中国文化概况Chapter3 Chinese Arts

Chapter3ChineseArts3.1Chinesecharacters3.2ChineseCalligraphy3.3ChinesePainting3.4BeijingOpera3.5LocalOperas3.6FolkPerformingArts3.7FolkMusic3.1Chinesecharacters

TheChinesecharactersconstituteoneofthemankind’soldestsystemsofwriting,andhavethemostusersintheworld.TherearenumerousChinesecharacters,totalingabout60000,withabout6000basicones.3.1.1ThedevelopmentofcharactersTheearliestChinesecharacterswereinscriptionsontortoiseshellsandanimalbonesoftheShangdynasty.Theyarecalledinscriptionsonoraclebones（甲骨文）

datingback3,400years,whichwerealreadymaturecharacters.Chinesecharactershaveundergonetremendouschangesovertheages.Fromtheearliestformofhieroglyphtothemoreadvancedsymbolcharactercomposedofstrokes,ithasexperiencedaprocessofinscriptionson

oraclebones(甲骨文),

inscriptionsonbronzeobjects(金文),

smallsealcharacter(小篆)officialscript(隶书)regularscript.(楷书)Therearemainlyfourwaysofcreatingawordasfollows:3.1.2WaysofcreatingwordsHieroglyph(象形)referstothemethodofdrawingtheprofileoftheinvolvedsubject,suchas“月”whichlookslikeacurvemoon.Self-explanatorycharacters（指事）

aremadeupbyaddingself-explanatorysymbolsonpictographs,ortotallymadeupofsymbols,suchas“刃”，（blade），whichismadeupbyaddingapointonthecuttingedgeofaknife,pointingoutthepositionoftheblade.Associativecompounds(会意)arecombinationsoftwoormoresymbolstorepresentanewcharacterwithanewmeaning.Forinstance,thecharacter“明”（bright）iscomposedby“日”（sun）and“月”(moon).Definitely,itwillbebrightwhenthesunandthemoonappearinthesameplace.Pictophonmethod(形声)isawordformationmethodcombiningoneelementofacharacterindicatingmeaningandtheother,pronunciation,intoanewword.Formelementindicatestheword’smeaningandcharacteristic.Phoneticelementindicatesthepronunciationoftheword.Forexample,“湖”iscomposedofthreedotsindicatingwater,and胡indicatingthepronunciation.Thereare6basiccategoriesinStrokesofChineseCharacters.3.1.3Strokes(笔画)ofChineseCharacters:dian—dotstrokeheng—horizontalstrokeshu—verticalstrokepie—curvedstrokezhe—angular(角形的)strokegou—hooked(钩形的)strokeForthousandsofyears,ChinesepeoplehadbeenwritingincomplexChinesecharacters.However,theyaredifficulttoidentify,memorizeandwriteduetotheircomplicatedstrokes.3.1.4ComplexChineseCharacterandSimplifiedChineseCharacter

From1949,forthesakeofthepopularizationofeducation,theChinesegovernmentsimplifiedtheChinesecharactersonalargescale.NowadaysthesimplifiedChineseCharacterisoneoftheofficiallanguagesusedbytheUN.Historically,ChinesecharacterswereborrowedbyKorea,Japan,andVietnamlongago.Kyle,nowI’llshowyouthemostcomplicatedChinesecharacter.Canyoucounthowmanystrokesinthischaracter?Madeupof58strokes,the

Chinesecharacter

for"biáng"isoneofthemost

complexChinesecharacters

incontemporaryusage,althoughthecharacterisnotfoundinmoderndictionaries.Itisakindofnoodle,toutedasoneofthe"tenstrangewondersofShaanxi"(

陕西十大怪),anddescribedasbeinglikeabelt,owingtotheirthicknessandlength.CalligraphyisthetraditionalartofwritingChinesecharacters.Aftercenturiesofcreationandevolution,calligraphyhasbecomeauniqueformofart.3.2ChineseCalligraphy3.2.1FivestylesofChinesescriptsChinesescriptsaregenerallydividedintofivestyles:thesealform(篆书)theofficialform(隶书)thecursiveform(草书)theregularform(楷书)therunningform(行书)Withthe

SealForm(篆书),youcanseesoftlinesofstrokesanduprightrectangularshapekeepthesealformcharactersmoreclosetopictography(象形文字).

