China Tradition Shop

Guan Yu (Guan Gong)-symbol of loyalty and righteousness!

noreply@blogger.com (CC) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:02:00 +0000

This is a man with so many legend; this is an idol who is still been worshipped by Chinese people; this is the warrior Guan Yu (Pinyin: Guān Yǔ) that will never let people down!

The historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms is generally the main source for most Chinese to be first exposed to the stories of Guan Yu, where he is described as a liable friend and righteous man. And gradually, he has been deified and was referred to as Guān Gōng to show people's respect. Now if you walk into many Chinese companies, you will not be surprised if you find the figure of Guan Yu is being worshipped in a temple or shrine. Yes, he is regarded as the one kind of 'god of wealth' here.

The typical appearance of Guan Yu is:

-red faced (bought from opera representation that depict loyalty and righteousness);

-long lush beard;

-green robe;
-the weapon: Green Dragon Crescent Blade;
-Chi tu Ma (red hare horse)

I just found that Wiki has quite a complete profile for him if you want to know more.

Chinese Valentine's Day-Qixi Festival

noreply@blogger.com (CC) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 18:00:00 +0000

Reminder: This year's Qixi Festival (七夕节, pinyin: qī xī jié) is: 2010-08-16

My personal experience is that the majority of our generation, the so-called post-80s, were introduced the St. Valentine's day first. While along with the revival of traditional Chinese culture, we are more interested in our own lover's day: Qixi Festival, which also comes from a romantic but a little bittersweet love story.

Here is a short description from chinesefortunecalendar:

Chinese Valentine's Day is on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month in the Chinese calendar. A love story for this day is about the 7th daughter of Emperor of Heaven and an orphaned cowherd. The Emperor separated them. The 7th daughter was forced to move to the star Vega and the cowherd moved to the star Altair. They are allowed to meet only once a year on the day of 7th day of 7th lunar month.

The story began from the good-looking poor orphaned boy living with his elder brother and sister-in-law. After his parents past away, his brother inherited the house and the land. The boy owned an old ox. He needed to work on the farm's field with the ox everyday. So he was called a cowherd. His daily life was just like in a Cinderella story.

The 7th daughter of Emperor is good at handcrafting, especially weaving clothing. So she was called a Weaving Maid. The Emperor likes her skill to weave clouds and rainbows to beautify the world.

The ox was actually an immortal from the Heaven. He made mistakes in the Heaven and was punished as an ox in the Earth. One day, the ox suddenly said to the cowherd, "You are a nice person. If you want to get married, go to the brook and your wish will be come true." The cowherd went to the brook and saw all 7 pretty daughters of Emperor came down from Heaven and took a bath in there. Fascinated by the youngest and also the most beautiful one, he took away her fairy clothes secretly. The other six fairies went away after bath. The youngest couldn't fly back without her fairy clothes. Then the cowherd appeared and told her that he would not return her clothes unless she promised to be his wife. After a little hesitation and with a mixture of shyness and eagerness, she agreed to the request from this handsome man. So they married and had two children two years later.

One day, the old ox was dying and told the cowherd that he should keep his hide for emergency purpose.

The Emperor found the sky's not that beautiful as before without the 7th daughter weaving clouds and rainbows. He wanted his daughter's grandmother to find the missing daughter and to bring her back. . While the 7th princess was flying to the Heaven with her grandmother, the cowboy wore the ox hide, took his children in two bamboo baskets with his wife's old fairy clothes and chased after his wife in the sky. The grandmother made a milky way in the sky with her hairpin, which kept them separated. The 7th princess was moved to the star Vega (The swooping - Eagle) in the Lyra (Harp) constellation. And the cowherd with his two children stayed in the star Altair (Flying one) in the Aquila (Eagle) constellation. The star of Vega is also known as the Weaving Maid Star and the star of Altair is as the Cowherd Star in China.

Magpies were moved by their true love and many of them gathered and formed a bridge for the couple to meet in the evening of the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, which is the day the Emperor allowed them to meet once a year.

They said that it's hard to find a magpie on Chinese Valentine's Day in China, because all magpies fly to make the bridge for the Weaving Maid and Cowherd. The one thing to prove that is the feathers on the head of the magpies are much lesser after the Chinese Valentine's Day. If the night Chinese Valentine's Day rains, the rain are the tears of the Weaving Maid and Cowherd.

Another interesting report can also be found here.

--Picutre is from here.

What does the Dragon and Phoenix mean in Chinese culture

noreply@blogger.com (CC) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:58:00 +0000

In China, the fictional dragon (Pinyin:lóng) and the phoenix (Pinyin: fèng huáng) are traditional animals that symbolize auspiciousness. Along with the kylin and tortoise, they were known as the "Four Supernatural Spirits."

