Tianxinge Changsha China Travel Guide

In Chinese legends, there are quite a few tales about how tigers saved human lives. One legend says in the ancient State of Chu, a man had an illegitimate child which he abandoned in a desolate field. A female tiger found the child and fed him with her won milk. Later, the child grew up to become a prime minister of the State of Chu.

Maybe the most famous man supposedly saved by a tiger is the great philosopher Confucius. It is said that Confucius was so ugly when he was born that his parents decided to leave him on a mountain. Again, it was a tiger who saved his life.

Tigers were worshipped not only by the majority of Han people, but also by more than a dozen minority ethnic groups. One example is the Yi nationality. Yi people have a tiger festival each year. On that day, all people dress up to look like tigers and hold all kinds of celebrations.

The worship of tiger can be found in most parts of China. The tiger theme used to be so popular that you could find many kinds of tiger objects in one household. You might see a tiger head made of cloth hanging on the gate, tiger paper-cuts on the window, tiger pillows and quilts on the bed, a tiger cake on the table and tiger caps, shoes and toys for children.

In the past, folk art works of tigers were usually made by women in the countryside. They made these for practical as well as aesthetic purposes. The skill was passed down from mother to daughter and a woman of talent would spread her skill to another village when she married a man from that place. Most of these women were illiterate and spent their entire lives in one small area in the countryside. So it is a wonder how the original patterns could have been passed down for generations and spread from the isolated village to all over China.

A Tradition Redefined: Modern and Contemporary Chinese Ink Paintings from the Chu-tsing Li Collection, 1950-2000

Drawn from the Chu-tsing Li collection of modern and contemporary Chinese paintings—the finest and most comprehensive of its kind in the West—A Tradition Redefined is the first in-depth exploration of the development of Chinese ink painting during the last half century. These extraordinary paintings demonstrate the reinvigoration of classical techniques and materials by artists throughout Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and abroad working with distinctly contemporary perspectives.

Illuminating essays situate these new works within the rich history of ink painting in China, revealing how avant-garde artists, schools, and trends evoke traditional and early modern Chinese art while engaging with developments in the international art world. With artist biographies and handsome reproductions of many previously unpublished paintings, this book is essential for scholars and collectors of Asian art as well as for participants in the increasingly globalized contemporary art scene.

List Price: $ 50.00 Price: $ 39.18

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