The Language and Iconography of Chinese Charms

The Language and Iconography of Chinese Charms
Author: Alex Chengyu Fang
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 314
Release: 2016-12-09
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 981101793X

This book offers an in-depth description and analysis of Chinese coin-like charms, which date back to the second century CE and which continued to be used until mid 20th century. This work is unique in that it provides an archaeological and analytical interpretation of the content of these metallic objects: inscriptive, pictorial or both. As the component chapters show, these coin-like objects represent a wealth of Chinese traditional folk beliefs, including but not limited to family values, social obligations and religious desires. The book presents a collection of contributed chapters, gathering a diverse range of perspectives and expertise from some of the world’s leading scholars in the fields of archaeology, religious studies, art history, language and museology. The background of the cover image is a page from Guang jin shi yun fu 廣金石韻府, a rhyming dictionary first published in the ninth year of the Kangxi Reign (1652 CE). The metal charm dates back to the Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE), depicting two deities traditionally believed to possess the majic power of suppressing evil spirits. The stich-bound book in the foreground is a collection of seal impressions from the beginning of the 20th century. Its wooden press board is inscribed da ji xiang 大吉祥 by Fang Zhi-bin 方質彬 in the year of bing yin (1926 CE).

Symbols, Art, and Language from the Land of the Dragon

Symbols, Art, and Language from the Land of the Dragon
Author: Yibin Ni
Publisher: Watkins Publishing
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2009
Genre: China
ISBN: 9781844838493

Much more than a book about language, "100 Chinese Characters" interweaves history, culture and art to reveal one of the world's greatest civilizations. Chinese characters have developed over thousands of years, captivating as much with their artistic expressiveness as with their intriguing layers of meaning. In this book the text is accompanied with calligraphy and full-colour reproductions of Chinese brush paintings, calligraphic scrolls cermaics and textiles, whilst each entry explores the meaning behind the character and its significance in Chinese culture, from words such as dragon, mountain and heaven, to abstract concepts such as love, beauty and trust. Drawing on the latest scholarship, this silk-bound edition is both engaging and informative - language as an art form; art as language.

Outlines of Chinese Symbolism and Art Motives

Outlines of Chinese Symbolism and Art Motives
Author: Charles Alfred Speed Williams
Publisher: Courier Corporation
Total Pages: 520
Release: 1976-01-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9780486233727

Describes historical, legendary, and supernatural persons, animals, and objects that recur as symbols in Oriental art and literature

Chinese Symbolism and Art Motifs

Chinese Symbolism and Art Motifs
Author: Charles Alfred Speed Williams
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Total Pages: 384
Release: 2006-04-15
Genre: Art
ISBN: 9780804837040

This fourth revised edition of Chinese Symbolism and Art Motifs, first published in Shanghai in 1941, features an introduction by Dr. Terence Barrow, has been completely reset and now uses the Pinyin pronunciation of Chinese names and words. The Eight Immortals, the five elements, the dragon and the phoenix, yin and yang—representations of these important cultural symbols are pervasive in Chinese literature, art and architecture. Without an understanding of their significance, much Chinese history, folklore and culture can't be fully appreciated. In this comprehensive handbook, C.A.S. Williams offers concise explanations—and over 400 illustrations—of these essential symbols and motifs. Arranged alphabetically for easy access, the book not only explains essential cultural symbols, accompanied by their Chinese characters, but also contains many articles on Chinese beliefs, customs, arts and crafts, food, agriculture, and medicine. This book has become a standard reference volume for students of China and Chinese culture. For those who are visiting China, Chinese Symbolism and Art Motifs is an indispensable guide to the Middle Kingdom's artistic and architectural wonders. For the general reader, it is a valuable compendium of fascinating sinological lore.

The Hidden Language of Symbols

The Hidden Language of Symbols
Author: Matthew Wilson
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Total Pages: 501
Release: 2022-11-15
Genre: Art
ISBN: 0500777705

A stimulating resource that guides readers through the most significant symbols from art history, spanning many civilizations and centuries while revealing the common heritage of a global visual language. The Hidden Language of Symbols covers a wide-ranging selection of visual culture and art under one unified theme: symbols. Often not immediately apparent, our day-to-day lives abound with symbols of various kinds, from national emblems to emojis, allegories to logos, all of which have a fascinating story. Organized across four all-encompassing themes—power, faith, hope, and uncertainty—this stimulating illustrated account of forty-eight key symbols from global art history is aimed at museum-goers, armchair art sleuths, or anyone who wants to understand the history of their visual environment from an unusual and creative angle. Drawing on artistic examples from the imaginary, natural, physical, and religious worlds, from dragons to eagles, butterflies to labyrinths, and rainbows to wheels, author and art historian Matthew Wilson discusses the lives of these different types of symbols. Analyzing their development, why they evolved, and the various ways they have been interpreted, Wilson also explains in what way symbols are markers of identity, that is, how they gain the power to unite and divide societies. Looking at how they have shaped the world beyond the museum, Wilson reveals their impact on the appearance of our cities, the language of advertising, and even the design of corporate logos.

