Title: “Ancient Rhyme of Chu Style”
Location: Concourse Level, Hongshan Square Station, Wuhan Metro Line 2
Category: Forged Red Copper Relief Mural with Polychrome Painting
Dimensions: 15.24m (L) x 2.6m (H)
Credits: Designed by Hubei Institute of Fine Arts (HIFA) | Fabricated by Wensculp
Inauguration: 2012, unveiled to coincide with the opening of Wuhan Metro Line 2
Styling Details
This expansive long-scroll relief captures the romantic and magnificent artistry of the Chu Kingdom. Using “Chu Red” as the foundational base, the composition integrates a vibrant polychrome palette—black, yellow, cyan, and green—to weave iconic cultural symbols into a fluid, continuous visual narrative.
The mural features a wealth of classical Chu elements: bronze ritual vessels (Ding, Dou, Jade Bi, and Chime Bells), lacquerware motifs like cirrus clouds and phoenix patterns, shamanistic mythological figures, and wave patterns, all accented by ancient Chu inscriptions.
As the central totem of Chu culture, the phoenix appears throughout the work, symbolizing the spiritual heritage of phoenix worship. Every vessel and pattern is derived from authentic archaeological prototypes excavated in Hubei—including the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng—expertly translating classical motifs from bronze, lacquer, and silk into a grand visual language that unfolds the millennia-old history of the Chu civilization.
Manufacturing Process
Fabricate using hand-forged red copper relief combined with a polychrome baked paint finish.
Develop 1:1 full-scale clay prototypes to meticulously refine ornamental details, figures, and vessel forms for final artistic confirmation.
Hand-forge copper plates to achieve multi-dimensional relief levels, creating distinct 3D textures for ritual vessels, phoenix totems, and cloud patterns.
Apply polychrome baked enamel inspired by the iconic red-and-black palette of Chu lacquerware to recreate its vibrant and opulent ancient aesthetic.
Utilize a dry-hanging installation method on marble surfaces, engineered for high-traffic public spaces to ensure superior wear resistance and dust-proof durability.
Design Philosophy
As a flagship cultural station for Wuhan Metro Line 2, “Ancient Rhyme of Chu Style” serves as a vital conduit for Jing-Chu heritage. The design draws from the “magnificent, mystical, and romantic” essence of Chu artistry, distilling ritual vessels, divine birds, and ornamental motifs into a symbolic long-scroll narrative. By eschewing literal storytelling for symbolic abstraction, the mural encapsulates the ritual music, shamanistic traditions, and craftsmanship of the ancient Chu Kingdom. This installation merges traditional legacy with modern transit infrastructure, offering passengers an intuitive encounter with Pre-Qin civilization and establishing a premier underground cultural window.