Along the River During the Qingming Festival, A

This is a Chinese painting by Zhang Zeduan of the Northern Song Dynasty. It is a long scroll painted on silk with light colours. The term ‘Qingming’ may refer to the Qingming Festival, the Qingming District in the eastern suburbs of Bianliang, or a time of political stability and prosperity. The first interpretation is generally accepted. The entire painting depicts the prosperous and thriving scenes within the city of Bianliang and its suburbs during the Northern Song Dynasty, vividly reflecting the lifestyles of various social strata at the time.