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Art, Myth and Ritual: The Path to Political Authority in Ancient China Review

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Art, Myth and Ritual: The Path to Political Authority in Ancient China ReviewArt Myth and Ritual sets out an elegant yet convincing theory regarding the nature of the early Chinese state and the technological, ideological and social foundations on which it rested. By combining archaeology, classical studies and anthropology, Prof. Chang (who is regarded as the international dean of Chinese archaeology by scholars on both sides of the Taiwan strait as well as in Europe and North America) provides his readers with a dynamic view of ancient Chinese statecraft and the religious ideas that made it possible.
This book remains the single most concise statement of Chang's theoretical contribution to the archaeology of the Chinese Bronze Age. It is also simply written, well-illustrated and an excellent beginning point for the serious student of Chinese archaeology.
With Chang's magnum opus: "The Archaeology of Ancient China" sadly out of print (at time of writing), readers must make do with this volume to get a sense of his scope of vision, analytical depth and anthropological insight.
As one of K.C.s final generation of students, I must admit to a certain bias. However, it is my professional and personal opinion that this book is still one of the best works on Chinese archaeology in any language.Art, Myth and Ritual: The Path to Political Authority in Ancient China Overview

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Asian Art: India China Japan Review

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Asian Art: India China Japan ReviewThe content of the book is great! The quality, too! The book came a little damage on the edges but it's fine. I am happy.Asian Art: India China Japan Overview

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A History of Art in 20th Century China Review

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A History of Art in 20th Century China ReviewThis work is probably the best history of 20th century Chinese art ever published. Whether you are a scholar or a collector, this book is an essential addition to your library.A History of Art in 20th Century ChinaA History of Art in 20th Century China Overview

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The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China Review

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The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China ReviewThe Ming dynasty in China does not receive much attention since it mostly lacks the bloodshed or philosophical grandeur of the Qing, the Tang or the Han. Brook is one of the leading authorities on this era, and this book is, I believe, his most accessible. Beginning with documents written late in the dynasty, Brook shows how the elite of that time feared the collapse of the imagined golden past into what was then considered an immorally secular present. The massive economic changes in the globe in this era (14th to 17th centuries) changed the Chinese society and the Confucian elites place in it. Obviously less exciting to laymen than his work on Tiananmen, 1989, this is a clear book for students who have a general grasp of Chinese history and want to begin to grab details without losing the easy flow found in well written introductory books.The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China Overview

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Totalitarian Art in the Soviet Union, the Third Reich, Fascist Italy, and the People's Republic of China Review

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Totalitarian Art in the Soviet Union, the Third Reich, Fascist Italy, and the People's Republic of China ReviewIgor Golomstock bravely explores the frightening aesthetic similarities of four of the 20th Centuries most notorious dictatorships, and totalitarian cultures. While his focus is primarily on Nazi Germany under Hitler and The Soviet Union under Stalin, he also briefly covers the art of Fascist Italy and The Peoples Republic of China. This intelligently written book reveals how they used and abused the Western Realist Tradition in the so called fine arts, while also exploiting homegrown artistic achievements that appealed to nationalist pride and xenophobic fears. Each of these regimes employed surprisingly similar thematic content, in epic painting and colossal sculpture. Depictions of happy families and dutiful mothers, contented workers merrily laboring away in fields or factories, and of heroic soldiers on the crucible of the battlefield were particularly favoured. Depictions of the bountiful Fatherland and the industrial might of all four states figured heavily too, especially in The Third Reich and The Soviet Union. And of course looming in importance above all other subject matter was the iconic and idealized portrait of the loving and benevolent, visionary and wise leader himself. The architecture of classical antiquity served as the model for most state buildings (irrespective of political ideology) in the form of monumental stripped or neoclassical architecture that was used to oppressive and soul destroying ends. Mussolini, Hitler and Stalin for example had audaciously bold plans to completely rebuild their respective capital cities - Rome, Berlin and Moscow - on a stupendously massive scale to suit their pompous tastes, though fortunately for later generations of people to live in these three beautiful cities these grand and delusional visions were never fully realized.
Mr Golomstock's revealing book deftly shows how politics can so very easily twist and subvert the arts to chilling ends; thus reducing them to the level of sterile, blatant and at the same time kitsch propaganda. He details how with the aesthetic philosophy of "socialist realism" art was cynically utilized by political leaders and parties as an important tool of state sponsored terrorism to indoctrinate and control the teeming masses, and subject peoples. All four totalitarian states led the populace to believe that they were variously being "liberated" from aristocratic, bourgeoisie, foreign or alternatively jewish cultural dominance; and that the only solution to societies ills was of course provided by them. This insightful and perceptive book illustrates that the far right and the far left have alot more in common than many people at either extreme of this broad political spectrum would ever like to admit! I also think it's a great shame there aren't more colour photographs in Totalitarian Art, for I believe art books really do need them, however with a book such as this it is the message that's unquestionably the most important factor, and not the pretty pictures. So if you're interested in the murky relationship between art, architecture and politics in totalitarian cultures or regimes, then do yourself a big favour and read this perceptive and timely book. And be warned that civil liberties, democratic freedoms and human rights could easily be taken away in your beloved homeland, so don't be an unthinking patriot, and always question your government... always.Totalitarian Art in the Soviet Union, the Third Reich, Fascist Italy, and the People's Republic of China Overview

