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.
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The invented characters of calligraphy allowed for an interesting and pleasing presentation for artists and readers.
Gia Gu Wen or Jia Gu Wen is considered among the very first characters to be discovered even though it was not fully mature. Oracle bones present some of the very earliest and most ancient examples of Chinese calligraphy. The best way of understanding calligraphy, however, has been linked to the political authority and rituals Tregear, 1980, p. 87). When looked at from that perspective, the calligraphy can easily be traced and its meaning be understood. Various reigns and dynasties in China have had documented literature and cultural rituals. Looking at each and every one of them allows a person to trace the Chinese calligraphy through time. Dynastic literature
After the unification of chine back in 221 BC, the short lived unity saw the burning of thousands of writing s and literature material by the emperor to ensure that classical writings were not available for the public. This created a daunting task for the subsequent dynasty since it had to re-establish and reconstruct a fresh the texts and literature that were considered classics. The dynasties that followed saw the importance of documentation and clear preservation of any form of literature for posterity. The Chinese culture and way of life has been among the few that have retained ties with ancient times. The art world in china as in most Asian countries,
After China had been conquered by the Mongols and their population was diminished by the plague, they began to look to into their past in order to shape their future. The Chinese society allowed “two empresses [write] instructions for female behavior” (423). These behaviors included those that were held previously to the Chinese women and were seen as “traditional expectations” (423). Much of the Chinese culture was changed due to the rule of the Mongol Empire. Because of this, China attempted to put an end to any evidence of foreign rule from the Mongol Empire. This included the “[discouragement] [of] the use of Mongol names and dress” (423). This discouragement of the Mongol traditions provided China the opportunity to reintroduce the concept of Confucian learning. This is another
China had not been unified in over 300 years before Genghis Khan’s grandson, Kublai Khan conquered it. With Kublai as emperor, China flourished. The military had use with the Mongols, and the craftsmen were almost worked too much, for the Mongols were fascinated by these beautiful paintings, sculptures, and trinkets. They united china under the Mongol flag and bestowed a golden age on China, promoting trade and unity.(Chapter 12)
Art that was connected to the afterlife typically was symbolic of objects needed for use after death and these were limited to the very wealthy. Although sometimes included on a grand scale, such objects spoke less about the beliefs of the afterlife and more about what was important to each individual before death. Additionally, the most common death-related art focused not on burial or the afterlife, but instead on the practice of the living honoring their ancestors. This lack of evidence linking the afterlife to the art of ancient China supports the thesis of this essay. There was, in fact, even less evidence of a correlation between the two than expected. In fact, art in ancient Chinese culture, even the art related to deceased relatives,
It was a painful process before China was unified. Many lives were lost as the Qin Dynasty conquer the eight states in China. These states are weak that they could not fight the Qin military group. In order to unify China Shi Huangdi eliminate the customs and diminish the use of different languages and sets language in which everyone could understand. He also burned the books to all private libraries. This books are the teaching especially the Confucianist morals. This was done to avoid the rebellions from the people against the government. There are also some scholars who are executed during this unification.
Former Encyclopædia Britannica editor Kenneth Pletcher described the record keeping of the Han administration, “Han administration required detailed record keeping, which generated a proliferation of documents. Official returns were sometimes kept in duplicate, and each agency kept running files to record its business” (Pletcher 2010, 79). Bulky bamboo or expensive silk were impractical for this kind of meticulous record keeping, but official documents were recorded and stored easily because of the invention of paper. The Han government had also taken an interest in “literary accomplishment” and “scholastic competence” for the Ancient Chinese people, likely as a result of the invention of paper (Pletcher 2010, 79). Alexander Monro wrote about how the books of Han Dynasty “became the guiding stars of Chinese education, governance, and philosophy” (Monro 2016, 44).
Clunas expands on his claim that the attributes of calligraphy are sometimes more important than the content itself. Shen Du
The Chinese Language has evolved greatly over almost four thousand years. It has survived invasions, threat of reforming the national language, missionaries and western influence. The language is much less studied and appreciated as compared to western languages. The development of ancient Chinese reflected greatly the social lifestyle of the people and to what held great importance of during that time. It then progressed to evolve into a more complex language where more characters are introduced and the Chinese characters slowly transformed through different periods in China’s history. Its complexity, richness in meaning and role that it plays and influence it has in East Asia should be taken note of, highlighting its value in a global context.
