Spring Begins (立春）has passed. Slanting winds and gentle rains silently nourish the earth. Su Shi ( 蘇軾）captures this essence beautifully in one of his lines of poetry: "Tasting knotweed buds and mugwort bamboo shoots on the spring platter, the joy of life lies in simple pleasures (蓼茸蒿筍試春盆，人間有味是清歡).”
Although it is still the depth of winter, the fluttering snow heralds the coming of spring, and I believe spring will arrive as promised.
What is the essence of Suzhou pingtan that has been formed over the course of 400 years? Or what is pingtan in essence? The biggest difference between pingtan and traditional opera lies in the fact that the former is a way of expressing mainly through speaking while the latter is a way of expressing via acting.
Speaking of quyi (曲藝), we may think that it is a vulgar culture and belongs to the grassroots. Pingtan, as one of the forms of quyi, however, is regarded as the orchid of it. The difference between pingtan and other forms of quyi is that it caters for both refined and general tastes.
Speaking of quyi (literally melody and art曲艺) in Jiangnan area, south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, I would like to talk about its top representative
Liao Dynasty (遼，916-1125) was a dynasty established by Khitan people in ancient China and coexisted with the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (五代十國，902-979) and the Song Dynasty (宋，960-1279).
In mass media (such as movies or novels), sometimes the scene of seeking treasures in the sea, which is usually depicted with mystery and convoluted storylines piled up with romance and images of gold, silver and treasures.
The sound of Chinese vertical bamboo flute (Dong Xiao, 洞簫) is mellow and tender. This gives a special vibe for songs performed with this wind instrument.
Cantonese embroidery (粵繡) is one of the ten famous genres in Chinese embroidery. Cantonese embroidery could be divided into two major subcategories: Guangzhou embroidery (廣繡) and Chaozhou Embroidery (潮繡).
Clothing holds great importance in Chinese culture, as reflected in sayings such as "respecting what you are wearing before respecting the person."
〈贈汪倫〉〔唐〕李白（701-762）
Pingtan (評彈), a traditional art form of storytelling and ballad singing, originated in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province and was first recorded in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).
Radicals originally were integral characters, but how these integral characters late are called as “radicals” and who invented the term of “radical?”
As an art of writing, calligraphy originates in China, with a history as long as Chinese characters.
The art of calligraphy in Singapore and Malaysia has developed with the immigration of Chinese people to this region.
Teochew architecture bears numerous characteristics that sets it apart from the architectural styles of other regions in China. It is relatively inward-looking, with the front elevation usually devoid of windows, and it is typical to have only door openings.
Ink Painting Art, which is originated from Chinese traditional painting, becomes one of the symbolic Chinese art forms owing to its unique worldview towards art and extensive cultural upbringing.
Indeed, a rosy blossom or a piece of greenish foliage makes people feel beautiful. It consists of many elements, like the color of the rosy blossom, the texture of petals, the shade of rays, and even the swaying in a storm.
Silk, the epitome of luxury textile, is spun by silkworms to create their intricate cocoons. Its exquisite quality lies in the smoothness of the fibers and the delicate, lustrous appearance it imparts. As a natural fiber, silk is unparalleled in its beauty and elegance.
During my studies, I once learned in Chinese history class about the Chanyuan Treaty (澶淵之盟) which was signed during the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of Song Dynasty (宋真宗 趙恆, 968-1022).
Lin Daiyu is described as a pure, beautiful celestial-like figure, akin to a heavenly fairy...
Dream of the Red Chamber was crafted during the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong reigns......
As an artist, maybe I shouldn’t consider so many philosophical and aesthetic issues...
Wavers only need four steps to operate the pattern loom...
In Southeast Asia, the association of Chinese architecture with the colour red was primarily due to the region's prevalence of Hokkien religious architecture.
China has been known as the kingdom of silk since ancient times. Silk has won the recognition of the world for its excellent quality.
In the 1920s, due to the influence of social, cultural, and political factors, Chinese women gradually fell in love with Qipao evolved from the Manchu.
Cantonese architecture, also known as Lǐngnán architecture (嶺南建築), is visually distinct from other architectural typologies of the Southern Chinese coastal regions.
The history of Cantonese opera is very long and complicated. This paper humbly uses “past and present” as the main theme, to briefly describe the historical development and the current status of Cantonese opera.
During the early and the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, women's clothing was mainly under the influence of the Western Regions, embodying long skirts with narrow clothes and small sleeves, high waist and low-cut, and straight flaring skirts.
Mr. Shen Congwen’s (沈從文)book "Flowers, Flowers, Altars, Pots, and Pots(花花朵朵罈罈罐罐)" mentions that in the murals unearthed from the middle and modern times
"Her gorgeous clothes are like flowing clouds, and her beautiful appearance is like a blooming flower. The spring breeze blows over the railing, and the dewdrops moisten the flowers and make them more colorful.
Nanyin (南音) music, translated as “music from the south”, is a form of ancient Chinese music that traces its historical origins back to the Han Dynasty (206BC – 220AD).1 Played on a range of musical instruments – pipa, dongxiao, erxian, sanxian – a band of performers come together to produce the artform.
Macao is well known for its booming casino industry, but its architectures with both Chinese and Western styles...
Peking Opera, also known as "Jingxi"（京戲）, "Ping Opera"（平劇）, "National Drama"（國劇）, is a traditional Chinese drama and has a history of more than 200 years....
Chinese traditional sacrifice and drama, one is art and the other is religion. From the current perspective, the two seem to be unrelated
Traditional Chinese art crafts have gone through a long period of evolution, which reflects not only the historical, dynastical, economic and societal changes of ancient China
China has a long history and a large territory. The Chinese people have lived in various regions with different geographic settings and different life styles.
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