ClothartisoneofthemoststrikingformsofChinese.folkartsandcrafts.Madeofclothandothermaterials,andincorporatedwiththemesthatreflectpeople'slongingforagoodlife,theclothitemsaremadewithtechniquessimilartothoseusedforotherformsofhandiwork,yettheypossesstheirowndistinctivestyle.Methodsofcraftsmanshipincludecutting,sewing,cross-stitch,braiding,embroidery,pastingandapplique.Thebrightlycoloreditemscomeinavarietyofshapesandstyles.Lightweightandpractical,theycapturethesimplicityofChinesefolkart.InancientChina,manyitemsfordailyuseweremadeofcloth.Thesepiecesarenotonlybeautifulbutalsohaveartisticappealandpracticalvalue.Thisbookhasacollectionofover200photographsofclotharticlesfromShandong,ShanxiandShaanxiprovinceswhichshould,helpfamiliarizereaderswithoneofChinasmostpopulartraditionalarts.
Kite-flyingisage-oldtraditioiChina.ItshistorycabetracedbacktotheSpringandAutumPeriod(770-476BC)andtheWarringStatesPeriod(475-221)wheMoxiandLuBan,AccordingtoHistoricalRecords,madeawoodeKiterespectively.FamousKite-makersoftheQin-Haperiod(221BC-AD25)includedHaXiandZhangLiang.Sincethen,accountsofKite-flyingcabefoundimanypre-TangannalssuchastheHistoryofSoutherDynastiesandtheNewHistoryofTang;mostlyKiteswereusedformilitarypurposes,eithercarryingmessagesorexertingadeterrenteffectoftheenemyforces.
ClothartisoneofthemoststrikingformsofChinese.folkartsandcrafts.Madeofclothandothermaterials,andincorporatedwiththemesthatreflectpeople'slongingforagoodlife,theclothitemsaremadewithtechniquessimilartothoseusedforotherformsofhandiwork,yettheypossesstheirowndistinctivestyle.Methodsofcraftsmanshipincludecutting,sewing,cross-stitch,braiding,embroidery,pastingandapplique.Thebrightlycoloreditemscomeinavarietyofshapesandstyles.Lightweightandpractical,theycapturethesimplicityofChinesefolkart.InancientChina,manyitemsfordailyuseweremadeofcloth.Thesepiecesarenotonlybeautifulbutalsohaveartisticappealandpracticalvalue.Thisbookhasacollectionofover200photographsofclotharticlesfromShandong,ShanxiandShaanxiprovinceswhichshould,helpfamiliarizereaderswithoneofChinasmostpopulartraditionalarts.
TheclothartofChinareferstoclothhandicraftsmadebyChinesepeopleusingtraditionalclothandthreadsasrawmaterials.Thesearetailored,sewandadorthedifferentcloths.Clothhandicraftseisuchformsasembroidery,Gesitapestry,handstitching,embroiderypaste,barbola,brocadeandbatik.Chinesepeoplewerethefirsttoraisesklkwormsandfromthecocoonstheymadesilkthreadwhichwasusedtoweavesilkfabrics.Yuanfei,theconcubineoftheYellowEmperor,personallyraisedsilkwormsandcalledoallotherwometodolikewise.Theemperorhimselfpersonallytookpartitillingandpopularizedsilkwormraisingtechnologyamongthepeople.Ithiswayatraditionalsystemwasintroducedfortheraisingofsilkworms.this,plusthesysemintroducedsome4,000yearsagoforpeopleofdifferentsocialstratatoweargarmentswithdifferentcoloursanddesigns,promptedthefastdevel-opmentoftheweavingandembroideringtechnologiesiChina.UsingonlyneedleandthreadtheChinesequicklylearnedtomakedecorativegarments.Thishelpedtomakepeopleslivesmorecolourfulandsatisfiedthepeople‘sneedforabetterqualityoflife.this,iturn
TheartofclayfiguremodelinginChinaboastsalonghistorythatdatesbacktotheNeolithicAge(about4,000to10,000yearsB.E).Forinstance,somepotterypigsandsheephavebeendiscoveredatthe6,000to7,000-year-oldHemudusiteinZhejiangProvince.Andthelife-sizeterracottawarriorsandhorsesunearthedin1974fromthemausoleumoftheFirstEmperor(259-210BC)oftheQinDynasty(221-206BC)havebeenreferredtoasthe"EighthWonderoftheAncientWorld."Infact,archaeologistshaveexcavatedagreatnumberofpotteryfigurines,animals,chariots,andboatsfromthetombsofthefollowingHanDynasty(206BC-AD220).Naturally,thefuneralcustomofburyingfigurinesandobjectswiththedeadgaveimpetustothedevelopmentofclaysculptureatthattime.