According to ancient records, the dragon appeared as a composite of many animals, such as the snake, alligator and lizard -- long or short, small or huge, hidden yet active. It could also inhabit any place -- from the greatest heights to the lowest depths. Traveling between the skies and the earth, dragons were considered the heads of heavenly deities and governors of rainfall in Chinese culture. During times of drought, dragons could create precious water and in times of flood they stopped the rain and cleared the skies. As kings of the waters, dragons lived in dragon palaces under the ocean.

Dragons are deeply rooted in Chinese culture: Chinese people often consider themselves "the descendants of the dragon" and Chinese emperors thought they were real dragons and the sons of heaven. Thus, their beds were appropriately called "dragon beds," their throne, "dragon seat," and their ceremonial robes, "dragon robes." Also, dragons, which are a symbol of imperial power, can be spotted on many buildings in the imperial palace. (Dragon screens are an important part of this dragon culture.)

The dragon also plays an important part in Chinese festivals. The dragon dance has a long history, dating back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The Dragon Boat Festival is almost a purely dragon-related festival, which is now internationally recognized.

The Chinese phoenix, likewise, exists only in legends and fairy tales. The phoenix was commonly referred to as the "King of Birds." As sovereign of all birds, it has the head of a golden pheasant, a parrot's beak, the body of a mandarin duck, the wings of a roc, peacock feathers and the legs of the crane. With its elaborate beauty, it reigns over the feathered world. An early design of the phoenix is depicted on a silk painting (right) discovered in a tomb of the Warring States Period (475-221BC) near Changsha, Hunan Province . As a supernatural bird, the phoenix embodies the five virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and sincerity. As such, it cannot harm either a single insect or blade of grass. It perches itself only on the finest firmiana tree, eating and drinking nothing but bamboo seeds and sweet spring water.
Since the dragon and the phoenix usually serve as auspicious symbols, any reported sightings of a dragon or phoenix were considered extremely auspicious, heralding a glorious period of peace and prosperity for the people and the country. This is reflected in the Chinese saying: "When the dragon soars and the phoenix dances, the people will enjoy happiness for years, bringing peace and tranquility to all under heaven."

Besides, since both figures possess a reserved yet elusive spirit, capable of freely transcending the boundaries of heaven and earth, they were often referred to as metaphors in ancient China for gentleman and sages. For example, Confucius reportedly compared Laozi , famous philosopher and thinker of ancient China, to a dragon. It is also believed that Laozi compared Confucius' wisdom and grace to the lofty virtues associated with the phoenix. Both of them took benevolence as the ultimate virtue towards the treatment of others.

Highly revered and greatly appreciated, images of the dragon and phoenix appeared on ceremonial jade ornaments and were carved, painted, or sewn onto objects of everyday use to represent reverence for the spirits and fortune. This custom was passed down throughout the ages. From references to the dragon and phoenixes in local festivals and rites to the heights of literature and fine art, they all reveal the glory of these legendary animals.

--ChinaCulture.org
--Picture from tplm123

For more, you can check Dragon and Phoenix in Wiki.

Chinese Kites

noreply@blogger.com (CC) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 05:13:00 +0000

In ancient China the kite was known as 'Zhiyuan' (paper glede). Originally regarded as a technology, the kite also featured prominently in many art collections, and was considered to have unique artistic value.

It first appeared in the wars of the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC). According to historical records, the prominent ideologist Mo Zi spent three years constructing a wooden kite which failed after one day's flight. One book noted that the master carpenter Lu Ban also made kites which were flown high to spy on the situation of the enemy.

The technology evolved further during the famous historical Chu-Han War of 203-202 BC. The general of the Han troops Zhang Liang ordered his soldiers to fly kites in the heavy fog around the Chu troops led by Xiang Yu. Children sitting in the large kites played tunes of Chu (the present Hubei Province) on flutes. Hearing the melodies, the Chu soldiers began to miss their homes and scattered without fighting in the war. Xiang Yu, who had been so powerful and renowned for a time, cut his throat. Another use of kites during this period was to deliver urgent messages.

During the prosperous Tang Dynasty (618-907), when amusements thrived with the development of culture and economy, kites became the cossets of the people of both court and country. Every Pure Brightness, people took time not just to worship their ancestors but also to take a walk in the countryside to enjoy pastoral life. Making and flying various kites reflected the pleasing mood of the spring. Kite-flying is now believed to be good for the health.

