123-584: Art of Central Asia Art of East Asia Art of South Asia Art of Southeast Asia Art of Europe Art of Africa Art of the Americas Art of Oceania The history of Asian art includes a vast range of arts from various cultures, regions, and religions across the continent of Asia. The major regions of Asia include East , Southeast , South , Central , and West Asia . East Asian art includes works from China, Japan, and Korea, while Southeast Asian art includes
246-447: A Kunshan native Liang Chenyu (梁辰魚), has been described as the first Kunqu opera. The story of Washing Silken Gauze was based on Spring and Autumn Annals of Wu and Yue , and the use of elegant "water mill" tunes in the opera earned it wide praise from scholars. Kunqu operas then became popular throughout China, and the emergence of Kunqu is said to have ushered in a "second Golden Era of Chinese drama." The most famous Kunqu opera
369-608: A nomadic people who lived in Central Asia , the Caucasus , and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. The nomadic nature of Hun society means that they have left very little in the archaeological record. Archaeological finds have produced a large number of cauldrons that have since the work of Paul Reinecke in 1896 been identified as having been produced by the Huns. Although typically described as "bronze cauldrons",
492-526: A 5–6 meter tall statue (which had to be seated to fit within the height of the columns supporting the Temple). Since the sandal of the foot fragment bears the symbolic depiction of Zeus ' thunderbolt , the statue is thought to have been a smaller version of the Statue of Zeus at Olympia . Due to the lack of proper stones for sculptural work in the area of Ai-Khanoum, unbaked clay and stucco modeled on
615-501: A characteristic appearance, with belted jackets with a unique lapel of their tunic being folded on the right side, a style which became popular under the Hephthalites, the cropped hair, the hair accessories, their distinctive physionomy and their round beardless faces. The figures at Bamiyan must represent the donors and potentates who supported the building of the monumental giant Buddha. These remarkable paintings participate "to
738-526: A citadel, a Classical theater, a huge palace in Greco-Bactrian architecture, somehow reminiscent of formal Persian palatial architecture, a gymnasium (100 × 100m), one of the largest of Antiquity, various temples, a mosaic representing the Macedonian sun, acanthus leaves and various animals (crabs, dolphins etc...), numerous remains of Classical Corinthian columns. Many artifacts are dated to
861-513: A complete and unique performance system of Kunqu Opera in terms of characterizing characters, expressing characters' psychological states, rendering drama and enhancing appeal. It includes three aspects: rich clothing styles, exquisite colors and decorations, and the use of faces [ zh ] . In addition to inheriting the costume styles of opera characters since the Yuan and Ming dynasties, some costumes of Kunqu opera are very similar to
984-790: A complex of peoples known collectively in India as the Huna , and in Europe as the Chionites (from the Iranian names Xwn / Xyon ), and may even be considered as identical to the Chionites. The 5th century Byzantine historian Priscus called them Kidarites Huns, or "Huns who are Kidarites". The Huna/ Xionite tribes are often linked, albeit controversially, to the Huns who invaded Eastern Europe during
1107-599: A crossroads of cultural exchange, the hub of the so-called Silk Road – that complex system of trade routes stretching from China to the Mediterranean. Already in the Bronze Age (3rd and 2nd millennium BC), growing settlements formed part of an extensive network of trade linking Central Asia to the Indus Valley, Mesopotamia and Egypt. The arts of recent centuries are mainly influenced by Islamic art , but
1230-578: A deep and far-reaching impact on Tibetan visual art. According to Giuseppe Tucci , by the time of the Qing dynasty, "a new Tibetan art was then developed, which in a certain sense was a provincial echo of the Chinese 18th century's smooth ornate preciosity." Japanese art and architecture include works of art produced in Japan from the beginnings of human habitation there, sometime in the 10th millennium BC, to
1353-578: A few large class clubs have 27 actors. General class club as long as ten doors complete, can perform, other roles can be replaced by close to the door of the actor, the ten basic door is known as the "ten court column," they are: net, official health, cloth health, old age, end, Zhengdan, five Dan, six Dan, vice, ugly. Some of the most readily recognizable qualities of performance are: net, old, official students, Zhengdan four doors. Each line of Kun opera has developed its own set of procedures and techniques in performance. These stylized action language has formed
SECTION 10
#17328019498021476-455: A folding drama with a strong story. Adapted to the needs of the performance venue with strong lyricism and movement, many lyrical dance performances have been created, which have become the main performance means of many single-fold lyric song and dance. The Nianbai of Kunqu Opera is also very characteristic, because Kunqu Opera was developed from Wuzhong, so its voice has the characteristics of Wu Nong soft language. Among them, Harlequin also has
1599-424: A grave. Archaeological finds indicate that the Huns wore gold plaques as ornaments on their clothing, as well as imported glass beads. Ammianus reports that they wore clothes made of linen or the furs of marmots and leggings of goatskin. The Kidarites , or "Kidara Huns", were a dynasty that ruled Bactria and adjoining parts of Central Asia and South Asia in the 4th and 5th centuries. The Kidarites belonged to
1722-576: A group of musicians in Kunshan. Wei modified Kunshan tune with songs of Haiyan (海鹽) near Hangzhou and Yiyang (弋陽) of Jiangxi ; he also combined nanxi rhythms, which often used flute, with the northern zaju style, where plucked string instruments were preferred. The resultant elegant Kunshan tunes are often called "water mill" tunes (水磨調, shuimo diao ). Kunqu operas are chuanqi -style operas but incorporating Kunshan tune throughout. An opera, Washing Silken Gauze (浣紗記, Huan Sha Ji ) written by
1845-573: A local white based on the Wu dialect, such as Su Bai, Yangzhou Bai , etc. This market language in the Wuzhong area , has a strong sense of life, and often uses Allegro-style rhyme white, which is very distinctive. In addition, the singing of Kunqu opera has extremely strict specifications for the sound of words, lines, rhythm, etc., forming a complete singing theory. Kunqu opera is divided into three categories: sinian horn, fresh horn and pure clown. Because
1968-546: A new form of painting, comics, had also begun to rise. It was popular with many people and became the most affordable way to entertain at the time. Tibetan art refers to the art of Tibet ( Tibet Autonomous Region in China) and other present and former Himalayan kingdoms ( Bhutan , Ladakh , Nepal, and Sikkim ). Tibetan art is first and foremost a form of sacred art , reflecting the overriding influence of Tibetan Buddhism on these cultures. The Sand Mandala ( Tib : kilkhor )
