The Artistic Characteristics of Chinese Puppetry

1.The Modeling of Chinese Puppetry
During the Yuan. Ming and Qing dynasties.puppet shows gradually spread from the cities to the countryside. Puppet shows from various places had their own unique characteristics with strong local color in terms of figure modeling. String puppets from Quanzhou and Heyang. glove puppets from Zhangzhou.rod puppets from Guangdong. wire puppets from Chaozhou.shoulder-pole puppets from Wuqiao and large rod puppets from Sichuan were all finely and vividly crafted. They had all types of roles-the Sheing dan.jing and chou-as in Chinese opera. Among the puppet carvers during that period the best-known were jiang Jiazou and Xu Ziqing.Since the Republican era. especjally in the last few decades. Chinese puppet troupes have become highly professional. Puppet shows are no longer performed in the open air by itinerant artists. but instead in modern theaters. Puppets are modeled with modern techniques. Generally speaking. China`s puppet design and modeling have reached a considerably high level and are able to keep pace with the times. Development of Chinese puppet modeling can be divided into three stages:
 

The first stage puppets featured 70 percent painting and 30 Percent carving.Puppet heads were carved in a simple fashion and then their faces were painted in accordance with the characters they represented.

The second stage stressed both carving and painting. Puppet makers began to attach great importance to creativity and carving techniques and professional puppet makers and puppet-making workshops appeared. The first and second stages covered the time before the Ming-Qing period.

The third stage witnessed the development of plastic arts and freedom in creation. Modern puppet makers make full use of new materials according to the needs of plays and the requirements of modern aesthetics. Their puppets. characteristic of artistic exaggeration. fully exhibit the unique quality of puppetry and have broken free from the conventions of Chinese opera in deiineation of characters. This stage marks a prosperous era unknown in the history of Chinese puppet modeling.

2.The Mechanisms of Chinese Puppetry

Puppet art has two major aspects: modeling and performing arts. Mechanisms and modeling are a unified whole and a means to suit the performance. Together they provide the preliminary aspect in the per forming art of puppet shows. The mechanisms of Chinese puppets are becoming increasingly complicated. Following are the most important types of puppets in China: Rod Puppets They are wide spread in China. They range in length from a inches to that of an average adult. and vary from place to place.

Rod puppets are manipulated by a main rod which is inserted through the neck and attached to the head. and two rods which control the hands. Hence. in some areas the rod puppet is called ``Three Rods.`` The hand rods can be placed either in or outside the sleeves. The head is carved from wood. Mechanisms in the hollow head move the eyes and mouth. The main rod. made either of wood or bamboo. runs through the neck to the head. with the length varying from place to place. The hand rods are attached to the elbow and wrist. Puppets with the hand rods concealed in the sleeves are used in traditional operas. The bulky costumes used for Chinese opera provide ample space for manipulatingthe rods. resulting in lifelike actions. Puppets with the hand rods outside the sleeves have a bent main rod. it is less tiring for the per former to raise the puppet by holding the bend at the end of the main rod and easier for him to manipulate. The head of the puppet with the hand rods placed outside the sleeves can be made of papier mache. and these are light and easily manipulated by the main rod. In addition. there is a large hollow space for additional mechanisms that help the puppet enrich its facial expressions. As the hand rods are placed outside the sleeves. the body can be molded to meet the needs of the character Instead of wood and plastic. the hands are now shaped with resin and wire has been. used to replace wood or bamboo as the material for making hand rods. Rod puppets have no feet. and unattached legs are used for kicks and other leg movements.(Fig.3-4) Due to constant improvements on the making and manjpulation of rod puppets. this type of puppetry is still very popular in China.