Eachofthecharactershasabalancedandsymmetrical(对称的)pattern.TheOfficialForm(隶书)wastheturningpointintheevolutionofChinesescriptsandisthefoundationofthelaterscriptforms.Itturnedtheremainingcurvedandroundstrokesofthesealformintolinear(直线的)andflatsquare(扁方形)shapes.TheCursiveForm(草书)issmoothandlivelywithstrokesflowingandcharacterslinkingtogether.Thecharactersareoftenjoined,withthelaststrokeofonemergingintotheinitialstrokeofthenext.Itisexecutedfreelyandrapidlysothatpartsofthecharactersappearexaggerated(夸张的).TheRegularForm(楷书)isstilltoday’sstandardwriting.Itissquareinform,andnon-cursiveinstrokes.Ithasdifferentsizes:LargerRegularForm(morethan5cm)SmallerRegularForm(smallerthan2cm)MediumRegularForm(in-between)The

runningForm(行书)issomewherebetweentheregularandthecursiveforms

allowingsimplerandfasterwriting.Itcontainstherunningregularform行楷therunningcursiveform行草Recently,themostusedonesaretheregularscriptandtherunningscript.ThecursivescriptisoftenappliedinthecreativeworksofChinesecalligraphyNow,let’sintroducethefourtoolsnecessaryforChinesecalligraphy?3.2.2FourTreasuresoftheStudy(文房四宝)Chinesebrush,ink,paperandinkslabarenecessarytoolsandmaterialsforwritingandpaintingandhavealwaysbeennamedcollectivelyasthe“FourTreasuresoftheStudy”.ItiswidelyacceptedthatthebestofeachoftheseitemsisrepresentedbytheHubrush(湖笔)Huiinkstick(徽墨)Xuanpaper(宣纸)Duaninkslab(端砚)allbeinghighlyvaluedinbothChinaandabroad.Classicalscholarshadmorethanjustthe

Fourtreasures

intheirstudies.Theother"Treasures"includethe

brush-holder

(笔架),brush-hanger(笔挂),paperweights(镇纸),thebrush-rinsingpot(笔洗),the

seal

(图章)andseal-ink(印泥).3.2.3FamouscalligraphersinChina:WangXizhiOuyangXunYanZhenqingLiuGongquanZhaoMengfu

WangXizhiintheEasternJindynastywastraditionallyreferredtoasthe“SageofChineseCalligraphy

(书圣)”.

Amonghisworks,thoseintherunningstylearerecognizedashisbest,demonstratingthevigorandfluencyofthisstyle.Noneofhisoriginalworksremaintoday.Someofhisbestwritingshavebeenpreservedoncarvedstonetablets.Stonerubbingstakenfromthemhavebeenreproducedandreprintedwidelyandstudiedbygenerationsofstudents,usedasmodelstolearnandpractise.Forexample,inhisThePrefacetotheLantingCollection

ofCalligraphy(《兰亭集序》),hedescribedasummeroutingataplacecalledLanting.ThisworkisconsideredthegreatestmasterpieceofChinesecalligraphyinhistory.TherearethreetreasuresofChinesecultureandnowwewillintroducethefirst3.3Chinesepainting

TraditionalChinesepaintingistheartofpaintingonapieceofXuanpaperorsilkwithaChinesebrushthatwassoakedwithblackinkorcoloredpigments.Bysubject,traditionalChinesepaintingcanbeclassifiedintothreetypes.3.3.1SubjectsofChinesepaintinganditsdevelopmentFigurepaintingLandscapepaintingFlowersandbirdspaintingsFigurepaintingcameintomaturityasearlyastheWarringStatesPeriodandreacheditspeakduringtheTangDynasty.FamousfigurepaintingartistsincludeGuKaizhi(顾恺之)andWuDaozi（吴道子）.Landscapepainting

describestheoutsidescenery.ItfirstappearedintheQinDynastyandbecameanindependentgenreduringtheSuiandTangDynasty.BytheSongDynasty,ithadreachedaveryhighlevel.RepresentativeartistsoflandscapepaintingincludeLiSixun（李思训）,FanKuan（范宽）andTangYin（唐寅）.Flowersandbirdspaintingconcentratesonthedrawingofflowers,birds,animals,fish,insects,andthelikeintheirnaturalstates.ItcameintobeingintheNorthernandSouthernDynastiesandbecameamatureartduringtheSongDynasty.Celebratedartistsinclude

ZhuDa(朱耷),whoexcelledinthepaintingofflowers

andbirds；

ZhengXie（郑燮）,whowasskilledatbamboo；

QiBaishi（齐白石）,whoexcelledinfishandshrimp.Bystylesofbrushwork,traditionalChinesepaintingcanbecategorizedinto3.3.2“Gongbi”and“Xieyi”(工笔画和写意画)—stylesofbrushwork

