Brushing up a legacy
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Brushing up a legacy

China Daily  

By Yang Yang | China Daily | Updated: 2024-05-28 10:23 Editor's note: Traditional arts and crafts are supreme samples of Chinese cultural heritage. A short soft brush connected to a long hard handle, both vigorous and gentle — a simple Chinese writing brush can describe the most sophisticated idea. In his book Huzhou Writing Brush and Chinese Culture published by Peking University Press in 2010, scholar Ma Qingyun quotes Zhou Ruchang, a prestigious scholar, poet and calligrapher, as saying that: "Without the writing brush, Chinese characters could not have undergone their evolution, not to mention the painting art. Ma says: "For Zhou, the spiritual essence of Chinese culture is manifested in the writing brush, and its development depends on the writing brush as well." "So, the writing brush is not only a representative of Chinese culture, but also the creator of Chinese culture," he adds.

Writing Chinese Brush Chinese Culture  brush  spiritual  culture  zhou  brushing  writing  tools  ma  chinese  scholar  yang  legacy

History of this topic

Qi writing brush
4 months ago

Qi writing brush

China Daily  

The Qi writing brush, an intangible cultural heritage item of East China's Shandong province, has a history spanning over 2,000 years. According to Guo Mingchang, a master of the Qi writing brush-making technique, crafting this type of brush involves over 150 meticulous steps, including soaking, pulling, combing, binding, connecting, and trimming, all of which are executed manually and require exceptional …

Tracing the characters of a civilization's story
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Tracing the characters of a civilization's story

China Daily  

By YANG YANG | CHINA DAILY | Updated: 2024-05-28 07:41 A Qing Dynasty ink stone on display at a Beijing museum. XU JIE/GUO HAIPENG/HU DUNHUANG/FOR CHINA DAILY Among the Four Treasures of the Study, paper easily turns to ash, brushes wear out quickly, and ink is prone to degrade. Hence, there is a saying: "For a scholar, having an ink …

Brushing up a legacy
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Brushing up a legacy

China Daily  

Yang Wen, 30, hones his skills under the instruction of Qiu Changming, 74, a national inheritor of the Huzhou writing brush craftsmanship. YANG YANG/CHINA DAILY When Wang Xiaohua fully mastered the skills, she understood more about writing brushes. "It's not only a writing tool, but also closely connects with the entire history and culture of China," she says. The writing …

Brushing up a legacy
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Brushing up a legacy

China Daily  

Editor's note: Traditional arts and crafts are supreme samples of Chinese cultural heritage. A short soft brush connected to a long hard handle, both vigorous and gentle — a simple Chinese writing brush can describe the most sophisticated idea. In his book Huzhou Writing Brush and Chinese Culture published by Peking University Press in 2010, scholar Ma Qingyun quotes Zhou …

Brushing up a legacy
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Brushing up a legacy

China Daily  

Editor's note: Traditional arts and crafts are supreme samples of Chinese cultural heritage. A short soft brush connected to a long hard handle, both vigorous and gentle — a simple Chinese writing brush can describe the most sophisticated idea. In his book Huzhou Writing Brush and Chinese Culture published by Peking University Press in 2010, scholar Ma Qingyun quotes Zhou …

Brushing up a legacy
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Brushing up a legacy

China Daily  

It takes 25 to 30 days to make a Huzhou writing brush. At its peak time in the 1960s and '70s, the factory saw 500 to 600 artisans producing 1.2 million writing brushes a year, most of which were exported to Japan, but now there are only 50 to 60 artisans, says 63-year-old Ma Zhiliang, head of the factory. Now, …

Brushing up a legacy
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Brushing up a legacy

China Daily  

Editor's note: Traditional arts and crafts are supreme samples of Chinese cultural heritage. A short soft brush connected to a long hard handle, both vigorous and gentle — a simple Chinese writing brush can describe the most sophisticated idea. In his book Huzhou Writing Brush and Chinese Culture published by Peking University Press in 2010, scholar Ma Qingyun quotes Zhou …

Brushing up a legacy
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Brushing up a legacy

China Daily  

Wang Xiaohua, 60, a master artisan, shows one of the best writing brushes produced by the Shanlian Huzhou Ink Brush Factory. Right posture Sitting in front of a plastic water basin in the Shanlian Huzhou Ink Brush Factory, 60-year-old Wang Xiaohua, wearing a pair of golden-rimmed presbyopic glasses, is deftly combing the small pile of wet goat wool with a …

Brushing up a legacy
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Brushing up a legacy

China Daily  

Editor's note: Traditional arts and crafts are supreme samples of Chinese cultural heritage. A short soft brush connected to a long hard handle, both vigorous and gentle — a simple Chinese writing brush can describe the most sophisticated idea. In his book Huzhou Writing Brush and Chinese Culture published by Peking University Press in 2010, scholar Ma Qingyun quotes Zhou …

Brushing up a legacy
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Brushing up a legacy

