Chinese Art: A Guide to Motifs and Visual ImageryWith over 630 striking color photos and illustrations, this Chinese art guide focuses on the rich tapestry of symbolism which makes up the basis of traditional Chinese art. Chinese Art: A Guide to Motifs and Visual Imagery includes detailed commentary and historical background information for the images that continuously reappear in the arts of China, including specific plants and animals, religious beings, mortals and inanimate objects. The book thoroughly illuminates the origins, common usages and diverse applications of popular Chinese symbols in a tone that is both engaging and authoritative. Chinese Art: A Guide to Motifs and Visual Imagery is an essential reference for collectors, museum-goers, guides, students and anyone else with a serious interest in the culture and history of China. |
Contents
Fruits Vegetables Kernels and Seeds | 66 |
Minerals | 114 |
Real and Imaginary Birds | 134 |
Insects Reptiles Fish | 167 |
Real and Imaginary Animals | 216 |
Children | 367 |
Common terms and phrases
ancient animals Asian Civilisations Museum associated auspicious bamboo bats beautiful Beijing Beijing’s bird blossoms Bodhisattva bronze Buddha butterfly carved ceramic character Chinese art Chinese Folk Art Chinese Painting Chinese zodiac Chris Hall chrysanthemum clouds coins color combination Confucian Courtesy of Kwan crane Daoist decorative deer depicted dragon Eight Immortals Emperor example expression famous Festival figure fish Five flowers Forbidden City Four gourd Guānyīn happiness heaven holding homophone Hong Kong Hua Art Gallery identified jade known in Chinese Kwan Hua Art lián lion longevity lotus lunar magpies male means Ming monkey moon motif mountains nine official one’s pair peach peonies phoenix picture popular porcelain prunus qílín Qing Dynasty rank badges rebus represent robes rúyì scepter scholars scroll shòu silk Singapore snuff bottle sometimes Sotheby’s stone swastika Tang Temple textiles tiger toad tomb traditional tree vase wàn wealth yáng yīn