China, the world’s largest country by population, is widely regarded as the home of martial arts and is the birthplace of numerous diverse styles. Modern Chinese martial arts can trace their origins to a number of sources, including ancient military skills, the Buddhist martial arts that evolved out of the Shaolin temple, the Daoist martial arts that originate from the Wudang temple in Hubei province, and a number of other techniques used by bandits, militia, secret societies, invaders, and marauding pirates throughout China’s turbulent history. According to legend, the Indian monk Bodhidharma (known as “Da Mo” in China) traveled from southern India to China in the 6th century CE carrying sutras (collections of dialogs and discourses). He then settled in the Shaolin temple in Song Shan, and introduced martial exercises and Zen Buddhism to China. However, there is evidence to suggest that the practice of martial arts in the country dates back to well before that time. A longer history Although Bodhidharma may well have been one of the first to record martial-art techniques-he also introduced techniques such as meditation to existing fighting systems-experts believe that Chinese martial arts gradually developed from ancient hunting skills and from one tribe’s need to defend itself from another. These fighting forms developed slowly over the years: punches and kicks were incorporated and, in time, so was the use of weapons. The first evidence of martial-art practice in China comes in 2698 BCE during the reign of the Yellow Emperor, Huangdi, who developed the practice of jiao di (“horn-butting”) among his soldiers. In the 5th century BCE – some 1,000 years before Bodhidharma’s arrival in Song Shan – Confucius mentions martial arts in his texts; Daoist literature from the 4th century BCE contains principles applicable to martial arts; and there is evidence to suggest that physical exercises similar to taijiquan have been practiced in the region since at least 500 BCE. In contrast, the earliest textual evidence of Shaolin martial arts comes in 728 CE. Putting soldiers to the test The development of martial arts in China is indelibly linked to the military. The first military martial-arts tests were established in 702 CE. These challenged a soldier’s physical strength, horsemanship, and skills with a lance, spear, and bow and arrow. Such a premium was placed on them that regular soldiers were categorized according to their ability and courage in hand-to-hand combat and weapons skills, particularly their swordsmanship. Various military generals have added their expertise to China’s martial-arts mix. Even Genghis Khan, the Mongol warrior whose armies had conquered much of South Asia- including all of China-by the 13th century, believed that bkyukl bokh was the best way to keep his troops ready for battle. Two styles of the art are still practiced today, one in Mongolia, the other in Inner Mongolia. Boom in popularity It was not until the Republican Period (1912-1949), a time when China was recovering from the fall of the Qing dynasty, the invasion by Japan, and the Chinese Civil War, that martial arts became more accessible to the general public. In a wave of national pride, the Chinese government classified all martial arts under the banner “guosho,” meaning “national art. ” Martial artists were encouraged to teach, numerous training manuals were published, examinations in martial arts were created, and demonstration teams started to travel the world- the first martial-art demonstration in front of an international audience took place at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.
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Chinese Martial Arts
January 12th, 2010Chinese Contemporary Art Ceramics Market Trends Up
January 11th, 2010During hard times of this financial crisis, the auction market situation become unstable. However, the Chinese contemporary art ceramics gone against the market trend and ascending, which make investors sit up and take notice. Keep Silence as a Perfect Gentlemen when Watching a Chess Game (by Li Jusheng) The colorful gold bell bottle named “Karaoke Map” owned by Zhu Jianxin sold on the 2008 RongBao Autumn auction with a final price 39,200 Yuan;On the China JiadDe 2008 Autumn, a color underglazed porcelain bottle named “Boating on River” owned by Bai Lei was sold on price 78,400 Yuan;On the Beijing HanHai 2008 Autumn, a Zhen Baichong hand-painted color landscape porcelain bottle sold for 89,600 Yuan, at same time, a fine porcelain bottle painted with tiny Wang Zhiwen calligraphy and landscape painting was sold for 224,000 Yuan by the buyer. On the China Guardian 2008 Autumn Auction a ceramic figurine called “I’m pregnant” made by Zhou Guozhen was sold on price 257,600 Yuan; A high temperature color glazed porcelain ware made by Li Jusheng and named “keep silence as a perfect gentlemen when watching a chess game” sold on a highest price as 1,904,000 Yuan. I’m Pregnant (by Zhou Guozhen) As early as on the China Guardian 2007 Spring Auction, the first special auction for “Modern and Contemporary Ceramic Art” in China was launched already, on which the mainly auctioned arts & crafts were came form contemporary artists of industrial arts in JDZ, and there were totally 79 pieces of artworks were sold out and the total mount of sales is 15,784,160 Yuan, with a high transaction rate of 97. 4%. Among them, a high-temperature colored glaze inlay ware named “Teenage Life” produced by LI Jusheng, one of great masters of industrial arts in China was sold for 1. 232 million Yuan, which is the highest price on the auction. Through the Guardian 2007 Spring Auction collectors become to realize the value of Chinese contemporary ceramic art, while on auctions hold on autumn later, Beijing HanHai and RongBao auction also opened its special auction for modern and contemporary art ceramics separately, and both of them has acquired good achievements at this hard times of the auction market caused by the current international financial crisis, and the value of master artworks also show a up trend in the market. Teenage Life (By Li Jusheng) Mr. Chen Linlin, the project manager of China Jia De Porcelain Crafts Department believes that with its unique techniques, strong sense of the times, originality and technicality, Chinese modern and contemporary ceramic arts & crafts have attracted collectors, and as the collecting mentality of collectors become mature gradually, the traditional criteria lines of “Judge a hero via ages and times” is now slowly changing, and they thought the artistic value of the artwork is worthy more attention. In addition, as there are no technique problems in contemporary art ceramics, the art value of a special artwork could be identified easily by collectors, together with the market is still in its infancy, so the average price of which is rather lower and no bubbles in it, so there is a large space for price rising in future. The head of Beijing HeBiXing Ceramic Art Museum Mrs. Wen Li said that she had realized the collection value of contemporary art ceramics since three years ago, she often visited those masters of industrial arts and professors in Ceramic Academies in Jingdezhen, LongQuan, and buy fine artworks once encountered. As artworks she collected more and more, she found the current market had not put enough attention on contemporary art ceramics. Upon that she opened the HeBiXing Ceramic Art Museum, and devoted to create the primary market of art ceramics. After three years of painstaking efforts, she found some improvements in the market finally, and the success of the auction market also has given more confidence to collectors aimed for Chinese contemporary art ceramics.