2091-592: A representative opera of the whole nation. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty , the development of Kunqu opera entered its heyday, and since then Kunqu opera has begun to dominate the pear garden, which has lasted for six or seven hundred years, becoming the oldest existing form of opera with a long tradition in China and even the world. The Kunshan singing began to spread its area, initially limited to
2214-489: A round medallion plate describing the goddess Cybele on a chariot, in front of a fire altar, and under a depiction of Helios , a fully preserved bronze statue of Herakles , various golden serpentine arm jewellery and earrings, a toilet tray representing a seated Aphrodite , a mold representing a bearded and diademed middle-aged man. Various artefacts of daily life are also clearly Hellenistic: sundials , ink wells, tableware. An almost life-sized dark green glass phallus with
2337-483: A similar period. They are entirely different from the Hephthalites , who replaced them about a century later. The Hephthalites ( Bactrian : ηβοδαλο , romanized: Ebodalo ), sometimes called the "White Huns", were a people who lived in Central Asia during the 5th to 8th centuries. They existed as an Empire, the "Imperial Hephthalites", and were militarily important from 450 AD, when they defeated
2460-851: A small owl on the back side and other treasures are said to have been discovered at Ai-Khanoum, possibly along with a stone with an inscription, which was not recovered. The artefacts have now been returned to the Kabul Museum after several years in Switzerland by Paul Bucherer-Dietschi, Director of the Swiss Afghanistan Institute. Some traces remain of the presence of the Kushans in the areas of Bactria and Sogdiana . Archaeological structures are known in Takht-I-Sangin , Surkh Kotal (a monumental temple), and in
2583-527: A superb dance move , but also an effective means to express the character's character and the meaning of the lyrics . The opera dance of Kunqu Opera has absorbed and inherited the traditions of ancient folk dance and court dance , and has accumulated rich experience in the close integration of rap and dance through long-term stage performance practice. To meet the needs of the performance venue of narrative writing, many dance performances that focus on description are created, and cooperate with "drama" to become
SECTION 20
#17328019498022706-430: A total of six known Hunnish diadems. Hunnic women seem to have worn necklaces and bracelets of mostly imported beads of various materials as well. The later common early medieval practice of decorating jewelry and weapons with gemstones appears to have originated with the Huns. They are also known to have made small mirrors of an originally Chinese type, which often appear to have been intentionally broken when placed into
2829-519: A unique culture of its own. An art given birth to and developed by a nation is its own art. Generally, the history of Korean painting is dated to approximately 108 C.E., when it first appears as an independent form. Between that time and the paintings and frescoes that appear on the Goryeo dynasty tombs, there has been little research. Suffice to say that until the Joseon dynasty the primary influence
2952-544: A variant of Chinese opera which continues today as Cantonese opera . Chinese painting Gongbi and Xieyi are two painting styles in Chinese painting. Gongbi means "meticulous", the rich colours and details in the picture are its main features, its content mainly depicts portraits or narratives. Xieyi means 'freehand', its form is often exaggerated and unreal, with an emphasis on the author's emotional expression and usually used in depicting landscapes. In addition to paper and silk, traditional paintings have also been done on
3075-604: A wooden frame were often used, a technique which would become widespread in Central Asia and the East, especially in Buddhist art . In some cases, only the hands and feet would be made in marble. In India, only a few Hellenistic sculptural remains have been found, mainly small items in the excavations of Sirkap. A variety of artefacts of Hellenistic style, often with Persian influence, were also excavated at Ai-Khanoum, such as
3198-524: Is The Peony Pavilion written by Tang Xianzu in the Ming dynasty. Other important works include The Palace of Eternal Life written by Hong Sheng, and The Peach Blossom Fan by Kong Shangren written in the early Qing period. </ref> The operas were not necessarily performed in full, but may be performed as excerpts or highlights (折子戲, zhézixì ), which became the norm by 1760s and over 400 pieces of these were known. Kunqu performance influenced
3321-583: Is "Zhongzhou Rhyme." Kunqu refers to Kunshan tune (昆山腔, Kūnshān qiāng ), a repertory of songs and performances from Kunshan in Suzhou . The Kunshan tune is often believed to have been developed during the Ming Dynasty by Wei Liangfu [ zh ] (魏良輔), who was from the port of Taicang . A more recent discovery, however, suggests that Kunshan tune was introduced in the late Yuan dynasty by Gu Jian (顾坚), who developed an early form of Kunqu with
3444-412: Is a Tibetan Buddhist tradition which symbolises the transitory nature of things. As part of Buddhist canon, all things material are seen as transitory. A sand mandala is an example of this, being that once it has been built and its accompanying ceremonies and viewing are finished, it is systematically destroyed . As Mahayana Buddhism emerged as a separate school in the 4th century BC it emphasized
3567-496: Is a Kunqu opera spread in the Jinhua area of Zhejiang . It is called "Cao Kun" because of its simplification or change of local customs in language and melody. Because of the long-term floating performances in rural grasslands and temple fairs, farmers as the main audience, the language is more popular, the pursuit of plot twists and turns, singing tone is not rigidly four-tone style, mainly performing martial arts, work drama. Since
3690-556: Is a rarity in the traditional culture and art of the Han nationality in China, especially in the art of opera. It is called an "orchid" in the hundred gardens. Kunqu Opera is a blend of singing, dancing and martial arts. It is known for its elegant lyrics, graceful style and delicate performance. It is one of the operas under the Southern Opera system, known as the "ancestor of hundred operas." Kunqu Opera uses drum and plate to control
3813-579: Is art, whether modern or ancient, that originated from or is practiced in China or by Chinese artists or performers. In the Song dynasty , poetry was marked by a lyric poetry known as Ci (詞) which expressed feelings of desire, often in an adopted persona. Also in the Song dynasty, paintings of more subtle expressions of landscapes appeared, with blurred outlines and mountain contours which conveyed distance through an impressionistic treatment of natural phenomena. It
