Traditional Handicrafts and Folk Arts

Traditional Handicrafts and Folk Arts

As we all know, art is a very important element in a country’s history, from which we can derive a better understanding of the country’s tradition, custom, artistic taste, people’s intelligence and wisdom. Among many art categories, handicraft is one of the essential ones.

In China, there are many different kinds of traditional handicrafts such as bronze ware, porcelain, silk, embroidery, lacquer art, jade, and enamel. All these handicrafts have a long history, and in different dynasties, they have different characteristics. For example, the origin of Chinese Porcelain dates back to the Shang Dynasty in 16th century B. C. according to archaeological evidence. Eight thousand years ago, Chinese people began to make ornaments with Jade. Embroidery in China has a history of more than four thousand years.

With the time passing by, the techniques and skills to make these handicrafts have evolved and reached a high level of standard. In some dynasties, the emperors’ interest and policy even refined the development of certain handicrafts. Take porcelain for instance. In the Qing Dynasty (1616 -1911), there are three periods in which porcelain production reached its peak period - Kangxi Period (1662 - 1722), Yongzheng Period (1723 - 1735) and Qianlong Period (1736 - 1795). Since government officials were sent to supervise the porcelain production, the technique gradually became perfected. Those handicrafts have various functions: some can be used as utensils in daily life, some serve as ornaments, and still, others are just for one’s appreciation. In the first part of this chapter, three major Chinese traditional handicrafts will be introduced: porcelain, jade, and embroidery.

In addition to those great traditional handicrafts, folk arts also play a vital role in a country’s culture, since folk arts are produced and enjoyed by common people. From the development of folk arts, we learn something about people’s daily entertainment, living standard, and what they do in individual seasons or on holidays. In Chinese folk art history, many different types of art were created, such as shadow plays, paper-cuts, kites, clay sculptures, and Chinese paintings. For a foreigner who is a beginner in studying Chinese culture, learning about folk arts is not only entertaining but also very helpful in gaining insights into Chinese culture. Hence that explains why some folk arts serve as a bridge for Chinese people to communicate with others abroad. In this chapter, a selection of popular folk arts will also be presented. They are shadow plays, paper-cuts, and kites.

Traditional Handicrafts - Porcelain

Among all categories of arts, handicrafts are as famous as for painting, sculpture and architectural art. They all belong to plastic arts, the main feature of which is to portray the shape of an object. Chinese traditional handicrafts originated in the Paleolithic period as stone tools. Then, with the development of society, some other handicrafts (bronze ware, porcelain, silk, embroidery, lacquer art, jade, and enamel) were greatly developed and even began to influence world culture.

Porcelain

Porcelain is one of the most important Chinese inventions and it came into being 4,500 years ago according to what is documented in Chinese art history. From the word “China,” the word “porcelain”  came into existence. In the eyes of many foreigners, porcelain is subconsciously associated with China. Porcelain is made from clay which contains quartz. Before it is fired, a porcelain body is shaped and covered with glaze. When it is fired at a temperature over 1, 200, the body and glaze get integrated and non-absorbent. Good quality porcelain is described as being “as bright as a mirror, as thin as a sheet of paper, and with a sound as clear as a bell.”

Until the Tang Dynasty (618 -907), most of the porcelain products were made with one-color glaze, which was called “celadon and white porcelain.”

In the Northern Dynasties (386 - 581), some painted china was produced with designs painted on the surface. It was said that the painted china began to reach its peak in the Tang Dynasty.

Tri-colored glazed pottery of the Tang Dynasty had a great influence on both Chinese arts and foreign arts. Such pottery was made with at least three kinds of colors such as white, yellow and green. By the aesthetic values of the Tang Dynasty, this kind of pottery was usually round and full in shape.

Tri-colored glazed pottery of the Tang Dynasty was also used as a funerary object for burial, and it could be divided into three major categories - animals, people, and utensils.

Blue and white porcelain are one of the most famous types of painted porcelain. The design is painted with cobalt oxide on the clay body. That, then, is covered with transparent glaze before being subjected to fire. After firing, the cobalt element turns into blue color.

