ARTS

MODULE 1
CHINESE ARTS
Objectives:
1. Analyze the elements and principles of art in the production of arts and crafts.
inspired by the cultures of East Asia.
2. Identify characteristics of arts and crafts of China.

China has existed for thousands of years. Chinese civilization is considered to be

among the oldest in human history. There is an undeniably rich cultural history in the
traditional art of China, and many of the ancient artifacts still exist today. Such works are
a testament to the talent and diligence of the Chinese people. The Chinese people have
long been engaged in art forms such as pottery, paintings, calligraphy, ancient cartoons,
folk arts, and paper cutting. All of these display the temperament and discipline of the
Chinese, who have a strong sense of nationalism.
 PAINTINGS
PAINTING

Painting became a leisure activity among amateurs, aristocrats, and scholar officials. All of those
who engaged in painting have painstakingly aimed to perfect the
technique and sensibility of the art form.
During the Tang Dynasty, the subjects in the paintings were mostly landscapes,
used in an attempt to capture the natural form of nature. Images of landscapes observed
in Chinese paintings were of mountains, homes, birds, trees, and water. These portray
the various elements of the universe that many Chinese people believed in. Also, the
paintings depicted how human beings communed with nature and how humans were but
tiny specks in a vast natural universe. Other themes in Chinese paintings include
traditional poetry and calligraphy.
A Hanging Scroll Painted Sailboats and Pavilions by:
by: Ma Lin (circa 1246) Li Sixun
 CALLIGRAPHY
Among the most popular Chinese artistic traditions is
calligraphy. It is the art of making decorative letterings or
handwritings, usually with a brush dipped in black or
colored ink. It is considered by Chinese artists as one of
the highest and purest forms of painting practiced in the
civilizations in East Asia. Japan and Korea also use
Chinese characters in their forms of writing. Precision is
key, as there are at least 40 000 characters that a
calligrapher must master. There are stroke orders that must
also be remembered when writing these characters. Thus,
brushwork in calligraphy is based on precise orders of the
stroke.
 ARCHITECTURE
Two of the more prominent influences in the style of architecture and
sculpture in China are Buddhist tenets (especially those during the Sui
and Tang dynasties) and Indian art (specifically those associated with the
Gupta period). Symmetry is a highly emphasized element in Chinese
architecture, and this is true in both grand palaces and simple
farmhouses. The most popular principle of order and balance is the feng
shui, which is used in organizing constructions and laying out the
architecture. Feng Shui is one of the pillars of ancient Chinese
architectural theory and the soul of traditional Chinese architecture. It
promotes the harmonious relationship between a person and nature.
 The Forbidden City was meticulously designed to reflect
the religious and philosophical principles during that time,
as well as to symbolize the majesty of imperial power.
 CERAMICS
Is one of the materials commonly associated with
China. During the imperial years of the country,
porcelain gained popularity among producers and users
alike. Porcelain stone and China clay are the materials
for Chinese porcelain. These items have become chief
export products and have become symbolic of Chinese
artistry.
(Left) Imperial blue and white vase from
the Xuande period of the Ming dynasty
(1426–1435);
(right) Goldfish vase from the Jiajing
period of the Ming dynasty (1521–
1567)
 FOLK TOYS
These toys reflect the beliefs, world views, tastes, and customs of the Chinese.
The ingenuity, creativity, and imaginativeness of toy makers are displayed
through the techniques they employ in toy making. Some materials used to
create different toys are cloth, grass, straw, clay, and paper. These toys may
be used either for play or for decorative purposes. There are also festival toys,
such as lanterns in the shapes of dragons, monkeys, or lotus; kites in the
shapes of animals and objects, such as dragonfly, butterfly, fish, and fan; and
sachets that look like peaches and have colorful patterns.
 LANTERNS Paper lanterns were used in ancient China
primarily as lamps. Lantern-making originated from the Eastern
Han dynasty. Paper lanterns may be as intricate as possible with
other crafts, such as Chinese paintings, paper-cutting, pricking,
and seaming, which are done in making these lanterns.
Materials used in paper lantern making are paper, silk, bamboo,
wood, wheat-straw, and metal.

 KITES Called zhiyuan in ancient China, the kite was pivotal

during wars, especially during the Spring and Autumn period in
China between 770 BC and 476 BC. There are Chinese
historical accounts narrating how the prominent ideologist Mo
Zi constructed a wooden kite in three years, only to fail after a
day of flying it. Other records also narrated how a kite was used
by the master carpenter Lu Ban to spy on an enemy situation.
MODULE 2
JAPAN ARTS
Objectives:
1. Analyze the elements and principles of art in the production of arts and crafts
inspired by the cultures of East Asia .
2. Identify characteristics of arts and crafts of Japan.

