Get To Know the History of Chinese Horoscopes

Article by Tanya

More and more people begin to be interested in Chinese horoscopes, for Chinese horoscope has been proven to be amazing and accurate. And in fact, Chinese have long been professional in the field of numerology and astrology. In recent years, Chinese horoscope is becoming popular, so are you curious about the origins of that? In this post we would explore the answer to you, hope it would be helpful.

Chinese New Year of the water dragon is drawing near. The Chinese zodiac is one amongst the many mysterious and intriguing elements of the Chinese culture. It is said that the Lord Buddha was soon to leave earth so he decided that he would name each phase of the Zodiac after an animal. Cat and rat were the worst swimmers amongst all the animals. They hatched a plan and decided to cross the river on the back of the ox. Since ox was a na?ve and kind animal, he agreed to carry both of them across the river. Just as they were about to reach the shore, rat, in order to ensure his victory, pushed the cat into the river.

Another legend was based on the legend which in the sixth century B.C. the Jade Emperor invited all the animals in creation to a race, only twelve showed up: the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Lamb, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Their presence was requested at the palace the following day. When they lined up in front of the king, he found that they numbered only eleven, instead of twelve as he had requested.

Popular folklore documents the beginnings of the Chinese zodiac and the cyclical concept of time. This folklore seeks to explain how the different animals came to represent each year, their specific order and the personality traits that each animal is believed to have in common with the person born in the year of the animal. In Chinese astrology, a person's traits, character, success and happiness can be determined through his or her zodiac. There is more to a person's horoscope than the animal of his year.

Already it can be seen there are both sim! ilaritie s (both have 12 basic signs) and differences (solar and lunar calendar) between Chinese and Western astrology. It is important to understand them to avoid confusion. It is also of interest that natal astrology developed in China at around the time of Christ, at the same period as it was developed in the west by Greeks and Persians. The influence of the Chinese to many cultures around the world is so great that even Chinese horoscopes are being consulted and Chinese astrology is still depended on in Chinese communities around the world.

Shen Yun Dancer Profile: Xiya Li

www.ShenYunPerformingArts.org Born in Berlin, Germany, Xiya Li has taken a pronounced interest in Chinese culture and dance since a young age. She started learning ballet at the age of six, at 10 she began learning classical Chinese dance, and in 2006, she tested into the New York-based Fei Tian Academy of the Art as a dance major. In 2008, at the second New Tang Dynasty Television Global Classical Chinese Dance Competition, she won an Outstanding Award at the junior female division. The 2011 season is her fifth year performing with Shen Yun around the world.

Video Rating: 5 / 5

A Treasure House of Chinese Fables: Second Edition - Book Ten

More than formal histories, fables and folklore carry national traditions through centuries and over miles. In every country, in every culture, they tell the stories of everyday people and rulers -- of farmers and merchants and of emperors and their servants. They distill national, tribal, and ethnic differences while just as clearly showing their similarities as they're told around the world.

China is now a daily presence in global politics and commerce, yet still something of a contradiction to Western nations who see it both as a magic place and a powerful competitor. Chi Him Chiu's translations in A Treasure House of Chinese Fables, presented here in a second and somewhat shorter edition, navigate and explain Chinese history, dynasties, and geography with tales that range from wonder and joy to the details of military strategy.

You'll read here, with a twinge of the familiar, of the tiger that paid a debt of gratitude to an old woman for removing a thorn from its paw. You'll also read about King Hui of Qin and how he took over two other states by heeding the advice contained in an old tale of two tigers. You'll read about much more.

And you'll enter another world and learn its wisdom and gain its joys.More than formal histories, fables and folklore carry national traditions through centuries and over miles. In every country, in every culture, they tell the stories of everyday people and rulers -- of farmers and merchants and of emperors and their servants. They distill national, tribal, and ethnic differences while just as clearly showing their similarities as they're told around the world.

China is now a daily presence in global politics and commerce, yet still something of a contradiction to Western nations who see it both as a magic place and a powerful competitor. Chi Him Chiu's translations in A Treasure House of Chinese Fables, presented here in a second and somewhat shorter edition, navigate and explain Chinese history, dynasties, and geography wi! th tales that range from wonder and joy to the details of military strategy.

You'll read here, with a twinge of the familiar, of the tiger that paid a debt of gratitude to an old woman for removing a thorn from its paw. You'll also read about King Hui of Qin and how he took over two other states by heeding the advice contained in an old tale of two tigers. You'll read about much more.

And you'll enter another world and learn its wisdom and gain its joys.

List Price: $ 2.99 Price: $ 2.99

Chinese Classical Furniture (Images of Asia)

Chinese hardwood furniture of the Ming dynasty is known the world over for its classical beauty and ingenious design. This beautifully illustrated introduction to Ming furniture opens with a short history of Chinese furniture styles; goes on to discuss the many varieties of chairs, tables, beds, cabinets, and stands included among Ming pieces; and uses woodblock prints of the time to explore how the pieces were arranged and used.

