中文 
en 
Ukiyo-e, a genre of Japanese folk art, emerged during the Edo period and vividly reflected the daily life of the people of that era, leaving behind invaluable historical records and earning the title of an "encyclopedia" of its time. Recently, the exhibition "Dreaming Back to Edo—The Art of Ukiyo-e" is being held at Bund One Art Museum (Shanghai Bund No.1 Art Museum), attracting many visitors. The exhibition features more than 140 masterpieces, encompassing genres such as bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women), kabuki-ga (theater scenes), landscape and bird-and-flower paintings, as well as mythological stories from the early schools and historical origins, forming the foundational narrative of ukiyo-e’s evolution from its inception to maturity. Each ukiyo-e print is a miniature world, carrying rich codes of Japanese customs. Viewing these works not only enhances our appreciation and affection for this art form but also provides us with a more vivid understanding of Edo-era culture and Japanese civilization. Why is ukiyo-e so popular? What is its historical connection with Chinese painting? This issue of Art Daily will present the colorful customs and historical value of ukiyo-e.
—Editor’s Note, Art Daily
If Japanese anime is the globally renowned cultural phenomenon of the 21st century, then woodblock-printed ukiyo-e was the popular art of the Edo period (1603–1868), capturing every aspect of daily life and deeply beloved by the people of Edo. Rooted in traditional Japanese Yamato-e and folk painting, ukiyo-e also absorbed techniques from Chinese Ming and Qing dynasty prints and Western painting. It represents the most distinctive Japanese artistic style and exerted a significant influence on late 19th-century French Impressionist painting and modern Western art.