Color in Chinese culture

Last updated

Chinese cardinal and intermediary colors Chinese cardinal and intermediary colors.png
Chinese cardinal and intermediary colors

Chinese culture attaches certain values to colors, [1] such as considering some to be auspicious (吉利) or inauspicious (不利). The Chinese word for 'color' is yánsè (顏色). In Literary Chinese, the character more literally corresponds to 'color in the face' or 'emotion'. It was generally used alone and often implied sexual desire or desirability. During the Tang dynasty (618–907), the word yánsè came to mean 'all color'. A Chinese idiom meaning 'multi-colored', Wǔyánliùsè (五顏六色), can also refer to 'colors' in general.

Contents

In Chinese mythology, the goddess Nüwa is said to have mended the Heavens after a disaster destroyed the original pillars that held up the skies, using five colored stones in the five auspicious colors to patch up the crumbling heavens, accounting for the many colors that the skies can take on.

Wuxing

Traditionally, the standard colors in Chinese culture are black, red, GRUE (; qīng), [2] white, and yellow. Respectively, these correspond to water, fire, wood, metal, and earth, which comprise the 'five elements' ( wuxing ) of traditional Chinese metaphysics. [3] Throughout the Shang, Tang, Zhou and Qin dynasties, China's emperors used the Theory of the Five Elements to select colors. Other colors were considered by Confucius to be "inferior". [4] [ better source needed ]

Element
Qualities
WoodFireEarthMetalWater
ColorBlue, azure, greenRedYellowWhiteBlack
Directioneastsouthcenterwestnorth
PlanetJupiterMarsSaturnVenusMercury
Heavenly creature Azure Dragon Vermilion Bird Yellow Dragon White Tiger Black Tortoise
Heavenly Stems , , , , ,
Wufang Shangdi Cāngdì Chide Huangdi Baidi Heidi
PhaseNew YangFull YangBalanceNew YinFull Yin
EnergyGenerativeExpansiveStabilizingContractingConserving
SeasonSpringSummerChange of seasons
(Every third month)
AutumnWinter
ClimateWindyHotDampDryCold
Development SproutingBloomingRipeningWitheringDormant
Livestockdogsheep, goatcattlechickenpig
Fruit Chinese plum apricot jujube peach Chinese chestnut
Grainwheat legume rice hemp pearl millet

Yellow

Portrait of the Hongwu Emperor in a silk yellow dragon robe embroidered with the Yellow Dragon A Seated Portrait of Ming Emperor Taizu.jpg
Portrait of the Hongwu Emperor in a silk yellow dragon robe embroidered with the Yellow Dragon

Yellow is considered the most beautiful and prestigious color. [5] The Chinese conception of yellow ( huáng) is inclusive of many shades considered tan or brown in English, and its primary association is with the earth rather than the sun. It was formerly inclusive of many oranges, [6] [7] although speakers of modern Standard Mandarin increasingly map their use of huáng to shades corresponding to English yellow. [8] The Chinese saying "Yellow generates yin and yang" implies that yellow is the center of everything. Associated with but ranked above brown, yellow signifies neutrality and good luck. Yellow is sometimes paired with red in place of gold.[ citation needed ]

The Yellow River is the cradle of Chinese civilization. In imperial China, yellow was the color of the emperor, and is held as the symbolic color of the five legendary emperors of ancient China, such as the Yellow Emperor. The Yellow Dragon is the zoomorphic incarnation of the Yellow Emperor of the center of the universe in Chinese religion and mythology. The flag of the Qing dynasty featured golden yellow as the background. The Plain Yellow Banner and the Bordered Yellow Banner were two of the upper three banners of Later Jin and Qing dynasty.

Yellow often decorates royal palaces, altars and temples, and the color was used in the dragon robes and attire of the emperors. [5] It was a rare honor to receive the imperial yellow jacket.

Yellow also represents freedom from worldly cares and is thus esteemed in Buddhism. Monks' garments are yellow, as are elements of Buddhist temples. Yellow is also used as a mourning color for Chinese Buddhists.

