The Arts

China has had a long history of creating elegant and awe-inspiring art. From jade carving to painting to music it is difficult to ignore the many classic works of art that have arose out of China. Below you can see some examples of this amazing artwork as well as a brief history on the different subjects.

The Four Arts of a Scholar

In China’s past their existed the idea of the four scholarly pursuits. These four arts were considered necessary for any scholar to master. These four arts are: Calligraphy, WeiChi, Painting, and learning to play the Guqin.

Jade Carving

Jade carving, the practice of carving jade into different figures, has an interesting history in China. Jade was once the most valuable material in China, being considered more valuable the gold or silver, and was thought to be filled with positive energy.  Over the years many artists would create intricate works of art out of Jade to represent everything from the concept of balance, to Gods, to family symbols. These pieces of art are highly revered and a few examples can be seen below.

han_jade-bixiehan_jade-wine-cup-in-the-shape-of-rhino-horn

http://www.comuseum.com/jade/shang-to-han/

Calligraphy

Considered the most impressive of all visual arts is calligraphy. Calligraphy is the art of writing and has always been considered one of the most important arts for any artist to master. In practice calligraphy is word art, the ability to write words in such a way as to convey the emotions of the writer to the reader. In theory calligraphy should allow even one who cannot read to have an idea of what is written by simply looking at the art. Chinese calligraphy puts emphases on individualism and expression of the artist with each stroke unlike western penmanship which strives for conformity in the writing of text.

wang-xizhi_orchid-pavilion-preface

http://www.comuseum.com/product/wang-xizhi-orchid-pavilion-preface/

Painting

The history of painting in China is rich and full of masterpieces. Painting was considered one of the four Scholarly pursuits and so the skill was held in the upmost respect. Many classic and beautiful paintings hail from China and those paintings have a style all their own. During the Jin dynasty paintings of works other than calligraphy began to emerge, showing of life in China at the time. It was in the Tang dynasty that art in China flourished. Famous artist were employed by the royal court and allowed to create stunning works. It was during this time that ink drawings, work lacking colors, would emerge. Soon this style of art would be adopted by various masters of the trade. Art would continue to advance during the Song and Yuan Dynasties, having an increased focus on drawing landscapes and ink paintings. Traditional painting techniques would reign in China until the late Imperial age, where western inspired artist would begin to clash with traditional artist. This scene would soon change as artist were told to create artwork for the government to help and spread its influence. This continued for a time until the cultural revolution. During the cultural revolution advancement of art in China was halted and many institutions dedicated to the arts closed down. After the revolution art was once again allowed to march forward. Modern art in China has a clear western influence but still places a value on traditional Chinese artistry techniques.

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http://artisticselection.blogspot.com/

Chinese Film

Film in China has had to travel a rocky road to get to where it is today. China was introduced to film in the late 1800’s and would receive much of their training and film techniques from foreign film workers, particularly those from the United States. China would soon begin to make their own locally made films but this was cut short due to World War 2. After the war the Chinese government saw the potential in using film to spread its ideals and would continue to do so until the famed cultural revolution of China. During the revolution filmmaking in China ground to a halt, in an attempt by the government to better control the country, and it would take years for film to reach the height it had once been at. The next era of film in China began in the 1980’s. This era is known for helping make available Chinese cinema throughout the world as well as abandoning some traditional film techniques and instead adopting a more freeform style. The modern era of film in China is the age of the amateur. In this era amateur filmmaking is on the rise and the international reach of Chinese media has never been as widely felt with films like “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” being international hits.

CTHD-poster

http://www.learn-chinese-from-movies.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/CTHD-poster.jpg

 

 

Music

Modern music in China tends to be the kind of songs you could expect to find in a karaoke bar. Catchy and with lyrics that beg to be sung along with this type of music is a far cry from traditional Chinese melodies, such as the delicate sound of the Guqin. This instrument is a seven stringed guitar and is played by plucking at the strings as it lay on a table. To master the Guqin taxes one’s patience and requires a great deal of practice to master. Leaning to play the Guqin was a highly valued skill, being one of the four scholarly arts, and had a special place in Chinese culture.