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Praying for Power: Buddhism and the Formation of Gentry Society in Late-Ming China (Harvard-Yenching Institute Monograph) Review

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Praying for Power: Buddhism and the Formation of Gentry Society in Late-Ming China (Harvard-Yenching Institute Monograph) ReviewThis is not a book for those new to Chinese studies. While Brook's Confusions of Pleasure and Quelling the People are both written to be easily understandable, this book grew out of his Harvard dissertation and, though fascinating, is not readily accessible to everyone. Those familiar with Ming or ancient world history will know of the monetization of the world economy in the 1500's due to massive amounts of precious metals coming from the Spanish New World.
Much of this money flowed into China, 'freeing' wealth from land ownership and allowing merchants to become truly powerful in China for the first time. The gentry, the level of Chinese society that controlled land and society through the law, symbolic support of cultural keystones and government service, were suddenly in competition with merchants' sons for these bureaucratic posts that defined a large portion of their self-image. Brook's book looks at the mid- to late-Ming defense of status undertaken by the gentry through support of the Sangha, or Buddhist church.
Their monopoly on education, government service and wealth undermined, the gentry connected themselves to 'the people' through the support of the Sangha and to each other through cultivation of artistic tastes. While Craig Clunas is the expert on the latter phenomenon, Brook explains the former in this book. Exploring the gentry culture, dispelling ideas of conflicts between Confucianism and Buddhism and summarizing huge socioeconomic shifts in China, Brook has written an important book. Any reader who has read through the long sentences and generalizations in this review can make it through Brook's work, which is no more unclear and is far more interesting than my review. All those versed in basic history and interested in social shifts should read this work, but those trying to begin a study of China or of the Ming should not begin with this complicated work.Praying for Power: Buddhism and the Formation of Gentry Society in Late-Ming China (Harvard-Yenching Institute Monograph) Overview

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Framing Famous Mountains: Grand Tour and Mingshan Paintings in Sixteenth-century China Review

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Framing Famous Mountains: Grand Tour and Mingshan Paintings in Sixteenth-century China ReviewStarting in the 16th-century, well-to-do Chinese engaged in what Li-tsui compares to the Grand Tour engaged in by Europeans in the 18th and 19th centuries. The comparison is meant primarily for orientation, however, for Western readers to the author's skilled management of the complexities of her subject which is at the heart of the history and subject matter of Chinese painting. Only a cursory exposure to Chinese painting, and one cannot help but see the central place of mountains in it.
The ubiquitous mountains in Chinese painting are not simply to satisfy an appreciation for the world of nature. The countless paintings with mountains are not simply "nature paintings." As Li-tsui skillfully shows, "Over the centuries [beginning in the 16th] 'famous mountains' were perceived as the abode of gods, a set of spatial symbols contested between different systems of sacred geography." In different periods and as portrayed by different artists, the mountains variously symbolized a realm of the sacred where individuals could retreat for communion with the divine and transformation; temporary retreat as if to a remote, peaceful monastery; physical settings associated with and inspiring the spirituality of Buddhism, Confucianism, and other Asian beliefs; the centrality and majesty of the state as a site for state sacrifices; and popular destinations for pilgrims.
Li-tsui uses three notable 16th-century painters of mountains: Ye Cheng (first decades of the 16th century), Xie Shichen (1487-1561), and Song Xu (1525-1606). Her historical and artistic study exceeds the particular treatment of these however by having the dimensions of a cultural study. The author is interested in the mountain paintings not only because of their prevalence in Chinese painting, but also for how they reflect changes--sometimes subtle changes which are more like colorations--in Chinese culture.
Readers of the art/cultural study come away with not only an understanding of the reasons for mountains as a predominant, abiding subject for much of the history of Chinese painting, but also an eye for the varying, often subtle tonalities, perspectives, compositions, proportions, and styles in portraying mountains and the meanings of these. This is a work of keen and knowledgeable art analysis which is fundamental with respect to its topic (or interplay of topics) and which also coincides with the growing place of Chinese antiquities, including art, along with modern and contemporary Chinese art in the worlds of museums, auctions, scholarship, and the art trade. Li-tsui is an associate professor of humanities at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Twenty-five color plates and 70 black-and-white illustrations give good visual references for the varied types of mountain painting and details of them in her art criticism.
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A Social History of the Chinese Book: Books And Literati Culture in Late Imperial China (Understanding China: New Viewpoints on History and Culture) Review

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A Social History of the Chinese Book: Books And Literati Culture in Late Imperial China (Understanding China: New Viewpoints on History and Culture) ReviewTo tell the whole story of the 3500 years since printing was invented in China would be too much to ask. This book narrows the subject down to 'only' 800 years from 1000 to 1800 and to only one region, the lower Yangzi delta, and on the one type of reader we know the most about, the literati.
This period encompasses the time when Chinese printing was changing from manuscript to an imprint culture. It also covers four Chinese dynasties: Song (960-1279), Yuan (1232-1367), Ming (1368-1644), Qing (1644-1911).
This book represents a considerable amount of original research into the earliest records of Chinese publishing from Chinese, Japanese and Western records. Dr. McDermott is a lecturer in chinese at Cambridge University.A Social History of the Chinese Book: Books And Literati Culture in Late Imperial China (Understanding China: New Viewpoints on History and Culture) Overview