“Gongbi”---thatisrealisticpaintingcharacterizedbyfinebrushworkandcloseattentiontodetails);“Xieyi”---freehandbrushworkaimedatcatchingthespiritoftheobjectandexpressingtheauthor’simpressionormood.UnlikeWesternsketcheswhichfocusontruthfulregenerationofsubjects,traditionalChinesepaintingpaysmoreattentiontoverveandartisticconception,makingpopulartheideathatpaintingshouldcontainmoremeaningthanwhatitdepicts.Forinstance,whenXuBeihong（徐悲鸿）

begantodrawhorses,hewouldfirstlyhaveshapefeaturesinhismind,andthendrawapaintingofhorsesthatweremorebeautifulandrealthanhorsesinreallifeinthesimplebrushwork.Totake“Xieyi”painterQiBaishiasanotherexample,inoneofhispaintingsthereweretwochickensscrabblingforanearthworm.“Say‘Hello’Afterwards”：Meaningthatalthoughthechickenswerenotsosensitivethatbothofthemscrabbleforthesamefood,theywouldhavedeepfriendlyfeelingandsay“Hello”toeachotherafterwards.ThewholepersonificationoflittlechickensreflectedQi’scomprehensionofthewholelife.Ingeneral,thestyleoftraditionalChinesepaintingsisgrandiose,containingruggedness,aswellasdetailandmagnificent.Inaddition,itscontentsarerichwithcolorfulforms.3.3.3AlongtheRiverDuringtheQingmingFestival(《清明上河图》)ZhangZeduan(张择端)oftheSongdynastyAlongtheRiverDuringtheQingmingFestivalItcapturesthedailylifeofpeopleandthelandscapeofthecapital,Bianjing,today's

Kaifeng,fromtheNorthernSongperiod.Thethemeisoftensaidtocelebratethefestivespiritandworldlycommotionatthe

QingmingFestival,ratherthantheholiday'sceremonialaspects,suchastombsweepingandprayers.Successivescenesrevealthelifestyleofalllevelsofthesocietyfromrichtopooraswellasdifferenteconomicactivitiesinruralareasandthecity,andofferglimpsesofperiodclothingandarchitecture.Thepaintingisconsideredtobethemostrenownedworkamongall

Chinesepaintings,

andithasbeencalled"China's

MonaLisa."InafinishedworksoftraditionalChinesepainting,inscriptions,poems,andstampsoftencomesidebyside.Therefore,traditionalChinesepaintingisanartformcombiningpoetry,calligraphy,paintingandsealcarving.Itsartisticachievementandnationalfeatureshavewonrecognitionofthepeopleallovertheworld.InadditiontoChinesecalligraphyandpainting,thereisanotherfamousChineseartsthatIfoundfancinating3.4BeijingOpera

BeijingOperaisthemostpopularandinfluentialoperainChinawithahistoryofalmost200years.ThoughBeijingOperaoriginatedfromBeijing,itisnotalocalizedoperaexclusivetoBeijingonly.BeijingOperatroupescanbefoundinmostregionsofChina.3.4.1Fourbasicskills-inBeijingOpera----Singing,reciting,acting,andacrobaticfighting(唱、念、做、打)Singingreferstothesingingaccordingtocertaintunes;Recitingreferstomonologuesbyperformersanddialoguesbetweenperformers;Actingreferstobodymovementsandfacialexpressions;andAcrobaticfightingreferstochoreographedmartialarts.Fictitiousprops(虚拟表演动作)Inthelongtermofdevelopment,BeijingOperahasformedanumberoffictitiousprops.Forinstance,apedalmeansaboat,awhipinthehandmeansridingonahorse.

Withoutanyphysicalpropsinvolved,anactormayperformgoingupstairsordownstairs,openingorclosingadoorbymeregestures.

