VISUAL+ARTS+and+MUSIC

Kim H. and Tom D. 03/10/09 Period 4 Chinese Visual Arts and Music  ** __ART__ ** Art is a really cool subject. It is popular all around the world but it is most popular in China. Art in China has been around for centuries and are still being performed today. People in China really like art. They especially like painting, sculpting and embroidery.

Chinese painting is one of the oldest artistic skills in the world. It is actually similar to calligraphy which is writing Chinese characters with a paint brush and black ink. Chinese art follows the "Six Principles of Chinese Painting" which was established by Xie He who lived in the fifth century of China. The six principles state how feeling should be put into a painting, how to handle the brush, how to draw the form of the painting, the placement of color, the arrangement of space, and how to copy the model. Artists who use the principles have their art to turn out successfully. A famous artist named Gu Khaizi once said "In figure paintings the clothes and the appearances were no very important. The eyes were the spirit and the decisive factor" (Chinavoc 1). Artists have followed this famous quote which shows that not only beauty is put into the painting but feeling and wisdom has been put into the painting also. Painting has brought forth a new sense of thinking and intelligence. Chinese sculpting is a beautiful technique that is outside of the traditional paper and paint. They would usually sculpt famous religious figures such as the Buddha. They would also sculpt mystical beings such as dragons and phoenixes. The one thing that is traditional and unique that no other culture can master is that they can sculpt with jade. Jade is a marble green rock that is only traditionally used in Asia, China especially. "China's sculptural heritage displays culturally distinct characteritics. The numerous genres explored here...indicate the need to rethink what //sculpture// means and to ponder how art was executed and what functions is filled” (Howard 461). Chinese sculpting has brought forth a new way of self expression which adds to the coloration of China. Sculpting inspired many other ideas that adds to the new fact that art can be made without using a piece of paper and paint.  ** Embroidery is decorative needlework or ornamentation of fabric.The traditional material that is used is silk because it is said to have good luck. The embroidery is used to decorate clothing especially. “ Embroidery is a brilliant pearl in Chinese art. From the magnificent Dragon Robe worn by Emperors to the popular embroidery seen in today's fashions, embroidery adds so much pleasure to our life and our culture” (Hu 1). Embroidery is not only just a beautiful piece of art, as said by this Chinese inhabitant. It is also an everyday look that brings color to fashion thus bringing beauty to China. This special technique is highly valued in China ** In conclusion... ** Chinese visual art is greatly respected throughout the world. Painting has brought forth a new perspective of thinking, sculpting has brought a new technique that does not require a piece of paper and a writing utensil and embroidery has brought color to fashion. The skills of painting, sculpting, and embroidery has helped China gain its colorful reputation. The visual arts of China are treasures of Chinese culture. Howard, Angela Falco, Yang Hong, and Wu Hung. __Chinese__ __Sculpture__. New York: Yale UP, 2006.
 * PAINTING **
 * SCULPTING **
 * EMBROIDERY
 * Works Cited: **

Hu. "Chinese Embroidery." __Travel China Guide__. 24 Jan. 2009. 24 Feb. 2009 [].

"Traditional Chinese Painting." __Chinavoc__. 2001. 24 Feb. 2009.

Music is popular all around the world. It is especially popular in China. It playes an important part in Chinese culture,and has a long history, many different instruments, and is still popular today. Music has been around in China for over 8 Thousand years. People first started making music in China during the Shang Dynasty, about 16-11 century B.C. It was used for many things including rituals and ceramonies. During this time, China had its own style of music, but it wasn't until 220 A.D that they started getting ideas from other countries. Soon after, they started to begin including solo performences in their music. There are many instruments used in China. Many of them are stringed instruments. One intresting stringed instrument found in China is the Gehu, which looks a little like a cello, but uses a soundboard similar to a banjo. Most of Chinas instruments were introduced during The Qin Dynasty. Some of the most popular instruments in China are the zither, the lute, flutes, vessle flutes, and the lithophone. The Gong is also a Chinese instrument used around the world. It is a large disk shaped objest that you hit with a mallot, which produces a deep vibrating noise. Music in China today has come a long way since its beginning thousands of years ago. Now it is much like music here in America. There are many different styles of music in China. There is rock, soft rock, hip-hop, R&B, heavy metel, pop, classical, and many more. It is basically the same styles as we have here. They still use traditional Chinese music for celebrations and special ocations. Music is listened to by almost everyone around the world. It playes an important role in Chinese culture. Though it has changed alot since it first began thousands of years ago, it is still an important part of China.
 * __MUSIC__ **
 * __History__**
 * __Instruments__**
 * __Music Today__**
 * __Conclusion[[image:http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/upload/upfiles/2008-12/11/culturalchina643ea0abb1ba7c24d86d.jpg width="188" height="136" caption="Tang Dynasty(http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/upload/upfiles/2008-12/11/culturalchina643ea0abb1ba7c24d86d.jpg) 3/23/09"]]__**

**Work cited** Chinese instruments." __Chineseart.com__. 28 Feb. 2009 . "Culture of China." __Thinkquest__. 28 Feb. 2009 <http://library.thinkquest.org/20443/modern_music.html>.  "History of Chinese music." __Www.camil.music.uicuc.edu/musedex/taiwan/chinesehistory/chihistory.htm__. 28 Feb. 2009 <www.camil.music.uicuc.edu/musedex/taiwan/chinesehistory/chihistory.htm>.