Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art

Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art
Author :
Publisher : Asian Art Museum
Total Pages : 0
Release :
ISBN-10 : 0939117371
ISBN-13 : 9780939117376
Rating : 4/5 (376 Downloads)

Book Synopsis Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art by : Terese Tse Bartholomew

Download or read book Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art written by Terese Tse Bartholomew and published by Asian Art Museum. This book was released on 2012-03-10 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With clear, readable explanations, this Chinese art history book provides a visual insight into the very rich history of Chinese sybbolism. Can decorative objects increase one's wealth, happiness, or longevity? Traditionally, many Chinese have believed that they could—provided they include the appropriate auspicious symbols. In Hidden meanings in Chinese Art Asian Art Museum Curator Terese Tse Bartholomew, culminating decades of research, has provided a thorough guide to such symbols. Auspicious symbols in Chinese art are often in the form of rebuses—visual puns. Because many words in Chinese share the same pronunciation, there is a wealth of opportunities for such punning, and over the centuries many rebuses have developed established meanings. Should one give a clock as a gift? Certainly not! "To give a clock" songzhong is a pun for "a last farewell," in other words, for attending a person who is on the edge o death. Why is a pot of philodendrons an appropriate gift for someone opening a new store or restaurant? In America the philodendron serves as a substitute for a Chinese plant named wannianqing, or "ten thousand years green." Such a gift expresses the wish that the business will flourish for ten thousand years. Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art brings a systematic approach to the cataloguing of such hidden meanings. Richly illustrated with photos of art objects and with many original illustrations by the author, and enhanced with extensive bilingual indexes and other supporting materials, this book is an essential reference for anyone interested in exploring Chinese art and culture.


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