History of Asian art - Misplaced Pages Continue
3936-622: Is depicted. The tradition of Upper Paleolithic portable statuettes being almost exclusively European, it has been suggested that Mal'ta had some kind of cultural and cultic connection with Europe during that time period, but this remains unsettled. Chinese art (Chinese: 中國藝術/中国艺术) has varied throughout its ancient history , divided into periods by the ruling dynasties of China and changing technology. Different forms of art have been influenced by great philosophers, teachers, religious figures, and even political leaders. Chinese art encompasses fine arts , folk arts , and performance arts . Chinese art
4059-450: Is not the geographical location of the troupe, but whether the music is southern or northern. Kunqu Qupai music can be divided into vocal qupai and instrumental Qupai according to its different uses. The biggest feature of Kunqu opera performance is strong lyricism, delicate movements, and the combination of singing and dancing is ingenious and harmonious. Kunqu opera is a comprehensive art of song, dance, mediation, and white performance, and
4182-542: Is often bilingual, combining Greek with the Indian Brahmi script or Kharoshthi . Apart from Ai-Khanoum, Indo-Greek ruins have been positively identified in few cities such as Barikot or Taxila , with generally much fewer known artistic remains. Numerous artefacts and structures were found, particularly in Ai-Khanoum, pointing to a high Hellenistic culture, combined with Eastern influences, starting from
4305-516: Is the common representation of wrathful deities , often depicted with angry faces, circles of flame, or with the skulls of the dead. These images represent the Protectors ( Skt . dharmapala ) and their fearsome bearing belies their true compassionate nature. Actually, their wrath represents their dedication to the protection of the dharma teaching as well as to the protection of the specific tantric practices to prevent corruption or disruption of
4428-400: Is the deity Chenrezig (Avalokitesvara), often portrayed as a thousand-armed saint with an eye in the middle of each hand, representing the all-seeing compassionate one who hears our requests. This deity can also be understood as a Yidam , or 'meditation Buddha' for Vajrayana practice. Tibetan Buddhism contains Tantric Buddhism , also known as Vajrayana Buddhism for its common symbolism of
4551-435: Is the oldest existing drama form in China with a complete performance system, which has had a profound influence on later Chinese operas. Chinese opera has been spreading on the stage since its formation. With the change of time, the script, the voice and the performance are constantly changing. Kunqu Opera, on the other hand, is known as a "living fossil" with less changes and more traditional features of traditional operas. It
4674-466: Is the only one of the three ancient operas in the world that has been preserved so far. It is also the representative of the traditional culture and art of the Han nationality. Due to the extensive performance activities of Kunban, in the last years of Wanli, Kunqu opera was introduced to Beijing and Hunan through Yangzhou , ranking first among all voices and becoming the standard singing tone of legendary scripts: "Four Square Songs Must Zong Wumen." At
4797-581: Is very elegant but difficult to write quickly. In the Eastern Han dynasty , a type of script called the Lishu (Official Script) began to rise. Because it reveals no circles and very few curved lines, it is very suitable for fast writing. After that, the Kaishu style (traditional regular script) has appeared, and as its structure is simpler and neater, this script is still widely used today. Jade Early jade
4920-700: The Angara River , near Lake Baikal in Irkutsk Oblast , Southern Siberia , created some of the first works of art in the Upper Paleolithic period, with objects such as the Venus figurines of Mal'ta . These figures consist most often of mammoth ivory. The figures are about 23,000 years old and stem from the Gravettian . Most of these statuettes show stylized clothes. Quite often the face
5043-508: The Caspian Sea to central China and from southern Russia to northern India – have been home to migrating herders who practised mixed economies on the margins of sedentary societies. The prehistoric 'animal style' art of these pastoral nomads not only demonstrates their zoomorphic mythologies and shamanic traditions but also their fluidity in incorporating the symbols of sedentary society into their own artworks. Central Asia has always been
History of Asian art - Misplaced Pages Continue
5166-410: The Gravettian . Most of these statuettes show stylized clothes. Quite often the face is depicted. The tradition of Upper Paleolithic portable statuettes being almost exclusively European, it has been suggested that Mal'ta had some kind of cultural and cultic connection with Europe during that time period, but this remains unsettled. The Bactria–Margiana Archaeological Complex (BMAC, also known as
5289-562: The Kidarites , to 560 AD, date of their defeat to combined First Turkic Khaganate and Sasanian Empire forces. The Hepthalites appears in several mural paintings in the area of Tokharistan , especially in banquet scenes at Balalyk tepe and as donors to the Buddha in the ceiling painting of the 35-meter Buddha at the Buddhas of Bamiyan . Several of the figures in these paintings have
5412-512: The Kofun period (300–700 AD). Ancient Japanese sculpture was mostly derived from the idol worship in Buddhism or animistic rites of Shinto deity. In particular, sculpture among all the arts came to be most firmly centered around Buddhism. Materials traditionally used were metal—especially bronze —and, more commonly, wood, often lacquered , gilded , or brightly painted. By the end of
5535-641: The Mal'ta culture and slightly later the Afontova Gora-Oshurkovo culture . The Mal'ta culture culture, centered around at Mal'ta , at the Angara River , near Lake Baikal in Irkutsk Oblast , Southern Siberia , and located at the northeastern periphery of Central Asia, created some of the first works of art in the Upper Paleolithic period, with objects such as the Venus figurines of Mal'ta . These figures consist most often of mammoth ivory. The figures are about 23,000 years old and stem from
5658-586: The Shang dynasty (c.1600–1046 BCE). And the production of ceramics laid the foundation for the invention of porcelain. The history of Chinese porcelain can be traced back to the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). In the Tang dynasty , porcelain was divided into celadon and white porcelain. In the Song dynasty , Jingdezhen was selected as the royal porcelain production centre and began to produce blue and white porcelain. After
