Chinese calligraphy Introduction Every single culture has a way of representing itself. The most different part between China and Australian is the language. Chinese word (han-zi) is hieroglyphic words, and it has its own art style: Chinese calligraphy. Additionally, Chinese calligraphy (shu fa) is a crucial documentation, which is able to learn about history through today. The Chinese calligraphy is among the world’s best-documented and preserved art in human history. It has been passed down through generations and it has not lost its value and significance in the chines culture. The Chinese culture presents a unique way of doing things. Culture and tradition have been elements of civilization that seem to change with each passing day. The continued connection and globalization that has been brought about by faster communication and movement through technology, have allowed for sharing of sharing of ideas and exchanging of information (Xu, Lau,Cheung and Pan, 2005, p. 36). Preserving culture still remains as the focal point of any given society. The Chinese have embraced this ideology and judiciously ensure that they protect their culture and its individual components. The contemporary Asian world has a level of technology that is envied all over the world, yet, even with the technological advancements, most societies in Asia have managed to hold on to their original cultures. The Chinese culture cannot be discussed in a single paper, as a matter of fact, scholars have specialized in deciphering and understanding it, this paper, therefore does not aim at explaining the entire chines history, but rather, it will look at the chines calligraphy. Origin Beautiful writing, the literal meaning of the word calligraphy has an interes... ... middle of paper ... ...dences of and cases of calligraphy in various forms. The contemporary Chinese art still depicts numerous elements and components of calligraphy. However, a number of new generation artists have come up with revolting ways of artistic representation that tends to go against the traditional beautiful writing. Today, artists are questioning and criticizing the cultural authority that is and has been associated with calligraphy over the years. The sequential happenings in the culture of the Chinese nation can be credited with the eventual development of art and most importantly calligraphy. Reading, information and knowledge are part and parcel of calligraphy as explained above. A person has to understand the need the world around him before he or she delves into calligraphy. The bottom line, however, is that creativity is paramount in the wolrd of calligraphy.
Han – a period of time in China in which the country was merged together (Dictionary) Manchurian – a resident of the NE region of China or Manchuria (Dictionary) Yin and Yang – is a symbol used in relation to a Chinese philosophy to represent balance between good and evil or dark and light (Dictionary) Wu Xia or Wuxia – a type of Chinese story utilizing martial arts of ancient China which showcases heroism (Dictionary) Chivalry – of the mind which creates a world not bound by the rules of reality (Dictionary) Peking – a Chinese name once used for Beijing (Dictionary) Taoism – “a popular Chinese religion” which uses the philosophy of Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu (Dictionary) Confucianism – a teaching from Confucius based on “love for humanity, ancestor worship, reverence for parents, and harmony in thought and conduct” (Dictionary) Gobi desert – a desert Pinyin or pin yin – a way to translate “Chinese into the Latin alphabet” (Dictionary). Response 1
There is a great art that can be found in being able to describe the world of an ancient civilization. Especially in one where large man made walls form because of the creases of a sleeping dragon’s back, or that the layout of the fields and streams of a small village create the image of a galloping unicorn when looked from up above. Yet, this is Imperial China, or as Barry Hughhart writes in his Novel Bridge of Birds, “an Ancient China that Never Was” (Hughhart 1984). This novel explores the history and the world of Ancient China, and the tales of the people who have walked across the land. Offering a summary of the book, we will be able to analyze
Overall, putting the truth about Cranes above Kaifeng aside, this hand scroll containing a painting and a poetic inscription shows how Huizong with his control over art can dictate the meaning and message an art can convey. This will lead to a manifestation of certain belief to the people of Song dynasty, which in this case is a belief that it was a Mandate from Heaven.
Chinese culture has been evolving for more than one thousand years with one of the most significant influences being the development of the Han dynasty. This paper analyses the ways in which the development of the Han dynasty influenced Chinese culture, to what extent, and why. Knowledge of the Han period’s impact on Chinese culture, is obtained through the analysis of written and archaeological sources depicting the Western Han dynasty (206 B.C.–9 A.D) and Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 A.D).
Culture one the other hand, can be simply coined as ‘the way of life’, language and traditions that are common amongst a group of people (Meriam-Webster 2003). The Australian identity and culture is something that is unique and exclusive to its people, word like ‘barby’, ‘g’day mate’ and ‘tinnies’ immediately refers to Australia.