The delicate procedure of making a kite can be divided into three parts. Firstly, pare and flex bamboo into thin strips for the frame of kites, making full use of the tenacity of the bamboo. According to taste, kites can have shapes as diverse as that of a dragonfly, swallow, centipede or butterfly. Secondly, paste paper onto the framework. The paper is required to be tough and thin with even and long fibers. Some high quality kites are even covered with thin silk. Finally, decorate the kites with colorful chiffon, ribbons and paintings.

While the basic procedure remains the same, styles of kite-making vary in different regions. The kites in the 'World Kite Capital' of Weifang in Shandong Province are well known for their exquisite craftsmanship, materials, painting, sculpture and flexible flying movement. One of these kites, which was over 300 meters (984 feet) long and in the shape of a centipede with a dragon's head, won first place in the International Kite Festival held in Italy. This kite is now housed in the Weifang Kite Museum. Every year, the World Kite Festival will be held there and is expected to draw many fans with a passion for flying kites.

Swallow-shaped kites are quite popular in Beijing. Craftsmen fashion them in many different ways. Some are strewed with peonies, bats and other auspicious patterns to bring the owner good fortune. Kites made in Nantong are usually flown with whistles and rings. When they are flying in the sky, they vividly resemble a bevy of birds. Tianjin boasts the large variety of kites. With many different unique and novel shapes, a larger kite can measure hundreds of meters while the smallest can be put in an envelope. Kites with soft wings in the shape of insects, goldfish, clouds and even a swallow linked with dozens of little swallows are all available, and each of these attractive kites reflect the consummate skill of the craftsman.

If you are interested in flying a kite, you should choose a sunny and windy day so you can enjoy the open air, and take care to avoid electric wires and cars. You could take more than one kites with you and fly them according to the change of wind. The string on a kite wheel needs to be tough and durable. If your kite breaks off, make sure you retrieve all the stray thread in order not to harm others. And of course, a pair of sunglasses may prove useful in protect your eyes from bright sunshine.

--http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/arts/kites.htm

Tang Shan Shadow Puppetry

noreply@blogger.com (CC) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:24:00 +0000

We have introduced what shadow puppetry is here several months ago. Today we want to show you THE representative branch: Tang Shan Shadow Puppetry.

Tangshan is a city located in Hebei Province. And during the long period of evolving from the Song Dynasty, Tangshan shadow puppetry distinguishes itself by choosing high-quality donkey skin, cowhide, sheepskin as raw materials as well as 100% hand-made guarantee.

The finished products are delicate and colorful, as you can feel in the above picture, not only with a very high appreciation and collection value, but also suitable for friends and family gifts, further you can choice them as fitments for your house. Of course, they can used in the real shadow puppetery show, too!

About Us

noreply@blogger.com (CC) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 23:25:00 +0000

China Tradition Shop tries its best to provide you with the typical traditional Chinese items, most of which are pure handicrafts. They represent the ingenious handiwork, long history and diverse culture of ancient China, and can be used as exquisite decorations and gifts other than their own functions. We collect them from historic areas such as Sichuan, Shandong, Beijing, Shanxi and Tianjin that cultivate folk arts of sorts within distinct local environments.

Why we are a better choice to satisfy your needs if you are searching for traditional Chinese items to purchase online?

We are as passionate as you about Chinese culture, and we are proud of it being Chinese.
We are located in US, China (Sichuan, Shandong, Beijing...), thus to be able to communicate with you conveniently and collect genuine local folk arts with reasonable prices.
We look for simple, sincere and satisfied transactions as much as you do.
Honesty is our #1 rule.
We try our best to ensure customer satisfication and product quality.

What makes our products special?

Most of our items are hand-made by local folk craftsmen with high delicacy, compared to other made-in-China products from mass production. In fact, many of them suffer the danger of extinction because few people would like to invest time to learn those skills.

Why not open an ebay store now?

As you may know, one can still sell on ebay even if she or he does not open a store. Considering that the store acts as a warehouse by and large and the cost is not trivial ($15.99 for a basic store per month), we think that Google's Blogger is a better place to list all of our collections for the following reasons:

Blogger is free. So there is no element of store cost reflected in our prices.
Blogger is more flexible to display our products. We have more options (video, for example) to vividly describe an item.

How is our ebay-Blogger system working?

We keep listing and alternating our representative items of each kind on ebay, and the whole collection is here on Blogger. If the listed item on ebay does not satisfy you, you can come here for more choices.
All transactions are via ebay, to protect our mutual benefits. So if something that you want to buy is not listed on ebay, please just contact us via email (chinatraditionshop@gmail.com) and we will list this item on ebay and make it ready for you to place the order.

What if I know nothing about the meaning those folk arts are representing?

