The compass was invented more than 2000 years ago. The Ancient Chinese compass was made from iron oxide, a mineral ore. Iron oxide is also known as lodestone and magneta.
Chinese painting is done on paper or silk, using a variety of brushes, ink and dye. Subjects vary, including: portrait, landscape, flowers, birds, animals, and insects.
Chinese Calligraphy is a traditional form of writing characters from the Chinese language through the use of ink and a brush. It is a tradition that is rooted in China through centuries of practice. It is an art of turning Chinese characters into…
Standing as distinctive symbols of Chinese architectural culture, timber-framed structures are found throughout the country. The wooden components such as the columns, beams, purlins, lintel and bracket sets are connected by tenon joints in a…
A sky lantern, also known as Kongming lantern, is a small hot air balloon made of paper, with an opening at the bottom where a small fire is suspended.
The Hairy Monkey was probably invented in Beijing during the Qing Dynasty. The most common Hairy Monkey sculptures feature dancing or posturing monkeys.
Marionettes on strings or wire like the old time Pinocchio or as in the picture to the right were once popular in the China before the advent of motion pictures.
Puppet art is a medium of performance with puppets. How is the puppet produced? It is…
Enamel Painted Porcelain was pottery that featured unique techniques such as overglaze painting and cloisonné (embedding of minerals). It emerged during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD) which dubbed it as Qing porcelain. The Qing imperial court would…
Black porcelain is a type of pottery with a pure black base which was achieved by using a black iron glaze. It started during the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC) and was for ordinary use.
Celadon was a type of pottery finished off with a pale grayish-green glaze. To give off this effect, the ceramic would be applied with liquified clay rich in iron before being heated up. The iron in the clay would oxidize to unravel its distinct…