1)

III. Typical Representations

Chinese grain painting has formed two major stylistic systems in northern and southern regions. Northern Style(Guantao, Hebei Province): Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, Guantao has had a tradition of using wheat straw and bean seeds to create decorative paintings. Influenced by paper-cutting and pyrography techniques, Guantao grain paintings excel in depicting figures and folk scenes, featuring full compositions and strong color contrasts. Masterpieces like Along the River During the Qingming Festival meticulously arrange thousands of grains to reproduce every detail. The local grain painting industry integrates agrarian culture with modern creativity, boosting rural income and rural revitalization, and becoming a model of cultural and tourism integration. Southern Style (Beibei, Chongqing Province): Originating in the Tang Dynasty and reaching its peak during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, Beibei grain paintings were once tributes from Chongqing Prefecture to the emperor, symbolizing "abundant harvests and national peace". Incorporating Bayu regional culture, Beibei grain paintings highlight local uniqueness, emphasize cultural cores and poetic expressions, preserve more sacrificial and folk traditions, and convey the concept of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature in agrarian civilization. Additionally, grain paintings in Shaanxi and Shanxi integrate elements of shadow puppetry and paper-cutting, exuding the boldness of the Loess Plateau.（Qin2016，19；YanZhao Evening News 2021）

IV. Classification

Grain paintings can be categorized by the color of grains used into Original Color Grain Painting, Colored Grain Painting, Composite Color Grain Painting, and Luminescent Grain Painting.

Original Color Grain Painting (traditional style): Featuring natural colors, distinct layers, and strong three-dimensionality, it uses the unprocessed hues of grains, resulting in monotonous, dark, and less stable colors.

Colored Grain Painting: Grains and seeds are specially dyed to ensure permanent colorfastness. Compared to original color paintings, they resolve the issue of dull colors, creating vivid and enchanting compositions that align with contemporary aesthetic preferences.

Composite Color Grain Painting: Combining original and dyed grains (with original grains as the main component), it retains the natural color and layered texture of traditional grain paintings while addressing color monotony. The result is harmonious, vibrant compositions that integrate the advantages of both styles.

Luminescent Grain Painting: An innovative breakthrough, this style incorporates fluorescent materials into grains through special techniques, enabling them to glow in low-light environments. The artwork preserves the natural texture of grains while adding mysterious light and shadow layers via fluorescent colors. Breaking free from reliance on natural light, it showcases the rustic beauty of grains during the day and emits a soft glow at night, creating a unique artistic tension that suits modern art scenes and nighttime cultural consumption.

Ⅴ. Cultural Connotations

Grain painting carries profound cultural connotations and contemporary significance. As a visual expression of farming civilization, it not only conveys respect for the land and food but also embodies the good wishes for a bountiful harvest, prosperity, and well-being. As an intangible cultural heritage craft, grain painting connects folk memories and rural sentiments. Themes like flowers, birds, and auspicious patterns highlight the Oriental aesthetic concept of “harmony between man and nature”. In the modern era, grain painting breaks through traditional boundaries, integrating artistic aesthetics with environmental concepts. It not only awakens people’s appreciation for farming culture but also serves as a vivid carrier of cultural empowerment in rural revitalization, achieving the coexistence and mutual prosperity of traditional craftsmanship and modern life.(Yu 2021, 14; Wang 2025, 1)

Terms and Expressions

高粱米 sorghum

薏米 coix seeds

芸豆 kidney beans

五谷丰登 abundant harvests

龙凤呈祥 loong and phoenix bringing good luck

烙画 pyrography

《清明上河图》 Along the River During the Qingming Festival

黄土高原 the Loess Plateau

合成色粮画 composite color grain painting

夜光粮画 luminescent grain painting

荧光材料 fluorescent materials

Questions

1. What is the main difference between the creative materials of grain painting and traditional painting?

2. In which historical period did grain painting begin to transition from imperial courts to folk society?

3. What regions respectively represent the two major northern and southern stylistic systems of Chinese grain painting?

4. Compared with original color grain painting, what breakthroughs have colored grain paintings achieved in craftsmanship and visual effects?

5. How does the creative concept of composite color grain painting reflect the integration of tradition and innovation?

6. Through what techniques does luminescent grain painting achieve its artistic effects, and what modern communication scenarios is it suitable for?

Answers

1. The creative materials of grain painting are various plant seeds and grains, with colors derived from nature; traditional painting relies on pigments.

2. During the Tang and Song dynasties.

3. The northern style is represented by Guantao in Hebei, while the southern style takes Beibei in Chongqing as the core representative.