Thoughratherexaggerated,thoseactionswould,withtheirgracefulmovements,giveaudienceadeepimpression.InBeijingOperaareclassifiedaccordingtosex,age,disposition,profession,andsocialstatus.3.4.2TherearefourmajorrolesSheng（生）Dan（旦）Jing（净）Chou(丑)ShengSheng

aretheleadingmaleactorsandcanbedividedinto:laosheng(

老生：elderlymen)wearingbeardsandrepresentoldmen;

wusheng

(武生：militarymen)acrobatsplayingmilitarymenxiaosheng

(小生：youngmen)representingyoungmen

wawasheng

(娃娃生：children).Thoserolesusuallywearnofacialpainting.DanfemalerolesLaodan(老旦)areelderlywomanQingyi(青衣)playrespectableanddecentladiesinelegantcostumes.Mostofthemarefaithfulwives,lovingmothers,andpurewomenfromfeudalsociety.Huadan(花旦)arelivelyandcleveryounggirls,usuallyinshortcostumes.Wudan(武旦)usuallyplaymilitaryornon-militarywomencapableofmartialarts.Caidan(彩旦)areclownsinfarces(滑稽戏)andcomedies.CelebratedFourMajorDanRoles：MeiLanfang(梅兰芳）ChengYanqiu（程砚秋）ShangXiaoyun（尚小云）XunHuisheng（荀慧生)Jingmostlymale,theface-paintedroleswhorepresentwarriors,heroes,statesmen,adventuresanddemons.Theyarealsoknownas

hualian

(花脸).Theycanbeclassifiedinto

zhengjing(正净：primaryface-paintedrole),fujing(副净：secondaryface-paintedrole)and

wujing(武净：militaryface-paintedrole)Zhengjingisalsoknownasdahualian.Azhengjingperformermainlysings.Mostzhengjingareserious,loyalofficialsandgeneralswhofirmlyupholdjustice.Fujingperformersmainlymoveabout,speakingandmakingpostures.

Wujingrolesinvolveacrobaticfightingandtumblingwithminimalsingingandspeaking.ChouChouaresharp-witted,clever,humorous,honest,andkindmen.Therearewenchou

(文丑：comiccivilianrole)whospeak,act,andsing,and

wuchou(武丑：acrobatic-fightingcomicrole)whoseperformanceinvolvesbothspeakingandacrobaticfighting.Itistheserolesthatkeepaudiencelaughingandimprovisequipsattherightmomentstoeasetensioninsomeseriousplays.Sheng,dan,jingandchou

representpeoplefromallwalksoflife.Whenperformerscomeontothestage,theaudiencecanimmediatelyrecognizewhethertheyaregoodorbadfromtheirmovements,speeches,singing,make-up,andcostumes.3.4.3FacialMake-UpandCostumeFacialMakeupFacialmake-upinBeijingoperahasitsownpattern.AShengoraDanhastohavehisorhereyebrowspaintedinawaythattheylookslantedwithouterendsofeyebrowsgoingupward,theireyescircledwithblackcolors.AsforJingandChou,thepatternisinaccordancewiththedispositionofthecharactersaccordingtotheruleoffacialmakeupinBeijingOpera.redisusedforloyalanduprightcharacters;purpleforloyal,brave,just,andnoblecharacters;blackforfaithful,brave,andstraightforwardcharacters;greenforstubborn,irritable,andnoteasilycontrolledcharacters;yellowforfierce,brutal,andcalculatingcharacters;whiteforimperious(专横的)andtreacherous(阴险的)people;gold-silveredmake-upforghostsandgods.Whitemake-upbetweeneyesandnoseisspecificallyusedforclowns.linesandpatterns:adistortedface,drawnwithasymmetricallines,generallyrepresentsavillainorsomeonewhosefacehasbeenwounded.TraditionalBeijingOperaperformancesareoftenbasedonhistoricalevents,reflectinglifeineachdynasty.CostumesCharactersrangefromemperors,generalsandministerstothecommonpeople.Thecharacterscostumesareasdiverseastheirroles:civilormartial;maleorfemale,andthelike.Theuseofcolourincostumedesignisalsoanart.Differentrobecoloursindicatedifferentsocialstatusesorcharacters:yellowfortheimperialfamily;redfornobility;redandblueforviolentpeople.Roleshaverelativelyfixedformsofcostume.Scholarswearbluegowns;generalswearpaddedarmour;emperorsweardragon-patternedrobes.

