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China Entertainment |
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| Entertainment |
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| Beijing Opera |
This is the most famous opera out of the 300 or more types of operas in China. There are performances of traditional opera in virtually every town. A visit to the Chinese opera is a relaxed affair and occasionally quite noisy; just exchange your evening dress and tie for some normal day clothes.
This form of opera dates back to 1790 when four local opera troupes of the Anhui province came to perform in Beijing in order of the imperial court. The tour was a hit and the troupes stayed. The artistes learned techniques from other local operas and Beijing Opera therefore took shape. Incorporating the merits of many other local dramas, Beijing Opera appeals to both Chinese and foreign audiences.
The performers' acting are mostly pantomime. Footwork, gestures and various body movements can portray or symbolize the actions of opening a door, climbing a hill, going upstairs or rowing a boat. When riding in a carriage, the performer has to walk while being flanked by a flag with colored tassels on both sides to represent a horse. Four generals and four soldiers represent an army of thousands. In a nutshell, each action of a performer is highly symbolic.
The character roles in Beijing Opera are divided into four main types according to the sex, age, social status, and profession. Sheng refer to male roles, Dan refers to female roles but is subdivided into various types - Qingyi is a woman with a strict moral code, Hua is a vivacious young maiden, Wu Dan is a woman with martial arts skills, and Lao is an elderly lady. Jing are the roles with painted faces and are usually warriors, heroes, statesmen, and even demons. Chou, or a clown, is a comic character and is easily recognizable by his distinctive make-up - a white patch on his nose. The different colors of the faces represent various characters and personalities. Yellow and white represent cunning traits, red stands for uprightness and loyalty, black means valor and wisdom, blue and green indicate the vigorous and enterprising character of rebellious heroes, and gold and silver represent mystic or supernatural powers.
The costumes in the Beijing Opera will impress you with their bright colors and amazing embroidery. The use of colors indicate different social status - yellow for the imperial family, red for high nobility, red or blue for upright men, white for old officials, and black for all the other roles. Apart from gorgeous clothes and headdresses, jewelry and hair ornaments are extensively used.
Efforts have currently been made to eliminate feudal aspects, to improve stagecraft, and to widen the subject matter. A new generation of young actors and actresses has emerged and are making new achievements on the basis of the traditional schools. |
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| Acrobatic Arts |
The Chinese acrobatics have come a long way. They remain as one of the most popular art forms in China and have gone through extensive evolution and development to reach their current level and fame. The art has actually existed for more than two thousand years but was never performed before liberation as it was looked down on by the feudal class. Only after 1949 did the people's government make intense efforts to foster and develop national arts and only then did the Chinese acrobatics gain a new life. The art has not only made great improvement in its contents and skills but also achieved in setting up a designing and directing system. This movement aimed to create graceful images_x, harmonious musical accompaniment, and good supporting effects of costumes, props and lighting.
During the arduous course of development, the Chinese acrobatics art managed to form its own style. The ancient acrobatics originated from the people's lives and were closely linked to their daily living and productive labor. Instruments of labor and everyday articles such as tridents, wicker rings, tables, chairs, jars, plates and bowls were used in the performances. Challenging acts were developed - 'Flying Trident', 'Balancing Chairs', 'Trick with Jars', 'Hoop-Diving' and 'Traditional Conjuring' are all equally intriguing performances not to be missed. In addition, there are Wushu, Diabolo Skills and the famous Lion Dance, all conceived from folk sports and games. |
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| The Lion Dance |
| This is an entertaining dance, which has evolved from an old folk dance in China. It has now been cleverly adapted by the acrobats to become a very popular number with the audience. There are currently two types of lions for this engaging dance - the big lion, played by two acrobats and the small lion, handled by only one person. The acrobats have to perform a myriad of movements of the lion, which include rolling, jumping, running, lying down, as well as portraying the creature's strength and agility. They would have to show the lion's comical and playful side, and even its sad, downcast expressions. This attractive dance is always accompanied by the rhythmic Chinese traditional percussion instruments and provides an exuberant and festive atmosphere. |
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| Cycling Feats |
| Unbelievable feats are performed using the humble unicycle and bicycle. The acrobats are experts in handling and maneuvering these vehicles and will make you hold your breath with their adroitness and amazing dexterity. They are able to display a variety of postures on the bicycles and the finale is usually a grand one, with the sensational tableau of a peacock fanning its feathers. |
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| Tight-Wire Feats |
| Known as 'Rope Walking' in ancient China, this act is a traditional number that has been vividly recorded in the Han Dynasty two thousand years ago. Nowadays, this performance is executed on a wire instead of a rope - an innovation imparting vigor and skills. Somersaults are basic acrobatic skills, which the acrobats carry out with such deftness and flair that you would think that they were born riding a bicycle. |
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| Diabolo Skills |
| A conventional Chinese sport, diabolo is played during festivals to express jubilation and is thus permeated with a strong national flavor. The performers will spin the diabolo rapidly, twirling it round their body, throwing it up or passing it to another acrobat with exceptional grace and expertise. While spinning the diabolo, the acrobat will also contort into different postures to add a tinge of challenge and intrigue to the performance. |
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| Traditional Conjuring |
| Traditional conjuring is a uniquely Chinese magic show that is performed only with a long cape and a few pieces of cloth. Armed with these simple articles, the conjurer is able to produce large and small glass bowls filled with water and live fish, and even braziers with burning fires. What is amazing is that the cape never gets wet or burned when the conjurer is executing his tricks. A great hit with the children. |
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| Hoop Diving |
| The acrobats performing this feat will enthrall you with their grace and agility. It was known as 'Swallow Play' more than two thousand years ago, as the performers imitated the flying movements of swallows while leaping nimbly through the narrow rings or hoops. This act is a demonstration of youthful vitality and breathtaking suppleness. |
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| Batik (Wax Paintings) |
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Batik, as one of the most ancient handworks, has been appreciated as a part of ancient Chinese civilization since the foundation of dyeing and weaving technology in China. It is a traditional Chinese folk art which combines painting and dyeing.