5781-808: The Siberian permafrost , in the Altay Mountains , Kazakhstan and nearby Mongolia . The mummies are buried in long barrows (or kurgans ) similar to the tomb mounds of Scythian culture in Ukraine . The type site are the Pazyryk burials of the Ukok Plateau . Many artifacts and human remains have been found at this location, including the Siberian Ice Princess , indicating a flourishing culture at this location that benefited from
5904-643: The Soviet archaeologist Viktor Sarianidi (1976). Bactria was the Greek name for Old Persian Bāxtriš (from native * Bāxçiš ) (named for its capital Bactra, modern Balkh ), in what is now northern Afghanistan, and Margiana was the Greek name for the Persian satrapy of Margu , the capital of which was Merv , in today's Turkmenistan. Fertility goddesses, named "Bactrian princesses", made from limestone, chlorite and clay reflect agrarian Bronze Age society, while
6027-642: The Suzhou area , and during the Wanli period, it expanded to the south of the Yangtze River and north of the Qiantang River with Suzhou as the center, and also flowed into Beijing at the end of the Wanli period. In the Qing Dynasty , the Kangxi Emperor loved Kunqu opera, which made it even more popular. In this way, the Kunshan singing became the most influential vocal cavity drama from
6150-457: The Tokugawa period , such traditional sculpture – except for miniaturized works – had largely disappeared because of the loss of patronage by Buddhist temples and the nobility. Ukiyo , meaning "floating world", refers to the impetuous young culture that bloomed in the urban centers of Edo (modern-day Tokyo), Osaka , and Kyoto that were a world unto themselves. It is an ironic allusion to
6273-786: The ancient Middle East . Roundels containing a dot serve the same purpose on the stag and other animal renderings executed by contemporary Śaka metalworkers. Animal processions of the Assyro-Achaemenian type also appealed to many Central Asian tribesmen and are featured in their arts. Certain geometric designs and sun symbols , such as the circle and rosette , recur at Pazyryk but are completely outnumbered by animal motifs. The stag and its relatives figure as prominently as in Altai-Sayan. Combat scenes between carnivores and herbivores are exceedingly numerous in Pazyryk work;
SECTION 50
#17328019498026396-500: The art of Mesopotamia represents the oldest forms of art in Asia. The first modern human occupation in the difficult climates of Northeast Asia is dated to circa 40,000 ago, with the early Yana culture of northern Siberia dated to circa 31,000 BCE. By around 21,000 BCE, two main cultures developed: the Mal'ta culture and slightly later the Afontova Gora-Oshurkovo culture . The Mal'ta culture culture, centered around at Mal'ta , at
6519-504: The homophone term "Sorrowful World" (憂き世), the earthly plane of death and rebirth from which Buddhists sought release. Korean art is noted for its traditions in pottery, music, calligraphy, painting, sculpture, and other genres, often marked by the use of bold color, natural forms, precise shape and scale, and surface decoration. While there are clear and distinguishing differences between three independent cultures, there are significant and historical similarities and interactions between
6642-527: The vajra , the diamond thunderbolt (known in Tibetan as the dorje ). Most of the typical Tibetan Buddhist art can be seen as part of the practice of tantra. Vajrayana techniques incorporate many visualizations/imaginations during meditation, and most of the elaborate tantric art can be seen as aids to these visualizations; from representations of meditational deities ( yidams ) to mandalas and all kinds of ritual implements. A visual aspect of Tantric Buddhism
6765-485: The "Oxus civilization") is the modern archaeological designation for a Bronze Age archaeological culture of Central Asia , dated to c. 2200–1700 BC, located in present-day eastern Turkmenistan , northern Afghanistan, southern Uzbekistan and western Tajikistan , centred on the upper Amu Darya (known to the ancient Greeks as the Oxus River), an area covering ancient Bactria. Its sites were discovered and named by
6888-476: The 15th century. Antonio Pigafetta visited Brunei during his travels and observed how the clothes were made. One example was a Jongsarat, a handmade garment used for weddings and special occasions. It typically includes a hint of silver and gold. It can be used for wall coverings. Central Asian art Art of Central Asia Art of East Asia Art of South Asia Art of Southeast Asia Art of Europe Art of Africa Art of
7011-541: The 16th to the 18th centuries. It has been listed as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO . Wei Liangfu [ zh ] refined the musical style of kunqu, and it gained widespread popularity when Liang Chenyu used the style in his drama Huansha ji ( Washing Silken Gauze ). In 2006, it was listed on the first national intangible cultural heritage list. In 2008, it
7134-658: The 1930s, Mei performed Kunqu in the United States and the Soviet Union and was well received. Its melody or tune is one of the Four Great Characteristic Melodies in Chinese opera. In 2006, Zhou Bing acted as a producer and art director for Kunqu (Kun Opera) of sexcentenary. It won Outstanding Documentary Award of 24th China TV Golden Eagle Awards; it won Award of TV Art Features of 21st Starlight Award for 2006. Kunqu Opera
7257-667: The 19th century. In the early 20th century, the elite tried to re-establish Kunqu, and the Academy was founded in 1921 to train performers. </ref> It was later subsidized by the Communist state , but like most traditional forms of Chinese opera, Kunqu was banned during the Cultural Revolution . Kunqu began to revive by the mid-1990s, and it was then declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2001, and received generous support by
7380-726: The 280–250 BC period. Overall, Aï-Khanoum was an extremely important Greek city (1.5 sq kilometer), characteristic of the Seleucid Empire and then the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom , remaining one of the major cities at the time when the Greek kings started to occupy parts of India, from 200 to 145 BC. It seems the city was destroyed, never to be rebuilt, about the time of the death of king Eucratides around 145 BC. Archaeological missions unearthed various structures, some of them perfectly Hellenistic, some other integrating elements of Persian architecture , including
7503-405: The 2nd century BC, which corresponds to the early Indo-Greek period. Various sculptural fragments were also found at Ai-Khanoum , in a rather conventional, classical style, rather impervious to the Hellenizing innovations occurring at the same time in the Mediterranean world. Of special notice, a huge foot fragment in excellent Hellenistic style was recovered, which is estimated to have belonged to
SECTION 60
#17328019498027626-432: The 8th century BC. The Chinese adopted the Scythian-style animal art of the steppes (descriptions of animals locked in combat), particularly the rectangular belt-plaques made of gold or bronze, and created their own versions in jade and steatite . Following their expulsion by the Yuezhi , some Saka may also have migrated to the area of Yunnan in southern China. Saka warriors could also have served as mercenaries for
