Silk is a natural protein fiber,some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity (sericulture). The shimmering appearance of silk is due to the triangular prism-like structure of the silk fibre,which allows silk cloth to refract incoming light at different angles,thus producing different colors.
Papermaking is the manufacture of paper and cardboard,which are used widely for printing,writing,and packaging,among many other purposes. Today almost all paper is made using industrial machinery,while handmade paper survives as a specialized craft and a medium for artistic expression.
Ink wash painting;is a type of Chinese ink brush painting which uses washes of black ink,such as that used in East Asian calligraphy,in different concentrations. It emerged during the Tang dynasty of China (618–907),and overturned earlier,more realistic techniques. It is typically monochrome,using only shades of black,with a great emphasis on virtuoso brushwork and conveying the perceived "spirit" or "essence" of a subject over direct imitation. Ink wash painting flourished from the Song dynasty in China (960–1279) onwards,as well as in Japan after it was introduced by Zen Buddhist monks in the 14th century. Some Western scholars divide Chinese painting into three periods:times of representation,times of expression,and historical Oriental art. Chinese scholars have their own views which may be different;they believe that contemporary Chinese ink wash paintings are the pluralistic continuation of multiple historical traditions.
Rice paper is a product constructed of paper-like materials made from different plants. These include:
Sizing or size is a substance that is applied to,or incorporated into,other materials—especially papers and textiles—to act as a protective filler or glaze. Sizing is used in papermaking and textile manufacturing to change the absorption and wear characteristics of those materials.
Ramie,Boehmeria nivea,is a flowering plant in the nettle family Urticaceae,native to eastern Asia. It is a herbaceous perennial growing to 1.0–2.5 m tall;the leaves are heart-shaped,7–15 cm (2.8–5.9 in) long and 6–12 cm (2.4–4.7 in) broad,and white on the underside with dense,small hairs—this gives it a silvery appearance;unlike stinging nettles,the hairs do not sting. The true ramie or China grass is also called Chinese plant or white ramie.
Washi (和紙) is traditional Japanese paper processed by hand using fibers from the inner bark of the gampi tree,the mitsumata shrub,or the paper mulberry (kōzo) bush.
Chinese calligraphy is the writing of Chinese characters as an art form,combining purely visual art and interpretation of the literary meaning. This type of expression has been widely practiced in China and has been generally held in high esteem across East Asia. Calligraphy is considered one of the four most-sought skills and hobbies of ancient Chinese literati,along with playing stringed musical instruments,the board game "Go",and painting. There are some general standardizations of the various styles of calligraphy in this tradition. Chinese calligraphy and ink and wash painting are closely related:they are accomplished using similar tools and techniques,and have a long history of shared artistry. Distinguishing features of Chinese painting and calligraphy include an emphasis on motion charged with dynamic life. According to Stanley-Baker,"Calligraphy is sheer life experienced through energy in motion that is registered as traces on silk or paper,with time and rhythm in shifting space its main ingredients." Calligraphy has also led to the development of many forms of art in China,including seal carving,ornate paperweights,and inkstones.
Southern Tang was a dynastic state of China that existed during Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Located in southern China,the Southern Tang proclaimed itself to be the successor of the Tang dynasty. The capital was located at Nanjing in present-day Jiangsu Province. At its territorial peak in 951,the Southern Tang controlled the whole of modern Jiangxi,and portions of Anhui,Fujian,Hubei,Hunan,and Jiangsu provinces.
The paper mulberry is a species of flowering plant in the family Moraceae. It is native to Asia,where its range includes mainland China,Taiwan,Japan,Korea,Southeast Asia,Myanmar,and India. It is widely cultivated elsewhere and it grows as an introduced species in New Zealand,parts of Europe,the United States,and Africa. Other common names include tapa cloth tree.
Gongbi is a careful realist technique in Chinese painting,the opposite of the interpretive and freely expressive xieyi style.
Amate is a type of bark paper that has been manufactured in Mexico since the precontact times. It was used primarily to create codices.
Barkcloth or bark cloth is a versatile material that was once common in Asia,Africa,and the Pacific. Barkcloth comes primarily from trees of the family Moraceae,including Broussonetia papyrifera,Artocarpus altilis,Artocarpus tamaran,and Ficus natalensis. It is made by beating sodden strips of the fibrous inner bark of these trees into sheets,which are then finished into a variety of items. Many texts that mention "paper" clothing are actually referring to barkcloth.
Korean paper or hanji (Korean: 한지) refers to traditional handmade paper from Korea. Hanji is made from the inner bark of the paper mulberry,a tree native to Korea that grows well on its rocky mountainsides. Another crucial material used in its creation is the mucilage that oozes from the roots of Hibiscus manihot. This substance helps suspend the individual fibers in water.
Four Treasures of the Study is an expression used to denote the brush,ink,paper and ink stone used in Chinese calligraphy and spread into other East Asian calligraphic traditions. The name appears to originate in the time of the Southern and Northern Dynasties.
The arts of China have varied throughout its ancient history,divided into periods by the ruling dynasties of China and changing technology,but still containing a high degree of continuity. Different forms of art have been influenced by great philosophers,teachers,religious figures and even political leaders. The arrival of Buddhism and modern Western influence produced especially large changes. Chinese art encompasses fine arts,folk arts and performance arts.
Paper is a thin nonwoven material traditionally made from a combination of milled plant and textile fibres. The first paper-like plant-based writing sheet was papyrus in Egypt,but the first true papermaking process was documented in China during the Eastern Han period,traditionally attributed to the court official Cai Lun. This plant-puree conglomerate produced by pulp mills and paper mills was used for writing,drawing,and money. During the 8th century,Chinese paper making spread to the Islamic world,replacing papyrus. By the 11th century,papermaking was brought to Europe,where it replaced animal-skin-based parchment and wood panels. By the 13th century,papermaking was refined with paper mills using waterwheels in Spain. Later improvements to the papermaking process came in 19th century Europe with the invention of wood-based papers.
Xuan writing brush or Xuanbi,is a type of ink brush made in Anhui Province,China. Xuan brushes are often used and mentioned together with Xuan paper,a kind of writing rice-paper.
Pteroceltis tatarinowii a species of tree endemic to China and the only extant member of the genus Pteroceltis. Common names include blue sandalwood,wingceltis,Tatar-wingceltis or qing tan. Trees grow to 20 m (66 ft) tall and are used for timber,the bark fiber to make Xuan paper,and oil is extracted from its seeds. Seeds were collected and brought to America by Frank Meyer and given to the USDA in 1907. One of those seeds grew into a mature tree at the Morris Arboretum outside of Philadelphia,PA.
Freehand brush work is a genre of Chinese traditional painting which includes poem,calligraphy,painting and seal. In Chinese called Hsieh yi,which literally means "writing ideas". It was formed in a long period of artistic activities and promoted by the literati. Through the inheritance and development in the past dynasties,freehand brush work has gradually become the most influential and popular genre.
