Chinese Symbolism and Art Motifs Fourth Revised Edition: A Comprehensive Handbook on Symbolism in Chinese Art Through the AgesWritten with reader accessibility in mind, this comprehensive handbook of symbolism in Chinese art and culture will be an invaluable resource for any student of Eastern art history, Chinese arts and crafts, and anyone interested in commonly held Chinese beliefs and their origins. In Chinese Symbolism & Art Motifs Fourth Edition, scholar C.A.S. Williams offers concise explanations of the essential symbols and motifs relevant to Chinese literature, arts & crafts, and architecture. This reference book has been a standard among students of Chinese culture and history since 1941 and, in its Fourth Edition, has been completely reset with Pinyin pronunciation of Chinese names and words. Organized alphabetically, enhanced by over 400 illustrations, and clearly written for accessibility across a variety of fields, this book not only explains symbols and motifs essential to any designer, art collector, or historian, but delves into ancient customs in religion, food, agriculture, and medicine. Some of the symbols and motifs explicated are:
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Contents
Ant 46 | |
Axe 58 | |
Bodhi Tree 70 | |
Bó Gû Tú 71 | |
Castanets 81 | |
Cicada 92 | |
Conchshell 104 | |
Coral 107 | |
Crane 118 | |
Deer 132 | |
Dove 144 | |
Drum 158 | |
Common terms and phrases
according ancient animals arhats bamboo beautiful bird bronze Buddhist called carved Celestial Stems century B.C. ceremonies character China Chinese Art Chinese Reader’s Manual Chinese Repository colour decoration deities depicted designs divine dragon earth EIGHT DIAGRAMS EIGHT IMMORTALS EIGHT TREASURES elephant emblem emblematic Emperor employed Encyclopaedia Sinica evil feet FENG SHUI fire fish FIVE ELEMENTS flowers gold Hàn Dynasty hand head Heaven History of China jade known Koong-see Kuan Yin Lamaism legend Lohan longevity lotus Louisiana Purchase Exposition Manjusri metal moon mountains nature official originally ornamental painted phoenix porcelain regarded represented rice river sacred Sanskrit shape silk sometimes Sòng species spirits stars stone supposed symbol symbolises Táng Dynasty Taoist temples tiger tortoise tree TWELVE TERRESTRIAL BRANCHES variety various vide Wáng willow wood worship yáng yellow YIN AND YANG Zhāng Zhōu Dynasty