Asian Art - China

Dong-Ju Tradition

a landscape painting style with dense, dark, and melancholic brushwork. Named after its creators

alum lumps

rock formations in landscape paintings of the Dong-Ju tradition that resemble lumps of potassium aluminum sulphate

hemp-fiber strokes

long, ropy brush stokes used to indicate texture in landscape paintings of the Dong-Ju tradition

arhat (louhan)

one category of enlightened being in Buddhism; in some traditions, one of the original disciples of the historic Buddha, said to remain in the world until the appearance of the Buddha of the Future

Ma Xia School

a group of painters working in the landscape styles of Ma Yuan and Xia Gui, typically featuring some of these elements; one corner composition the use of in wash, axe-cut strokes and angular branches

one-corner composition

in Chinese painting, a composition weighted heavily toward one of the bottom corners, typically leaving negative space in the opposite corner that is ideal for an inscription

axe-cut stroke

in Chinese painting, a triangular brushstroke that suggests the texture of wood chopped by an axe

blue-green landscape (azurite/malachite)

a style of Chinese landscape painting characterized by the prominent use of blue and green mineral pigments derived from azurite and malachite

boneless

a Chinese painting technique of laying down areas of wet ink or pigment without outlining them first

post-and-beam

a technique of constructing buildings using posts and horizontal beams, usually in wood and plaster

bracket

a structural element, typically appearing at the tops of columns, that provides support for the weight of a roof

calligraphy

the art of writing; in China it is considered the highest art form

celadon

a term used to describe a wide variety of stoneware or porcelain wares with glazes that have some green in them

overglaze

decoration applied to a ceramic object over the glaze, using enamel

oxidation/oxidizing atmosphere

exposure to oxygen

porcelain

a type of a extremely hard and fine ceramic first made by Chinese potters in the eighth century CE. Made from a mixture of kaolin and petuntse, porcelain is fired at a very high temperature, and the final product has a translucent surface

slip

a mixture of clay and water used
to join clay elements or to decorate ceramics before they are glazed and fired

stoneware

a clay body that can be fired to a higher temperature than earthenware and is harder and nonporous

underglaze

decoration, typically in slip. applied to a ceramic object before glazing

piece-mold casting

a method of casting metal, such as bronze. The process involves making a clay mold in pieces that can be connected

cloud pattern (thunder pattern)

spiral motifs that appear on ancient Chinese artifacts, particularly bronze vessels, also known as thunder pattern

colophon

in China, an inscription mounted after a painting

fengshui

Chinese term literally meaning "wind and water," the art of choosing an auspicious site for new construction. Sometimes translated as geomancy

glaze

a liquid suspension that is applied to a ceramic object after a first firing in order to impart a smooth and glory finish, and in the case of vessels, to make them watertight

plain-outline style

a painting style originating with Li Gonglin, in which elements are depicted with simple, unmodulated outlines and typically no use of color

sancai

decoration on Chinese pottery; associated w/Tang Dynasty, tomb figures

lacquer

a medium made from the addition of pigments to the heated sap of the lacquer tree, native to southern and central China, and used to paint objects made of wood, cloth, or paper

Lui-Guo Tradition

a landscape painting style named for the painters Li Cheng and Guo Xi, typically featuring these elements: serpentine mountain ridges, trees with crab claw branches and representations of level distance

crab-claw branches

tree branches that resemble the claws of a crab or have a distinctive, pincers-like appearance

ruled-line style

a method of using a straight -edge to depict buildings in paintings

literati

classically educated scholars who typically belonged to the official class men who served in the Chinese political bureaucracy. Sometimes described as scholar-officials

running-grass script

style of calligraphy in which elements of the character are abbreviated or disappear in favor of a smooth and quick execution, appearing much like blades of grads of straw

mandate of heaven

an ancient Chinese concept in which Heaven grants the ruler the right to rule

Manchu

a member of a people originally living in Manchuria (part of Northeast Asia)

mendicant

one who practices begging

Mi family style

a landscape painting style named for painters Mi Fu and Mi Youren

provenance

an artwork's history of ownership

Socialist Realism

a state- approved artistic style, developed in the Soviet Union and adopted in other countries with communist regimes, which promotes and glorifies the political and social ideals of communism

taotie

a mask motif appears on early Chinese artifacts, particularly in the Neolithic era and the Shang dynasty

woodblock print

a print made from one or more carved wooden blocks

Wu school

a group of painters working in the Suzhou area in the Ming dynasty

Zhe School

a loose affiliation of professional painters working in Zhejiang during the Ming dynasty. The painter Dai Jin is credited as its founder

Mahayana

tradition practice in China, Tibet ,Japan & Korea. Embodied in the ideal of the bodhisttava

Pure Land

tradition, broad branch of Mahayana Buddhism

Chan

a style associated with Zen Buddhism, often features monochromatic ink works, emphasizing simplicity and spiritual concentration, and relies on suggestive brushstrokes rather than literal representation

Vairocana

celestial buddha; flower garland sutra

Shakyamuni

the Buddha

Maitreya

future buddha in the world of Buddhist eschatology

Manjushri

bodhisttava associated w/insight in Mahayana Buddism

Guanyin

Goddess of compassion, mercy & kindness

Yin

passive female principle of universe; earth,dark & cold

Yang

passive male principle of universe; heaven, heat & light