Picture scroll of Emperor Yongzheng sacrificing to the Xiannong altar

[Picture Volume of Emperor Yongzheng Sacrificing the Xiannong Altar]

“Picture of Emperor Yongzheng Sacrificing the Xiannong Altar” Volume, Qing Dynasty, silk version, colored, 61.8 cm vertically and 467.8 cm horizontally
The Xiannong Temple is located in the Yongding Gate in the outer city of Beijing. It was built in the 18th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1420) and expanded during the Jiajing period. It is the place where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties worshipped the god of agriculture and prayed for harvest. According to historical records, Emperor Yongzheng attached great importance to agricultural production during his reign, and went to the Xiannong Altar for many times to participate in sacrificial ceremonies. The volume of “The Painting of Emperor Yongzheng Sacrificing to the Xiannong Altar” is such a documentary painting depicting his activities of sacrificing to the farming god at the Xiannong Altar
The painting begins with a pine forest, and a royal road extends from right to left. There is a temple at the top of the painting. Only the platform base, some doors and windows, and walls are painted. This should be the Hall of the People’s Clothing. On the left side of the picture, there are many officials in court uniforms, dozens of bodyguards in a semicircle, surrounded by Emperor Yongzheng who is slowly moving forward. The band members wore red robes and waited for the arrival of the emperor. The bells and drums were all ready. The royal road turns to a high platform, on which tables and incense burners are placed. In the yellow tent, there are offering tables and sacrificial vessels. According to the “Draft of the History of the Qing Dynasty”, the sacrificial ceremony of the Xiannong altar is “the number of offerings, such as the ceremony of the state”, that is, “sheep one, rag one, silk one, bean four, Xing, Fu, Gui two.” At the end of the scroll is a dense pine Berlin and an altar door. The composition of the whole painting is rigorous and accurate, the figure description is detailed and vivid, and the application color is bright and gorgeous, which can be called the best painting of the Qing court. The author of the scroll is unknown
The painting of Emperor Yongzheng sacrificing to the altar of the ancient peasants is divided into two volumes: the first volume and the second volume. The second volume is now in the Gime Museum in Paris, France. The upper and lower volumes show the emperor’s sacrifice to the god of agriculture and helping the plough to plough the land, which constitute the whole content of the emperor’s sacrifice to the god of agriculture