Resources

View this work in its entirety during Out of Character: Decoding Chinese Calligraphy (at the Asian Art Museum from October 5, 2012–January 13, 2013). The Character of Characters, 2012, by Xu Bing (Chinese, born 1955). Five-channel video animation installation. Acquisition made possible by The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation, R2012.54.

Ewer with lid, approx. 1050-1125. Goryeo dynasty (918-1392). Stoneware with blue-green (celadon) glaze. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60P123+.

Ewer with chrysanthemum scroll, approx. 1100-1200. China; Shaanxi province Northern Song dynasty (960–1126). Yaozhou ware, glazed high-fired ceramic with carved decoration. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60P1233.

Join us for an evening with Holland Cotter—a 2009 recipient of the Pulitzer Prize and the chief art critic of the New York Times—as he speaks with Vishakha Desai, President and CEO of Asia Society, and Jay Xu, Director of the Asian Art Museum, about his enthusiasm for and experience in developing critical writing about Asian contemporary art.

In groups, students will discuss how artists communicate events and characters by observing and describing scenes in the scroll containing stories of Rama’s youth. Students will compare the context of this scroll’s use with those of scrolls illustrating other epics. Then they will create a biographical scroll from the perspective of a character in the Ramayana (The Life of Rama).

Asian Art Museum Curator, Joseph Chang, reads an excerpt from Eight Poems on Yellow Ridge in semicursive and cursive script, Xong Tingbi (1596–1625). Translation: It’s been called “Lotus Terrace” now for years innumerable; And round the terrace, fields upon fields of lotus leaves are seen. The slightest breeze wafts floating fragrance from the other shore, While setting sunlight in clear waters plays with emerald green. —Lotus Blossom Terrace. This work was on view at the Asian Art Museum as part of the exhibition, Out of Character: Decoding Chinese Calligraphy (from October 5, 2012–January 13, 2013).

Decorated pages intended for a Koran, approx. 1500. Turkey. Manuscript page; Gold and colors on paper. Gift of Elton L. Puffer, 2004.67.

Students will discuss how our perceptions of other cultures, in this case Tibet, are subjective and colored by myths.

Daoism is an indigenous Chinese religion. Tao is often translated as “way” or “path.” The teachings of Daoism advocate following the Way and integrating with the natural world.

Cup with high handle, approx. 2500–1900 BCE. China; Shandong province. Neolithic period, Longshan culture (approx. 2500-1900 BCE). Gift of Bruce and Terese Bartholomew, 1998.30.