This week I am choosing to write my piece on the bronze “Incense Burner,” from the tomb of Prince Liu Sheng. I choose this because the depiction of life and harmony in this artifact contrasts deeply with the art from previous regions, where their sculptures emphasized mainly on masculinity, heroism and death. I thought this piece to be very phenomenal, and I believe it captures the essence of this human and nature like bond, the gold outline tracing on the waves of water like arches bringing in this feeling of enlightenment. In this chapter much of the artwork depicts nature as the mother,protector, and also the ruler of life. They send to viewer’s different aspects and the profound connection between the beauty of nature and human. Above the outline ocean waves of the “Incense Burner,” are these …show more content…
Although the “Incense Burner” connects to nature with the golden outlined sea waves representing this way of nourishing life and keeping it alive, and the gold intensify this image as if the gold is turning the sea into a rich and abundant life source. then above the sea are animals symbolizing reproduction and life, and humans, and small islands. It also portray almost this world beyond life, an eternal world the water waves going up as if reaching out to the gods, and the islands have no color, but it still gives a sense of life. One of china’s active religions today is Daoism, according, a religion that give importance on the close relationship between humans and nature.On the beautiful “ Incense Burner” there is also a well known Daoist tell, which depicts the tell of the Isles of the immortals in the Eastern sea. Many of the art pieces in this week readings were amazing giving viewers overall a sense of life it depicted tells of nature and human as one, I believe these artifacts are tells of the great and offered us views on worlds that may only have existed
Liu encountered these families during her four years in the countryside. The painting depicts two men, perhaps a father and son, working together to pull a boat upstream. Although the boat is not in the picture, one can sense the weight from the postures, effort and strength of the men. Two men are contrasted by small images of the fragile, precious snuff bottles and the delicate dragonfly in the corner, both traditional Chinese symbols. The painting shows the 2 men in perfect rhythm with the appearance of sweat falling from their efforts. The positive focus is the 2 men in the picture with many negative white and dark colors. I believe the artist wanted you to feel the darkness and the sadness of the men as they did what that had to do to survive. You can almost feel the pain as they stress their bodies to the limits. I was truly intrigued by this piece of work, and would love to learn more about the artist’s
Literature shows us the changes of our society from time to time. It also gives us an idea about people, culture, politics, gender traditions, as well as an overall view of previous civilizations. As a part of literature, poetry introduces us to different cultures with different perspectives. Ancient Egypt and ancient China may differ in terms of culture, politics, economic stability, tradition, or even in religious belief. However, in poetry, especially in love lyrics both Egyptian and Chinese poems portray common area of describing women, social attitudes toward love, sexuality and the existence of romance or selfishness in relationships. . If we look at the Egyptian poem “My god, my Lotus” and the Chinese poem “Fishhawk”, we will see both poems have similarities in describing relationships. Also, they have the similarity of imagining the lovers and their expression of love toward each other. However, both poems have some significant differences in terms of representing female sexuality, gender disparity and the display of love.
Cao Xueqin’s Story of the Stone is a classic in Chinese literature, showcasing the life and exploits of the wealthy Jia clan during the feudal era. Through Cao’s depiction, the reader is afforded a glimpse into the customs and lifestyle of the time. Chinese mode of thought is depicted as it occurs in daily life, with the coexisting beliefs of Confucianism and Taoism. While the positive aspects of both ideologies are presented, Cao ultimately depicts Taoism as the paramount, essential system of belief that guides the character Bao-yu to his eventual enlightenment. As was the case in China, Cao depicts the two forms of belief existing alongside one another, and not necessarily practiced exclusively to one another.
The piece of work, “Meditation in a cave”, was created by Ren Yu in 1899, under Chinese culture, with FADIS id 106028. It is now presented in the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
The representation of the new age of exploration, which serves as an allusion to man’s potential, is starkly contrasted with the depiction of Icarus that serves as an allegory for man’s limits, indicating the shift from a euro-centric universe. This painting is an oil canvas landscape of the sun setting on the horizon of the ocean sea, while the ships were sailing through the body of water. The focus on humanism during this period is clearly portrayed by the presence of the plowman, shepherd, and fisherman performing their daily task. Lighter colors are used, which differ from the darker colors that were emphasized during the Dark Age or Medieval period. Shadows can be seen on the ground next to the plowman, showing the increasing artistic methods that begin to be utilized.
What is aromatherapy? In an article titled “Phytotherapy Research” by Amr Edris, he describes aromatherapy as, “The use of essential oils and their volatile constituents are widely to prevent and treat human disease.” Aromatherapy is said to be an alternate form of medicine that uses essential oils, which are made up of volatile plant materials. With these essential oils it is said that they help to alter a person’s mood, health, mind, and cognitive function. It is also said that aromatherapy could substitute as treatment or prevention for certain diseases. There are many different types of oils used for aromatherapy in different ways for different outcomes. Such methods include the topical application, aerial diffusion, and direct inhalation. Topical application is any direct contact with the oil, used such as placing the oil in a bath or directly on to the skin. Aerial diffusion is where the oil is placed on the carpet around you or even on to a pillow or bed. Direct inhalation is a method where the oil is placed on the hands and rubbed together then while cupping your hands under your face to inhale the oils, this has a very powerful effect when used. Some uses of aromatherapy are for used as anti-depressants, relive stress, help with relaxation, insomnia, acne, itching and many more. To cure anxiety lavender, chamomile, rose, vanilla, and cardamom oils are all used for this. Lemon, jasmine, rosemary, sandalwood, and peppermint oils are all used to help with depression. When dealing with fatigue it is said that basil, cedarwood, clove, and eucalyptus all help. Headaches can be cured with lemon grass, thyme, ginger, and cinnamon oils. Caraway, chamomile, lavender, and rosemary oils are all used to help with menstrual cramps. The...
