Chinese arts and crafts enjoy a unique reputation in the history of material culture and civilisation. For several thousand years, crafts have echoed the rhythm of daily life in China. From rural society to the imperial court, these crafts have served a practical purpose, constantly evolving with changes in lifestyle. In this illustrated introduction Hang Jian and Guo Qiuhui discuss the colorful history and development of distinctive Chinese crafts, including ceramics, furniture, clothing and decorative arts.
Also part of the Cultural China Series, this volume introduces the history and development of the traditional arts and crafts, and how these apply to many fields such as utensil, apparel, furnishings, adornment, entertainment, and commerce. Vivid color illustrations and photographs throughout.
An exploration of Chinese art and culture, Bamboo in China shines a light on this relatively unknown craft. The noted British scholar Joseph Needham concluded from his thorough study of the history of Chinese science and technology that the "East Asian civilization is none other than a bamboo civilization" and China is just the cradle of that bamboo civilization. Since bamboo has been used for thousands of years in China and in many aspects of daily life, it became an influential part of the Chinese culture. With the tributes to bamboo and the extolling of its strengths, it was further blended into China's Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist thinking to give birth to a cultural phenomenon uniquely Chinese that has since spread far and wide. This beautifully illustrated book presents a vivid history of bamboo in China: The uses of bamboo in daily life, production, musical instruments, transportation, architecture and landscaping, hydraulic engineering and the military Traditional treatments of bamboo by Chinese artisans, including two main artistic processing techniques. Bamboo wares with a unique Chinese flavor such as fans, oilpaper umbrellas, and mats and curtains
This book systematically introduces readers to traditional Chinese handicrafts, which are original, distinct, and have had major impacts in China and around the globe. It explores 14 different types of handicraft, and provides a clear definition, detailed information on the techniques, and extensive discussion of each. Readers will not only learn the fascinating stories behind traditional Chinese handicrafts, but also be inspired by the great Chinese handicraftsmen’s inherent spirit of innovation and creativity.
This comprehensive compilation of entries documents the origins, transmissions, and transformations of Asian American folklore and folklife. Equally instructive and intriguing, the Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore and Folklife provides an illuminating overview of Asian American folklore as a way of life. Surveying the histories, peoples, and cultures of numerous Asian American ethnic and cultural groups, the work covers everything from ancient Asian folklore, folktales, and folk practices that have been transmitted and transformed in America to new expressions of Asian American folklore and folktales unique to the Asian American historical and contemporary experiences. The encyclopedia's three comprehensive volumes cover an extraordinarily wide range of Asian American cultural and ethnic groups, as well as mixed-race and mixed-heritage Asian Americans. Each group section is introduced by a historical overview essay followed by short entries on topics such as ghosts and spirits, clothes and jewelry, arts and crafts, home decorations, family and community, religious practices, rituals, holidays, music, foodways, literature, traditional healing and medicine, and much, much more. Topics and theories are examined from crosscultural and interdisciplinary perspectives to add to the value of the work.
