Dr. LIU Yang is Chair of Asian Art and Curator of Chinese Art at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia). Educated in China and the UK, LIU Yang received his Ph.D. in art history and archaeology from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Prior to his appointment at Mia, Dr. Liu served as the Senior Curator of Chinese Art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney. He was concurrently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Sydney and University of New South Wales. Since 1998, Dr. Liu has organized more than a dozen traveling exhibitions from China; his exhibition of China’s First Emperor set an attendance record. Among fifteen books and catalogues he authored or co-authored, three won awards. Two exhibitions he curated, “Power and Beauty in China’s Last Dynasty” (2018) and “Eternal Offerings: Chinese Ritual Bronzes” (2023), in collaboration with avant-garde theater director Robert Wilson and Oscar-winning film designer Tim Yip, were hailed as unprecedented and ground-breaking. In addition to his appointment at Mia, he also serves as a member of the Advisory Committee for the China Center at the University of Minnesota and the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts.
Annals of Transcultural History of Art, Vol. V, Shandong Fine Art Press, 2024, 2024
This is a vivid recount of the creation of the innovative exhibition Eternal Offerings: Chinese R... more This is a vivid recount of the creation of the innovative exhibition Eternal Offerings: Chinese Ritual Bronzes. Held at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) from March 4 to May 21, 2023, the exhibition was a groundbreaking and immersive exploration of ancient Chinese art and ritual. Monumental in both scope and curatorial approach, it offered a captivating narrative of China’s Bronze Age, featuring a breathtaking collection of over 150 ritual bronzes. Mia’s Chinese art curator, Liu Yang, and world-renowned art director and film designer Tim Yip (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) collaborated to craft an experiential exhibition that truly engaged the senses. Each gallery was designed to reflect a specific aspect of ancient rituals, from the solemnity of temple ceremonies to the indulgence and grandeur of lavish banquets. To deepen the audience's experience, the exhibition incorporated multimedia elements, including interactive displays and virtual reconstructions, which transported visitors to the world of China’s Bronze Age. These innovative tools helped to vividly illustrate the role and significance of ritual bronzes in the era, creating an unforgettable and immersive journey through history.
A study of Chinese Buddhist monastic robes, known as kashaya, with a focus on those associated wi... more A study of Chinese Buddhist monastic robes, known as kashaya, with a focus on those associated with the Qing court in China. Many of these robes were also used as theatrical costumes.
Annals of Transcultural History of Art, Vol. V, Shandong Fine Art Press, 2024
This essay reevaluates the iconographic ambiguity surrounding the Vairocana Buddha, enriched by r... more This essay reevaluates the iconographic ambiguity surrounding the Vairocana Buddha, enriched by recent archaeological findings. A detailed examination of images from the late 6th century, in light of these discoveries, provides substantial evidence that worshippers of that era would have recognized such figures as the cosmic Buddha Vairocana. Significant epigraphic and pictorial materials, unearthed in present-day Shandong, indicate that the latter half of the 6th century saw a proliferation of Vairocana worship among the populace. This period was marked by a notable expansion in the creation of Vairocana imagery, reflecting its growing significance in local life. Consequently, the sculptures of the cosmic Buddha crafted in this region during this time are characterized by innovative iconography and distinctive stylistic features.
中国国家博物馆馆刊 Journal of National Museum of China, 2023
A special bird design is seen on Western Zhou bronze vessels that consists of a pair of standing ... more A special bird design is seen on Western Zhou bronze vessels that consists of a pair of standing birds facing each other, with a stem coming out of their raised heads and carrying a blossom at the end. The birds are usually small, but they sometimes appear as richly ornamented big birds. In this paper, such design is termed as “bird with a floral crown”. Based on a review of all examples found so far, the author tries to find out their dates and history of evolution. The origin and cultural background of their creation are discussed as well.