Interregnum, painted by the Chinese artist Hung Liu, is a massive oil painting created circa 2002. With the intentional application of several principles and elements of art in her work, Liu effectively depicts her late Asian culture’s traditional aspects while also exposing the harsh reality of China’s Communist society. Hung Liu incorporates a variety of styles into Interregnum while also utilizing color and line to visually communicate the subject matter to the viewer. In a formal interpretation of this work, the overarching theme of Interregnum will be explored and described, focusing on the particular values sought out by the artist Hung Liu.
When first approaching this work, one feels immediately attracted to its sense of wonder and awe. The bright colors used in the sun draws a viewer in, but the astonishment, fascination, and emotion depicted in the expression on the young woman keeps them intrigued in the painting. It reaches out to those who have worked hard in their life and who look forward to a better future. Even a small event such as a song of a lark gives them hope that there will be a better tomorrow, a thought that can be seen though the countenance by this girl. Although just a collection of oils on a canvas, she is someone who reaches out to people and inspires them to appreciate the small things that, even if only for a short moment, can make the road ahead seem brighter.
The American Museum of National History in Central Park, New York City was remarkable to explore. There were many interesting and valuable artifacts in the museum that are a precious treasure to the history of America and how the items relate to one another. The color, shape, and style demonstrated the significance of understanding where the artifacts came from and how they were created. I enjoyed looking at the antiques and heirlooms that gave purpose to its development of the Chinese history and culture. One of my favorite artifacts that was exquisite to see was the Incense Burner in the Shape of a Rooster. This special item was created in the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), 18th century with a Cloisonné enamel on copper. The rooster in Chinese culture is a symbol of diligence and fortune. The rooster is a particularly popular Chinese decorative motif. This incense burner has an ingenious design. The hollow body houses the burning incense and the detachable wings serve as the lid with several small openings on
“The whole character of Chinese popular religion flows in the direction of plethora of rituals and obligations without much discernable doctrinal underpinning” (Corduan, 2012, p.410). The Chinese popular religion has gravitated away the gods of Buddha and Daoism and captured the philosophy of luck and materialism (Corduan, 2012), while it “is less concerned with philosophical issues and
Vases, Bowls, Scrolls, and many other intricate drawings served as more than just clean cut pieces, but in fact these items told stories that would last for generations. The stories that are depicted on these artworks are ancient tales of things that occurred during the different dynasties of China. These artworks would be like today’s textbooks or articles online. Looking at different pieces of art within the museum takes time, due to the fact that I was curious to find out the meaning behind the various pieces of art. One piece that stood out to me was titled, “Covered Box with Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove”. This piece stood out to me because I truly thought it was a beautiful work of art and the advancement of the Ming dynasty for creating such a complex piece of artwork during the time period. Not only was the artwork phenomenal, but the story behind the piece is even more intriguing to me. As I looked into what the seven sages were, I realized that the seven sages did not even exist during the Ming dynasty era. Majority of the works that Chinese artists depict are of times prior to their existence. They feel the need to preserve the stories
Shanshui is a style of painting that has been practiced in China for one and a half millennia, it has a long history and it is part of world’s cultural heritage. It has always been more engaging to the hearts of the Chinese literati than flower-birds and human figure. Shanshui is not only for its own sake, but also as a vehicle, its because the it was never only about holding up a mirror to the landscape in keeping with dominant aesthetic tastes. It was always about reflecting on and negotiating the artists’ own position in relation to the world in that era – for centuries one with a majestic and noble nature of which humans were but a small and insignificant part. The other criteria were harmony, beauty and technique of execution.
Ruyi, 如意, a term meaning “as you wish”, is a scepter that has circulated throughout China. This curved decorative object is designed as an ‘S’ shaped scepter, which consists of three main parts—the top, middle, and bottom. The top of the Ruyi is often designed ornately, sometimes resembling a “fist, mushroom head”, or in rare cases a dragon emblem (Kieschnick, 142). The focus of this research paper is to understand the symbolic nature of the Ruyi in China. In order to better grasp the meaning attributed to the Ruyi, it is best to provide a background of the history, development, and function of the Ruyi in China. Thus, first, I will cover the different arguments about the objects origins. Second, I will analyze the circulation and function of the object—from the court, locals, and Buddhist monks, since such is significant to better understand the symbolic nature of the Ruyi. Third, I will provide an analysis of the materials that was used to make the object, in order to evaluate the importance of this object in Chinese society. Lastly, I will elaborate on the symbolism tied in with religion, specifically Buddhism in the Ruyi. Thus, with all this components I hope to provide a better understanding of this material object that started out as a normal, day to day object, to an object that eventually symbolized goodness, wellness, fortune, power, and many more.
The arts, are a window to the past they allow our current society to understand the thoughts and visions of previous artists and their movements. It is through the idealization of the form or the use of expressive and chaotic brush stokes that we are able to understand the purpose of a piece and acknowledge the metamorphosis art has undergone over the course of time. Both the visual and preforming arts serve as a vehicle of communication, we see how artists use powerful images express some of the most complex thoughts, opinions, and human emotions. It can be said, that art is a source of cultural enlightenment that allows us to understand the values and views of a certain region or group without having a firsthand experience. Art has been used in many different manners, “the glorification of religion, propaganda, symbolism, and” as a reflection of societies flaws and virtues. Humankind is not able to survive without basic resources such as food, water, and shelter; and it certainly cannot exist without art. From the very beginning of mankind humans have craved and indulged in any fo...
...des us with a glimpse into the ancient culture using beautiful and detailed designs. The art form has been sustained in fired clay for thousands of years indiscriminately telling its story to the world and to history.