The title “Emperor” refers to the highest ruler during China’s imperial period.
The ancient Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, such as Fuxi, Nüwa, the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan, and the Flame Emperor Shennong, were not actual emperors but rather tribal leaders or tribal alliance leaders. Their titles of “Sovereign” or “Emperor” were added posthumously. The rulers of the Xia Dynasty were called “Hou,” those of the Shang Dynasty were called “Di,” and the Zhou kings were called “Wang.” During the Warring States period, many feudal lords overstepped and claimed the title of “Wang,” while still respecting the Zhou king as the “Tian Wang” (Heavenly King). After unifying China, King Zheng of Qin believed his virtue surpassed that of the Three Sovereigns and his achievements outshone those of the Five Emperors. Thus, he created the term “Emperor” (Huangdi) as the formal title for the supreme ruler of China. Consequently, Qin Shi Huang (King Zheng of Qin) became the first emperor of China, calling himself the “First Emperor.” From then on, “Emperor” replaced “Di” and “Wang” and became the title of the highest ruler in China’s feudal society for over two thousand years.
Ancient figure sculptures are a form of sculptural art modeled after various figures from ancient times to the present, both domestic and foreign. These sculptures are created using various malleable materials or hard materials that can be carved and sculpted, producing visual and tactile artistic human images with a certain spatial presence. They reflect social life and express the artist’s aesthetic perception, emotions, and ideals.
Ancient figure sculptures embody the artist’s understanding of the evolution of Chinese history and represent an optimistic view of human development. Building these sculptures helps people remember history, learn from outstanding historical figures and predecessors, and absorb their experiences and lessons. This is of great educational significance for future generations.