China has gone through many changes in its history. Changes include economic, political, and social. In the early 1500 and throughout history, mostly all social classes followed Confucianism. Confucianism is a type of religion based on an ideal society (Chang 2012, 22). China was molded though Confucianism but that slowly deteriorated as years went on. One main group that has been a main part in these changes is the Chinese literati. The Chinese literati include the higher-class people such as officials and scholars. The Chinese literati were the dominant social class during the 1500’s but their power slowly decreased throughout history. Throughout my paper, I will explain the Chinese literati involvement as centuries passed.
Interregnum, painted by the Chinese artist Hung Liu, is a massive oil painting created circa 2002. With the intentional application of several principles and elements of art in her work, Liu effectively depicts her late Asian culture’s traditional aspects while also exposing the harsh reality of China’s Communist society. Hung Liu incorporates a variety of styles into Interregnum while also utilizing color and line to visually communicate the subject matter to the viewer. In a formal interpretation of this work, the overarching theme of Interregnum will be explored and described, focusing on the particular values sought out by the artist Hung Liu.
The most distinctive features of Chinese civilization were in the Song period. This was the scholar-official class certified through highly competitive civil service examinations. These elite were better educated than others in Chinese history. Aristocratic habits and prejudices largely disappeared when examination system was fully developed. This system came to be considered the normal ladder to success. The invention of printing should be given a little credit. The art of carving words and pictures into wooden blocks was developed by Tang craftsmen. They would ink the blocks then press paper onto them. An entire page of text and illustrations was held on each block. In the eleventh century movable type, on piece of type for each character, was invented. In China whole-block printing was cheaper. The spread of literacy was
Throughout the film ancient China’s profound history and glorious culture has displayed through various cultural elements. The martial arts, writing system, architecture all together gives an image of the Chinese culture. The developments and advanced techniques have shaped the country and stabilized the society. China has accomplished some of the greatest achievements of mankind. It had also made significant contribution to the development of advanced systems around the world. Chinese culture is very unique. All the elements presented in the film have truly strengthened my understanding of the Chinese
Williams, C. A. S., and C. A. S. Williams. Chinese Symbolism and Art Motifs: An Alphabetical Compendium of Antique Legends and Beliefs, as Reflected in the Manners and Customs of the Chinese. Rutland, VT: C.E. Tuttle, 1988. Print.
It will define that Zhang used traditional Chinese charcoal drawing aesthetic to show the subtext of his artworks in contemporary Chinese art. By tracing the traditional Chinese charcoal drawing aesthetic in Chinese Painter Zhang Xiaogang artistic development in the past two decades, his art as a whole can be interpreted in presenting his concerns of the foregone society and showing his own feelings towards the public history with a unique form of expression.
When looking at the tradition of shanshui, it seems to face an endless stream of reproductions of limited number of landscape stereotypes. New masters built their reputation particularly on borrowing and copying freely from those old masters. Still, now when people learn Chinese landscape painting, they start with imitation (臨摹), which means they was confined to copying old masters, thus studying and copying masters’ works are necessary foundations for artists’ creation. From the modern culture condition, creating is what art should do, but not like the way of tradition shanshui used to be. But then, some studies found that what they call “copy” is not really what we understand “copy” to mean. From particularly tracing to liberal reinterpretation to subtle recreation, what begins as a way of learning continues as a way of self-cultivation and of creation. Dong Qichang said that the main point of using brush and ink to imitate the masterpiece is that to connect with and think deeply of the original on...
This is not surprising in view of the fact that Chinese culture values stability and continuity over change. This may be, in part, due to the continuous practice of imitating the ancients as a form of respecting antiquity and authority, a concept instilled by Confucianism (art and imitation). Another possible explanation for this could be that the anatomical or scientific approach was never emphasized in Chinese art, such as in Ancient Greek art. And because principles of light and shade, perspective and proportion of realism were not emphasized (the use of line is the defining technique in Chinese ink painting), there was never a “desperate revolt against vision” or a need for “non-objective art” (Tu). Thus throughout the years, Chinese painters were able to keep ahold of representational images as the basis for
This essay gives an overview of early civilization in China and the different periods within this era. Also, it includes political and cultural pursuits of the people within this time period and the struggles of the Asian peoples and their religious beliefs and community uniqueness and differences.
De Bary, Wm. Theodore, Wing-Tsit Chan, and Burton Watson, eds. Sources of Chinese Tradition. NewYork: Columbia UP, 1960.