China Daily  

Yang Wen, 30, hones his skills under the instruction of Qiu Changming, 74, a national inheritor of the Huzhou writing brush craftsmanship. Perfecting the craft The complete crafting process of a Huzhou writing brush comprises eight procedures, meticulously subdivided into 128 steps, according to Qiu Changming, a national-level inheritor of the craftsmanship. In 1966, at age 16, Qiu, who came …

A brush with greatness
9 months ago

A brush with greatness

China Daily  

A calligraphy exhibition at the Art Museum of Beijing Fine Art Academy celebrates calligraphy master Gao. Wu Hongliang, director of Beijing Fine Art Academy, says Gao's calligraphy is grounded in his masterful command of the solemnity of zhangcao script, but, meanwhile, is imbued with the reckless temperament of the writings of father and son Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi, the …

Giving folk art a sharper profile
10 months, 4 weeks ago

Giving folk art a sharper profile

China Daily  

China Daily | Updated: 2024-01-26 Dishes with corresponding paper-cut patterns in Pucheng, Fujian province. "I could have done it better," Zhou Dongmei says humbly, as she puts down the scissors and shows the finished paper-cut to curious onlookers. But in Pucheng, we add many delicate patterns and Chinese characters to the blossoms as well," Zhou explains. "When I got married, …

A brush with history
11 months, 4 weeks ago

A brush with history

China Daily  

Chinese calligraphy is the artistic vehicle in which the nation's cultural lineage is carried. Editor's note: There are 43 items inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage lists that not only bear witness to the past glories of Chinese civilization, but also continue to shine today. When Zhuo Heng entered a showroom of the National Art Museum of China one day …

A brush with history
11 months, 4 weeks ago

A brush with history

China Daily  

Chinese calligraphy is the artistic vehicle in which the nation's cultural lineage is carried. Editor's note: There are 43 items inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage lists that not only bear witness to the past glories of Chinese civilization, but also continue to shine today. When Zhuo Heng entered a showroom of the National Art Museum of China one day …

Charm of writing has growing appeal as a way to find inner peace
11 months, 4 weeks ago

Charm of writing has growing appeal as a way to find inner peace

China Daily  

Students take part in a calligraphy competition in Lanzhou, Gansu province. He sees the writing process as a way to talk with himself, through which he says he is enlightened and able to find his own life philosophy. For Zhou Jinsheng, writing calligraphy is more like a kind of sports activity. The 75-year-old has been writing on ground with a …

Living Heritage: Chinese calligraphy
11 months, 4 weeks ago

Living Heritage: Chinese calligraphy

China Daily  

Chinese calligraphy is an artistic practice of writing Chinese characters, often with a brush and ink on xuan paper. The evolution of Chinese calligraphy began alongside the earliest Chinese characters discovered to date - inscriptions on oracle bones from the Shang Dynasty in Anyang, Henan province. Lan Ting Xu, created by Wang Xizhi during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, is one …

Living Heritage: Chinese calligraphy
11 months, 4 weeks ago

Living Heritage: Chinese calligraphy

China Daily  

Chinese calligraphy is an artistic practice of writing Chinese characters, often with a brush and ink on xuan paper. The evolution of Chinese calligraphy began alongside the earliest Chinese characters discovered to date - inscriptions on oracle bones from the Shang Dynasty in Anyang, Henan province. Lan Ting Xu, created by Wang Xizhi during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, is one …

Different strokes
1 year ago

Different strokes

China Daily  

Fuchun Rock and Roll by Panamanian artist Gabriel Wong. "An important inspiration I've received through this program is seeing how artists from various cultural backgrounds communicate face to face, heart to heart with the universal language of art, and how they can feel the ideas hidden behind each other's works," he added. Ugandan artist Ruganzu Bruno Tusingwire, who grew up …

Weaving the wonder of bamboo
1 year, 1 month ago

Weaving the wonder of bamboo

China Daily  

Qian Lihuai's bamboo weaving Inception.CHINA DAILY Qian Lihuai and Joint Lab twist tradition to craft concoctions that delight visitors and institutions alike, Li Yingxue reports. In the China Pavilion at the sixth China International Import Expo in Shanghai, a piece of bamboo art resembling a Taihu Lake Stone was the center of attention. It was the work of Qian Lihuai, …

Weaving the wonder of bamboo
1 year, 1 month ago

Weaving the wonder of bamboo

China Daily  

Qian Lihuai's bamboo weaving Inception.CHINA DAILY Qian Lihuai and Joint Lab twist tradition to craft concoctions that delight visitors and institutions alike, Li Yingxue reports. In the China Pavilion at the sixth China International Import Expo in Shanghai, a piece of bamboo art resembling a Taihu Lake Stone was the center of attention. It was the work of Qian Lihuai, …

Weaving the wonder of bamboo
1 year, 1 month ago

Weaving the wonder of bamboo

China Daily  

Qian Lihuai's bamboo weaving Inception.CHINA DAILY Qian Lihuai and Joint Lab twist tradition to craft concoctions that delight visitors and institutions alike, Li Yingxue reports. In the China Pavilion at the sixth China International Import Expo in Shanghai, a piece of bamboo art resembling a Taihu Lake Stone was the center of attention. It was the work of Qian Lihuai, …