The history of batik can be traced back to the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-24 AD). Batik used to be popular both in Central and Southwest China. Somehow the batik technique was lost in Central China, but it has been handed down from generation to generation among the ethnic people in Guizhou, a province in Southwest China. Nobody knows how batik was invented, but there are batiks based on the finds in the Mawangdui tomb, which belonged to a noblewoman called Xing Zhui of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24), which was excavated in Changsha, capital of Central China's Hunan Province, in 1972. Today, a large number of artists have used the traditional art of batik-making in innovative and modern works. They have introduced new themes and have included more cultural and social messages - adding issues and concepts from the modern era to the long line of batik storytelling.
Batik, also known as laran or wax printing, is a form of dyeing or printing folk art made by applying beeswax to create different shapes. The cloth is generally dyed with indigo, and when the wax is removed with hot water, the images_x appear. Indigo is used chiefly for the basic cloth throughout Guizhou to give dark blues. A paste is made from the harvested plants which have been soaked in a wooden barrel.
Today you can still find batik being done by the ethnic people in Guizhou Province, in the South-West of China. Here the Miao, Gejia and Bouyei girls are highly skilled at batik. They use very finely drawn circular and double spiral designs representing the horns of the water buffalo, symbolizing their ancestor's life and death. Girls start learning to produce batik from the age of 6 and 7 years. The finest work is found on baby carriers, sleeves of their jackets and skirts. The more traditional designs are geometric, where the most skilled wax resist reads as a fine blue line on a white ground. With the influence of the Han Chinese more figurative designs like flowers, birds, fish have been introduced over the centuries.
Batik cloth can be made into garments, scarves, bags, table-cloths, bedspreads, curtains, and other decorative items. However, because the raw material for batik is pure cotton cloth, care must be taken in maintenance to prevent moisture a nd erosion of the batik cloth in case of mildew-caused worm. Were it bought for use of collection (not for decoration), timely regular exposure to sun is requested. Batik may be washed with water at any time, but do remember not to use cleanser during the washing process in case of depigmentation, nor use washer in case of damage to the edges because many dyeing paintings are made with edges as their outstanding superficial effects. Ironing may be permissible after washing. After buying the batik products, you may then begin to arrange mounting. At the same time, since batik is made from 100% pure cotton, it is the best choice for making clothes, quilt cover and bed-sheet. If used properly, batik can make your house or office unique and inviting. Batik shall be kept in clean, tidy, neat, dustless and regularly swept environment in the process of collection and maintenance. |
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| Chinese Kites |
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Kites in China have a long history. Historical records show that the first kite was made in the Spring and Autumn Period. But it was not a pleasure kite. It was a wooden kite made for military purposes. Paper kites appeared later.
Kite is used in military once it is invented. It has showed the importance, limitation sometimes though, on reconnaissance, propaganda, communication, etc. Ancient militarists used it for hundreds of years. "Be besieged on all sides" In 202 B.C., Liu Bang, Han Emperor, led on 300,000 soldiers surrounded Xiang Yu, Chu Emperor, which broke out the war between them. When Xiang Yu was worried about being lack of food and reinforcements, General Han Xin , under Emperor Liu Bang, made a kite and let a light soldier sit on it and flew up to sky and sang songs. The favorable wind brought the singing down to the Chu army on the ground. Xiang Yu was shocked and the soldier's minds was disturbed. He failed to break through and committed suicide.