String Puppets About two feet in height. the string puppet consists of a head. torso. limbs and control board. The head is carved from camphor. Chinese linden or willow wood. Mechanisms contained in the head can make the five sensory organs move as the situation requires. he torso is woven with bamboo filaments. The hads of warriors have oexible fists capable of wielding weapons. The agile hands of a gentleman can hold small props such as a writing brush. a cup or a folding fan. The feet can be fitted with either boots or ladies` slippers. and. if desired. can remain bare. The strings used to control the puppet are about 3 feet long. With the development of Chinese puppetry. large stages are now used for string puppet performances. The Quanzhou Puppet Troupe in Fujian has introduced innovations in its stage structure. With the puppeteers standing on a bridge above the platiorm. there is more stage area for the puppets. the strings used to control them have been extended to six feet. Although this increases the difficulty of manipulation. it can make the puppets perform more vividly Generally. 16 strings are used. However.their number can be increased or decreased as the situation demands. Puppets in Heyang. Shaanxi have only five strings. but they can be increased to more than 30 for complicated tricks. Wire Puppats which evolved from shadow plays. are very popular in eastCrn Guangdong and western Fujian. They are called paper shadow plays in Chaozhou and Shantou. They measure about 1-1.5 feet in length with painted heads made of clay. bodies carved out of tung wood. papier mache hands and wooden feet.They are controlled by three metal rods - one main rod and two side rods. all fixed with bamboo handles. The puppeteer either stands or sits behind the puppet when manipulating. In recent years. the puppct has been improved by increasing its length and adjusting the placement of the control rods.

Glove Puppets Also called palm puppets. consist of a head. a body and clothing. Glove puppets. about a foot in length. are most popular in Fujian`s Zhangzhou and Quanzhou. Carved out of camphor wood. the head contains mechanisms used to control facial muscles. The hands are either open or clenched.The puppeteer inserts his forefinger into the hollow neck and his thumb and middle finger into each sleeve to control the head and hands. In order to enrich the arm movements. a thin bamboo stick is placed in the sleeves and turned. Skilled puppeteers can make their puppets do highly difficult actions such as opening a folding fan. changing clothes. brandishing a sword. fighting and jumping out of a window. all to the surprise of the audience. Chinese rod puppetry boasts a rich repertoire which includes not only traditional items but also modern plays. mythical plays and fairy tales. (Fig.3-5)

Apart from the aforesaid types of puppet. water-activated and gunpowder-activated puppets can still be found in China but their influence is insignificant. Although human puppets still perform. they are regarded as folk art confined to certain regions.

3.Chinese Puppetry Show Stage Art

As puppets ore used to imitate human beings. the stage for puppet shows must have the function of hiding the puppeteers from view. separating the audience from the performing platform and focussing audience attention on the puppets.

In stage art. Chinese puppetry used to follow the tradition of Chinese opera. In the past. most string puppet shows were performed on a stage open on three sides with a back curtain to conceal the puppeteers and two doors marked with the words ``Minister in Court.`` and ``General in Battle`` respectively for the puppet characters to enter and exit. The stage for glove puppet shows is built of wood in palatial architecture. gilded and beautifully painted. it can also be disassembled and reassembled easily. making it possible to use the space on the stage in a better way. Elegant and graceful. most glove puppet sages are actually beautiful works of art. Over the past few decades. Chinese puppetry has developed into a fully-fledged stage performance. While inheriting and developing the tradition of the art. it learned the strong points of modern dramatic art and improved its stage design by employing new materials. modern sound and light effects. illumination and sets to enhance its performance.

Chinese puppetry undetwent tremendous changes during the 1970s and 1980s.Great efforts were made to bring the unique feature of the puppet to the forefront. Instead of performing stylized movements as in Chinese opera. puppets were made to perform as naturally as possible. Puppeteers often performed without any screen or Curtain to conceal them and sometimes different types of puppets appeared in the same play. Inspired by the effect of using colors not easily discernible by the eye. puppeteers performed in black velvet costumes in front of a black velvet backdrop. This and modern stage devices gave the audience the illusion that the stage was much laopr than it really was and attracted their attention to the maximum. Outstanding productions of stage design during the past decades include The Story of the Goldfish Monkey King Makes Havoc in Heaven. and Chang E Goes to the Moon which are traditional plays. the modern play of Heroic Little Soldiers of the Eghth Route Army and Magic Aster.

