The Feminine Identity and Artistic Expression in Guan Dao's Bamboo and Rocks from an Iconographic Perspective

Abstract

As a rare female literati painter of the Yuan Dynasty, Guan Daosheng chose bamboo and rocks as the subject matter for her Bamboo
and Rocks Painting, both continuing the traditional imagery of literati painting and implicitly conveying the unique identity expression of a
female artist. Through the reconstruction of the bamboo-and-rocks motif, she achieves a visual translation of gender discourse. This study
employs iconographic analysis, integrating the social-cultural context of the Yuan Dynasty with a gender perspective, to examine the symbolic imagery, compositional structure, and brushwork techniques in Bamboo and Rocks. It explores how Dao Guosheng transcended gender
constraints through artistic creation, forging an artistic language that harmonizes literati integrity with feminine qualities. Research reveals
that the bamboo-and-rock imagery in Bamboo and Rocks not only serves as a traditional vehicle for literati 'comparison of virtue, ' but also
metaphorically represents women's survival wisdom within patriarchal society through its visual expression of both flexibility and strength.
This study attempts, through case analysis, to re-examine the creative agency of Yuan Dynasty female artists and their unique value within the
history of Chinese art.