Folklore Knowledge 100 Questions (Golden Key Knowledge Series·Art)

Author: Jiang Xin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-07-14
Features: There are seventy-two trades or three hundred and sixty trades in the world, each with its own expertise, and they are highly specialized—what is said to be "like crossing a mountain between different trades." Some trades may seem simple, and people might rely on their own small cleverness to tackle them, only to end up making a fool of themselves. This only shows that knowledge must be studied seriously. However, art is interconnected. For example, Peking Opera itself is a comprehensive art form. From the performances of Peking Opera actors, we can appreciate Chinese music, painting, poetry, dance, acrobatics, and history. Understanding the expressive nature of Peking Opera performances can also enhance our appreciation of Chinese expressive painting. This art series includes eight aspects: opera, theater, film, painting and sculpture, music, dance, folk customs, and craft design. Each category of art, whether ancient or modern, Chinese or foreign, holds invaluable knowledge. You don’t know until you see it, and the more you see, the more marvelous it becomes. However, respecting knowledge should not make one a slave to it. Using this book to appreciate a painting or watch a play and then draw direct comparisons is also inappropriate. Because art is subjective—what the benevolent see is benevolent, and what the wise see is wise. If you love Qi Baishi, I love Wu Changshuo; if you like "Qilin Tong," I prefer Ma Lianliang; if you admire Mei Lanfang, I favor Cheng Shouqiu—then you are both connoisseurs of art, and both are right. It can’t be like arithmetic problems, which must have a single correct answer. Therefore, I strongly advocate for everyone to learn some basic knowledge to appreciate and master art, because art is the beautification of life and inherently belongs to everyone. I congratulate the publication of this accessible and informative booklet, designed to bring art more broadly into people’s lives.