Archive for category Chinese Traditional Art
Konghou
Posted by ancient chinese culture in Music Instrument on March 20, 2011
Konghou, also known as Konhou, is a plucked stringed instrument in ancient China. It has wide diapason and sweet tamber, so it can be played in both solo and tutti performances.
Its history can date back to the Spring and Autumn (770-476BC) and Warring States (475-221BC) period. Originally, it was an indispensable instrument only played in the royal courts. As time went by, Read the rest of this entry »
Orchids
Posted by ancient chinese culture in Painting on February 22, 2011
Orchid is regarded as one of the Four Gentlemen in the world of flowers. Originally grown in deep mountain valleys, it symbolized elegance, beauty, modesty and purity in Chinese culture.
In ancient China, an orchid is always compared to the virtuous man the Confucius compared. Therefore, orchids can always be found in ancient Chinese paintings. They stood for the qualities of integrity, humility and refinement – even a perfectly cultured gentleman and scholar’s all virtues can be found in the orchids. Read the rest of this entry »
Plum Blossom
Posted by ancient chinese culture in Painting on January 14, 2011
The plum blossom is reputed as a member of the Four Gentlemen in the world of flowers, along with orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo.
It braves snow and frost to bloom in the cold winter when most plants have shed their leaves and most flowers have not bloomed yet. Therefore, it is regarded as the symbol of rebirth and growth. It is also admired for its resilience and perseverance in the face of diversity. Read the rest of this entry »
Huangmei Opera
Posted by ancient chinese culture in Folk Music&Dance on November 14, 2010
Huangmei Opera，also called Huangmei Tune or Tea-Picking Opera, is one of the top five operas in China.
Its history can date back to the 18th century when Chinese local operas were flourishing. It originated in the provinces of Anhui, Hubei and Jiangxi but soon earned its popularity all over the country. Like other traditional local operas, Huangmei Opera was sung in the local dialect. However, unlike most of the local operas that are sung in hard-to-understand dialects, it is very easy to follow.
It is said that originally people sang it while they are picking tea. Therefore, it was called Tea-Picking Opera at the very beginning. The lyrics are popular, colloquial, and easy to follow. That’s why it developed into a perfect combination of songs and dances with costumes and additional roles later on. Read the rest of this entry »
Yueju Opera
Posted by ancient chinese culture in Folk Music&Dance on November 4, 2010
Yueju Opera, also called Shaoxing Opera, is one of the four principal operas in China. As a traditional Chinese performing art, Yueju opera is a good combination of abstraction and realism. Its repertory is mainly based on Chinese folklore, classical literature and history events. Till now, it is still very popular in many southern provinces, such as Zhenjiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Fujian, etc.
It originated around Shengxian County (belongs to Zhejiang Province nowadays) about 100 years ago. As the county belonged to the Yue State in ancient times, the opera was given the name of Yueju Opera). Initially, it was only performed by men. Later, in 1923, women performers began to appear and gained recognition gradually. For a period of time, they even took all the places of men on the stage, which meant all the roles were played by women (even male roles). However, after 1949, men and women performed together. Read the rest of this entry »
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