November 22, 2009
Beijing Tour Guides Take You To Discover Amazing Chinese Ivory Carvings Offered In The Local Shops
White as milk, touch as rock, and delicate as jade, ivory carving is considered one of the most exquisite art forms of ancient China. Items with excellent quality and exquisite, marvelous craftsmanship have been one of art fans’ favorites for many thousand years. In the pre-historic period, over 7,000 years ago, when elephants still roamed the regions around Yellow River, ancient Chinese started to practice this art, and made a large number of gorgeous, imaginative artworks. As the supply of the raw material for ivory - elephant tusks - decreased as a result of the ban on ivory trading placed by Chinese government in early 1990s, ivory carvings quickly rose in value and prices, and for art collectors, buying such works became a lucrative investment. In Beijing, take a Beijing day tour with a Beijing tour guide to discover exquisite ivory carvings in the local shops.
It is very difficult to underestimate the value of a great ivory carving: the beautiful, milky white color immediately catches your eyes, the bright, smooth surface appear more delicate and elegant the longer you look at it, and the marvelous craftsmanship shown by every one of its tiny, exquisitely made detail convinces you completely that few artwork ever made by men could achieve this level of exquisiteness and delicacy.
Archaeological find from the Hemudu culture site in Zhejiang province suggests as early as 7,000 years ago ancient Chinese already started making and using ivory items with both practical and ornamental functions. A mysterious item called “Two Birds Flying Towards The Sun” became famous for its incredibly exquisite craftsmanship and beautiful, fascinating design.
Throughout China’s history, ivory works enjoyed a high status among officials and wealthy people. Beginning from the Zhou dynasty, ivory ornament became a fashionable item among imperial court officials, and wearing them symbolized having a high rank in the government. Such works became even rarer after the main source of ivory - elephants - disappeared from central China, and this cemented their status as a sign of privilege. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the art of ivory carving developed to a climax.
Traditionally, Guangzhou, Suzhou, and Beijing were the centers of the production of ivory carvings. Products made in these regions had their unique local characteristics and were cherished by art fans all over the world.
Guangzhou Ivory Carving: The warm, humid climate of Guangzhou favored the production of complex ivory works that required a long time to complete. For this and other reasons, over the years Guangzhou produced some of the most famous, exquisite ivory carvings highly prized by art collectors. A good example was the multi-layer ivory balls famous for their mysterious, exquisite designs.
Suzhou Ivory Carving: Suzhou was historically a region with an influential literati culture. Ivory works produced here showed culture, depth, and good taste, a trend obviously influenced by the demand of the local scholar class. The designs of the works included famous figures, animals, trees, and flowers.
Beijing Ivory Carving: As the capital of China for the last hundreds of years, Beijing had a sophisticated art culture built upon the contribution of some of the best artists from across China. The art of ivory carving flourished here during the early Qing dynasty, and the works made were famous for sophisticated craftsmanship and exquisite, lifelike figures with vivid expressions.
There are many amazing local shops in Beijing that offer unique, beautiful ivory carvings from different periods in China’s history. Find a personal shopping assistant to help you discover these spectacular products.
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October 25, 2009
Spectacular Beijing Artwork: Take A Beijing Day Tour To Find Chinese Silk Figurines
With a mysterious history that goes back thousands of years, silk figurine is a popular Beijing art form that has won the hearts of art fans around the world. An art form developed from the ancient practice of making silk products, silk figurines are believed to show the essence of silk - grace, elegance, and a unique sense of high class.
Most works are designed based on characters from popular Chinese legends and famous plays, with an emphasis on bringing out their unique personalities and spiritual qualities by depicting one of their fleeting expressions and dressing them with appropriate clothing. An almost lost art 80 years ago, it quickly re-gained popularity after its revival in 1950s, and is now one of the staple products in Beijing’s gift shops. Unless you’re a Beijing tour guide, you need to go on a Beijing day tour to discover the exquisite silk figurines in the city’s spectacular local shops.