Do not worry about it at all! We will do more than just merely describing the product itself. Say, we will show you or link the historical and cultural background of each item, what certain logo or design means
and how Chinese people usually use them. With the aid or picture and video, this could be even more fun!

We cherish the opportunity to do business with you. If you have any other question or suggestion, please do not hesitate to let us know, and we will be here to assist you to get the right Chinese folk arts. Look forward to seeing you soon!

Wax Printing--Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (CC) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 04:45:00 +0000

"Chinese wax printing is a special Chinese handicraft typical of ethnic characteristics and local styles. As one of the most antique handworks, it is perceived as an important part of China's ancient civilization. Qin (221-206BC) and Han (206BC-AD220) dynasties and prevailing in the Sui (581-618) and Tang dynasties (618-907), wax printing, which been passed down from one generation to the next in China, is a uniquely inspired drawing and dyeing handwork of the Miao ethnic minority.

Today, wax printing is mainly distributed among the ethnic minority areas of Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan and Guangxi provinces. In the course of its development, the art acquired its unique folk artistic features and is one of the most characteristic national arts in China.

Originating in the Qin (221-206BC) and Han (206BC-AD220) dynasties and prevailing in the Sui (581-618) and Tang dynasties (618-907), wax printing, which been passed down from one generation to the next in China, is a uniquely inspired drawing and dyeing handwork of the Miao ethnic minority. Today, wax printing is mainly distributed among the ethnic minority areas of Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan and Guangxi provinces. In the course of its development, the art acquired its unique folk artistic features and is one of the most characteristic national arts in China.

Called "laran" in Chinese, wax printing is a way of decorating fabric by covering parts of it with a coat of wax and then dyeing it. Beeswax is the main ingredient but other resins can also be used. To make a wax printing, certain areas of the fabric are selected and blocked out by brushing or drawing wax that has been heated in a little pot over the cloth; the cloth is then dyed different colors. The parts covered by wax resist the dye and retain their original hues. This process of waxing and dyeing can be repeated to create more elaborate and colorful designs. After the final dyeing the wax is removed and the fabric is prepared for usage or display. The wax printings can be framed and, if used properly, can make any house or office more unique and inviting.

The raw materials used in wax dyeing are pure cotton fabrics; the usual tools used for applying wax include a piece of copper and brass with bamboo handles. They are made from two small triangular pieces of metal, with their apexes bound to a bamboo holder by a copper wire. It is held like a pen either upright or on a slant in relation to the cloth, which is laid flat on a board. This tool is convenient for drawing straight or slightly curved lines."

--Chinaculture.org

Bamboo Slips/Strips--Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (CC) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:22:00 +0000

On the left is the 'book' of Sun Tzu's The Art of War ( (Chinese: 孫子兵法; pinyin: Sūn Zǐ Bīng Fǎ)) of the bamboo slips version, which is also the original version when it was discovered by archaeologists in April 1972.

While the history of bamboo slips as writing and preserving materials can be traced back to the remote Shang (c.16th-11th centuries BC) Dynasty, where it gradually took the place of tortoise shells or animal bones and then thrived all the way through to the Wei (220-265) and Jin (265-420).

In the popular reality show 'Survivor', Season 15 is located in China. In this season, you have a chance to view many traditional stuff from China, but the first item, at the beginning of Episode 1, you will find is a copy of The Art of War by Sun Tzu (Of course, the bamboo slips version!) received by both tribes.

As stated by Probst: "Survivor is a war. The book deals with leadership and how you defeat the other tribe. It's interesting how much it plays into the game all the way through."

More about the bamboo slips can be found in the following links:

The Age of the Bamboo Slip

Ancient script rewrites history: 'This is like the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls'

Shu Embroidery--Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (CC) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:22:00 +0000

This beautiful picture is taken by electra-cute in Chengdu (Sichuan Province, China, where I come from). I cannot exaggerate how elegant and exquisite the Shu Embroidery is, but I bet you will definitely be shocked if you stand in front of the real masterpiece. I will try to upload some more pictures with higher definition.

"Sichuan, located in west China, is known as the "Land of Abundance", not only rich in rice and also famous for its sericiculture.

Shu embroidery (Shu is the shortened form of Sichuan), also called "Chuan embroidery", is one of the four famous embroidery styles in China. It has enjoyed high reputation as "a treasure of Sichuan" ever since the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD). The craft of Shu embroidery reached its peak during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), many embroidery workshops were set up. After the founding of new China in 1949, Shu embroidery craft was greatly improved and it developed various new kinds.

