Ancient Chinese Culture
Archive for category Chinese Traditional Art
Ancient Sound – Xun
Posted by ancient chinese culture in Music Instrument on July 10, 2009
Xun, with a history of more than 7,000 years, is one of the oldest known Chinese musical instruments. The earliest Xun was made of stones and bones with one hole on its surface and it is believed that in early times, the ancestors used them to imitate animals’ sound and ensnare then.
As time passed by, it gradually became an important instrument in ancient China and it experienced a development in design, size, decoration, etc. People began to make it with baked clay, and dig more holes on it. It usually has six to nine finger-holes on its surface with various sizes. However, the most common form is pear-shaped with five finger holes—three on the front and two (for thumbs) on the back.
Due to its special tone, it is good at creating a very distant and melancholy feeling, making the music elegant, mysterious and a bit sad, thus suitable for performing some lamenting aria.
Interested in it? Click here you may enjoy a piece of beautiful music performed by Xun.
Chinese Seals
Posted by ancient chinese culture in Calligraphy on July 1, 2009
Seal has played an important role in Chinese culture for over 3000 years. It was used in lieu of signature to prove the identity on documents, contracts, art, etc.
Carved with Chinese characters, seals can be made of various kinds of materials, including jade, wood, stone, animal tooth, etc. They are used with the combination of red ink or cinnabar paste.
They have been used by people from all walks of life and can be largely divided into three categories, imperial, official and private.
Imperial seals, also called xi or bao, were owned and used for official purpose by the emperors in ancient China. Emperors also had another kind of seals to stamp on the art work, such as painting, calligraphy, etc.
As a token of authority, official seals were conferred to officials to carry on their duties. They were designed small enough to be carried on the official’s belt. According to their positions, the material and the shape of the seals are different.
Private seals are mostly used as signatures in China. Since they were unregulated, they came in a large variety of material, shapes, sizes, and calligraphy.
Naxi Ancient Music
Posted by ancient chinese culture in Folk Music&Dance on June 26, 2009
Known as a living fossil, Naxi Ancient Music was listed as one of the masterpieces of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity.
The music is a collective of literary lyrics, poetic topics, and musical styles from the Tang (618-907) and Song dynasties (960-1279).
It is composed of three styles: Baisha Fine Music, Dongjing Music and the now-extinct Huangjing Music.
What’s more, Naxi Music bands are famous for their “three olds”:
Old Performers: Most of the performers are more than 70 years old;
Old Musical Instruments: Many instruments have a history of more than 100 years. Some are unique ones.
Old Songs: All are antiquated classical music.
Nowadays, when you walk on the ancient streets of Lijiang, Yuannan Province, you may still hear this wonderful music.
Chinese Calligraphy
Posted by ancient chinese culture in Calligraphy on April 12, 2009
Calligraphy, which is called Shu Fa in Chinese, is regarded as a sublime art form in Chinese culture. It has a history of nearly two thousand years. During all these days, calligraphy experienced its evolution and development. Up to now, there are several styles of writing: seal, regular, cursive, etc. Each one has its own characteristics and purpose.
When we appreciate the calligraphy, we are not only appreciating the beauty of the art, what’s more, but also communicating with the artists’ spiritual world. Like a thousand people have a thousand different faces, a thousand people will have their own different handwritings.
Let’s appreciate several styles of writing and walk into artists’ spiritual world.
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