Besidesstunningclothesandheaddresses,jeweledgirdles(腰带)andhairornamentsarealsousedforbothmaleandfemaleroles.BeijingOpera,asthenationalopera,enjoysahighreputationbothinsideandoutsideofChina.ManyforeignershavecometoChinatolearnBeijingOpera,whilemanyBeijingOperatroupesandfamousactorsandactresseshavefrequentlybeeninvitedtoperformabroadandhavebeenhighlyappreciatedbyforeignaudience.3.5LocalOperasStatisticsshowthattherearemorethan360typesoflocaloperas,ofwhichthebestknownare:PingjuOpera（评剧)YuorHenanOpera(豫剧)ChuanorSichuanOpera(川剧)YueorShaoxingOpera(越剧)HuangmeiOpera(黄梅戏)GuangdongOpera(粤剧)PingjuOpera

originatedinTangshan,HebeiProvince,andispopularinNorthandNortheastpartofChina.Itislively,freeinstyleandclosetolife.YuorHenanOperaisthelocaloperaofHenanprovinceandprevalentinHenanandneighbouringareas.YuOperaisplayedwithabright,loudsound,alternatingwithsorrowfultone.ChuanorSichuanOpera

isakindoflocaloperaofSichuanprovince.Ithasastrongliteraryquality,andisfullofwit,humourandlivelydialoguewithapronouncedlocalflavour.Italsohasitsownuniquesystemofstylizedmovement.YueorShaoxingOpera,originatedinShaoxingofZhejiangProvinceandispopularinZhejiang,Jiangsu,Jiangxi,AnhuiandShanghai.Thetunesofthisoperaaremildandroundabout,andtheactingismeticulous.HuangmeiOperais

akindoflocaloperainAnhuiprovince,andispopularinAnhuiandJiangxiprovincesandpartofHubeiprovince.Thisoperaischaracterizedbydancingwhilesinging.Itstunesaremildandpleasant,anditsmovementsarenaturalandgraceful.GuangdongoperaisthelocaloperaformofGuangdongProvinceandisalsopopularinGuangxiprovinceandsouthernFujianProvince.SomeofoverseasChinesearealsoveryfondofthistypeoflocalopera.ItissungwiththeCantonesedialectandisratheruniqueinitssingingstyle.3.6Folkperformingarts3.6.1QuyiQuyi

isageneraltermforallkindsoftalkingandsingingarts.Itderivedfromoralliterature,thetalkingandsingingperformancesofancientpeople.Therearestillabout300typesofQuyibeingperformedinChina,includingcrosstalk(相声),clappertalk(快板),pingshu(评书),andshortplay(小品).Crosstalkisoneofthemostpopularandinfluentialtypesofquyi.Itsperformanceischaracterisedbytalking,imitation,fun-making,andsinging(说、学、逗、唱).Satireisitsmainpurpose.Thestagepropsarequitesimple,atable,afan,orahandkerchiefisoftenadequate.Itcouldbeperformedbyoneortwo,orevenbyagroup.However,normally,acomicdialogueisperformedbytwopeople.Theusualpatternisthatoneisastraightmanthatasksquestionsandtheothergivesfunnyanswers.ClapperTalkisafolkartform.Clappertalkperformersusuallydeliver

comicrhymesormonologuestotheaccompanimentofbambooclappers.Pingshu

isakindofstorytelling,withpingshuperformersaddingtheir

owncommentariestosubjectsandcharacters.So,theaudienceisoftennotonlyentertainedbutalsoeducatedandenlightened.Thissimpleart

formhasonlyasingleperformerstandingorsittingatatable,usinga

gavel(醒木)orafoldedfanasaprop(道具).Short-playperformances,about15minutesinlength,werefirst

popularizedwhentelevisednationallyin1983.Itisregardedasoneofthemostlivelyandbest-receivedartformsinChina.Theshort,brisk,humorous,andoftenpungentcomicplayshavebeenpopularitemsonChina’sSpringFestivalGalaShow(春节联欢晚会)formorethan20years.TheChinesepuppetplayisconsideredtobeginintheHandynastyand

risetoprominenceintheTangdynasty.3.6.2TheChinesepuppetplayWitha2,000yearhistory,theChinesepuppetplaycombineselementsofsinging,dancing,painting,andsculpture.Inpuppetplays,actorsorspecially-trainedoperatorsmanipulatethepuppetswiththeirhandsandfingersbymeansofsticksandstrings.Puppetplaysareusuallyaccompaniedbytunesfromlocaloperas.TheshadowplayisoneofthemostancientgenresofdramainChina.

Itfirstappearedabout2,000yearsago,andbytheSongdynastyithad

becomehighlydeveloped.3.6.3ShadowPlayTheperformersmanipulatecolorfulleatherorcardboardfigureswhosesideisreflectedonascreen

bylanternlight.Thefiguresareseentoperformonthescreenwhiletherealactorwhooperatesthefiguressingstotheaccompanimentofmusicbehindthescene.Chin