中国传统艺术英语介绍

Chinese Folk Arts

Papercut

The

papercuts

of

Shanxi

feature

a

wide

variety

of

themes,

including

flowers,

human

figures,

animals, legends, folk tales all stoties from operatic works, and showing a bold and unrestrained

style, simple and unsophisticated presentation and strong local

characteristics. There are two types - colored and monochrome.

Chinese papercut

Clay Figurines

The Huishan clay figurines

made in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province emerged in the Ming

Dynasty and

have

a

history

of

over

400

years.

Thanks

to

their

unique

art

style,

these

colored

figurines

have

been

well

received

by

the

Chinese

people

throughout

the

country

and

have

been

sold

to

50

countries and regions. Masters of the art have given demonstrations in Japan, the U. S., Australia

and other counthies. Hence Huishan clay figurines display the best color modeling art in the East.

A coloured sheep

Woodblock New Year Pictures

Yanghabu Woodblock New Year Pictures Originated in the Ming Dynasty. Yangjiabu is located

near Weifang City in Shandong Province. The original settlers, mostly with the family name Yang,

moved here from Zitong County in Sichuan Province during Hongwu reign period of the Ming

Dynasty. The woodblock pictures used New Year decorations have mainly Buddhist themes, while

the horizontal wall pictures are based on woodblock illustrations.

Yangjiabu new year pictures

Folding Fan

The folding fan is a folk handicraft for use in cooling oneself in summer, and is also used as a

decoration or a stage prop in traditional Chinese operas. Due to their fine workmanship, the

folding

fans

produced

in

Rongchang,

Chongqing,

are

prized

both

at

home

and

abroad.

Since

ancient times, Rongchang folding fans have been sold well throughout the country, as well as to

India, Myanmar and other countries.

Folding fan

Embroidery

Embroidery

is

traditional

Chinese

handicraft

art.

which

is

divided

into

the

SuZhou,

Sichuan,

Guangdong

and Hunan

schools.

Suzhou

embroidery

is

celebrated

for

its

sophisticated

stitching,

vivid pictures, beautiful patterns and elegant colors. Human Embroidery emphasizes vivid patterns.

Guangdong and Sichuan embroideries feature popular motifs, such as a peacock spreading its tail,

a magpie on the branch of a plum tree, pines and cranes as symbols

of long life, two dragons playing with a ball, and a phoenix and Peony. The embroidery items have

varied themes: Some are romantic and exaggerative, others reflect the reality, or are vivid

and true to life. Both are of practical and ornamental uses.

Chinese embroidery

Yang Liuqing New Year Pictures

One

of

China's

three

famous

folk

New

Year

picture

styles,

Yang

Liuqing

New

Year

Pictures

originated in Yang Liuqing Town, in the westem suburbs of Tianjin City, in the early l7th century.

Adopting

the

method

of

integrating

block

printing

and

hand-colored

decoration,

they

are

characterized

by

varied

themes

such,

as

brightness,

vivacity,

happiness,

auspiciousness

and

fascination. The pictures by the young people in Yang Liuqing have enjoyed ahigh reputation in

China.

Yangliuqing newyear pictures

Farmer Calligraphy and Paintings

Xukou

Town

in

Jiansu

Province

is

known

as

a

of

Chinese

Calligraphy

and

Paintings

Yushe and Yaoshe villages in the County are particularly famous for their output of calligraphy

and painting. Over five million calligraphy and paintings have been produced in the County by

more than 600 artists since 1956. In 1988 the

of

the

Fragrant

Hill

of

Wuxian

County

was

established.

Xukou

village's

farmer

paintings

are

renowned for their unique style integrating a strong flavor of life with the fragrance of the soil.

Huangzhong

County

in

Qinghai

Province

is

also

called

a

of

farmer

Calligraphy

and

Paintings

which some have been displayed in the international and national exhibitions. Their paintings are

characterized by a simple, vigorous natural and fresh style with traditional folk features.

China Huxian peasant pantings

Shadow Plays, Puppets and Marionettes

Shadow plays are a traditional folk art, the origin of which can be traced back to the Western Han

Dynasty (206 BC ~ 24 AD). With puppets made out of cow's leather or donkey hide, the shadow

play figures of the Guanzhong area of Shaanai Province are modeled on the stone relief pattems of

the

Han

Dynasty,

the

academic-style

painting

of

the

Song

Dynasty

and

folk

paper-cuts.

Guanzhong shadow play figures are popular with collectors and as home decorations. Yangzhou's

puppets are controlled by three wooden sticks - one to maulpulate the ears, eyes, nose and mouth

of the puppet, and the other two to manipulate the puppet's hands. The music of the show is based

on

Beijing

and

local

operas.

The

Yangzhou

Puppet

ArtTroupe

has

toured

many

countries

and

regions in the world, such as Japan, the United States, Australia, Russia, France, Italy, Holland,

Taiwan and Hong Kong and has been well received by the audiences.

Quanzhou

City

in

Fujian

Province

is

noted

for

its

marionettes.

Four

puppeteers

manipulate

the

figures, each of which can have up to 30 strings. Two international puppet festivals were held in

Quanzhou

in

l986

and

l990,

respectively,

in

which

over

300

artists

from

all

over

the

world

participated, including those from Britain, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, Holland, Japan and the

Philippines. Quanzhou also hosted the International Puppet Festival February 2002.

Chinese leather shadow play puppet

Stone Carvings of Hui'an

The stone carvings of the Hui'an area of Fujian Province have a history of over 1,600 years. Over

the centuries, they have developed into over 250 varieties in six categories. Hui'an stonemasons

created such treasures as the East and West pagodas in Quanzhou, the peristyles of the Dragon Hill

Temple in TaiPei, the stone lion at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing, the statue of