Yellow is also symbolic of heroism, as opposed to the Western association of the color with cowardice. [9]

Black

A black-and-white 18th-century representation of the Taijitu of Zhao Huiqian (1370s) Bagua Zhao Huiqian.jpg
A black-and-white 18th-century representation of the Taijitu of Zhao Huiqian (1370s)

Black ( hēi), corresponding to water, is generally understood as a neutral color, though it appears in many negative contexts in chengyu and common names. "Black cult" ( 黑幫 hēibāng) is the usual name for Chinese organized crime and the Thick Black Theory of the late Qing intellectual Li Zongwu ( , 1879–1943) is an exhortation to Machiavellianism. In modern China, black is used in clothing, especially in professional contexts. Black has less association with mourning than white in traditional Chinese culture. Formal black jackets and slacks have become associated with international professionalism.

The I Ching regards black as Heaven's color. The saying "heaven and earth are black" was rooted in the observation that the northern sky was black. Ancient Chinese people believed Tiandi resided in the North Star. The taijitu uses black and white or red to represent the unity of yin and yang. Ancient Chinese people regarded black as the king of colors and honored black more consistently than any other color. Laozi said "know the white, keep the black", and Taoists believe black is the color of the Tao.[ citation needed ]

White

White ( , bái) corresponds with metal among the wuxing and represents gold.[ dubious discuss ] It symbolizes brightness, purity, and fulfillment.[ citation needed ] White is also the traditional color of mourning. [9] Ever since the Chinese economic reform and influx of Western cultural values, white wedding gowns have become more popular.

Red

Red (; hóng), vermilion ( dān), and scarlet ( chì) [10] are associated with masculine yang energy, fire, good fortune and joy. Red is the traditional color used during Chinese New Year and other celebrations, including weddings and wedding gowns. Chinese reds are traditionally inclusive of shades that may be considered as orange or warm brown in English.

Writing in red ink was traditionally exclusive to an emperor's comments added to memorials. [11] Writing someone's name in red ink is a traditional taboo. [11]

A hongbao , a red envelope stuffed with money, now frequently red 100 RMB notes, is the usual gift in Chinese communities for Chinese New Year, birthdays, marriages, bribes, and other special occasions. The red color of the packet symbolizes good luck. Red is strictly forbidden at funerals as it is traditionally symbolic of happiness. [12]

In the People's Republic of China, red remains a very popular color and is affiliated with and used by the Communist Party and the government.

Blue and green

Old Chinese did not make a blue-green distinction, having a single verdant color ( , qīng) that encompassed both. The blue sky and green vegetables were considered shades of a single color which could even include black as its darkest hue in some contexts. Modern Standard Mandarin makes the blue-green distinction using ( 绿 ; 'leafy') for green and lán ( ; 'indigo') for blue.

Qīng was associated with health, prosperity, and harmony. It was used for the roof tiles and ornate interior of the Temple of Heaven and in other structures to represent Heaven.[ citation needed ] It is also the color of most jade as well as the greenware pottery that was developed to imitate it.

Separately, green hats are associated with infidelity and used as an idiom for a cuckold. [13] This has caused uneasiness for Chinese Catholic bishops, who, in ecclesiastical heraldry, would normally have a green hat above their arms. Chinese bishops have compromised by using a violet hat for their coat of arms.[ citation needed ]

Intermediary colors

The five intermediary colors (五間色wǔjiànsè) are formed as combinations of the five elemental colors. These are: [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyan</span> Color visible between blue and green on the visible spectrum; subtractive (CMY) primary color

Cyan is the color between blue and green on the visible spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a predominant wavelength between 500 and 520 nm, between the wavelengths of green and blue.

<i>Wuxing</i> (Chinese philosophy) Chinese five elements

Wuxing, usually translated as Five Phases or Five Agents, is a fivefold conceptual scheme used in many traditional Chinese fields of study to explain a wide array of phenomena, including cosmic cycles, the interactions between internal organs, the succession of political regimes, and the properties of herbal medicines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green</span> Additive primary color visible between cyan and yellow

Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495–570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a combination of yellow and cyan; in the RGB color model, used on television and computer screens, it is one of the additive primary colors, along with red and blue, which are mixed in different combinations to create all other colors. By far the largest contributor to green in nature is chlorophyll, the chemical by which plants photosynthesize and convert sunlight into chemical energy. Many creatures have adapted to their green environments by taking on a green hue themselves as camouflage. Several minerals have a green color, including the emerald, which is colored green by its chromium content.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow</span> Color between orange and green on the visible spectrum of light