7749-447: The Americas Art of Oceania Central Asian art is visual art created in Central Asia , in areas corresponding to modern Kyrgyzstan , Kazakhstan , Uzbekistan , Turkmenistan , Tajikistan , Afghanistan , and parts of modern Mongolia, China and Russia. The art of ancient and medieval Central Asia reflects the rich history of this vast area, home to a huge variety of peoples, religions and ways of life. The artistic remains of
7872-449: The Pazyryk beasts are locked in such bitter fights that the victim's hindquarters become inverted. Tribes of Europoid type appear to have been active in Mongolia and Southern Siberia from ancient times. They were in contact with China and were often described for their foreign features. The art of the Saka was of a similar styles as other Iranian peoples of the steppes, which is referred to collectively as Scythian art . In 2001,
7995-532: The Pazyryk burials include the oldest woollen knotted-pile carpet known, the oldest embroidered Chinese silk, and two pieces of woven Persian fabric (State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg). Red and ochre predominate in the carpet, the main design of which is of riders, stags, and griffins. Many of the Pazyryk felt hangings, saddlecloths, and cushions were covered with elaborate designs executed in appliqué feltwork, dyed furs, and embroidery. Of exceptional interest are those with animal and human figural compositions,
8118-602: The South coast had a round base. Silver is a popular element in Bruneian art . Silversmiths make ornaments, flower vases and gongs (metal disk with a turned rim giving a resonant note when stuck). Another popular utensil is pasigupan, a type of mini pot that has a mandala print and holds tobacco. Weaving skills have been passed across generations. Brunei produces fabric for making gowns and sarongs . "The weaving and decoration of cloth as well as wearing, display, and exchange of it, has been an important part of Bruneian culture for years (Orr 96)." Weaving became significant in
8241-430: The Tokharistan school such as Balalyk tepe , in the depiction of clothes, and especially in the treatment of the faces. Kunqu Kunqu ( Chinese : 崑曲 ), also known as Kunju ( 崑劇 ), K'un-ch'ü , Kun opera or Kunqu Opera , is one of the oldest extant forms of Chinese opera . It evolved from a music style local to Kunshan , part of the Wu cultural area , and later came to dominate Chinese theater from
8364-401: The West. From the Tang dynasty (618–906 CE), the murals began to reflect the unique Chinese painting style. Chinese Calligraphy Chinese calligraphy can be traced back to the Dazhuan (large seal script) that appeared in the Zhou dynasty . After Emperor Qin unified China, Prime Minister Li Si collected and compiled Xiaozhuan (small seal) style as the new official text. The small seal script
8487-527: The affirmation of stylistic and cultural difference. By the early twentieth century, the decision to paint using oil and canvas in Korea had two different interpretations. One being a sense of enlightenment due to western ideas and art styles. This enlightenment derived from an intellectual movement of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Ko had been painting with this method during a period of Japan's annexation of Korea. During this time many claimed his art could have been political, however, he himself stated he
8610-467: The art of Gandhara, thanks to the patronage of the Kushans . The Kushans apparently favoured royal portraiture, as can be seen in their coins and their dynastic sculptures. A monumental sculpture of King Kanishka I has been found in Mathura in northern India, which is characterized by its frontality and martial stance, as he holds firmly his sword and a mace. His heavy coat and riding boots are typically nomadic Central Asian, and are way too heavy for
8733-457: The art of the cities of Ai-Khanoum and Nysa . At Khalchayan, rows of in-the-round terracotta statues showed Kushan princes in dignified attitudes, while some of the sculptural scenes are thought to depict the Kushans fighting against the Sakas . The Yuezis are shown with a majestic demeanour, whereas the Sakas are typically represented with side- wiskers , displaying expressive and sometimes grotesque features. According to Benjamin Rowland,
8856-515: The artistic tradition of the Hephthalite ruling classes of Tukharistan ". The paintings related to the Hephthalites have often been grouped under the appellation of "Tokharistan school of art", or the "Hephthalite stage in the History of Central Asia Art". The paintings of Tavka Kurgan , of very high quality, also belong to this school of art, and are closely related to other paintings of
8979-471: The arts of Korea , China, and Japan. The study and appreciation of Korean art is still at a formative stage in the West. Because of Korea 's position between China and Japan, Korea was seen as a mere conduit of Chinese culture to Japan. However, recent scholars have begun to acknowledge Korea's own unique art, culture, and important role in not only transmitting Chinese culture but assimilating it and creating
9102-760: The arts of Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. South Asian art encompasses the arts of the Indian subcontinent , while Central Asian art primarily consists of works by the Turkic peoples of the Eurasian Steppe . West Asian art encompasses the arts of the Near East , including the ancient art of Mesopotamia , and more recently becoming dominated by Islamic art . In many ways,
9225-524: The base of Kunqu Opera excellent traditional Chinese Culture Inheritance. Kunqu opera was showcased in the 2019 Chinese Opera Culture Week on Oct 2, 2019. Kunqu Opera is characterized by the character line cavity, cavity with the character walk. Singing also has a certain cavity, different from other operas can be given free play according to the individual conditions of the actors. Instead, there are four strict determinations: tone, cavity, plate and spectrum. The main difference between Nankun and Beikun
9348-464: The cauldrons are often made of copper, which is generally of poor quality. Maenchen-Helfen lists 19 known finds of Hunnish cauldrons from all over Central and Eastern Europe and Western Siberia. They come in various shapes, and are sometimes found together with vessels of various other origins. Both ancient sources and archaeological finds from graves confirm that the Huns wore elaborately decorated golden or gold-plated diadems . Maenchen-Helfen lists
9471-401: The clothes that were popular in society at that time. Reflected in the play, military generals have their own uniforms, and civil officials also have a variety of clothes according to the class hierarchy of feudal society. Facebook is used for the two lines of net and ugly. Very few characters belonging to Sheng and Dan are also used by chance, such as Monkey King (生) and Zhong Wuyan (Dan), and
