Category: Chinese customs

Popularized during the 17th century, wooden ‘bamboo-style’ furniture encapsulated the virtuous characteristics of bamboo in a more enduring form. Shaped with round members, rounded moldings, and ‘wrap-around’ detailing, such ‘bamboo-style’ works also represent another category of construction.

皮影戏，又称“影子戏”，“灯影戏”，是一种用灯光照射兽皮或纸板做成的人物剪影，在音乐的伴奏中，由艺人一边操纵剪影一边演唱的民间戏剧形式。Shadow puppet plays, also known as shadow play or lamp shadow play, is a folk opera form of cutting beast skin or hard paper board into articulated figures and performing in front of an illuminated backdrop to create the illusion of moving images. Accompanied by music, performers manipulate the figures and sing.
皮影戏在我国历史悠久，元代时还曾传到世界上很多国家，迷倒了不少国外戏迷，被人们亲切地称为“中国影灯”。With a long history in China, shadow puppets were introduced to many countries during the Yang Dynasty, attracting many foreign audiences. They call the art form Chinese shadow play.

Benches are essentially long stools. They are also called 'spring bench' (chundeng), suggesting a seat that could be shared by lovers. They were commonly set in front of shops next to the door. Pairs were often set opposite one another inside gateways, and thus acquired the term ‘gate benches’. In restaurants they were placed around square tables as seats for two. As a stable working platform, they were utilized in hundreds of configurations by craftsmen.

变脸，原指戏曲中的情绪化妆，后来指一种瞬间多次变换脸部妆容的表演特技。这种表演许多剧种都有，以川剧最为著名。Face Changing refers to the special performance skill of changing facial masks several times in the blink of an eye. The performance is used in a wide variety of operas but is best exemplified in Sichuan Opera.
相传"变脸"是古代人类面对凶猛的野兽，为了生存把自己脸部用不同的方式勾画出不同形态，以吓唬入侵的野兽。川剧把"变脸"搬上舞台，用绝妙的技巧使它成为一门独特的艺术。Allegedly, the talent was used to scare away fierce beasts. In order to survive, people painted their faces with different patterns to threaten wild animals. Sichuan Opera performers perform the skill on stage and have made it a unique art.
变脸有大变脸、小变脸之分。大变脸是全脸都变，有3变、5变乃至9变；小变脸则为局部变脸。Face Changing can be divided into Major Face Changing and Minor Face Changing. Major Face Changing means changing one’s mask three to nine times. Minor Face Changes mean switching parts of one’s face – ears, nose, mouthpieces – but not the entire facial mask altogether.
变脸的主要手法有三：抹暴眼、吹粉、扯脸。抹暴眼是演员手指抹上预存于眉头或鬓的墨青，一抹即变；吹粉更是粗糙，演员吹起色粉，以改变脸色；扯脸则是用面具，一层一层套在脸上，松紧有度，变时一个个扯下来。The techniques of face changing are roughly divided into three types: smearing, blowing and pulling. Smearing means to smear the prepared ink on the brows or temples to change the face’s color. Blowing is a more difficult skill to master — performers need to blow colors onto their faces to make them change colors. Pulling means pulling masks that cover the face in layers. Some are loose and some are tight. In performances, performer can also pull down the masks one by one.
变脸要求动作敏捷，不露痕迹。主要用于剧中人物惊恐、绝望、愤怒等情绪的突然变化。To change faces at lightening speeds, performers must be swift and flawless. This skill is mainly used to express sudden emotional changes such as panic, despair and anger.

笔架为圆雕五峰式，架底边深刻水波纹，波涛中双龙盘绕于五峰之间，龙腾水怒。The full-relief brush rack has five peaks with deep water-wave patterns on its sides. Among the waves, two flying dragons wind themselves among the five peaks.
明代中后期，金、玉、竹、木、牙、角雕刻艺术中出现大量赏玩器，并前所未有地迅速发展起来。为了满足社会需求，民间作坊不断设计创新，许多艺术家也在风格上相互借鉴或者标新立异，于是各种精美的文房摆设和雅玩层出不穷，成一时风尚。In the mid- and late-Ming Dynasty, many cultural relics made of gold, jade, bamboo, wood, ivory and horn emerged and this craft industry witnessed unprecedented and rapid development. In order to meet social demands, folk workshops constantly innovated their designs. Many artists learned from other craftsmen or made independent innovation themselves. The result was a variety of precious ornaments, which eventually became a social trend at that time.
文人书案上的笔架与瓶、盒等，造型和纹饰一般以松、竹、梅居多，有龙纹者则多属皇家御用品。此件龙纹笔架既见刀刻之功，又具雄劲风韵。雕龙蜿蜒盘曲，生动的龙身及龙须、龙嘴均显现出典型的明代风格。整座笔架雕刻得庄重浑朴，刚劲有力，属明代嘉靖、隆庆年间（1522-1572年）北派象牙雕刻艺术中的杰作。The brush racks, bottles and cases for people studying literature were mainly in the shapes of pine trees, bamboo shoots and plums. Those with dragon patterns were reserved for royal families. This brush rack with dragon pattern demonstrates the carving skill and elegance of the whole piece. The dragons wind themselves among the peaks; the vivid dragon bodies, dragon beards and dragon mouths reflect the typical style of the Ming Dynasty. The whole rack is grand and solid. It is a masterpiece of ivory carvings in north China in from the reigning periods of Emperor Jiajing and Emperor Longqing (1522-1572).

The ‘recessed-leg’ type is closely related to traditional post-and-beam architectural construction. It is characterized by leg supports that are recessed from the corners of the top frame that splay outward toward the base and are reinforced with stretchers and/or aprons. With balanced stance and transparent structure, the Chinese proverb “When the root is firm, the branches will flourish” (bengu zhirong) comes to mind.

The Mid-Autumn Festival (Chinese: 中秋节), also called the Chinese Moon Festival, is one of the most important annual festivals for the Chinese people (in addition to the Spring Festival and Chinese New Year) and is an official holiday. Perhaps most importantly, it is a day for family reunion. This lively festival takes place on the 15th day of the 8th Chinese lunar month every year, so its exact date by the Western calendar is different every time. Full of joy and happiness, friends and loved ones gather to celebrate a time when the moon is at its fullest and brightest of the whole year, and everyone gathers together to delight in eating moon cakes and appreciating the spectacular beauty of the full moon.