Yellow is the color between green and orange on the spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a dominant wavelength of roughly 575–585 nm. It is a primary color in subtractive color systems, used in painting or color printing. In the RGB color model, used to create colors on television and computer screens, yellow is a secondary color made by combining red and green at equal intensity. Carotenoids give the characteristic yellow color to autumn leaves, corn, canaries, daffodils, and lemons, as well as egg yolks, buttercups, and bananas. They absorb light energy and protect plants from photo damage in some cases. Sunlight has a slight yellowish hue when the Sun is near the horizon, due to atmospheric scattering of shorter wavelengths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purple</span> Range of colors with the hues between blue and red

Purple is a color similar in appearance to violet light. In the RYB color model historically used in the arts, purple is a secondary color created by combining red and blue pigments. In the CMYK color model used in modern printing, purple is made by combining magenta pigment with either cyan pigment, black pigment, or both. In the RGB color model used in computer and television screens, purple is created by mixing red and blue light in order to create colors that appear similar to violet light.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese dragon</span> Legendary creature in Chinese mythology

The Chinese dragon, also loong, is a legendary creature in Chinese mythology, Chinese folklore, and Chinese culture at large. Chinese dragons have many animal-like forms such as turtles and fish, but are most commonly depicted as snake-like with four legs. Academicians have identified four reliable theories on the origin of the Chinese dragon: snakes, Chinese alligators, thunder worship and nature worship. They traditionally symbolize potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardinal direction</span> Directions of north, south, east and west

The four cardinal directions, or cardinal points, are the four main compass directions: north, south, east, and west, commonly denoted by their initials N, S, E, and W respectively. Relative to north, the directions east, south, and west are at 90 degree intervals in the clockwise direction.

Color theory, or more specifically traditional color theory, is the historical body of knowledge describing the behavior of colors, namely in color mixing, color contrast effects, color harmony, color schemes and color symbolism. Modern color theory is generally referred to as Color science. While there is no clear distinction in scope, traditional color theory tends to be more subjective and have artistic applications, while color science tends to be more objective and have functional applications, such as in chemistry, astronomy or color reproduction. Color theory dates back at least as far as Aristotle's treatise On Colors. A formalization of "color theory" began in the 18th century, initially within a partisan controversy over Isaac Newton's theory of color and the nature of primary colors. By the end of the 19th century, a schism had formed between traditional color theory and color science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Index of color-related articles</span>

This is an index of color topic-related articles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Color term</span> Word or phrase that refers to a specific color

A color term is a word or phrase that refers to a specific color. The color term may refer to human perception of that color which is usually defined according to the Munsell color system, or to an underlying physical property. There are also numerical systems of color specification, referred to as color spaces.

Color printing or colour printing is the reproduction of an image or text in color.

In many languages, the colors described in English as "blue" and "green" are colexified, i.e., expressed using a single umbrella term. To render this ambiguous notion in English, linguists use the blend word grue, from green and blue, a term coined by the philosopher Nelson Goodman—with an unrelated meaning—in his 1955 Fact, Fiction, and Forecast to illustrate his "new riddle of induction".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Five Races Under One Union</span> Political principle of the Republic of China

Five Races Under One Union was one of the major principles upon which the Republic of China was founded following the 1911 Revolution. Its central tenet was the harmonious existence under one nation of what were considered the five major ethnic groups in China: the Han, the Manchu, the Mongols, the Hui (Muslims), and the Tibetans.

<i>Mianguan</i> Type of crown with a flat top worn in East Asia

The mianguan, also called benkan in Japan, myeonlyugwan in Korea, and Miện quan in Vietnam, is a type of crown traditionally worn by the emperors of China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, as well as other kings in the East Asia.

<i>Wordless Book</i> Christian evangelical book

The Wordless Book is a Christian evangelistic book. Evidence points to it being invented by the famous London Baptist preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon, in a message given on January 11, 1866 to several hundred orphans regarding Psalm 51:7 "Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." It is called a "book", as it is usually represented with pages, although it can be shown on a single page or banner.

