The Eight Views (in ; ja, 八景, hakkei and Korean: ) is an East Asian term used to allude to the most beautiful or otherwise significant scenes of a certain area. It is a term often used in
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea ...
. Historically, various series of eight views were produced; in some cases, such as in the ''
Eight Views of Xiaoxiang
The ''Eight Views of Xiaoxiang'' () are scenes of the Xiaoxiang region, in what is now modern Hunan Province, China, that were the subject of the poems and depicted in well-known drawings and paintings from the time of the Song Dynasty. The ''E ...
'' multiple series, a whole artistic tradition was developed, with a number of artists doing versions of the series. Series of eight views typically appeared in poetry and paintings in the olden times; and now, they may appear in local governments' advertisements to tourists.
The Eight Views
The general "eight views", which have no particular order, are:
*Night Rain ()
:*
Mandarin
Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to:
Language
* Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country
** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China
** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
:
:*
Cantonese
Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding ar ...
:
:*
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
:
*Descending Geese ()
:*Mandarin:
:*Cantonese:
:*Japanese:
*Clearing Weather ()
:*Mandarin:
:*Cantonese:
:*Japanese:
*Evening Bells ()
:*Mandarin:
:*Cantonese:
:*Japanese:
*Sunset Glow ()
:*Mandarin:
:*Cantonese:
:*Japanese:
*Evening Snow ()
:*Mandarin:
:*Cantonese:
:*Japanese:
*Autumn Moon ()
:*Mandarin:
:*Cantonese:
:*Japanese:
*Returning Sails ()
:*Mandarin:
:*Cantonese:
:*Japanese:
Mainland China
Original eight views
*
Eight Views of Xiaoxiang
The ''Eight Views of Xiaoxiang'' () are scenes of the Xiaoxiang region, in what is now modern Hunan Province, China, that were the subject of the poems and depicted in well-known drawings and paintings from the time of the Song Dynasty. The ''E ...
(),
Hunan Province
Hunan (, ; ) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the South Central China region. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiang ...
(The original "Eight Views" that influenced the other Eight Views.)
Later eight views
* Eight Views of
Mount Huang (黃山八勝),
Shandong Province
Shandong ( , ; ; alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the East China region.
Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilizati ...
*
Eight Views of Chang'an (長安八景), also called Eight Views of Guanzhong (關中八景),
Xi'an
Xi'an ( , ; ; Chinese: ), frequently spelled as Xian and also known by #Name, other names, is the list of capitals in China, capital of Shaanxi, Shaanxi Province. A Sub-provincial division#Sub-provincial municipalities, sub-provincial city o ...
,
Shaanxi Province
Shaanxi (alternatively Shensi, see § Name) is a landlocked province of China. Officially part of Northwest China, it borders the province-level divisions of Shanxi (NE, E), Henan (E), Hubei (SE), Chongqing (S), Sichuan (SW), Gansu (W), Ning ...
*
Eight Views of Luoyang (in ),
Luoyang
Luoyang is a city located in the confluence area of Luo River (Henan), Luo River and Yellow River in the west of Henan province. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the ...
,
Henan Province
Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is al ...
*
Eight Views of Jinling (金陵八景),
Nanjing
Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), Postal Map Romanization, alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu Provinces of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and t ...
,
Jiangsu Province
Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its c ...
*
Eight Views of Ram City (羊城八景),
Guangzhou
Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong ...
,
Guangdong Province
Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020 ...
*
Eight Views of Yanjing (鷰京八景),
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
* Eight Views of
Jinzhou (Dalian)
Jinzhou District () is one of the seven districts of Dalian, Liaoning province, People's Republic of China. It is located about northeast of the city centre and facing the Bohai Sea to the west as well as the Korea Bay to the east and has a lon ...
(金州古八景),
Liaoning Province
Liaoning () is a coastal province in Northeast China that is the smallest, southernmost, and most populous province in the region. With its capital at Shenyang, it is located on the northern shore of the Yellow Sea, and is the northernmost ...
*
Eight Views of Luda (旅大八景),
Liaoning Province
Liaoning () is a coastal province in Northeast China that is the smallest, southernmost, and most populous province in the region. With its capital at Shenyang, it is located on the northern shore of the Yellow Sea, and is the northernmost ...
*
Twelve Views of Bayu (巴渝十二景),
Chongqing
Chongqing ( or ; ; Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Chungking (), is a municipality in Southwest China. The official abbreviation of the city, "" (), was approved by the State Cou ...
*
Eighteen Views of Lushan (廬山十八景),
Lushan,
Jiangsu Province
Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its c ...
Japan
*
Eight Views of Omi (近江八景),
Shiga Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Shiga Prefecture has a population of 1,412,916 (1 October 2015) and has a geographic area of . Shiga Prefecture borders Fukui Prefecture to the north, Gifu Prefecture to the north ...
*
Eight Views of Lake Biwa (
琵琶湖八景 in Japanese),
Shiga Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Shiga Prefecture has a population of 1,412,916 (1 October 2015) and has a geographic area of . Shiga Prefecture borders Fukui Prefecture to the north, Gifu Prefecture to the north ...
- 1949
*
Eight Views of Kanazawa (
金沢八景 in Japanese),
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Kanagawa Prefecture is the second-most populous prefecture of Japan at 9,221,129 (1 April 2022) and third-densest at . Its geographic area of makes it fifth-smallest. Kana ...
* Eight Views of
Samani (様似八景),
Hokkaido
is Japan, Japan's Japanese archipelago, second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost Prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own List of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; th ...
*
New Eight Views of Japan (
日本新八景 in Japanese) - 1927
*
Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, by
Hokusai
, known simply as Hokusai, was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist of the Edo period, active as a painter and printmaker. He is best known for the woodblock print series '' Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji'', which includes the iconic print ''The Great ...
and by
Hiroshige
Utagawa Hiroshige (, also ; ja, 歌川 広重 ), born Andō Tokutarō (; 1797 – 12 October 1858), was a Japanese ''ukiyo-e'' artist, considered the last great master of that tradition.
Hiroshige is best known for his horizontal-format l ...
Korea
*
Eight Views of Korea
*
Eight Views of Danyang
*
Eight Views of Pyongyang
Taiwan
*
Eight Views of Taiwan (in {{zh, 臺灣八景)
Chinese iconography
Chinese painting
Geography of China
Geography of Japan
Geography of Korea
Geography of Taiwan
Japanese painting
Korean painting