JAPAN is an ancient culture that is remarkably unique. This is often explained by its
isolation as an island country with a large population. Japan has been influenced by Asia,
Europe, and America, but each new idea from abroad quickly takes on Japanese dimensions
until it is transformed into something distinct. The following are the principles of Japanese
art and culture: wabi-sabi (imperfection), miyabi (elegance), shibui (subtleness), iki
(originality), jo-ha-kyu (slow, accelerate, end), yugen (mystery), geido (discipline and
ethics), ensou (the void), and kawaii (cute).
 PAINTINGS
Japanese paintings tend to be more abstract
and more naturalistic than Chinese paintings,
depending on the artist and the subject.
Japanese paintings pair down to essentials, in
an attempt to capture the basic form and
characteristics of a specific subject. A style of
Katsushika Hokusai’s The Great
painting called the ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) Wave off Kanagawa (1831) is an
has a very distinctive, dramatic way of using example of ukiyo-e
lines and colors in landscapes, portraits, and
other subjects.
 ACHITECTURE
Japanese architecture, like the other arts, is more
preoccupied with form than with surface
embellishments. The temples in Kamakura are
examples of Japanese architecture from the 13th
century. Japanese exteriors and interiors emphasize
space and form, with the decoration and furnishing
limited to the essentials. The asymmetric,
multipurpose arrangement of Japanese houses and the
simple rectilinear forms created by framing and wall
A Temple in Kamakura
paneling were influential to early modernist
architects.
 CALLIGRAPHY
The history of Japanese calligraphy has been heavily
influenced by Chinese calligraphy. After the invention of
the hiragana and katakana (two commonly used Japanese
syllables), calligraphers developed intrinsic styles in
Japan. The oldest existing calligraphic text in Japan is
the inscription on the halo of the Bhaisajyaguru statue in
the Hōryū-ji Temple. It is written in shakeitai style, The Lotus Sutra written
which is famed in the Six Dynasties. There are also
by: Prince Shōtoku
bibliographic notes for the Lotus Sutra in the same
temple. This Hokke Gisho was said to be written by
Prince Shōtoku in 615.
 IKEBANA
Ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement), which evolved in Japan over
seven centuries, has its origin in early Buddhist flower offerings.
 ORIGAMI
Origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, comes
from the Japanese words Ori, which means
“folding,” and Kami, which means “paper.” The
origamist transforms a sheet of paper into different
shapes and forms using folding and sculpting
techniques. The orizuru (paper crane) is perhaps
the most popular origami shape. Traditionally,
origami does not involve any cutting, marking, or
pasting. The type of paper-folding that allows
cutting is called the kirigami.
 HANAMI
Hanami (a Japanese word which literally means “flower
viewing”) is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying
the beauty of flowers. The “flower” in this case may mean
sakura (Japanese cherry blossoms) or Ume (Japanese
apricot) flowers. From late March to early May, sakura
flowers bloom all over Japan.
SADO/CHADO
The sado or chado (Japanese tea ceremony) is a highly structured method of preparing green tea.

TATAMI
The tatami is a traditional straw mat used on the floor in Japanese homes.
 JAPANESE GARDEN

Many Japanese gardens are seen in temples, in one of the popular

techniques used in gardens is the creation of artificial waterfalls.
Lanterns, arbors, and tea houses are also often placed throughout
Japanese gardens. around castles, and in the residences of politicians
and business people.
 KIMONO

The kimono is a Japanese traditional

garment worn by men, women, and
children. Instead of the cut of the garment,
the significant element in the kimono is the
pattern on the surface. Indications of social
status, personal identity, and cultural
sensitivity are expressed through color and
decoration.
Uchikake – used for weddings.
Furisode – used as a formal kimono for single Japanese
women.
Houmongi – used as a formal kimono for married Japanese
women. 
Yukata – worn during the summer .
Tomesode – normally worn by married women to a wedding
ceremony.
Mofuku – black in color; worn to the funeral of a close
relative.
 COSPLAY
A portmanteau of the words “costume” and
“play,” cosplay is a performance art in which
participants called cosplayers wear costumes
and fashion accessories to represent a specific
character.
 “ANIME/MANGA”
Once known only to Japan, manga (Japanese
comics) and anime (Japanese animation) have
become a global phenomenon. Popular manga
comics include AstroBoy, Doraemon, Dragon Ball Z,
Bleach, Naruto, and Death Note. Japanese anime
(animated shows), which have been entertaining
Japanese children since the 1960s, are now
exported all over the world.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING 
MO LI HUA