Passions

The yearning for freedom and immortality is expressed by monumental dream landscapes with mighty mountains disappearing into the haze and small huts in which hermits live in harmony with nature. Daoism saw the world as a universe pervaded by cosmic energies (qi). Human beings are part of this universe and draw their life energy (qi) from this cosmic spring.

Ancestor portraits and depictions of loyal officials and exemplary scholars tell of Confucian morality and love of virtue. Genre painting additionally addressed the theme of women who, by dint of their sacrifice for their parents-in-law and their subordination to their husbands, achieved tragic celebrity. In Confucianism it was the moral duty of sons to honour the spirits of the ancestors in rituals, to leave their own names reputably in the history books and to ensure the continuation of the family through numerous children.

Physical passion and loveplay, jealousy and voyeurism are the themes of erotic albums in which same-sex love is also portrayed. In particular the Japanese coloured woodblock prints lead us to the world of the pleasure quarters. At the same time, they intrigue us with their sensuousness and their delicate technical sophistication.

Board games and socializing are passions deeply rooted in Chinese and Japanese culture. They include a love of wine and drunkenness, but also a love of tea and sobriety. Alongside depictions of games, collective excursions and pigrimages, the exhibition also includes picnic utensils and eine and tea bowls.

In Buddhism, emotions such as hate, envy, love and compassion play a major role. These are also attributed to the deities. The sculptures express these emotions through postures and facial features. With their help and through meditative practices, people can overcome passions and achieve release.

The show presents the wealth of the museum’s collections supplemented by exquisite loans of erotic art.