西周青铜器中有一种特别的鸟纹，通常为立姿小鸟，偶尔也以华丽大鸟形式呈现。它们两两相对，高昂的头上伸出一条沿颈部弯曲至背部的细枝条，枝条末端托住一朵盛开的小花。本文名之为花冠鸟，并通过列举目前所能收集的所有花冠鸟例子，推断其各自的年代，由此建立花冠鸟纹发展脉胳，进一步考察其产生的源头及文化背景。
Annals of Transcultural History of Art, Vol. V, Shandong Fine Art Press, 2024, 2024
This is a vivid recount of the creation of the innovative exhibition Eternal Offerings: Chinese R... more This is a vivid recount of the creation of the innovative exhibition Eternal Offerings: Chinese Ritual Bronzes. Held at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) from March 4 to May 21, 2023, the exhibition was a groundbreaking and immersive exploration of ancient Chinese art and ritual. Monumental in both scope and curatorial approach, it offered a captivating narrative of China’s Bronze Age, featuring a breathtaking collection of over 150 ritual bronzes. Mia’s Chinese art curator, Liu Yang, and world-renowned art director and film designer Tim Yip (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) collaborated to craft an experiential exhibition that truly engaged the senses. Each gallery was designed to reflect a specific aspect of ancient rituals, from the solemnity of temple ceremonies to the indulgence and grandeur of lavish banquets. To deepen the audience's experience, the exhibition incorporated multimedia elements, including interactive displays and virtual reconstructions, which transported visitors to the world of China’s Bronze Age. These innovative tools helped to vividly illustrate the role and significance of ritual bronzes in the era, creating an unforgettable and immersive journey through history.
A study of Chinese Buddhist monastic robes, known as kashaya, with a focus on those associated wi... more A study of Chinese Buddhist monastic robes, known as kashaya, with a focus on those associated with the Qing court in China. Many of these robes were also used as theatrical costumes.
Annals of Transcultural History of Art, Vol. V, Shandong Fine Art Press, 2024
This essay reevaluates the iconographic ambiguity surrounding the Vairocana Buddha, enriched by r... more This essay reevaluates the iconographic ambiguity surrounding the Vairocana Buddha, enriched by recent archaeological findings. A detailed examination of images from the late 6th century, in light of these discoveries, provides substantial evidence that worshippers of that era would have recognized such figures as the cosmic Buddha Vairocana. Significant epigraphic and pictorial materials, unearthed in present-day Shandong, indicate that the latter half of the 6th century saw a proliferation of Vairocana worship among the populace. This period was marked by a notable expansion in the creation of Vairocana imagery, reflecting its growing significance in local life. Consequently, the sculptures of the cosmic Buddha crafted in this region during this time are characterized by innovative iconography and distinctive stylistic features.
中国国家博物馆馆刊 Journal of National Museum of China, 2023
A special bird design is seen on Western Zhou bronze vessels that consists of a pair of standing ... more A special bird design is seen on Western Zhou bronze vessels that consists of a pair of standing birds facing each other, with a stem coming out of their raised heads and carrying a blossom at the end. The birds are usually small, but they sometimes appear as richly ornamented big birds. In this paper, such design is termed as “bird with a floral crown”. Based on a review of all examples found so far, the author tries to find out their dates and history of evolution. The origin and cultural background of their creation are discussed as well.
