Chinese Handicrafts: The Art of the Mother

Author: Han Sheng Editorial Office
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: Here, we are delighted to introduce Chinese Women's Artistry—The Art of Motherhood, in honor of all mothers. China is one of the world's oldest agricultural civilizations. Over thousands of years, the social pattern of "men farming and women weaving" has laid the foundation for people's livelihoods. It is said that women hold up "half the sky." Including weaving, women's artistry has silently contributed to the brilliance of Chinese civilization. "Half the sky" is no exaggeration. The subtitle "The Art of Motherhood" of this book has two meanings. Narrowly speaking, when discussing traditional women's skills, we will divide them into nine major categories: weaving, bleaching and dyeing, sewing, embroidery, footwear and headgear, knotting, paper-cutting, face-painting, and toys. Broadly speaking, the scope of women's artistry can indeed be extended to the entire folk art. Modern folklorists have shown great interest in the skills passed down through generations from mothers to daughters. Scholars refer to these life-affirming and selfless expressions of skill as "maternal art." Maternal art, with its pure and beautiful style, has nurtured other higher arts and endowed our national culture with a "maternal" quality. This book is divided into five parts: Part 1—Discussions, Part 2—Maternal Art, Part 1—Discussions, Part 3—Reminiscences, and finally, "Modern Women's Artistry." Understanding the profound meaning of maternal art will allow you to step into the world of this book one step at a time.