The Artistic Form and Cultural Meaning of "Sheng" through Sheng-Shaped Amber Beads of the Han Dynasty

In this paper, the main types of Sheng-shaped beads amber in Han Dynasty were sorted out, the changes of their shapes were clarified, the source of the artistic motifs of "Sheng" was analyzed, and the cultural components and symbolic meanings of amber victorious beads in different stages were studied. According to the shape of amber beads in Han Dynasty, the author divided them into two types: the standard type and the thin body type. There is a sequential relationship between standard type and thin type, and the latter is evolved from the former.According to research, the proto type of the artistic motif of "Sheng" is a combination of components on the loom of the Han Dynasty, belonging to the class of "Ren" device. The cultural components of Sheng-shaped beads show periodic changes. In the middle to late Western Han Dynasty, it was influenced by the early buddhist jewelry culture and the Confucian "Woman Gong" culture. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, the theory of divination was dominant, which emphasized the cultural factors of warding off evil spirits. Sheng-shaped amber beads were the product of the collision and fusion of Chinese and foreign cultures.They carry native thoughts as well as culture with the traditional modeling theme of the Central Plains, and highlights the beading fashion brought by the Maritime Silk Road.