Tibetan Buddhism -- Rosary Prayer Beads

Tibetan Buddhism, the system characteristics of Buddhists, formed in the latter half of the 10th century, began spreading in Mongolia in 13th century. Nowadays, more than two-thirds world populations are doing religious prayers every year.

Tibetan Buddhism is the main body of Tibetan religion and culture which is an important feature of Tibetan religion. Prayer is a faith with words and body language to express their praises to the god, ceremonies of thanksgivings and supplications. Its main purpose is to pray to the gods desire to achieve and meet their hopes. The prayer tools of Tibetan Buddhist supplies, the common are prayer beads, rosary bracelets, Buddha bracelet, mala bracelet, etc. 

Rosary prayer beads originated early in Hinduism, it is an important prayer in Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. Rosary’s original meaning was Rose Garden, as a symbol of perfect. Rosary beads has different types: beads, known as “Japa,” meaning "garland"; Mara, is the integration of body and mind, a good combination of materials which gives better help to meditation.

Prayer beads, plays an important role in religion, stability people’s mind, not only the symbol of merit, compassion, kindness, good fortune, but also a beautiful decoration. The real meaning of prayer beads is the expression of respect, gratitude and nostalgia, dedicate life and conscious life. One of the mother beads of prayer beads expresses the enormous power of Buddha. Although prayer beads strung, it also can be separated to show the various merits of Bodhisattva merit which can get rid all our troubles. And the ring-shape of prayer beads, symbol the successful ending of Buddha. 

Now, Rosary bracelets become more and more popular over the world, common used in Tibet, Korea and Japan. The rosary beads which composed of rosary bracelets have different meaning according to quantities of beads: the rosary bracelets should wear on the hand at any time, remind people to kind to others. The rosary bracelets usually wear on the left hand, for Taoism said the left hand is represents kindness.

Elegant Chinese Qipao

Qipao is one of the Chinese classical dresses in China, reflecting the traditional elegance and good looking of Eastern people. In Qing Dynasty, the Chinese Qipao was welcomed by ladies of the royal family. Perhaps we have heard from many legends about Qipao, we do not know whether those story are true or not, but one thing is certain is that Chinese cheongsam shows the beauty of Eastern Women. Qipao, the classic dress for Chinese women, combines the elaborate elegance of Chinese tradition with unique elements. The patterns of Chinese dresses Qipao, combines Peony which symbolizes richness and prosperity; Lotus which stands for purity and holiness, etc.

Asian dresses Qipao usually makes of excellent materials, such as silk, silk brocade, satin and has different kinds of colors. Because of its particular charming, Chinese cheongsam becomes a wonderful flower in the colorful fashion scene, blooms colorful in the fashion world. No matter which occasion you were in, it leaves a deep impression of simple, quiet and elegant. The elegance and neatness of Qipao, making the women totally get into fully displayed. Nowadays, Qipaos are popular around the world; we usually can see them in traditional Chinese weddings, entertainment and hospitality industries. It opens up the elegant and charming of the Chinese women, and occupies a certain share in the international market.

As time goes by, more and more people appreciate the beauty of Chinese dresses. Even today, Chinese cheongsam is still a part of Chinese brilliant culture, and gradually evolved into a fashion which was welcomed both at home and abroad.

Chinese Shadow Play

Known as a precursor of modern movie, shadow play is a kind of drama in which silhouettes made of animal’s leather are projected onto a white screen. The performer manipulates the characters behind the screen while singing the libretto to tell the story. The story-telling is accompanied by music and it is also a culture of singing and talking.

The shadow puppets are made of buffalo and donkey’s leather and Chinese shadow artists first carve out the lines of the design and then dye them in bright colors. These transparent puppets become very lively and beautiful under the lamp light. The shadow puppet is the wisdom crystallization of Chinese artists, it is also a popular handiwork in northern cities of China.