Weaving the wonder of bamboo
1 year, 1 month ago

Weaving the wonder of bamboo

China Daily  

Qian Lihuai's bamboo weaving Inception.CHINA DAILY Qian Lihuai and Joint Lab twist tradition to craft concoctions that delight visitors and institutions alike, Li Yingxue reports. In the China Pavilion at the sixth China International Import Expo in Shanghai, a piece of bamboo art resembling a Taihu Lake Stone was the center of attention. It was the work of Qian Lihuai, …

A cultural phenomenon
1 year, 9 months ago

A cultural phenomenon

China Daily  

Wan Yue's digital illustration centered on a silver incense burner that is kept at Shaanxi History Museum. Illustrator Wan Yue, as one of them, has found her own way of giving traditional cultural elements a modern touch with her ability to transform static objects into aesthetically pleasing characters. And from China's abundant resources of archaeological artifacts, she envisions ethereal, gallant …

A cultural phenomenon
1 year, 9 months ago

A cultural phenomenon

China Daily  

Wan Yue's digital illustration centered on a silver incense burner that is kept at Shaanxi History Museum. Illustrator Wan Yue, as one of them, has found her own way of giving traditional cultural elements a modern touch with her ability to transform static objects into aesthetically pleasing characters. And from China's abundant resources of archaeological artifacts, she envisions ethereal, gallant …

The patterns of life
1 year, 10 months ago

The patterns of life

China Daily  

Understanding the deep cultural connotations of traditional designs is its own path to enlightenment, Xu Lin reports. Editor's note: There are 43 items inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage lists that not only bear witness to the past glories of Chinese civilization, but also continue to shine today. A pair of scissors and a piece of paper — that's all …

The patterns of life
1 year, 10 months ago

The patterns of life

China Daily  

Understanding the deep cultural connotations of traditional designs is its own path to enlightenment, Xu Lin reports. Editor's note: There are 43 items inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage lists that not only bear witness to the past glories of Chinese civilization, but also continue to shine today. A pair of scissors and a piece of paper — that's all …

The patterns of life
1 year, 10 months ago

The patterns of life

China Daily  

Understanding the deep cultural connotations of traditional designs is its own path to enlightenment, Xu Lin reports. Editor's note: There are 43 items inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage lists that not only bear witness to the past glories of Chinese civilization, but also continue to shine today. A pair of scissors and a piece of paper — that's all …

New book records evolution of art in China
2 years, 7 months ago

New book records evolution of art in China

China Daily  

History of Chinese Art: Elegant Inheritance of 24 Dynasties, a new book by Yang Qi, professor in art history from Tsinghua University, was released recently. Yang also tries to interpret the spiritual pursuits of Chinese people reflected in artworks throughout the 24 dynasties. Works presented in the book include rock paintings from the Old Stone Age, bronze ware from the …

New book records evolution of art in China
2 years, 7 months ago

New book records evolution of art in China

China Daily  

History of Chinese Art: Elegant Inheritance of 24 Dynasties, a new book by Yang Qi, professor in art history from Tsinghua University, was released recently. Yang also tries to interpret the spiritual pursuits of Chinese people reflected in artworks throughout the 24 dynasties. Works presented in the book include rock paintings from the Old Stone Age, bronze ware from the …

Huzhou writing brush featured in intl promotional program
2 years, 8 months ago

Huzhou writing brush featured in intl promotional program

China Daily  

chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: Apr 22, 2022 A close up of a Huzhou writing brush, a traditional Chinese brush pen that is believed to have a history of over 2,000 years. The Huzhou writing brush was recently featured in a video aired during the Chinese Language Video Festival. The Huzhou writing brush is a traditional Chinese brush pen that is believed …

Master brushmaker helps keep traditional art form alive
2 years, 8 months ago

Master brushmaker helps keep traditional art form alive

China Daily  

Guo Mingchang makes a Qi writing brush. Guo Mingchang, from Guangrao county in Dongying, East China's Shandong province, is one of the few people who can still master the ancient art of making writing brushes. "On the one hand, our team promoted the Qi writing brush technique in schools, teaching students about its historical and cultural origins as well as …

Crafting artisans' stories
3 years, 11 months ago

Crafting artisans' stories

China Daily  

Lacquerware artist Hao Guanxiong works on his creations. A new book examines the lives and practices of traditional Chinese craftspeople in the contemporary world, Cheng Yuezhu reports. His first book on the subject, published in 2018, gives an eclectic account of 108 Chinese artisans and their traditional trades. The rationale behind the medium selection, Luo says, is to offer readers …

Crafting artisans' stories
3 years, 11 months ago

Crafting artisans' stories

China Daily  

Lacquerware artist Hao Guanxiong works on his creations. A new book examines the lives and practices of traditional Chinese craftspeople in the contemporary world, Cheng Yuezhu reports. His first book on the subject, published in 2018, gives an eclectic account of 108 Chinese artisans and their traditional trades. The rationale behind the medium selection, Luo says, is to offer readers …

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