Typical designs are flowers (peony, lotus, or orchid), animals (dragon, phoenix, Mandarin duck, or fish) and historical figures.

Blue and white porcelain was created in the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) and flourished in the Yuan Dynasty (1271 -1368). The most famous place where such porcelain was produced was Jingdezhen, a small town located in the northeastern Jiangxi Province. During the Jingde Period (1004 - 1007 ) of the Northern Song Dynasty ( 960 - 1127), Emperor Ming Dynasty porcelain vase, Jingde decreed all the pieces made Jingde Period here for the royal court to be marked “made in the Jingde Period.” Subsequently, the city changed its name from Xinping to Jingdezhen.

Kaolin is the most important raw material of industrial ceramics, and Jingdezhen is famous for its good quality kaolin resources. The Jingdezhen porcelain made from local kaolin represents the high level and superior quality of Chinese ceramics. The name, kaolin, which is an internationally accepted scientific name, is named after the Kaolin Mountain in the north of Jingdezhen. For over 2,000 years, the town has been considered as China’s most important center for porcelain production.

During Kangxi Period ( 1662 - 1722), Qing Dynasty, the technique for producing colorful blue and white porcelain was perfected, which pushed the blue and white porcelain to its peak.

Famille Rose Porcelain is another famous kind of porcelain, which was popular in the Qianlong Period (1736 - 1795), Qing Dynasty. The design is painted on the surface of the glaze, and the temperature for firing is about 600 - 900 Intricate patterns of figures, animals and mountains are more sophisticated than what the other arts –prints, watercolor painting, oil painting, and watercolor painting - could create.

Porcelain is considered as one of China’s unique commodities and has a vast market overseas. Since the Sui (581 -618) and Tang (618 -907) Dynasties, porcelain products have been exported to the Middle East, Japan, Philippine, Indonesia, Egypt, and Sudan. In 1684 (the 23rd year of the Kangxi Period), porcelain products started to be exported to Europe on a large scale. They were so popular in the European market that there were 52 porcelain shops in London. At this time, the use of Chinese porcelain had become a common practice. The upper classes of the society were proud of their porcelain, and ordinary people thought it was fashionable. Thus, our country’s major foreign transport channels have been nicknamed “The Porcelain Roads.”

Traditional Handicrafts - Jade

There is an old Chinese saying, “Gold has a price while jade is priceless.” It signifies that jade is extraordinarily special in Chinese culture. It is said that 8,000 years ago, Jade began to be used as ornaments. Chinese people believed that jade was a mysterious and beautiful stone in the essence of heaven and earth.

Early in the Shang Dynasty (17th century B. C. - 11th century B. C.), jade became so popular that it was not only seen as a symbol of high social status but also was used for burials. The jade burial objects found in the tomb of Fuhao Yin Ruins represent the unique jade art of the Shang Dynasty. There were altogether 755 jade objects found in the tomb of Fuhao who was a general living in the Shang Dynasty. The jade could be divided into six categories according to their uses - ritual, ceremonial, tools, utensils, ornaments and miscellaneous objects. A 7cm high unique jade sculpture found in the tomb of Fuhao, called “Medallion Carved Jade Figure,” is considered one of the most exquisite pieces of jade work.

Jade was used to creating many utilitarian and ceremonial objects indoor decorative items to jade burial suits. In China, one of the most producing areas is Hetian in Xinjiang.

In Chinese culture, different jade patterns represent different meanings. For example, peaches symbolize long life, and mandarin ducks mean happy marriage life. Deers show the high position and hefty salary while fish symbolizes abundance highest standard, and the lotus flower means being free from vulgarity.

In the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, Chinese jade manufacturing reached its

Highest standard. The biggest jade sculpture was completed in the 53rd year of Qianlong Period (1736 - 1795), which was named “King Yu Combating the Flood.” This unique carving is more than 2 meters high and weighs near 5, 000 kilograms. Jade burial suits were used by emperors and nobles in the Han Dynasty (202 B.C. -220). They were made of many four-angled, perforated jade tablets and were sewn with gold, silver or copper thread. Also, they have various names like “jade burial suit” (imperial class), “silver lea garment” (vassal king), or “copper strand jade” (the prince level).

