Rainbow Light Pavilion

Rainbow Light Pavilion

Rainbow Light Pavilion is a cultural tourism attraction.

Destination Introduction

The antique and calligraphy/painting shop Rainbow Light Pavilion, located on the north side of East Liulichang Street, was established in the 12th year of the Republic of China (1923) by Du Yingkui (courtesy name Huating) from Wu Yi County, Hebei Province. Nowadays, the shop mainly deals in historical stone and bronze artifacts, ceramics, calligraphy, paintings, steles, and rubbings. It has been selected as a “designated store” by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Tourism.

Chinese painting is a traditional art form with a long history and rich heritage within Chinese culture. It forms a unique system within the world of fine arts. Broadly speaking, it can be divided into various categories such as figure painting, landscape painting, architectural painting, flower-and-bird painting, poultry and bird painting, animal painting, insect and fish painting, etc. It employs techniques and styles including meticulous brushwork, freehand brushwork, outline drawing, boneless painting, colored painting, and ink wash painting. Various methods such as hooking, texturing, dotting, washing, varying shades, dryness and wetness, light and shadow, density and sparsity, as well as negative space, are used to depict subjects and compose the layout. The compositions often feature broad perspectives and are not confined to focal-point composition. There are various formats including murals, hanging scrolls, handscrolls, album leaves, and fan paintings, all mounted and framed using distinctive Chinese mounting techniques.

Figure painting matured during the Warring States period, while landscape and flower-and-bird painting had already appeared by the Sui and Tang dynasties. These art forms flourished during the Five Dynasties and the Song dynasties, with ink wash painting becoming particularly popular (475 BC – 1279 AD). In terms of style, the Yuan dynasty saw a gradual shift toward more expressive and freehand techniques, which continued to develop during the Ming, Qing, and modern periods, emphasizing the expression of mood and spirit. Meanwhile, both the Tang and Ming-Qing periods were influenced successively by Buddhist and Christian art. Chinese painting emphasizes the principle of “learning from nature externally while drawing inspiration from within,” requiring that “the concept precedes the brushstroke and the meaning extends beyond the painting.” It aims to capture both form and spirit, achieving harmony between the two. Since calligraphy and painting share the same origins and both closely integrate line work in expressing ideas and emotions, painting has mutually influenced poetry, calligraphy, and even seal carving, forming distinct artistic characteristics. The tools and materials used are also uniquely Chinese, such as brushes, ink, inkstones, paper, and silk.

Nowadays, traditional Chinese paintings with distinct national characteristics are increasingly appreciated, loved, and collected by art enthusiasts both in China and abroad. This is especially true in Japan, whose culture shares similarities with China’s. Many Japanese people are deeply enamored with traditional Chinese calligraphy and paintings—not only ancient masterpieces but also works by contemporary renowned artists. They take great pleasure in purchasing and collecting high-quality Chinese ink paintings and calligraphic works.

The plaque of “Rainbow Light Pavilion” was inscribed by the calligrapher and painter Dong Shouping, and it has a history of 75 years.

Beijing Xuanwu District