Symbols

Symbols
Author: Richard Sproat
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2023-07-31
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 3031268091

For millennia humans have used visible marks to communicate information. Modern examples of conventional graphical symbols include written language, and non-linguistic symbol systems such as mathematical symbology or traffic signs. The latter kinds of symbols convey information without reference to language. This book presents the first systematic study of graphical symbol systems, including a history of graphical symbols from the Paleolithic onwards, a taxonomy of non-linguistic systems – systems that are not tied to spoken language – and a survey of more than 25 such systems. One important feature of many non-linguistic systems is that, as in written language, symbols may be combined into complex “messages” if the information the system represents is itself complex. To illustrate, the author presents an in-depth comparison of two systems that had very similar functions, but very different structure: European heraldry and Japanese kamon. Writing first appeared in Mesopotamia about 5,000 years ago and is believed to have evolved from a previous non-linguistic accounting system. The exact mechanism is unknown, but crucial was the discovery that symbols can represent the sounds of words, not just the meanings. The book presents a novel neurologically-inspired hypothesis that writing evolved in an institutional context in which symbols were “dictated”, thus driving an association between symbol and sound, and provides a computational simulation to support this hypothesis. The author further discusses some common fallacies about writing and non-linguistic systems, and how these relate to widely cited claims about statistical “evidence” for one or another system being writing. The book ends with some thoughts about the future of graphical symbol systems. The intended audience includes students, researchers, lecturers, professionals and scientists from fields like Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning, Archaeology and Semiotics, as well as general readers interested in language and/or writing systems and symbol systems.

Dictionary of Chinese Symbols

Dictionary of Chinese Symbols
Author: Wolfram Eberhard
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 336
Release: 2006-12-05
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1134988648

This unique and authoritative guide describes more than 400 important Chinese symbols, explaining their esoteric meanings and connections. Their use and development in Chinese literature and in Chinese customs and attitudes to life are traced lucidly and precisely. `An ideal reference book to help one learn and explore further, while simultaneously giving greater insight into many other aspects of Chinese life ... the most authoritative guide to Chinese symbolism available to the general reader today ... a well-researched, informative and entertaining guide to the treasure trove of Chinese symbols.' - South China Morning Post

Symbols on Chinese Porcelain

Symbols on Chinese Porcelain
Author: Eva Ströber
Publisher: Arnoldsche Verlagsanstalt GmbH
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2011
Genre: Porcelain, Chinese
ISBN: 9783897903500

The decorative details on Chinese porcelain are admired especially for their striking beauty, but the symbolic language hidden within them is less well-known in the West. From the very beginning until today Chinese culture has encompassed an enormous wea

Spaces of Mediation

Spaces of Mediation
Author: Su-Chi Lin
Publisher: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt
Total Pages: 154
Release: 2020-01-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 3374057578

Drawing upon fine art and objects made for pedagogical and devotional needs of the local Christian communities, including prints, posters, paintings, and photographs dating from the early twentieth century to the present, this volume mainly explores Christian art in Taiwan. By recognizing the artistic development from merely adapting traditional Christian iconography to creating new indigenous narratives, Su-Chi Lin examines the issue of visual representation raised in such inculturation processes, and considers whether these artworks offer models to re-imagine the contextual illustration of global Christian faith. [Räume der Vermittlung. Christliche Kunst und visuelle Kultur in Taiwan] Der vorliegende Band erkundet christliche Kunst in Taiwan am Beispiel von Bildender Kunst und Kunsthandwerk, das für pädagogische und devotionale Zwecke der lokalen christlichen Gemeinschaften geschaffen wurde. Die Drucke, Poster, Bilder und Photographien datieren vom frühen 20. Jahrhundert bis heute. Die künstlerische Entwicklung reicht dabei von der bloßen Adaption christlicher Ikonographie bis zur Schöpfung neuer indigener Narrative. Su-Chi Lin untersucht die visuellen Repräsentationen in solchen Inkulturationsprozessen und geht der Frage nach, ob diese Kunstwerke Modelle anbieten für die kontextuelle Illustration des globalen christlichen Glaubens.

Encyclopedia of Comparative Iconography

Encyclopedia of Comparative Iconography
Author: Helene E. Roberts
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 1072
Release: 2013-09-05
Genre: Art
ISBN: 1136787933

First published in 1998. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.