In a sense, Chinese silk figurines represent a highest form of feminine beauty highly appreciated in eastern Asian cultural sphere. Slender body, soft skin, gorgeous hair, and beautiful countenance are only physical features made possible by the delicate nature of silk itself. Elegant movements of hands and body, cute expressions that seem to have more than one meaning, and alluring eyes that are at times indifferent and distracted, and at times attractive and engaging, are a wonderful demonstration of how an ideal form of feminine beauty is perceived by eastern Asian people, a form of beauty that has been personified by a large number of famous female characters from ancient Chinese plays and novels.
Not surprisingly, silk figurine, though not as famous as other major Chinese art forms like painting or porcelain, nonetheless became one of collectors’ favorite items, who considered it as an excellent presentation of ancient Chinese culture, art, and aesthetic ideas.
Though the evidence of silk figurines existing before the Tang dynasty is sparse, it is generally believed this art form has a history almost as long as the production of silk. According to some historians, some of the earliest embroidered works must have been silk figurines used as a type of home decoration. The earliest works discovered are from a Tang dynasty tomb found in Xinjiang province, which include figurines of imperial court dancers and eunuchs. The dancers are known for their exquisite clothes and hair ornaments, and the eunuchs for their incredibly vivid expressions.
During the Song dynasty, Chinese people began to widely use multi-color, elaborately-made silk figurines in important ceremonies, a tradition that would continue into the late Qing dynasty. In the early 20th century, this art was completely lost in the Sino-Japanese war. Fortunately, it was re-invented by some great Beijing artists in the 1950s.
Beautiful silk figurines are offered in many amazing local shops in Beijing. When you are in the city, remember to find a Personal Shopper in Beijing to take you to the best shops with the best products.
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A unique artwork that depicts a cute rabbit in a powerful pose, Lord Rabbit figurine is considered an amazing symbol of Beijing local culture. Originally used as a shrine for the Mid-Autumn Festival, evolving into a toy for children in later periods, it is now a popular decorative item. With many legends surrounding its origin, such figurines are known for their classic looks and varied, colorful designs. As one of the most popular products in Beijing, they are now available in many local shops in the city. When in Beijing, go on a Beijing China tour with a Beijing tour guide to shop for some cute, unique Lord Rabbit figurines.
Often appearing in a warrior’s armor, with banners on its back, and riding on a ferocious animal, Lord Rabbit almost always has a calm, serious expression that makes an interesting contrast to its long, funny-looking ears. There are also more “down-to-earth” designs that depict Lord Rabbit acting like a common Beijinger.
In Beijing’s local culture, Lord Rabbit is a symbol of happiness and good luck. Though developed from an ancient Chinese tradition of paying tribute to Jade Rabbit on Mid-Autumn Day, it has a unique Beijing local style that does not exist in any other place in China.
It is generally believed Lord Rabbit first appeared in the late Ming dynasty. According to historical records, Beijingers from that period started a tradition of making clay rabbit figurines. During the Qing dynasty, Lord Rabbit was used not only as a shrine, but a toy for children. Nowadays, in the hands of the modern artists, Lord Rabbit can adopt any shape and be decorated with any design.
There are many legends concerning the origin of Lord Rabbit. According to the most popular version, Lord Rabbit, a maker of elixirs, was once sent by the Chinese moon goddess Chang’e to Beijing to save people from a deadly plague. In Beijing, it changed itself into a young woman and went to every house in the city to offer medicine to people. Soon the plague became less serious, and people started to offer her different gifts to show their gratitude. But of all gifts, she only accepted clothes. In different places of Beijing, she sometimes showed up dressed in men’s clothes, sometimes in women’s clothes. When the plague completely disappeared, she flied back to the Moon. To commemorate her, Beijingers started to created and worship clay rabbit figurines on every Mid-Autumn Festival.
There are some amazing local shops in Beijing offering unique, high-quality Lord Rabbit figurines made by the excellent local artists. Don’t forget to find a personal shopping assistant to help you shop for these fantastic products.
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