Han people thought that jade was “the essence of mountains” whereby if the nine orifices of a dead person were put in or covered with jade, our human essence would not leak out. Hence, the skeleton would not become rotten, and the deceased could make their afterlife renewable. The most famous jade burial suit was discovered in the tomb of Liu Sheng, the King of Zhongshan. The suit was composed of 2,498 pieces of jade and 1,100 grams of gold thread (Zhao Yin, Cai Xinzhi, 2011 )243. The jade pieces were neatly tied together, with smooth surfaces and color coordination. Such work is indeed impressive and reflects the jade craftsmen’s outstanding skill as well as the abundant life of the time.

Traditional Handicrafts - Embroidery

Embroidery is art or handicraft involving decorating fabric or other materials with needlework. In China, embroidery has a history of more than 4,000 years, and it is a remarkable wonder of Chinese skill. According to Shangshu, a famous book of history, the system of official costumes 4,000 years ago required that clothing is designed and embroidered. The importance of embroidery in ancient China cannot be over-emphasized.

It was documented that the earliest embroidery product was created in the Shang Dynasty with embroidery skill becoming mature in the Spring and Autumn Period (770 B. C. - 476 B. C. ). During the Ming (1368 -1644) and Qing (1616 - 1911) Dynasties, embroidery started to be produced on a large scale. Folk embroidery was further developed, and the most famous four embroidery products were called Su Embroidery (from Suzhou), Xiang Embroidery (from Hunan), Shu Embroidery (from Sichuan) and Yue Embroidery (from Guangdong).

Su Embroidery, which has a history of more than 2,000 years, is the most famous one (Long Jiang, 2010)28. It was once used for the emperor's dragon robes and is known for its elegance and vividness. There are more than 40 ways of stitching and 1,000 different types of threads to make such patterns like flowers and animals. The most typical techniques are characterized by the following: the surface of the product should be smooth and flat, the rim should be neat, the needle should be thin, the lines should be dense, the color should be harmonious and bright, and the picture should be even.

In the late Qing Dynasty, western learning was spreading in China. In the meantime, Su Embroidery achieved brilliant innovations. During Guangxu Period (1875 - 1908), a well-known master in Su Embroidery, Shen Yunzhi (1874 - 1921), integrated the simulation characteristic of portraits of western oil-paintings into her embroidery works.

In 1904, Shen made a set of eight pieces of embroidery works named “Eight Immortals Keiju” for the Empress Dowager Cixi as her 70th birthday present. Cixi was so delighted that she wrote Shen and her husband two characters, Fu (happiness) and Shou (longevity), as a reward. Thus, Shen changed her name to Shen Shou. Later on, her embroidery work, Portrait of the Italian Queen, was sent to Italy as a national gift and it invoked a sensation there. In 1915, Shen’s Portrait of Jesus won the first prize at the Panama-Pacific Exhibition which was held in the USA A rich businessman wanted to buy it for $13,000, but Shen declined since she just wanted to keep it in her school. Today, Portrait of Jesus is kept in the Nanjing Museum.

Su embroidery products fall into two major categories, one has practical use such as quilts, pillowcases, embroidered clothing,  costumes, and so on, while the other is for decoration like table screens, scrolls, and pictures.

Traditional Folk Arts - Shadow Plays

Folk arts originated from the Chinese people’s daily life and had served as the dual-carrier of economy and culture. Chinese folk arts maintain a long history that pays tribute to the Chinese people’s intelligence, diligence, and aesthetic standards. There are many different kinds of traditional folk arts - shadow plays, paper-cuts, kites, clay sculptures, Chinese paintings, and so on.

Shadow Plays

Shadow plays, also called “shadow puppet plays,” came from an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment. The players use opaque figures in front of an illuminated backdrop to create the illusion of moving images (Long Jiang, 2010)06. In the past, before television, movie and other forms of entertainment, shadow plays were very popular.

