Chinese Embroidery 刺繡
description: Embroidery in this period symbolized social status. The patterns covered a larger range, from sun, moon, stars, mountains, dragons, and phoenix to tiger, flower and grass, clouds and geometric patterns. It is originated in the Zhou Dynasty (1027 – 221 BC).
date: Zhou Dynasty (1027 – 221 BC)
format: Flat
type: Craft

Chinese Silk 絲綢
subject: Clothes, Silkworms
description: A silkworm produces 1000 meters (3280 feet) of silk thread in its lifespan of just 28 days and is of great value. Major local silk products in China are Shu, Yun, Song Brocade and brocades by ethnic minorities such as the Zhuang and the Dong peoples are well renowned.
creator: The wife of the Yellow Emperor Huangdi
date: Prior Xia Dynasty (3630 BC)
format: Flat, Sheet
type: Craft

Terracotta Army 兵馬俑
subject: Ceramic, Funeral, War
description: The Terracotta Army (also known as the "Terracotta Warriors") is a massive collection of terracotta sculpture consisting of 8,000 clay warriors and horses which were discovered in 1974 next to the mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, who died in 210 BC, in Shaanxi province, China.
creator: Qin Shi Huangdi
date: Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC)
format: Height: 184-197cm (6ft-6ft 5in)
type: Craft

Imperial Guardian Lion 石獅子
subject: Protection, Architectural Ornament
description: Chinese or Imperial guardian lions are a traditional Chinese architectural ornament.
date: Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD)
format: Man-size
type: Craft

Chinese Knotting 中國結
subject: Decoration, Blessings, Strings, Folk art
description: A Chinese knot is a knot that is tied and woven from a single length of cord or rope to be a variety of shapes and of varying complexity. Each shape has its own symbolic meaning, and nowadays you can find them as decoration, gifts for special occasions, and adornments on clothes.
date: Tang and Song Dynasties (960–1279 AD)
format: Palm-sized
type: Craft

Chinese Chess 象棋棋子
subject: Pawns, Chess, Game
description: The original chess was invented in China, right around 200 B.C., by a military commander named Hán Xin ("Hahn Sheen").
creator: Hán Xin ("Hahn Sheen")
date: ~200 BC
format: Small, Circular Disks
type: Craft

Opera Mask 面譜
subject: Face, Performance, Drawings, Face-decoration
description: The Chinese opera is one of the oldest known dramatic art forms worldwide. However, it is evident that most audience or spectators are more fascinated with the Opera masks normally used in every opera performance.
source: Beijing Opera
date: Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD)
format: Face sized and shaped, Colourful decoration
type: Craft

Chinese Shuttlecock (Jianzi) 毽子
subject: Play, Kids, Sports
description: Jianzi is a traditional Chinese national sport in which players aim to keep a heavily weighted shuttlecock in the air by using their bodies, apart from the hands.
date: Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD)
relation: Cuju
format: Palm size, Colourful
type: Craft

Chinese Lantern 燈籠
subject: Light, Festival, Entertainment
description: Originated from Eastern Han Dynasty, paper lanterns were mainly used as lamps in ancient China. Paper and silk were the major materials used for manufacturing.
date: Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD)
relation: Sky Lantern
format: Various dimensions
type: Craft

Chinese Folding Fan 紙扇
subject: Fan, Folk art, Decoration, Calligraphy
description: Handheld fan, or simply hand fan, may be any broad, flat surface that is waved back-and-forth to create an airflow. Generally, purpose-made handheld fans are folding fans, which are shaped like a sector of a circle.
date: Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589 AD)
format: Hand-held size, Sector shape
type: Craft