2. Albert M. Craig, William A. Graham, Donald Kagan, Steven Ozment, Frank M. Turner. “China‘s First Empire”. The Heritage of World Civilizations. 1: 1152 (2007, 2005, 2002) Pearson Education, Inc. New
The first reason why the Tang dynasty is the most impactful is that many cultural advancements occurred which affected the future culture of China. For example, a form of novel was created called Chuan Qi. This type of novel had a complex storyline and often reflected real life. These novels later became the basis for future stories (“Tang Dynasty”). In other words, the novels created in the Tang dynasty influenced the structure of future stories. Another example of the Tang dynasty’s cultural impact is through poems and
Indeed, social, economic, and political factors took significant roles in the development of different Chinese religions. In fact, the 800 years of the Western Zhou dynasty provided a favorable environment for Confucians to idealize the “Way of the Ancients”. This work was foundation in the Confucian classics. In the meanwhile, the political and economic stability of the dynasty played a crucial role in the establishment of the Confucian thinking and religion. In the era of Han dynasty rulers Chinese saw the entry of Buddhist principles in China. During the Han dynasty art and science were advanced. Persons started understanding eclipses through astronomy. History was studied systematically. In addition, Chinese people seem to have been in
Chinese culture is truly one of the great civilization our world has come across. It boasts a vast geographic expanse, over 4000 years of written history, as well as a rich and profound traditional society. Many aspects of Chinese civilization can be traced back many centuries. It is so diverse and unique, yet harmoniously blended, and presents itself a priceless benefit to the world.
China has about five thousand years history which is a very long period of time. Also, the Chinese civilization was growing with these periods of time and it will continues greater than ever. Many wars and unhappinesses were happening during this period. Although, the time has passed, the histories and the civilizations have not passed. These family virtues, serious, working attitudes, sense of justice and the great Confucian tradition have been deeply assimilated into the Chinese people. Some Chinese traditions are different from North American’s. The Chinese culture has many special characteristics which are very interesting for people to learn.
In the next room I came across a very unique and interesting collection of pieces. If you especially like or have any interest in calligraphy, then you are going to love what Hongmo Ren has done. Calling it REN-script, Ren has created what he calls a calligraphy and linguistic “experimentale.” Consisting of seven English and six French pieces, he has combined the art and beauty of calligraphy with writing of equal stature. In ten of his pieces he elaborates on the beauty of nature during various seasons and includes a complete verse from the Book of Genesis. The rest of the pieces are large single word depictions again in calligraphy with intricate detail.
The Six Dynasty period in Chinese historiography is often classified with moments of conflict, revolt, strife, famine, disunity, and not innovation. Historians and academics categorize the period as a placeholder between the more significant Han China—206 BCE to 220 CE—and the Tang dynasty—618 to 907 CE. Understandably, Han China’s military, infrastructure, and civil capabilities were rivalled only by that of the Roman Empire, and even then, the Han dynasties administrative capabilities were rivalled by none. The Tang period is widely considered to be the high point of Chinese culture and civilization, where cosmopolitan China emerged with force vastly shaping China for centuries to come. The significance of the Han and Tang dynasties is not in question, it is the lack of importance that historians confer on the Six Dynasties period. Admittedly the Six Dynasty period in Chinese history can be categorized as a warring period, in which China did not develop unilaterally, but separately along fractured lines (split both north-south, and east-west). Much like the European medieval period, there are few accessible sources from early-medieval china, and because of this, China’s six dynasty period is brushed over as a period of little advancement and innovation. The “Dark Ages” in Europe use to receive the same scholarly interpretation as a period of stagnation.
When studying the rich history of arts and recreation in the Song Dynasty, it is evident that there were many newly pioneered practices that completely captivated the populous and became the epitome of several long-established genres. When one observes the progression of visual arts through the Song Dynasty, landscape painting established itself as the most prevalent and important of the multitude of forms in this genre. Close examination of entertainment reveals that the dramatic arts, with emphasis on shadow-puppeteering, became the most enjoyed form of amusement in the Song Dynasty. Finally, nothing had become more delightful than the everyday life of a citizen, which never had a dull moment. Chinese art and recreation came to a