It is also said that, in Han Dynasty, General Han Xin used a kite as a tool to survey. During the time of LiangwuDi Emperor, it was used for sending messages to each other. Unfortunately, it didn't work well. Mr Zhang of Tang Dynasty took advantage of kite to send signals successfully for help as he was surrounded by the enemy.
From Tang Dynasty, gradually, kites were regarded as toys. By the time of Qing Dynasty, flying kites were getting more popular. It is said that Cixi sent an eunuch to Tianjin for ˇ°Kite Wei" to make a kite named ˇ°The God of Longevity on the back of the crane for her. Three big kites were collected in the Imperial Palace, which were flown by Fu Yi. That is to say, kites have reached a pretty high level at that time.
The art of Chinese kite develops endlessly with the long history of cultural traditions of the nation. Each has its strong point due to the rich and colorful zone culture. It has a strong affinity with each historical periods and various zone; and firmly relates with the music, dance, drama, folk-custom and religion of each individual folk. It has formed various art system and genre as time goes by. Generally, six kinds: Beijing kite, Weifang kite, Tianjin kite, Nantong kite, Jiangnan kite, Taiwan kite.
Folding kites have a flexible tenon bamboo frame-work secured with glue instead of thread, and reinforced by a copper ring at every joint. Kites, one to three metres long, in the forms of aeroplanes, birds, animals or human figures can be folded up and packed in a 30 cm box in a large envelope for easy carrying or mailing. In 1915, "Wei Yuantai" kites own a gold medal and a certificate of merit at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, USA. In April of each year the Weifang International Kite Festival is held in Shandong Province. Kite lovers from all over the world come to Weifang with their specially made kites to compete and take part in the festivities.
Kites made in Tianjin, Beijing and Weifang are more superior among many styles. Beijing is also famous for kite making. With large variety in shape, Beijing kites, which are made of paper or silk and painted totally by hand, have a good market reputation home and abroad. The most experienced craftsman in Beijing, named Fei Baolin, has developed several hundred kinds of kites in different shapes and sizes. The smallest is as small as the palm of your hand. Weifang in Shandong province also is famous for its kite making and flying customs. Each year, Weifang International Kite Festival is held in April, and kiteflying from all over the world will take part in and compete in the festivity. |
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| Cloisonn¨¦ Enamel |
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Cloisonn¨¦ enamel, whose history can date back to over 500 years ago, is also called the "Blue of Jingtai" in China, as blue is the dominant color adopted for enameling and cloisonn¨¦ became prevalent during the reign of Jingtai (1450--1456) in the Ming dynasty. It is the decorative art of applying enamel of all colors to the surface of a copper or bronze object which is then fired to become a bright and colorful work of art. This artistic technique w as transmitted to China from the West and reached its peak of perfection as a result of the concerted efforts of Chinese artisans.
The technique for cloisonn¨¦ enameling was passed onto China by missionaries from central Asia sometime in the early to mid-14th century. Since then, great achievement has been obtained. The reason was possible in so short a time after cloisonn¨¦ technique had been transmitted to China was that the Chinese nation of the time possessed excellent conditions for developing cloisonne enameling art--it already had metallurgical technology, such as bronze casting; glass and glaze production techniques were well-known; and how to accurately control the firing temperature was already understood. Another reason was that the enamel was as soft and smooth as jade, as glittering as jewelry, and as delicate as china--satisfying many sorts of Chinese likings.
The making of cloisonn¨¦s involves quite elaborate and complicated processes: base-hammering, soldering, enamel-filling, enamel firing, polishing and gilding. When doing the cloisonn¨¦, firstly, use the red coppery to make the body, secondly, stick the pattern on the bronze body by oblate and thin brass wires, then fill the inlay pattern by enamel glaze material in different colors, the last procedure is the firing over and over, polishing and gilding. We may say, the technique of cloisonn¨¦ is used not only the bronze crafts, but also the porcelain crafts, meanwhile, fetching in plenty of traditional and carving technique, which is the combination of Chinese traditional arts.
Beijing is the cradle of cloisonn¨¦ technique. The earliest and existing cloisonn¨¦ is the product in Yuan dynasty, which we know it has nearly thousand-year history already. There is a great variety of products, such as the traditional vase, jar, bowl, plate, box and ash-tray. A great number of new varieties have also been created. They are brilliant in colors and splendid in design and enjoy a high reputation both at home and abroad.