List Price: $ 24.95 Price: $ 115.00


The Rough Guide to China 5 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)

The Rough Guide to China is the definitive guidebook to one of the world's most fascinating and rapidly changing travel destinations. The full-colour introduction gives an inspiring insight into many of China's highlights, from the awesome scenery down the Yangzi River to the incredible Great Buddha at Leshan and the lavish Confucius Temple. Read expert background on everything from the treasures of the Forbidden City to the Buddhist art of the Mogao Caves as well as comprehensive information on China''s history, politics, cultures and peoples. This fully- updated fifth edition includes an extended chapter on Shanghai and new colour inserts throughout allowing you to chose where to go and what to see, inspired by over 150 photos. Rely on our selection of the best places to stay and eat, for every budget with place names, accommodation and restaurants invaluably translated into Chinese script. Featuring over 140 detailed maps plus vital Chinese characters, this indispensable guide takes you from cutting-edge clubs in Shanghai to holy mountains in Tibet and from ancient temples to gleaming new skyscrapers.

Make the most of your time with The Rough Guide to China

List Price: $ 27.99 Price: $ 9.00

The Chinese Army Today: Tradition and Transformation for the 21st Century (Asian Security Studies)

The Chinese Army Today is a comprehensive study of the Chinese military, examining its ground forces in a level of detail not found in any other contemporary works. This new, revised edition has been fully updated to take account of recent changes in the institution.

In 1999, the military modernization program of the Chinese People's Liberation Army increased in intensity and achieved a focus not seen in the previous two decades. Based primarily on actual Chinese sources, this book details these changes and puts them in the context of the many traditions that still remain.

Written by a retired professional military officer who has served in China, the text uses first-hand observation of the Chinese military and three decades of military experience to weave many disparate threads from official Chinese statements, documents, and media reports into an integrated whole. The author also conducts an in-depth exploration into the many forces that constitute the People's Liberation Army.

This is an essential book for all students of Chinese military and security affairs, and highly recommended for students of Chinese Politics, Asian Security, and International Relations and Strategic Studies, in general.

List Price: $ 39.95 Price: $ 32.75

Art in China (Oxford History of Art)

About the Oxford History of Art Series:

"An impressively challenging and ambitious series intended to rewrite no less than the whole history of art in terms of new ideas and new scholarship."--Christopher White, Director of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

"A welcome introduction to art history for the twenty-first century....The best of the past and future."--Robert Rosenblum, New York University

The last twenty years have witnessed profound changes in art history, the greatest of which stem from the social and cultural perspectives now attached to art scholarship. Written by scholars at the forefront of new thinking, many of whom are rising stars in their fields, theOxford History of Art series offers substantial and innovative texts that clarify, illuminate, and debate the critical issues at the heart of art history today. Providing a fresh new look at art that moves away from traditional elitist approaches, the series makes use of new research and methodologies, as well as newly accessible and non-canonical works to offer comprehensive coverage of the art world from archaic and classical Greek art to twentieth-century design and photography, from the artistry of African-American and Native North Americans to the masterpieces of Europe, Polynesia, and Micronesia. Lavishly illustrated and superbly designed, the Oxford History of Art brings new substance and verve to the exciting and ubiquitous world of art.

China boasts a history of art spanning 5,000 years and embracing a wide diversity of images and objects--from jade tablets, painted silk handscrolls and fans to ink and lacquer painting, porcelain-ware, sculpture, and calligraphy. But this rich tradition has not, until now, been fully appreciated in the West where scholars have focused their attention on sculpture, while largely ignoring those art forms most highly prized by the Chinese themselves, such as calligraphy. Now, in Art in China, Craig Clunas marks a breakt! hrough i n the study of the subject. Taking into account all the arts practiced in China, and drawing on recent innovative scholarship, this rich text examines the production and consumption of art in its appropriate contexts. From art found in tombs to the state-controlled art of the Mao Zedong era, Art in China offers a novel look and comprehensive examination of all aspects of Chinese art.

List Price: $ 27.95 Price: $ 7.47

Peranakan Chinese Porcelain: Vibrant Festive Ware of the Straits Chinese (No)

Exuberant, ornate and colorful, Straits Chinese porcelain is a variety of polychrome enameled export ware made to specification in China during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This lovely porcelain was made for the Straits-born Chinese or Peranakan communities in Penang, Malacca and Singapore and was used on festive occasions such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and Chinese New Year.

Peranakan Chinese Porcelain is illustrated with over 800 full-color photographs of these distinctive porcelain types. Supported by text and photographs on many related aspects of the characteristic Straits Chinese culture, such as architecture, dress and cuisine, Peranakan Chinese Porcelain is a wonderful contribution to the history of the Straits Chinese.