Shu embroidery is renowned for its superb workmanship, smooth and bright in quality. It has strong expression and artistic effect. The features of it are said as "fine and smooth needlework, simple and elegant colors, graceful and easy lines and the traditional Chinese paintings' style ". Its needling characteristics lie in "the even stitches, bright threads, closeness and softness in texture, and both centrifugal and centripetal needling". The embroidery takes locally-produced colorful satin and threads as its materials.

The unique designs on Shu embroidery include flowers, birds, landscapes, fish, worms and human figures. Its products include pillowcases, embroidered slippers, mirror curtain, lace, wedding dress, scroll, hats and shoes, skirts, quilt facing, etc. It mainly employs the themes of auspicious happiness.''

--ChinaCulture.org

Shadow Puppetry-Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (CC) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:57:00 +0000

"Shadow play (Chinese: 皮影戏, pí yĭng xì) or shadow puppetry is an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment using opaque, often articulated figures in front of an illuminated backdrop to create the illusion of moving images. It is popular in various cultures. At present, more than 20 countries are known to have shadow show troupes."

"Shadow puppetry originated during the Han Dynasty when one of the concubines of Emperor Wu of Han died from an illness. The emperor was devastated, and he summoned his court officers to bring his beloved back to life. The officers 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.[1][2] Shadow theatre became quite popular as early as the Song Dynasty when holidays were marked by the presentation of many shadow plays. During the Ming Dynasty there were 40 to 50 shadow show troupes in the city of Beijing alone. In the 13th century, the shadow show became a regular recreation in the barracks of the Mongolian troops. It was spread by the conquering Mongols to distant countries like Persia, Arabia, and Turkey. Later, it was introduced to other Southeastern Asian countries.[3] The earliest shadow theatre screens were made of mulberry paper. The storytellers generally used the art to tell events between various war kingdoms or stories of Buddhist sources.[1] Today, puppets made of leather and moved on sticks are used to tell dramatic versions of traditional fairy tales and myths. In Gansu province, it is accompanied by Daoqing music, while in Jilin, accompanying Huanglong music forms some of the basis of modern opera.[3]

Chinese shadow puppetry is shown in the 1994 Zhang Yimou film To Live."

--Wiki

"Chinese shadow puppets are rather different from their Indonesian and Turkish relatives. They are very delicate items, normally made from donkey skin and decorated with cut-out designs and translucent dyes. They are usually so thin that the colours as well as the outline are displayed on the screen. Unlike both Javanese and Turkish shadow theatre there was a very wide range of Chinese characters to perform in many different plays, whether military, religious or simple folk tales. "

The real situation is something like this:

How about it behind the curtain?

Li Ning, the leading Chinese sportswear and shoe company, produced a series of TV commercials that feature traditional Chinese shadow puppets playing basketball. The commercials are set to traditional Chinese shadow play music and each player is endowed with super-human basketball abilities. (From psfk).

I find those commercials quite ammusing and extremely creative, you really do not want to miss them:

Paper Cutting-introduction

noreply@blogger.com (CC) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:20:00 +0000

"Chinese Paper Cutting or Jianzhi (Chinese: 剪纸, jiǎn zhǐ) is the first type of papercutting design, since paper was invented by Cai Lun in the Eastern Han Dynasty in China. The art form later spread to other parts of the world with different regions adopting their own cultural styles. Because the cut outs are also used to decorate doors and windows, they are sometimes referred to "chuāng huā" (窗花), meaning Window Flower."

---Wiki
My other blog on how to make a simple 'Fu' post can be found HERE.

In the following clip , the lady will show you how a vivid butterfly can be cut from the ordinary paper.

Sky Lantern/Kongming Lantern--Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (CC) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:44:00 +0000

Sky lanterns (sky candles) (simplified Chinese: 天灯; traditional Chinese: 天燈; pinyin: tiān dēng or simplified Chinese: 孔明灯; traditional Chinese: 孔明燈; pinyin: kǒngmíng dēng) are airborne paper lanterns traditionally found in East Asian cultures. They are constructed from oiled rice paper on a bamboo frame, and contain a small candle or fuel cell composed of a waxy flammable material. When lit, the flame heats the air inside the lantern, thus lowering its density causing the lantern to rise into the air. The Sky Lantern is only airborne for as long as the flame stays alight, after which the lantern floats back to the ground. They can achieve quite a height and launching them in strong winds is not recommended.

Later non-military applications were employed as they became popular with children at carnivals. These lanterns were subsequently incorporated into festivals like the Chinese Mid-Autumn and Lantern Festivals.

It's not hard to light one:

And then you can send all of your best wishes to the sky. Just imagine how marvellous it will be when the sky is painted with so many lights...