An exquisite piece of cloisonn¨¦ must have colors that are moist and glossy, fresh and bright, a body that is substantive and sturdy, a wire inlay that is neat and well-proportioned, and gold plating that glitters. Its delicate appearance and splendid patterns should emit a classical warmth that rivets the gaze, and leaves one too infatuated to part with it. |
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| Chinese Knots |
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Chinese Knot is a type of national handicrafts with long history and profound cultural connotations. Appea red in ancient time, developed in Tang and Song Dynasty (960-1229A.D.)and popularized in Ming and Qing Dynasty (1368-1911A.D.) Chinese Knot has now become a kind of elegant and colorful arts and crafts from its original practical use.
In 1980, some dedicated connoisseurs collected an arranged the decorative yet practical knots that have been passed down through the centuries in China. After studying the structures of these knots, the devotees set about creating new variations and increasing the decorative value of the knots. These exquisitely symmetrical knots which come in so many forms are as profound as the great cultural heritage of the Chinese people.
Purely hand-made, each knot is woven out of one entire silk thread, and bestowed a name in tune with its shape and implied meaning. By combining different knots or other auspicious adornments skillfully, an unique auspicious ornament which represents beauty, idea and wishes is formed. For example, "Full of joy". "Happiness & Longevity", "Double Happiness". "Luck and Auspiciousness as one wishes" are Chinese traditional pleasant phrases expressing warmest regards, best wishes and finest ideal.
In Chinese language, "knot" has the meanings of reunion, friendliness, warm, marriage, love etc. In addition, "knot" and "luck, felicity" have the same pronunciation, so chinese knots are often used to express some good wish including happy,prosper,love and no evil.
In nowadays, Chinese Knot has various products. The two main series are auspicious hanging and knitting clothing adornment. Auspicious hanging includes large tapestry, big room hanging, automobile hanging etc. Knitting clothing adornment includes ring, eardrop, hand chain, necklace and other woman's special adornments.
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| Chinese Seals |
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Many foreign businessmen who are so used to signing their names in a contract found with astonishment that their Chinese counterparts prefer to use seals. Seal-cutting is traditionally listed along with painting, calligraphy and poetry as one of the "four arts" expected of the accomplished scholar and a unique part of the Chinese cultural heritage.
The role of seals in the Chinese culture can hardly be overestimated. For the last 3,000 years they have been used in official, private, even magic spheres. The earliest seals come from the Shang dynasty (16-11 centuries BC.) from the archeological sites at Anyang. However very little is known about their usage at this early stage. They flourished in the Qin Dynasty of 22 centuries ago, when people engraved their names on utensils and documents (of bamboo and wood) to show ownership or authorship. According to a story in Han dynasty , the first seal was given to the Yellow Emperor by a yellow dragon with a chart on its back. Another story says that it was given to Emperor Yao by a phoenix as the emperor was sitting on a boat. In any case he who has the seal possesses the Mandate of Heaven, in other words, he has been given the right to rule the empire. So when Tang, the first ruler of the Shang dynasty overthrew the last tyrant of the previous Xia dynasty, he seizes the royal seal and thus established his power.
Besides the symbol of power and right, imperial seal was also a seal that the emperor used to indicate that a certain document was written in his own handwriting. Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795) for example, was famous for his literary ambitions, including calligraphy, and had produced a large amount of texts affixed with his seal. When his calligraphy was carved into stone steles, the seal was copied onto the surface of the stone too.
Thirdly emperors often used the seal to appraise and appreciate art. It was customary for collectors and connoisseurs of art to affix their seals on the surface of a scroll of painting or calligraphy. The paintings acquired by the imperial household were affixed by the imperial seal. Many famous paintings from the Forbidden City have seals of generations of subsequent emperors on them.
On top of imperial seals, the re are also official seals and private seals which are still in use in the present time in business and people's life. |
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| Official seals |
| Official seals have been conferred to officials as a token of their office and authority. These seals were usually small enough to be carried on the official's belt. There were regulations as to the material and shape of the handle of these seals: some had to be golden, some copper, some with a handle in the shape of a turtle, some of a camel. Up to the Eastern Han dynasty (25-330), the color of ink used to affix official seals was regulated depending on the position of the owner, some officials had to use green ink, some purple, some yellow etc. |
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| Private seals |
Private seals are naturally unregulated, therefore they show the largest variety in content, shape, size, material and calligraphy. Seals with names, pen names, pseudonyms etc on them were used as a signature by people in their private life. This is how artists sign their works and letters. Chinese literati commonly used a number of different pen names so identifying a person's name from a seal can be a tricky business.
The materials for seals vary with different types of owners. Average persons normally have wood, stone or horn seals, whereas noted public figures would probably prefer seals made of red stained Changhua stone, jade, agate, crystal, ivory and other more valuable materials. Monarchs in the old days used gold or the most precious stones to make their imperial or royal seals. Today Chinese government offices at lower levels wood ones.
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