9594-488: The colors are basically red, white, and black. After years of running-in processing, Kunqu opera art has formed a fairly perfect system, and this system has long occupied a dominant position in Chinese opera, so Kunqu opera art is revered as the "ancestor of a hundred operas," which has a profound impact on the development of the entire opera, and many local operas have absorbed its artistic nutrients to varying degrees, among which there are still some Kunqu operas. Kunqu Opera
9717-580: The continent, can also be found in Kofun era Japan. Margiana and Bactria belonged to the Medes for a time, and were then annexed to the Achaemenid Empire by Cyrus the Great in sixth century BC , forming the twelfth satrapy of Persia. Under Persian rule, many Greeks were deported to Bactria, so that their communities and language became common in the area. During the reign of Darius I ,
9840-542: The development of performing arts, the division of roles in Kun opera has become more and more detailed. Between Jia and Dao, the role industry of Kun opera combines the original "twelve roles in rivers and lakes" with the later more detailed division of labor. Under the five lines of "Sheng, Dan, Jing, Mo and Chou," there are twenty smaller lines, called "twenty doors." Traditional Kun opera professional class clubs usually only have 18 actors, commonly known as "18 nets," while only
9963-462: The discovery of an undisturbed royal Scythian burial-barrow illustrated Scythian animal-style gold that lacks the direct influence of Greek styles. Forty-four pounds of gold weighed down the royal couple in this burial, discovered near Kyzyl , capital of the Siberian republic of Tuva . Ancient influences from Central Asia became identifiable in China following contacts of metropolitan China with nomadic western and northwestern border territories from
10086-559: The early Buddhist influences of profuse rich thalo and primary colours inspired by the Art of India . Contemporary art in Korea: The first example of Western-style oil painting in Korean art was in the self-portraits of Korean artist Ko Hu i-dong (1886–1965). Only three of these works still remain today. These self-portraits impart an understanding of the medium that extends well beyond
10209-500: The early Kun opera belongs to the Southern Opera system, it inherits the role industry system of the Southern Opera, and simultaneously absorbs the long of the Northern Zaju, taking the basic roles of Sheng, Dan, Jing, Mei, Chou, outer and paste seven acts. Huan Sha Ji, an early work, reflects the character branch method in the early stage of Kun Opera. In addition to following the seven lines of Southern Opera, it also borrowed
10332-521: The end of Ming Dynasty , the main vocal cavity, "Douqiang," contains the components of Kunshan dialect. For example, the representative opera "Ziyuchai," the main tune is "13 tunes." Kunqu Opera also appears in the folk form of sitting and singing. Qing Qianlong 35 years (1770),Jian'ou County established the "Zhai Ya Lin Qu Society", learn to sing Kunqiang, commonly known as "singing a big tune". Kunqu Opera, commonly known as "Cao Kun" and "Jin Kun,"
10455-448: The end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty , Kunqu opera spread to Sichuan , Guizhou and Guangdong , and developed into a national drama. The singing of Kunqu opera was originally based on the Wu language pronunciation of Suzhou, but after it was introduced to various places, it was combined with local dialects and folk music to derive many genres, forming a rich and colorful Kunqu opera cavity system, and becoming
10578-595: The end of the last feudal dynasty in China , with the rise of the new cultural movement , Chinese artists began to be influenced by Western art and began to integrate Western art into Chinese culture. Influenced by American jazz, Chinese composer Li Jinhui (Known as the father of Chinese pop music) began to create and promote popular music, which made a huge sensation. At the beginning of the 20th century, oil paintings were introduced to China, and more and more Chinese painters began to touch Western painting techniques and combine them with traditional Chinese painting. Meanwhile,
10701-557: The expense of the declining Kushans . They captured the provinces of Sogdiana , Bactria and Gandhara from the Kushans in 225 AD. The Kushano-Sassanids traded goods such as silverware and textiles depicting the Sassanid emperors engaged in hunting or administering justice. The example of Sassanid art was influential on Kushan art, and this influence remained active for several centuries in northwest South Asia. The Huns were
10824-520: The extensive corpus of metal objects point to a sophisticated tradition of metalworking. Wearing large stylised dresses, as well as headdresses that merge with the hair, "Bactrian princesses" embody the ranking goddess, character of the central Asian mythology that plays a regulatory role, pacifying the untamed forces. The Pazyryk culture is a Scythian nomadic Iron Age archaeological culture (of Iranian origin; c. 6th to 3rd centuries BC) identified by excavated artifacts and mummified humans found in
10947-723: The famous head of a Yuezhi prince from Khalchayan, and the head of Gandharan Bodhisattvas , giving the example of the Gandharan head of a Bodhisattva in the Philadelphia Museum of Art . The similarity of the Gandhara Bodhisattva with the portrait of the Kushan ruler Heraios is also striking. According to Rowland the Bactrian art of Khalchayan thus survived for several centuries through its influence in
11070-770: The government, and experienced a great increase in popularity by 2004. Today, Kunqu is professionally performed in seven major Mainland Chinese cities: Beijing ( Northern Kunqu Theater ), Shanghai ( Shanghai Kunqu Theater ), Suzhou ( Suzhou Kunqu Theater ), Nanjing ( Jiangsu Province Kun Opera ), Chenzhou ( Hunan Kunqu Theater ), Yongjia County / Wenzhou ( Yongjia Kunqu Theater ) and Hangzhou ( Zhejiang Province Kunqu Theater ), as well as in Taipei . Non-professional opera societies are active in many other cities in China and abroad, and opera companies occasionally tour. In 1919 Mei Lanfang and Han Shichang , renowned performers of Kunqu , traveled to Japan to give performances. In
11193-533: The history of Eastern art parallels the development of Western art . The art histories of Asia and Europe are greatly intertwined, with Asian art greatly influencing European art, and vice versa; the cultures mixed through methods such as the Silk Road transmission of art , the cultural exchange of the Age of Discovery and colonization , and through the internet and modern globalization . Excluding prehistoric art ,