The Shadow Play has a history of over 2000 years, which originated during the Han Dynasty (B.C202-A.D 220) when one of the concubines of Emperor Wu died. The emperor was so devastated that ignored the affairs of state, and he summoned his court officers to bring his beloved back to life. The officers got an idea and made a shape of the concubine using donkey leather. Her joints were animated using 11 separate pieces of the leather, and adorned with painted clothes. Using an oil lamp they made her shadow move, bringing her back to life. After seeing the shadow play, Emperor Wu began to recover. Then the love story was recorded in the book of “The History of the Han Dynasty”.

A balladry from Shaan Xi Province described what shadow play is iconically. That is:
Folk Shadow Play
Speaking behind paper partition screen,
Expressing variable feelings by shadows,
One shadow play actor can tell thousand years stories,
Both hands can operate millions of soldiers.

Recent years, in many areas, certain types of plays and the art of performance are actually nearing fading away. Fortunately, shadow play is alive and well-preserved in some places in China which reflects the increasing value of it.

Chinese Silver Accessories

Among the 55 ethnic groups in China, the Miao are known for elaborate embroidery and exquisite work with silver. Nowadays, they can flaunt their own handwork at the Miao Silver Accessory Festival in Southwest China.

The Miao people have been deeply enamored with silver since ancient times. For more than 400 years, it's been the custom to decorate oneself head to toe, with silver. A full set can weigh up to ten kilograms. The purpose of wearing all this silver is of course primarily aesthetic, but they are also worn as amulets to ward off evil, and as symbols of wealth. The clothes bear strong cultural message. The patterns range from ancient totem to historic legend. Historians view it as the "Wearable History Book". Each ornament is an exquisite work of art and sparkles with the wisdom of the Miao people. The fancy Miao silver accessories include silver hat, silver horns, silver comb, silver ear-rings, neckband, necklace, bracelet, etc. Silver takes special importance in Miao culture. The craft has developed into a unique art form, and a carrier of the culture. Now besides for their own use, the Miao costume and accessory have developed into unique form of folk art and become a collector's item and tourism souvenir.

If your silver accessories are turning tarnish, please rub the piece gently with a silver-cleaning cloth, or clean it with a soft-bristle toothbrush using a little silver-cleaning paste. Please rub gently with a back-and-forth or up-and-down motion (not in circles), rinse, then blot dry with a clean, soft cloth.

Beautiful Chinese Porcelain Tea Sets

About the ceramic in China, we can date back over two thousands years ago. Porcelain, also called 'fine china', featuring its delicate texture and beautiful color. It was the earliest porcelain which was found in the Shang Dynasty (16th - 11th century BC). Chinese ancient potteries industry had splendid, unique achievements, not only commodities, but also artworks such as porcelain and ceramic.

As time goes by, tea became a daily beverage. The process of brewing tea required less equipment that could easily use in home. Thus, the teapot was born, for bringing people convenience and enjoyable feelings. The earliest Chinese teapots were fairly simple which made of common clay, left unadorned. Oscar Wilde once said that beauty is a form of genius as it needs no explanation. Yes, that’s Chinese porcelains. It has been loved and admired by the people, as its pleasing color, great sculpture, light, compact and exquisite. In addition, its high resistance of electricity and heat also attracted people. Nowadays, porcelains are used commonly in every family, particular in bowls, cups, kettles, etc.

Gradually, the style of ceramic art has become various and full of artistic charm. Chinese porcelain, with its high qualities and impeccable elegant and beauty, are great welcomed to the people from all over the world. Sip a Chinese porcelain cup of tea; you will enjoy the wonderful taste. Whether a formal gathering or hang out with friends, porcelain cups always add to the charm of every occasion.

In short, Chinese porcelains reflect the traditional styles. As the Chinese culture, it is letting people gain greater recognition both at home and abroad.