西周青铜器中有一种特别的鸟纹，通常为立姿小鸟，偶尔也以华丽大鸟形式呈现。它们两两相对，高昂的头上伸出一条沿颈部弯曲至背部的细枝条，枝条末端托住一朵盛开的小花。本文名之为花冠鸟，并通过列举目前所能收集的所有花冠鸟例子，推断其各自的年代，由此建立花冠鸟纹发展脉胳，进一步考察其产生的源头及文化背景。
Minneapolis Institute of Art & University of Washington Press, 2012
Review:
"Liu Yang’s catalogue for the terracotta warriors…is an outstanding contribution to the... more Review:
"Liu Yang’s catalogue for the terracotta warriors…is an outstanding contribution to the literature on the tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi as well as a beautifully illustrated record of the seminal objects from the Terracotta Warriors Museum. Readers will not be disappointed: China’s Terracotta Warriors is much more than yet another book about China’s most glorious excavation site"―Nancy Steinhardt, Orientations
"The extensively illustrated catalogue, one of the most detailed overviews of the Qin and the First Emperor yet published, is vital for anyone even remotely interested in this pivotal period in Chinese art, culture and history."―Martin Barnes Lorber, Asian Art
"The Minneapolis catalogue stands out as one of the most informative and groundbreaking in the mass of books on the terracotta warriors. Within the plethora of books about the First Emperor of China and the terracotta soldiers placed at his tomb, this volume is exceptional in its placing of the First Emperor in his context—a young ruler of a vassal state of questionable 'barbarian' influences forging an empire out of the ruins of an old world, a world he conquered with a invincible army and governed with an iron fist." —Chao-Hui Jenny Liu, China Review International
"This dazzling catalogue by Curator Liu Yang traces the development of the Qin state from the 9th century BCE to the reign of the First Emperor, through an array of sculpted works and architectural remains from Shaanxi province....Written by an internationally renowned cast of scholars, the volume features detailed chapters of manageable length, making it accessible to the undergraduates but also relevant to advanced researchers.....Overall, this is a much-needed update on a well-trodden subjects." —A.R.Miller, Choice
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Papers by Yang Liu
西周青铜器中有一种特别的鸟纹，通常为立姿小鸟，偶尔也以华丽大鸟形式呈现。它们两两相对，高昂的头上伸出一条沿颈部弯曲至背部的细枝条，枝条末端托住一朵盛开的小花。本文名之为花冠鸟，并通过列举目前所能收集的所有花冠鸟例子，推断其各自的年代，由此建立花冠鸟纹发展脉胳，进一步考察其产生的源头及文化背景。
西周青铜器中有一种特别的鸟纹，通常为立姿小鸟，偶尔也以华丽大鸟形式呈现。它们两两相对，高昂的头上伸出一条沿颈部弯曲至背部的细枝条，枝条末端托住一朵盛开的小花。本文名之为花冠鸟，并通过列举目前所能收集的所有花冠鸟例子，推断其各自的年代，由此建立花冠鸟纹发展脉胳，进一步考察其产生的源头及文化背景。
"Liu Yang’s catalogue for the terracotta warriors…is an outstanding contribution to the literature on the tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi as well as a beautifully illustrated record of the seminal objects from the Terracotta Warriors Museum. Readers will not be disappointed: China’s Terracotta Warriors is much more than yet another book about China’s most glorious excavation site"―Nancy Steinhardt, Orientations
"The extensively illustrated catalogue, one of the most detailed overviews of the Qin and the First Emperor yet published, is vital for anyone even remotely interested in this pivotal period in Chinese art, culture and history."―Martin Barnes Lorber, Asian Art
"The Minneapolis catalogue stands out as one of the most informative and groundbreaking in the mass of books on the terracotta warriors. Within the plethora of books about the First Emperor of China and the terracotta soldiers placed at his tomb, this volume is exceptional in its placing of the First Emperor in his context—a young ruler of a vassal state of questionable 'barbarian' influences forging an empire out of the ruins of an old world, a world he conquered with a invincible army and governed with an iron fist." —Chao-Hui Jenny Liu, China Review International
"This dazzling catalogue by Curator Liu Yang traces the development of the Qin state from the 9th century BCE to the reign of the First Emperor, through an array of sculpted works and architectural remains from Shaanxi province....Written by an internationally renowned cast of scholars, the volume features detailed chapters of manageable length, making it accessible to the undergraduates but also relevant to advanced researchers.....Overall, this is a much-needed update on a well-trodden subjects." —A.R.Miller, Choice