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Main article: Chinese art
Xiao Yan, Martial Emperor of Liang, ca. 700 AD, National Palace Museum, Taipei.

Chinese fine art was traditionally made for imperial purposes, and has a long history in China. Scholars always distinguish this from Chinese folk art, which by contrast, is different in styles and means of expression.

Calligraphy

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Main article: Chinese calligraphy

The Chinese imperial court collects the most valuable calligraphy pieces from skilled calligraphers in the country. Among the imperial calligraphy collection, are masterpieces deliberately made by well-known calligraphers of the time. Furthermore, because of calligraphy pieces' high artistic values, calligraphy-collection had gained its popularity among Chinese emperors of different dynasties.

Ceramics

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Main article: Chinese ceramics

Chinese ceramics, whose history originates back to the pre-dynastic periods, has continuously improved since then, and it is one of the most significant forms of Chinese art.

Snuff bottle

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Main article: Snuff bottle

After opium was introduced to China, snuff bottles became popular. The Chinese royalties were fond of them as well, and they used them as long-life medicine. The design of the snuff bottles flourished because of the investment from rich people. Many snuff bottles were made by talented artisans with tiny paints brushes, and were painted from inside of the bottle reaching down from the top of narrow neck. They are highly collectible still to this day.[citation needed]


Cloisonné

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Main article: Cloisonné

Engraving

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Jewellery

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See also: Jewellery § China

Lacquer

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Main article: Lacquer

During the Shang Dynasty (ca. 1600–1046 BCE), the sophisticated techniques used in the lacquer process were first developed and became highly artistic crafts.[1] Various prehistoric lacquerware have been unearthed in China dated back to the Neolithic period.[1] The earliest extant lacquer object, a red wooden bowl,[2] was unearthed at a Hemudu culture (ca. 5000-4500 BCE) site in China.[3] By the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), many centers of lacquer production had became established firmly.[1] The knowledge of the Chinese methods focus on the lacquer process spread from China during the Han, Tang and Song Dynasties. It also had impacts on surrounding nations. This technique was eventually introduced to Korea, Japan, Southeast and South Asia. [4]

Painting

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Main article: Chinese painting

Photography

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Main article: Photography in China

Photography was used soon in several cities in China after the invention of photography in 1839 and the arrival of European photographers in Macao. At first some people thought that having the camera take a picture of them would result in their spirit being taken away, but by the end of the nineteenth century all major cities had photographic studios. Some affluent Chinese people adopted photography as a hobby. Western and Chinese photographers documented ordinary street life, major wars, and prominent figures.[citation needed]

The Empress Dowager Cixi had her portrait taken repeatedly.

Sculpture and carving

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In the 18th Century, a Qing dynasty covered vase depicting a woman holding a lingzhi fungus and a peony branch was created. The woman was also accompanied by a boy, a crane, and a deer as shown below.[citation needed]

See also: Terracotta Army

Ivory Carving

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Main article: Ivory carving

Ivory was not a prestigious material in the rather strict hierarchy of Chinese art, where jade had always been far more highly regarded, and rhinoceros horn, which was not ivory, had a special auspicious meaning.[5] But ivory, as well as bone, had been used for various items since early times when China still had its own species of elephant. Demand for ivory seems to have played a large part in their extinction, which came before 100 BC. From the Ming Dynasty, ivory began to be used for small statuettes of the gods and others (see gallery). In the Qing Dynasty, it suited the growing taste for intricate carving; and became more prominently used for brush-holders, boxes, handles and similar pieces; and later, Canton developed large models of houses and other large and showy pieces, which remained popular.[6] Enormous examples are still seen as decorative centrepieces at government receptions. Figures were typically uncoloured, or just with certain features coloured in ink which was often just black, but sometimes a few other colours.[citation needed]

Government seals

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See also: Seal (China)

Seal knob (紐刻) is an art that originated in ancient China and is mainly popular in East Asian countries. It focuses or decorates on the head-part or the top-side of a seal. It is a kind of sculpture or mini-sculpture. In China, the utmost important seal of all is the imperial seal called 'He Shi Bi', now lost, it was said that the green jade took a form of a round shape with inscriptions read "Having received the Mandate from Heaven, may (the emperor) lead a long and prosperous life." (受命於天，既壽永昌) written by the Primer Li Si for Qin Shi Huang Zhao zheng, the Augustus Emperor of The Chinese Empire.[citation needed]

Ruyi

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Main article: Ruyi (scepter)

Ruyi is a scepter that serves primarily as a decoration. Its history began in the Qing Dynasty when the Ruyi scepters given to noted visitors of the emperor. Now they're given as birthday presents. It is made of different materials, including porcelain and jade. The term Ruyi means "may your wish be granted" or "as you wish". The unusual shape is meant to imitate the shape of a stemmed lotus flower.[7]

Stone carving

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Woodwork

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Textile arts

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Embroidery

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Chinese embroidery is some of the oldest extant needlework. The four major regional styles of Chinese embroidery are Suzhou (Su Xiu), Hunan (Xiang Xiu), Guangdong (Yue Xiu) and Sichuan (Shu Xiu). All of them are nominated as Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage.[citation needed]

Rugs

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Woven material

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Webb, 2000. p. 3.
  2. ^ Stark, 2005. p. 30.
  3. ^ Wang, 1982. p. 80.
  4. ^ Institute, ed., 1983. p. 211.
  5. ^ Rawson, 179-182.
  6. ^ Rawson, 182.
  7. ^ Ruyi Gotheborg.com Retrieved 30 August 2012.

Bibliography

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  • Chang, Zonglin. Li, Xukui. (2006). Aspect of Chinese culture. 中国文化导读. 清华大学出版社 publishing
  • Institute of the History of Natural Sciences and Chinese Academy of Sciences, ed. (1983). Ancient China's technology and science. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press. ISBN 978-0-8351-1001-3.
  • Rawson, Jessica (ed). (2007). The British Museum Book of Chinese Art, (2nd edn). British Museum Press. ISBN 978-0-7141-2446-9
  • Stark, Miriam T. (2005). Archaeology of Asia. Malden, MA : Blackwell Pub. ISBN 1-4051-0213-6.
  • Wang, Zhongshu. (1982). Han Civilization. Translated by K.C. Chang and Collaborators. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-02723-0.
  • Webb, Marianne (2000). Lacquer: Technology and conservation. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 978-0-7506-4412-9.

Category:Chinese art

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