List Price: $ 65.00 Price: $ 30.06

Total Modernity and the Avant-Garde in Twentieth-Century Chinese Art

"Written by one of the most important advocates and theorists of contemporary Chinese art, Total Modernity and the Avant-Garde in Twentieth-Century Chinese Art traces the historical roots of contemporary Chinese art and interprets some of the most important events that shaped it over the past three decades. Making serious theoretical claims based on firsthand observations, this book sheds light not only on the unique characteristics of recent Chinese art but also on the growing complexity of contemporary art in general." Wu Hung , Harrie A. Vanderstappen Distinguished Service Professor of Art History and East Asian Languages and Civilizations, and Director, Center for the Art of East Asia, University of Chicago

List Price: $ 39.95 Price: $ 26.33

Chinese Calligraphy (The Culture & Civilization of China)

Chinese calligraphy, with its artistic as well as utilitarian values, has been treasured for its formal beauty for more than three millennia. This lavishly illustrated book brings to English language readers for the first time a full account of calligraphy in China, including its history, theory, and importance in Chinese culture. Representing an unprecedented collaboration among leading Chinese and Western specialists, the book provides a definitive and up-to-date overview of the visual art form most revered in China.

The book begins with the premise that the history of Chinese script writing represents the core development of the history of Chinese culture and civilization. Tracing the development of calligraphic criticism from the second century to the twenty-first, the fourteen contributors to the volume offer a well-balanced and readable account of this tradition. With more than 600 illustrations, including examples of extremely rare Chinese calligraphy from all over the world, and an informative prologue by Wen C. Fong, this book will make a welcome addition to the library of every Western reader interested in China and its premiere art form.

(20081221)

List Price: $ 75.00 Price: $ 47.45

In the Realm of the Flower Phoenix

The Flower Phoenix is an ancient handscroll which has been created through generations of women artists. The original page of the handscroll was created by China's Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai. The Tang Dynasty is considered by many to be the height of Chinese artistic culture, and Li Bai is China's most renowned ancient poet. Li Bai was inspired by the beauty of Yang Mei. Yang Mei inspires the master painter Wu Daozi. Wu Daozi creates the second page of the Flower Phoenix handscroll. Legends say that Wu Daozi was a mystical painter, who at the end of his life painted a doorway in the side of a mountain, opened the door and disappeared forever.
Each generation creates panels in the book. By telling the story, the storyteller creates a portal into the Realm of the Flower Phoenix. The "storybearer" reads the story and summons the power of the energy of all the generations.
The story opens with Mable "Peach Blossom" Yang's one hundredth birthday celebration. She is going to pass the book on to the next generation. Mable is the most potent storybearer in the family line.
Hand scroll paintings were rolled from one side to the other and as each painted section was revealed, the story of the imagery was viewed and discussed. The book unfolds over many generations and the lives of the long line of women artists who created the Flower Phoenix are brought to life by the telling.The Flower Phoenix is an ancient handscroll which has been created through generations of women artists. The original page of the handscroll was created by China's Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai. The Tang Dynasty is considered by many to be the height of Chinese artistic culture, and Li Bai is China's most renowned ancient poet. Li Bai was inspired by the beauty of Yang Mei. Yang Mei inspires the master painter Wu Daozi. Wu Daozi creates the second page of the Flower Phoenix handscroll. Legends say that Wu Daozi was a mystical painter, who at the end of his life painted a doorway in the side of a mountain, opened the door and disappe! ared for ever.
Each generation creates panels in the book. By telling the story, the storyteller creates a portal into the Realm of the Flower Phoenix. The "storybearer" reads the story and summons the power of the energy of all the generations.
The story opens with Mable "Peach Blossom" Yang's one hundredth birthday celebration. She is going to pass the book on to the next generation. Mable is the most potent storybearer in the family line.
Hand scroll paintings were rolled from one side to the other and as each painted section was revealed, the story of the imagery was viewed and discussed. The book unfolds over many generations and the lives of the long line of women artists who created the Flower Phoenix are brought to life by the telling.

List Price: $ 0.99 Price: $ 0.99

BK0271Y-Chinese Painted Fancy Basket , Vintage, China, Wood (Mu), Antique Asian Decor: Chinese Paint

  • Vintage
  • China
  • Red / Gold
  • 13" wide x 13" deep x 16.5" high
Chinese painted fancy food basket with carved images of bats of happiness and deer on lid and other Chinese symbols on the bottom rim. Reed handles and red lacquered finish.

Price:

Chinese calligraphy writing and brush painting / sumi set

  • Great starter set
  • 5 brushes, ink well / stone, ink stick, signing ink, stone chop, brush rest, & water well
  • Nicely presented in chinese brocade gift box
  • Size: 8.5" x 6"
  • Made in China
Chinese character writing is a highly evolved discipline that relies as much on artistic craftsmanship, as it does on literary composition. Our basic writing set comes with two brushes, a black ink stick, ink stone and red ink for the "chop" or signature stamp. The ink is made by gently rubbing the ink stick in a small pool of water in the ink stone. This ancient method allows for very little waste. The same bushes and inks may be used both for writing and painting, as the two art forms are so closely linked. Our writing set comes from Shanghai, the literary capital of China. Also available on Amazon from REORIENT, is the traditional rice paper used for painting and writing.

List Price: $ 14.94 Price: $ 14.94


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