Chinese Contemporary Art Ceramics Market Trends Up
January 9th, 2010During hard times of this financial crisis, the auction market situation become unstable. However, the Chinese contemporary art ceramics gone against the market trend and ascending, which make investors sit up and take notice. Keep Silence as a Perfect Gentlemen when Watching a Chess Game (by Li Jusheng) The colorful gold bell bottle named “Karaoke Map” owned by Zhu Jianxin sold on the 2008 RongBao Autumn auction with a final price 39,200 Yuan;On the China JiadDe 2008 Autumn, a color underglazed porcelain bottle named “Boating on River” owned by Bai Lei was sold on price 78,400 Yuan;On the Beijing HanHai 2008 Autumn, a Zhen Baichong hand-painted color landscape porcelain bottle sold for 89,600 Yuan, at same time, a fine porcelain bottle painted with tiny Wang Zhiwen calligraphy and landscape painting was sold for 224,000 Yuan by the buyer. On the China Guardian 2008 Autumn Auction a ceramic figurine called “I’m pregnant” made by Zhou Guozhen was sold on price 257,600 Yuan; A high temperature color glazed porcelain ware made by Li Jusheng and named “keep silence as a perfect gentlemen when watching a chess game” sold on a highest price as 1,904,000 Yuan. I’m Pregnant (by Zhou Guozhen) As early as on the China Guardian 2007 Spring Auction, the first special auction for “Modern and Contemporary Ceramic Art” in China was launched already, on which the mainly auctioned arts & crafts were came form contemporary artists of industrial arts in JDZ, and there were totally 79 pieces of artworks were sold out and the total mount of sales is 15,784,160 Yuan, with a high transaction rate of 97. 4%. Among them, a high-temperature colored glaze inlay ware named “Teenage Life” produced by LI Jusheng, one of great masters of industrial arts in China was sold for 1. 232 million Yuan, which is the highest price on the auction. Through the Guardian 2007 Spring Auction collectors become to realize the value of Chinese contemporary ceramic art, while on auctions hold on autumn later, Beijing HanHai and RongBao auction also opened its special auction for modern and contemporary art ceramics separately, and both of them has acquired good achievements at this hard times of the auction market caused by the current international financial crisis, and the value of master artworks also show a up trend in the market. Teenage Life (By Li Jusheng) Mr. Chen Linlin, the project manager of China Jia De Porcelain Crafts Department believes that with its unique techniques, strong sense of the times, originality and technicality, Chinese modern and contemporary ceramic arts & crafts have attracted collectors, and as the collecting mentality of collectors become mature gradually, the traditional criteria lines of “Judge a hero via ages and times” is now slowly changing, and they thought the artistic value of the artwork is worthy more attention. In addition, as there are no technique problems in contemporary art ceramics, the art value of a special artwork could be identified easily by collectors, together with the market is still in its infancy, so the average price of which is rather lower and no bubbles in it, so there is a large space for price rising in future. The head of Beijing HeBiXing Ceramic Art Museum Mrs. Wen Li said that she had realized the collection value of contemporary art ceramics since three years ago, she often visited those masters of industrial arts and professors in Ceramic Academies in Jingdezhen, LongQuan, and buy fine artworks once encountered. As artworks she collected more and more, she found the current market had not put enough attention on contemporary art ceramics. Upon that she opened the HeBiXing Ceramic Art Museum, and devoted to create the primary market of art ceramics. After three years of painstaking efforts, she found some improvements in the market finally, and the success of the auction market also has given more confidence to collectors aimed for Chinese contemporary art ceramics.