4. In terms of craftsmanship, colored grain paintings use special dyeing for grains and seeds, which never fade; in terms of visual effects, they solve the problems of monotonous and dull colors, making the pictures gorgeous, vivid, and full of verve.

5. Composite color grain paintings give priority to original-color grains and supplement them with dyed grains, maintaining the natural colors and distinct layers of traditional grain paintings while solving the problem of monotonous colors, thus integrating tradition and innovation.

6. Luminescent grain paintings achieve artistic effects by incorporating fluorescent materials into grains and seeds through special techniques; they are suitable for modern art scenes and nighttime cultural consumption needs.

References

韩国瑞(hán guó ruì). 换个造型卖粮食 五谷作画绘人生(huàn gè zào xíng mài liáng shi wǔ gǔ zuò huà huì rén shēng)[J]. 文化产业, 2018, (13): 1-2.

秦嵩宁(qín sōng níng). 粮画小镇(liáng huà xiǎo zhèn)[J]. 中国集体经济, 2016, (35): 18-21.

王梦洁(wáng mèng jié). 粮画小镇为啥成”标杆”?(liáng huà xiǎo zhèn wèi shá chéng “biāo gān”?)[N]. 邯郸日报, 2025-02-15(001).

燕赵晚报(yàn zhào wǎn bào). 2021. 不到百元5斤杂粮制作《清明上河图》价值48万 (bú dào bǎi yuán 5 jīn zá liáng zhì zuò 《qīng míng shàng hé tú》jià zhí 48 wàn). 中国新闻网. https://www.chinanews.com.cn/sh/2016/04-07/7826014.shtml

于广宁(yú guǎng níng). 馆陶粮画小镇 倾力绘制乡村振兴锦绣画卷(guǎn táo liáng huà xiǎo zhèn qīng lì huì zhì xiāng cūn zhèn xīng jǐn xiù huà juàn)[J]. 河北农业, 2021, (03): 14-17.

AI Statement

I hereby guarantee that I have not used the help of AI to write my final paper in this course.

粮画

杨静

摘要

本文对粮画这一非物质文化遗产进行了介绍，主要介绍了其材料、特点、历史发展、典型代表、分类及文化内涵等。

一、简介

中国粮画艺术是华夏悠久农耕文明中的一种高超民间技艺，迄今已有1700多年的历史。不同于传统绘画依赖颜料，粮画的色彩取自自然：金黄的玉米粒、绛红的高粱米、银白的薏米、墨黑的芸豆，每一粒谷物都是天然的“调色盘”。创作者根据粮食、草籽、菜籽、花种等颗粒的自然形状、颜色和纹理进行构思，将其进行防腐防虫处理后，加之染、切、拼、粘、排、雕等工艺，运用构图、线条、明暗、色彩等造型手法，将其精心创作成书法、山水、人物、花鸟等形象，使原本用于饱腹的粮食升华为承载美学的艺术品。粮画不但天然环保，充满乡土气息，且有“国泰民安、五谷丰登”的美好寓意，被人们称为挂在墙上的“精神食粮”。（韩 2018, 1）

二、历史发展

粮画的雏形可追溯至新石器时代。原始先民将谷物排列成图腾符号，作为祭祀天地、祈求丰收的仪式载体。商周时期，谷物镶嵌工艺出现在礼器装饰中，成为权力与信仰的象征。唐宋年间，随着农业繁荣和手工业发展，民间开始用谷物拼贴吉祥纹样装点居室，粮画逐渐从庙堂走入寻常百姓家。明清时期，粮画在婚庆、寿宴等民俗活动中广泛应用，如以“五谷丰登”“龙凤呈祥”为主题的粮画，既表达对美好生活的向往，也传递“民以食为天”的生存哲学。（韩 2018, 1）

三、典型代表

中国粮画形成南北两大风格体系。北方以河北馆陶为代表，当地自明清起就有用麦秸、豆粒制作装饰画的传统。馆陶粮画吸收剪纸、烙画技法，擅长表现人物、民俗场景，作品构图饱满，色彩对比强烈，《清明上河图》等代表作将数千粒谷物排列得纤毫毕现。该地粮画产业融合农耕文化与现代创意，带动农民增收，推动乡村振兴，成为文旅融合的典范。南方粮画以重庆北碚为核心代表，北碚粮画艺术初兴于唐代，清代乾隆时期达到鼎盛，曾是重庆府敬献皇帝的贡品，承载着“五谷丰登、国泰民安”的吉祥寓意。北碚粮画常融合巴渝地域文化，凸显地域文化独特性，强调艺术的文化内核与诗意表达，保留更多祭祀与民俗传统，传递农耕文明中人与自然和谐共生的理念。此外，陕西、山西等地的粮画则融入皮影、剪纸元素，充满黄土高原的豪迈气息。（秦2016，19；燕赵晚报2021）