11316-534: The history of Japanese arts in general, the history of Japanese painting is a long history of synthesis and competition between native Japanese aesthetics and adaptation of imported ideas. The origins of painting in Japan date well back into Japan's prehistoric period . Simple stick figures and geometric designs can be found on Jōmon period pottery and Yayoi period (300 BC – 300 AD) dōtaku bronze bells. Mural paintings with both geometric and figurative designs have been found in numerous tumulus from
11439-709: The inhabitants of the Greek city of Barca , in Cyrenaica , were deported to Bactria for refusing to surrender assassins. In addition, Xerxes also settled the "Branchidae" in Bactria; they were the descendants of Greek priests who had once lived near Didyma (western Asia Minor) and betrayed the temple to him. Herodotus also records a Persian commander threatening to enslave daughters of the revolting Ionians and send them to Bactria. Persia subsequently conscripted Greek men from these settlements in Bactria into their military, as did Alexander later. The Greco-Bactrians ruled
11562-408: The many trade routes and caravans of merchants passing through the area. The Pazyryk are considered to have had a war-like life. Other kurgan cemeteries associated with the culture include those of Bashadar, Tuekta, Ulandryk, Polosmak and Berel . There are so far no known sites of settlements associated with the burials, suggesting a purely nomadic lifestyle. The remarkable textiles recovered from
11685-540: The middle of the Ming Dynasty to the middle of the Qing Dynasty. Ming Wanli period (1573-1619) before the introduction to Fujian. The earliest recorded introduction of Kunshan dialect into Fujian was in 1574. Kunqu Opera is widely distributed in Fujian , and has had some influence on local operas in Fujian more or less, directly or indirectly. In the Confucian drama founded by Cao Xuefu [ zh ] at
11808-688: The most notable of which are the repeat design of an investiture scene on a felt hanging and that of a semi-human, semi-bird creature on another (both in the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg ). Clothing, whether of felt, leather, or fur, was also lavishly ornamented. Horse reins either had animal designs cut out on them or were studded with wooden ones covered in gold foil. Their tail sheaths were ornamented, as were their headpieces and breast pieces. Some horses were provided with leather or felt masks made to resemble animals, with stag antlers or rams' horns often incorporated in them. Many of
11931-454: The palace of Khalchayan . Various sculptures and friezes are known, representing horse-riding archers, and, significantly, men with artificially deformed skulls , such as the Kushan prince of Khalchayan (a practice well attested in nomadic Central Asia). The art of Khalchayan of the end of the 2nd–1st century BC is probably one of the first known manifestations of Kushan art. It is ultimately derived from Hellenistic art , and possibly from
12054-402: The performance characteristics of singing and dancing have been formed in the long-term performance history, especially reflected in the performance body of each character, and its dance body can be roughly divided into two types: one is the auxiliary posture when speaking and the dance of rewriting the intention developed by gestures; One is a lyrical dance with singing lyrics , which is not only
12177-411: The performance of many other styles of Chinese musical theater, including Peking opera , which contains much Kunqu repertoire. Kunqu was referred to as Yabu (雅部, "elegant drama"), and it came under competition from a variety of operas (e.g. Shaanxi Opera, Clapper Opera, Yiyang tunes, Peking Opera , etc.) termed Huabu (花部, "flowery drama"), and as a result, Kunqu troupes experienced a commercial decline in
12300-406: The practice. They are most importantly used as wrathful psychological aspects that can be used to conquer the negative attitudes of the practitioner. Historians note that Chinese painting had a profound influence on Tibetan painting in general. Starting from the 14th and 15th century, Tibetan painting had incorporated many elements from the Chinese, and during the 18th century, Chinese painting had
12423-406: The present. Japanese art covers a wide range of art styles and media, including ancient pottery, sculpture in wood and bronze, ink painting on silk and paper, and a myriad of other types of works of art; from ancient times until the contemporary 21st century. The art form rose to great popularity in the metropolitan culture of Edo (Tokyo) during the second half of the 17th century, originating with
12546-401: The region show a remarkable combinations of influences that exemplify the multicultural nature of Central Asian society. The Silk Road transmission of art , Scythian art , Greco-Buddhist art , Serindian art and more recently Persianate culture, are all part of this complicated history. From the late second millennium BC until very recently, the grasslands of Central Asia – stretching from
12669-714: The rhythm of singing, and Qudi and three-stringed instruments as the main accompaniment instruments. Its pronunciation is "Zhongzhou rhyme." Kunqu Opera was listed as a masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2001, and was included in the Masterpiece of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008. In December 2018, the General Office of the Ministry of Education announced Peking University as
12792-576: The role of bodhisattvas , compassionate beings who forgo their personal escape to Nirvana in order to assist others. From an early time various bodhisattvas were also subjects of statuary art. Tibetan Buddhism, as an offspring of Mahayana Buddhism, inherited this tradition. But the additional dominating presence of the Vajrayana (or Buddhist tantra) may have had an overriding importance in the artistic culture. A common bodhisattva depicted in Tibetan art
12915-460: The same as Kun opera in the early period. During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty , The role industry of Kun opera basically maintained the system of "twelve characters in rivers and lakes." During the reign of Qianlong , Kunqu Opera was the most popular, the performing arts were further improved, and new breakthroughs were made in the role industry system for characterizing characters. With
13038-528: The setting method of Xiao Mei and Xiao Dan in Yuan Zaju, and added five lines of Xiao Sheng, Xiao Dan, Xiao Mei, Xiao Wai and Xiao Jing, a total of twelve lines. During the boom of Kun opera in the late Ming Dynasty , in the Ming edition of the legend of Mohan Zhai, the original "tie" was changed to "Old Dan," which also absorbed the branch method of Zaju in the Yuan Dynasty . Other roles are basically
13161-489: The single-color works of Hishikawa Moronobu in the 1670s. At first, only India ink was used, then some prints were manually colored with a brush, but in the 18th century Suzuki Harunobu developed the technique of polychrome printing to produce nishiki-e . Japanese painting ( 絵画 , Kaiga ) is one of the oldest and most highly refined of the Japanese arts , encompassing a wide variety of genre and styles. As with