Color symbolism in art, literature, and anthropology is the use of color as a symbol in various cultures and in storytelling. There is great diversity in the use of colors and their associations between cultures and even within the same culture in different time periods. The same color may have very different associations within the same culture at any time. Diversity in color symbolism occurs because color meanings and symbolism occur on an individual, cultural and universal basis. Color symbolism is also context-dependent and influenced by changes over time. Symbolic representations of religious concepts or articles may include a specific color with which the concept or object is associated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of the Qing dynasty</span>

The flag of the Qing dynasty was an emblem adopted in the late 19th century (1889) featuring the Azure Dragon on a plain yellow field with the red flaming pearl in the upper left corner. It became the first national flag of China and is usually referred to as the "Yellow Dragon Flag".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cranes in Chinese mythology</span> Motif in Chinese mythology

Cranes are an important motif in Chinese mythology. There are various myths involving cranes, and in Chinese mythology cranes are generally symbolically connected with the idea of longevity. In China, the crane mythology is associated with the divine bird worship in the animal totemism; cranes have a spiritual meaning where they are a form of divine bird which travels between heaven and man's world. Cranes regularly appear in Chinese arts such as paintings, tapestry, and decorative arts; they are also often depicted carrying the souls of the deceased to heaven. The crane is the second most important bird after the fenghuang, the symbol of the empress, in China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wufang Shangdi</span> Traditional Chinese fivefold deity

The Wǔfāng Shàngdì, or simply Wǔdì or Wǔshén are, in Chinese canonical texts and common Chinese religion, the fivefold manifestation of the supreme God of Heaven. This theology dates back at least to the Shang dynasty. Described as the "five changeable faces of Heaven", they represent Heaven's cosmic activity which shapes worlds as tán 壇, "altars", imitating its order which is visible in the starry vault, the north celestial pole and its spinning constellations. The Five Deities themselves represent these constellations. In accordance with the Three Powers they have a celestial, a terrestrial and a chthonic form. The Han Chinese identify themselves as the descendants of the Red and Yellow Deities.

<i>Danqing</i> Form of traditional Chinese painting

In Chinese painting, danqing refers to paintings on silk and Xuan paper. Danqing is painted with an ink brush, color ink, or Chinese pigments using natural plant, mineral, and both metal pigments and pigment blends. Danqing literally means "red and blue-green" in Chinese, or more academically, "vermillion and cyan"; they are two of the most used colors in ancient Chinese painting.

References

  1. Bogushevskaya, V. (2022). Chinese Color Language. In: Shamey, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Color Science and Technology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27851-8_433-1 https://www.academia.edu/download/113926250/2022_Chinese_Color_Language.pdf
  2. Bogushevskaya, Victoria (2015). Thinking colours: perception, translation and representation. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publications. ISBN   978-1-4438-7529-5.
  3. Bogushevskaya, V. (2016). Ancient Chinese ‘Five Colors’ Theory: What Does Its Semantic Analysis Reveal. Essays in global color history: Interpreting the ancient spectrum, 225-244.https://www.academia.edu/2433373/Ancient_Chinese_Five_Colours_Theory_What_Does_Its_Semantic_Analysis_Reveal
  4. "Colors in Chinese". maayot. 16 June 2021. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  5. 1 2 St. Clair, Kassia (2016). The Secret Lives of Colour. London: John Murray. pp. 84–85. ISBN   9781473630819. OCLC   936144129.
  6. Schafer, Edward H. (1956), "The Early History of Lead Pigments and Cosmetics in China", T'oung Pao, 2nd ser., vol. 44, Leiden: Brill, pp. 413–438, JSTOR   4527434 .
  7. Dupree, Scratch (30 January 2017), "Colors", Cha, Hong Kong{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link).
  8. Hsieh, Tracy Tsuei-ju; et al. (November 2020), "Basic Color Categories in Mandarin Chinese Revealed by Cluster Analysis", Journal of Vision, vol. 20, Rockville: Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, p. 6, doi:10.1167/jov.20.12.6, PMC   7671860 , PMID   33196769 .
  9. 1 2 "Psychology of Color: Does a specific color indicate a specific emotion? By Steve Hullfish | July 19, 2012". Archived from the original on 4 March 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  10. Bogushevskaya, V. (2024). A study in scarlet: cultural memory of the tropes related to the color red, female countenance, and onstage makeup in the Sinophone world. Semiotica. https://doi.org/10.1515/sem-2023-0186
  11. 1 2 Reinders, Eric (2024). Reading Tolkien in Chinese: Religion, Fantasy, and Translation. Perspectives on Fantasy series. London, UK: Bloomsbury Academic. p. 51. ISBN   9781350374645.
  12. see Funeral § Asian funerals
  13. Norine Dresser, Multicultural Manners: New Rules of Etiquette for a Changing Society, ISBN   0-471-11819-2, 1996, page 67
  14. Kim, Yung-sik (2014). Questioning Science in East Asian Contexts: Essays on Science, Confucianism, and the Comparative History of Science. London: Brill. p. 32. ISBN   9789004265318.