Archive for category Chinese Arts & Crafts
Bamboo
Posted by sharon in Chinese Arts & Crafts on February 26th, 2010
In the world of plants, bamboo, together with plum blossom, orchids and chrysanthemum are called the Four Gentlemen or the four Noble Ones as they are believed to have something in common with human virtues. People believe that its deep root denotes resoluteness, its tall, straight stem represents honorability, its hollow interior modesty and its clean and spartan exterior exemplifies chastity.
Due to its characteristics, it has been highly favored by Chinese, especially the scholars. It can be commonly found in Chinese paintings and literary works.
When bamboo was placed in a fire it would create a loud crackling sound which was similar to firecrackers, therefore, in ancient times, it was always used to frighten away evil spirits, such as the mythical beast Nian.
Four Treasures of the Study – Writing Brush
Posted by sharon in Chinese Arts & Crafts on January 21st, 2010
The writing brush is the traditional Chinese writing implement in calligraphy. The earliest writing brush can date back to the Warring States Period (476BC–221BC).
The nib of the brush is made of the hair of a wide variety of animals, such as goat, wolf, rabbit, deer, chicken, duck, pig, tiger, etc. In order to achieve a balance between steely and feathery lines, the nib will sometimes be made of hair from two different types of animals as different hair has different characteristics.
The handle of the brush is commonly made of bamboo, wood, porcelain, etc. However, there are also some precious ones made of mother-of-pearl inlay, ivory, jade, etc. Always, one will have different types of brushes on hand to adapt to individual purposes and preferences.
Four Treasures of the Study – Ink Stick
Posted by sharon in Chinese Arts & Crafts on November 27th, 2009
The ink stick, also known as mo in Chinese, is a type of solid ink used traditionally in China for calligraphy and brush painting.
Legend goes that it was invented by King Yi about 2,800 years ago. However, archaeologists have detected ink marks on the back of inscribed bones or tortoise shells of the Shang Dynasty, 3,200 years ago.
Most ink sticks are made of soot and animal glue and sometimes with incense or medicinal scents added. Of all the ink sticks, the most famous one is Anhui ink stick, also called hui mo, which is made from the pines that grow on Mount Huang in Anhui Province. It is said that it is as hard as stone and will not deteriorate for as long as then years.
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