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The Arts of China, Fifth Edition, Revised and Expanded Review

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The Arts of China, Fifth Edition, Revised and Expanded ReviewIt is difficult to write "Short History of Chinese Arts". Suppose that an honest scholar start preparing his lecture note of " Chinese Arts", he shall struggle with selecting subjects and plates. Moreover, for example, he feels that he be an expert on ancient bronzes, and a beginner of export wares in 17th century. Leaving the purgatory, he would want help to a standard textbook.
Among English books, this noted book may have used in many college courses. 1st edition(1967) and The revised edition(1973) were welcomed by many students and scholars. Even a japanese translation had been popular for many years. In this 4th edition, 84 old respectable scholar still attracts me with lucid style.
For beginners, this should be a good introduction. Appreciating artifacts in Museum, finding something in antique shop, or reading books/papers/articles about a particular subject, it needs some elementary background knowledge for chinese arts and history. This offers such COMMON SENSE.
For experienced scholars, this is an interesting reading. This might look a mean textbook for them. Before reading, I minded I become tired for many facts already learned, but I enjoy this book even in commute train, although this edition format is too large. Because not only this is Readable for a japanese, but also gives many (sometimes implicit) skeptical suggestions. At 258p, about Wan Hui (1632-1677, painter), "The Palace Museum collection also contains a number of clever pastiches of tenth-century and Northen Song landscapes that are almost certainly his work"; keen insight!.
I should regretfully notice that some illustrations/items might be inadequate, blurred, or damaged. I hope that they will be changed at next chance.The Arts of China, Fifth Edition, Revised and Expanded Overview

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China Paint and Overglaze Review

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China Paint and Overglaze ReviewPaul REALLY knows his stuff. This is a great book covering so much territory, it's a mini history of an area of ceramics that has not been addressed in such a contemporary way. After years of research and work, he has created benchmark and a major reference, an example for others to use in this kind of research. It's a great resource not only for potters, but historians, china painters, antique dealers and collectors.
This is a luscious book and a generous one. Paul Lewing has written a very readable, comfortable narrative and the book is visually stunning. A huge amount of information is packed between the covers. He holds nothing back, giving everything he knows and he knows a lot. He not only is tackles the subject full-on from the origins and progression of china decoration through time and cultures, there's a complete data dump of technical aspects; tools, chemistry and technique.
The book is printed on heavy-duty slick (magazine-like) pages and is filled with beautiful color photographs. Makes ya want to run, RUN to your studio and start working! You may need two copies. One to keep pristine in your house and one to paw over in the studio!China Paint and Overglaze Overview

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Pictures for Use and Pleasure: Vernacular Painting in High Qing China Review

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Pictures for Use and Pleasure: Vernacular Painting in High Qing China ReviewDo you have a fixed image of Chinese painting which might be dominated by reclusive landscape scenes or symbolic flower and bamboo paintings? If so, then the book "Pictures for Use and Pleasure" introduces a new range of "Bad Taste" Chinese paintings brought by foreign connoisseurs during the beginning of the twentieth century, China's turbulent period. The book focuses on a miscellaneous catalog of vernacular painting in High Qing China like beauty paintings, family portraits, festival paintings and so forth. These paintings all had an obvious secular function which was also the reason that they were considered low brow by the traditional Chinese connoisseurs for centuries. However, today thanks to these "defects" we get a path to a remote and mysterious past. Moreover, these vernacular paintings also present the virtuosity of the Chinese master painters including a large amount of unknown artisans who worked in commercial art workshops during the High Qing China. Professor James Cahill, the author of the book, hopes that his study will bring a new perspective to studying Chinese art and to rediscovering more of its hidden images.Pictures for Use and Pleasure: Vernacular Painting in High Qing China Overview

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China: People Place Culture History Review

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China: People Place Culture History ReviewI will summarize the reactions and comments from 3 different generations with different experiences.
1. Our parents' generation who live in China but visit US occasionally - This book has a different perspective about China. It is not how we view it, but it also strikes a cord with us because it combined something old and something new, or in another word, a new perspective on both new and old things.
2. Our generation who lived in China until college years and then lived in the US afterwards - Great introductory book of China. It is simple and it is mostly from a Westerner's perspective in terms of how the history, architecture and cultures are described - a very good one indeed. It is certainly missing a lot of information, especially about the culture and the ways of life in the northern part of China where tradionationally held a stronger influence in the country. But we also agree that this book is an effective introduction.
3. The kids who are born in the US and managed a visit or two to China - Curious. Tell me more. Is that really how you lived, Mom and Dad?
So overall, it is a wonderful book to read and many great photos to look at.
As much as it feels complete, it is only a simple slice of China and you can only take one slice at a time.
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