Chinese+Visual+Arts+and+Music

 Welcome to the Wonderful World of Chinese Visual Arts   = = =**Chinese Calligraphy ** =

By Jennifer The materials that are used in Chinese calligraphy are **//paper, ink, brush, and ink stone//** and “they are known together as the Four Treasures of the Study” (“East Asian Calligraphy” par. 2). The paper that is used is made of rice and it's specifically for the special ink that is produced from ink stone. Most of the brushes are //**made from some sort of animal hair**// and the stick of the brush is made from many different materials. Most commonly used material for the stick is bamboo, and then there is also ** //wood, gold, silver, or copper.// **

Along with different material, in this specific Chinese art, there are also **//five different styles//** that a writer is able to do their calligraphy in. The five styles are similar but unique in their own way and they are: Seal Script, Official Script, Cursive Script, Running Script, and the most common style, Regular Scripit. Calligraphy is an art in China that began as far as people can remember and it is still very popular today. It is a pleasant factor to know that the **//public is still interested//** in learning more about this special tradition of calligraphy. In China, calligraphy is a major subject from elementary to high school and even in education beyond that. Today, and also in the past, calligraphers are considered to be artists, for they create their own poems, lyrics, and letters.



=Chinese Paper Cutting =

 Paper cutting is one of the most popular art forms in China. It uses scissors or knives to cut shapes and pictures into paper, and create works of art. Paper cutting is important to Chinese culture because of its long history, its symbolic cultural meanings, and its many traditional uses. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Paper cu <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">tting was originally inspired in 6th century China by the gold and silver foil cuttings women pasted into their hair at the temples and that men used in sacred rituals (Chinese Paper Cutting, Cutting Tools, Scissor-Cut Handicrafts, par. 1). Paper was originally a luxury, but this changed from the 7th to 13th centuries, when paper cuttings became popular holiday decorations for holidays such as the Chinese New Year, and the art of paper cutting began to spread around the world. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Most paper cut images have symbolic meanings centering around three themes; prosperity, health, and decoration (CHINESE PAPER CUTS FOLK ART | PAPER CUTTING CRAFTS, par. 2). Some common paper cuttings are animals from the zodiac and Chinese <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">characters. Red, a lucky color is the most popular color paper used in paper cutting (Chinese paper-cut, introduction to Chinese paper-cut, China travel information, par. 3). The Chinese <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">also use symbols for long life, long marriages, and long friendships (__Paper Cutting, a Popular Folk Art__). Other common images in paper cuts are those of the eight immortals, which represent long life, and the image of a peach shows immortality (__Paper Cutting, a Popular Folk Art__). <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;"><span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;">

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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Chinese paper cuttings are used in many rituals in a person’s life from their birth to their death. When a baby is born, a paper cutting is made to mark the birth. Common images in these birth paper cuts are of the baby sitting on a lotus flower or of them being welcomed into the family by one of the gods. On the child’s twelfth birthday, the grandmother on the mother’s side will make a special set of paper cuts to symbolize <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">long life which the family will hang in the center of the wall of the house. When the child grows up and is married paper cuttings are displayed all over the house. Paper cuttings feature in all birthday celebrations once a person is considered an elder. Most paper cuts for these occasions represent long life and happiness (__Paper Cutting, a Popular Folk Art__). media type="youtube" key="vVkbRHNPoGA" height="344" width="425"

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=<span style="display: block; font-size: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">**Works Cited** =

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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">"Calligraphy." __Asiawind - Business Technology and Culture__. 01 Mar. 2009 <http://www.asiawind.com/art/callig/Default.htm>. <span style="font-size: 80%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> __Calligraphy__. Thinkquest. 1 Mar. 2009 http://library.thinkquest.org/20443/g_calligraphy.html. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">"CHINESE PAPER CUTS FOLK ART | PAPER CUTTING CRAFTS." __UNIQUE GIFTS AND GIFT IDEAS FOR YOUR EASTER, ST. PATRICK'S DAY, BIRTHDAY, GRADUATION GIFT - ASANEA GIFTS__. 01 Mar. 2009 <http://www.asaneagifts.com/servlet/the-CHINESE-PAPER-CUTS-FOLK-ART-CRAFTS-cln-Paper-Cutting-Bible-Cut-Outs/Categories>. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">"Chinese paper-cut, introduction to Chinese paper-cute, China travel information." __China Tour, China Tour Packages, Custom China Tours, China Based Tour Operator.__ 01 Mar. 2009 http://www.china-tour.cn/Chinese-Arts/Chinese-Paper-cut.htm.

"Chinese paper cutting -." __Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia__. 01 Mar. 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_paper_art>.

"Chinese Paper Cutting, Cutting Tools, Scissor-Cut Handicrafts." __China Travel Guide,China Tours,Tibet Beijing Packages,24/7 Service__. 01 Mar. 2009 http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/arts/paper_cut.htm.

"East Asian calligraphy-." __Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.__ 01 Mar. 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Calligraphy

"Paper -." __Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia__. 01 Mar. 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper>.

__Paper Cutting, a Popular Folk Art__. Dir. New Tang Dynasty Television. Perf. Semone Gao. __Youtube__. 27 Feb. 2008. 31 Feb. 2009 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2EzpteYuoM&feature=related>. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">**Pictures**
<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(0,0,0); text-align: left;">Chinese Calligraphy Set. (Online Image) Available http://www.asiadragon.co.uk/product_images/calligraphysetmambcs528.jpg, Mar. 13 2009.

Chinese Girl. (Online Image) Available http://www.travelchinaguide.com/images/photogallery/0014500/10014253tm.jpg

Rooster. (Online Image) Available http://www.chinaculture.org/img/2006-11/01/xinsrc_45110301164598528773108.jpg

Fish. (Online Image) Available http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/images/arbigimages/985c9a054f870709f63f6d57719b4cce.jpg

Flowers. (Online Image) Available http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_l12AZTUxIx4/SFd3czcvNAI/AAAAAAAABwM/tA2nILI70ks/s400/papercuts-gold%2Bfish.jpg

Styles of Chinese Calligraphy. (Online Images) Available [], Mar. 13 2009

Traditional Chinese Calligraphy. (Online Image) Available http://www.shufart.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/jizhiwengao_xqf.jpg, Mar. 12 2009 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Cut Paper How-To. (Online Image) Available http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVkbRHNPoGA&feature=PlayList&p=D8F64049883AB02A&index=24 <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">
 * Video**