Shadow plays started in Shaanxi Province about 2,000 years ago and became popular in Hebei Province. The skin of horse, donkey, and mule are used as the raw materials. Red, yellow, blue, green and black colors were widely used.

How to make a shadow play a piece? First,  chemical treatment is needed for the skin, which can make it thinner and semitransparent. Next, the skin needs to be engraved with the desired images. The head, limbs, and torso are detached from one another and connected by threads. Different characters have different patterns and designs. For example, the typical models used for female figures include flowers and phoenixes. For male figures, dragons, tigers, water, and clouds are usually used. Most puppets range in height from around 10 to 55 centimeters.

When performing a shadow play, a puppeteer needs to control the movements of three or four puppets simultaneously, and each is manipulated with five bamboo sticks. At the same time, the puppeteer is supposed to coordinate the actions and the music with the singing and narrating.

Shadow plays usually feature favorite historical novels, folk legends, or legal cases involving swordsmen, love stories, mythological stories, fables and modern costume represents.

In China, many local operas are derived from shadow plays. Not surprisingly, the performances and artistic skills of shadow play laid the foundation for the development of theatrical art.

Traditional Folk Arts - Paper cuts

Paper-cuts, also called flower-cuts, can be dated back to the Han Dynasty, 2,000 years ago”. The origin of paper-cuts is thought to be closely related to the invention of paper. Paper-cuts usually represent local customs and cultures and are mainly used for decorations or religious purposes.

The tools used for paper-cuts are paper, scissors and engraving knives. The artistic degree of paper-cuts depends on the wisdom and skills of the craftsmen. In the countryside, paper-cuts are usually made by women and girls. It used to be one of the crafts that every girl had to master and was often away used to judge brides.

Nowadays, paper-cuts are usually used as ornaments on windows, walls, and mirrors for essential festivals,  such as the Chinese New Year. Different patterns represent people’s different wishes for the coming year—happiness, good luck, a comfortable life, or good health.

Traditional Folk Arts - Kites

Kites, also called Fengzheng, have a history of more than 2,500 years. They are made of paper with a bamboo framework, and they can fly in the sky when pulled with a string.

From Long Jiang’s the narrative in his Meander through China’s Cultural Treasure Troves, we know that the earliest Chinese kites were made of wood and called Muyuan (wooden kites). They could be dated as far back as the Warring States Period, more than 2,000 years ago. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420 -589), the kites were used as tools to transmit information. In the Sui (581 -618) and Tang (618 -907) Dynasties, as the paper industry developed, the paper was used to make kites which were Kate called Zhiyuan (paper kites). In the Song Dynasty (960 -1279), flying kites became a favorite outdoor activity. During the Qing Dynasty (1616 -1911), it was commonly believed that flying a kite and then letting it go might send off one’s bad luck and illness. In turn, it would bring bad luck or bad health if one picks up a kite lost by other people.

Today, flying kites are still popular in China. There is a famous world kite festival in Weifang, Shandong Province. Since its beginning in April of 1984,  this kite festival has been continuously held in April every year. This renowned festival attracts a large number of Chinese and foreign kite experts, enthusiasts, and visitors—all coming to participate in and watch the kite flying competition.

From what has been previously discussed, you may have gained a basic understanding of traditional Chinese handicrafts and folk arts. Likewise, just as you may have already come to understand that some of the traditional handicrafts are quite valuable nowadays, not only because of their artistic value, but also the current market price. In 1995, in Beijing Hanhai Art Auction Company’s spring auction, one porcelain item made in the Ming Dynasty named Ming Yongle green sash gourd bottle created the highest auction record of Chinese porcelain with the final price of 13. 31 million Chinese Yuan. This calls to mind the famous old saying in China that “Better keep porcelain than property.”

Closing Remarks

There is a famous Chinese idiom -“to cast a brick to attract jade” (抛砖引玉）, which means to offer a few commonplace remarks by way of introduction so that others may come up with valuable opinions. Maybe I can compare what I have introduced in this chapter to a “brick.” If it has aroused your interest in Chinese culture, please explore more into it, and finally, you will acquire your “jade.”