四、分类

根据所用粮食的色彩差异，可以将粮画分为原色粮画、彩色粮画、合成色粮画和夜光粮画等。

原色粮画，即传统粮画，其色彩自然，层次分明，具有较强的立体感。以天然五谷丰富多彩的本色为基调，不经过染色处理，运用其原色，颜色偏单调、灰暗，色彩欠稳定。

彩色粮画使用的粮食和种子经由特殊处理进行特制染色，可永不退色。与原色粮画相比，彩色粮画解决了颜色单调、灰暗的问题，使画面绚丽多彩、生动而富有神韵，更能适应当今社会的审美需求。

合成色粮画将原色和染色的粮食搭配使用，以原色粮食为主，染色粮食为辅，既能保持传统粮画色彩自然、层次分明的特点，又解决了原色粮画颜色单调、灰暗的问题。合成色粮画画面自然、协调，颜色绚丽而生动，兼具原色粮画和彩色粮画的优点。

夜光粮画在传统粮画基础上创新突破，通过特殊工艺将荧光材料融入粮食与种子，使其在暗光环境下呈现发光效果，画面既保留天然五谷的纹理质感，又借助荧光色彩增添神秘光影层次。夜光粮画突破了单一自然光限制，白天展现五谷本色的质朴美感，夜晚散发柔和荧光形成独特艺术张力，更契合现代艺术场景与夜间文化消费需求。

五、文化内涵

粮画承载着深厚的文化内涵与时代意义。它是农耕文明的视觉化表达，既传递对土地与粮食的敬畏，也寄托祈愿丰收、富足安康的美好愿景。作为非遗技艺，粮画串联起民俗记忆与乡土情怀，其花鸟、吉祥纹样等题材，彰显着“天人合一”的东方美学观。在当代，粮画更突破传统边界，兼具艺术审美与环保理念，不仅唤醒人们对农耕文化的珍视，还成为乡村振兴中文化赋能的鲜活载体，实现传统技艺与现代生活的共生共荣。 （于2021，14；王2025, 1）

术语

高粱米 sorghum

薏米 coix seeds

芸豆 kidney beans

五谷丰登 abundant harvests

龙凤呈祥 loong and phoenix bringing good luck

烙画 pyrography

《清明上河图》 Along the River During the Qingming Festival

黄土高原 the Loess Plateau

合成色粮画 composite color grain painting

夜光粮画 luminescent grain painting

荧光材料 fluorescent materials

问题

1.粮画的创作材料与传统绘画的主要区别是什么？

2.粮画在哪个历史时期开始从庙堂走向民间？

3.中国粮画的南北两大风格体系分别以何地为代表？

4.彩色粮画相较于原色粮画，在工艺和视觉效果上有哪些突破？

5.合成色粮画的创作理念如何体现对传统与创新的融合？

6.夜光粮画通过何种工艺实现艺术效果？其适应的现代传播场景有哪些？

答案

1. 粮画的创作材料是各类植物种子、谷物，色彩取自自然；传统绘画依赖颜料。

2. 唐宋年间。

3. 北方以河北馆陶为代表，南方以重庆北碚为核心代表。

4. 工艺上，彩色粮画对粮食和种子进行特制染色，可永不褪色；视觉效果上，解决了颜色单调、灰暗的问题，画面绚丽多彩、生动有神韵。

5. 合成色粮画以原色粮食为主，染色粮食为辅，既保持传统粮画色彩自然、层次分明的特点，又解决颜色单调问题，实现传统与创新融合。

6. 夜光粮画通过特殊工艺将荧光材料融入粮食与种子实现艺术效果；适应现代艺术场景与夜间文化消费需求。

参考文献

韩国瑞. 换个造型卖粮食 五谷作画绘人生[J]. 文化产业,2018,(13):1-2.

李盼盼. 粮画小镇[J]. 中国粮食经济,2022,(01):69-70.

燕赵晚报. (2021). 不到百元5斤杂粮制作《清明上河图》价值48万. 中国新闻网. https://www.chinanews.com.cn/sh/2016/04-07/7826014.shtml

于广宁. 馆陶粮画小镇 倾力绘制乡村振兴锦绣画卷[J]. 河北农业,2021,(03):14-17.

张付仁：粮画小镇故事多[J]. 共产党员(河北),2024,(08):44.

张海平,霍华康,李明远,赵海涛. “粮画小镇”建设 助推脱贫攻坚 邯郸市馆陶县寿东村产业脱贫典型[J]. 河北农业,2020,(10):72-75.