Papercut.
Text study
Introduction
Cloisonné(景泰蓝): Artifacts with the Gleam of Precious Gems
New Year Picture (年画): Enhancing the Festive Atmosphere
Papercuts: A World Created with Scissors
Embroidery (刺绣): Ten Finger Like a Spring Breeze
Shadow Play (皮影): the Art of Light and Shadow
Introduction
景泰蓝——故宫珍品
Cloisonné — a piece of treasure in Forbidden City
Cloisonnéis a traditional art widely known in and outside China. It is a kind of superb local expertise from Beijing, which combines the skills of bronze art, porcelain, carving, and other types of folk arts. It is deemed valuable in the eyes of collectors, as well as providing refined ornaments for daily use.
Cloisonnéproduction involves very complicated techniques, with more than 30 working procedures.
Cloisonné: Artifacts with the Gleam of Precious Gems
Six steps of cloisonnéproduction: 1. the making of the copper cast: 2. filigree (掐丝); 3. stippling (点刻) blue; 4. Heating; 5. Burnishing; 6. Gliding.
Folk arts in China have developed dynamically, with many forms enjoying a worldwide reputation. Here we present an introduction to a select few.
Cloisonné: Artifacts with the Gleam of Precious Gems
• By the time of the Chenghua reign (1465-1487), the techniques for making cloisonnéwere further developed, with products of this period looking heavy and dignified yet not lacking in eloquence or vividness.
Cloisonné: Artifacts with the Gleam of Precious Gems
• Its cast was always made of choice copper, decorated with enamel (珐琅) and colorful glaze naturally extracted from minerals, so that it would resemble precious gems.
Cloisonné: Artifacts with the Gleam of Precious Gems
• The making of cloisonnéfirst appeared during the Jingtai reign (1450-1457) of the Ming Dynasty, with the main color used being blue, hence the name "Jingtai blue" or cloisonnéas it became known later on.
Its mouth, belly and base are welded together instead of being originally one piece. Its surface is first inlaid with copper wires, before the colorful glaze is applied. The nine peaches and bats have the symbolic meaning of happiness, longevity and peace.
寿意瓶
Cloisonné vase with a peachand-bat design
Cloisonné: Artifacts with the Gleam of Precious Gems
Guess how many working procedures a Cloisonnéproduction involves?
• The Ming cloisonnéartifacts extant today were mostly produced during the Jingtai and Chenghua reigns.
Cloisonné: Artifacts with the Gleam of Precious Gems
Unit 19
A Variety of Splendid Folk Arts

Content
Lead-in Text study Exercises
Lead-in
Do you know which kind of folk arts the following pictures refers to?