13284-470: The southern part of Central Asia from the 3rd to the 2nd century BC, with their capital at Ai-Khanoum . The main known remains from this period are the ruins and artifacts of their city of Ai-Khanoum , a Greco-Bactrian city founded circa 280 BC which continued to flourish during the first 55 years of the Indo-Greek period until its destruction by nomadic invaders in 145 BC, and their coinage, which
13407-459: The styles and ethnic type visible in Kalchayan already anticipate the characteristics of the later Art of Gandhara and may even have been at the origin of its development. Rowland particularly draws attention to the similarity of the ethnic types represented at Khalchayan and in the art of Gandhara, and also in the style of portraiture itself. For example, Rowland find a great proximity between
13530-481: The trappings took the form of iron, bronze, and gilt wood animal motifs either applied or suspended from them; and bits had animal-shaped terminal ornaments. Altai-Sayan animals frequently display muscles delineated with dot and comma markings, a formal convention that may have derived from appliqué needlework. Such markings are sometimes included in Assyrian , Achaemenian , and even Urartian animal representations of
13653-580: The trousers and boots, the heavy tunics, and heavy belts. The Kushano-Sasanian Kingdom (also called "Kushanshas" KΟÞANΟ ÞAΟ Koshano Shao in Bactrian ) is a historiographic term used by modern scholars to refer to a branch of the Sasanian Persians who established their rule in Bactria and in northwestern Indian subcontinent (present day Pakistan ) during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD at
13776-595: The use of higher hardness engraving tools, jades were carved more delicately and began to be used as a pendant or ornament in clothing. Jade was considered to be immortal and could protect the owner, so carved-jade objects were often buried with the deceased, such as a jade burial suit from the tomb of Liu Sheng, a prince of the Western Han dynasty . Porcelain Porcelain is a kind of ceramic made from kaolin at high temperature. The earliest ceramics in China appeared in
13899-473: The varied earlier cultures were influenced by the art of China, Persia and Greece, as well as the Animal style that developed among the nomadic peoples of the steppes . The first modern human occupation in the difficult climates of North and Central Asia is dated to circa 40,000 ago, with the early Yana culture of northern Siberia dated to circa 31,000 BCE. By around 21,000 BCE, two main cultures developed:
14022-532: The various kingdoms of ancient China. Excavations of the prehistoric art of the Dian civilisation of Yunnan have revealed hunting scenes of Caucasoid horsemen in Central Asian clothing. Saka influences have been identified as far as Korea and Japan. Various Korean artifacts, such as the royal crowns of the kingdom of Silla , are said to be of "Scythian" design. Similar crowns, brought through contacts with
14145-648: The walls, such as the Mogao Grottoes in Gansu Province. The Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes were built in the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). It consists of more than 700 caves, of which 492 caves have murals on the walls, totalling more than 45,000 square meters. The murals are very broad in content, include Buddha statues, paradise, angels, important historical events, and even donors. The painting styles in early caves received influence from India and
14268-511: The warm climate of India. His coat is decorated by hundreds of pearls, which probably symbolize his wealth. His grandiose regnal title is inscribed in the Brahmi script : "The Great King, King of Kings, Son of God, Kanishka". As the Kushans progressively adapted to life in India, their dress progressively became lighter, and representation less frontal and more natural, although they retained characteristic elements of their nomadic dress, such as
14391-495: Was Chinese painting though done with Korean landscapes, facial features, Buddhist topics, and an emphasis on celestial observation in keeping with the rapid development of Korean astronomy. Throughout the history of Korean painting, there has been a constant separation of monochromatic works of black brushwork on very often mulberry paper or silk; and the colourful folk art or min-hwa , ritual arts, tomb paintings, and festival arts which made extensive use of colour. This distinction
14514-458: Was an artist and not a politician. Ko stated, "While I was in Tokyo, a very curious thing happened. At that time there were fewer than one hundred Korean students in Tokyo. All of us were drinking the new air and embarking on new studies, but there were some who mocked my choice to study art. A close friend said that it was not right for me to study painting in such a time as this." Korean pottery
14637-523: Was during this period that in painting, emphasis was placed on spiritual rather than emotional elements, as in the previous period. Kunqu , the oldest extant form of Chinese opera developed during the Song dynasty in Kunshan , near present-day Shanghai. In the Yuan dynasty , painting by the Chinese painter Zhao Mengfu (趙孟頫) greatly influenced later Chinese landscape painting, and the Yuan dynasty opera became
14760-610: Was included in the List of Representative Works of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In December 2018, the General Office of the Ministry of Education announced that Peking University is the base for inheriting excellent traditional Chinese culture in Kunqu. Kunqu takes drum and board to control the rhythm of singing, with Qu flute , three strings and so on as the main accompanying instrument; its singing pronunciation
14883-464: Was often class-based: scholars, particularly in Confucian art , felt that one could see colour in monochromatic paintings within the gradations and felt that the actual use of colour coarsened the paintings, and restricted the imagination. Korean folk art, and painting of architectural frames was seen as brightening certain outside wood frames, and again within the tradition of Chinese architecture, and
15006-418: Was recognized as early as 6000 BCE. This pottery was also referred to as comb-patterned pottery due to the decorative lines carved onto the outside. Early Korean societies were mainly dependent on fishing. So, they used pottery to store fish and other things collected from the ocean such as shellfish. Pottery had two main regional distinctions. Those from the East coast tend to have a flat base, whereas pottery on
15129-524: Was used as an ornament or as sacrificial utensils. The earliest Chinese carved-jade object appeared in the Hemudu culture in the early Neolithic period (about 3500–2000 BCE). During the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE), Bi (circular perforated jade) and Cong (square jade tube) appeared, which were presumed to be sacrificial utensils, representing the sky and the earth. In the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BCE), due to
#801198