Chinese Hairpins in Ching Dynasty - Essay Example

of Chinese Hairpins in Ching Dynasty Jewelry is a form of or ntation personally worn by individuals attaching value to it. There exists a wider range of jewelries such as bracelets, rings, necklaces, brooches, earrings, and hairpins. The making of jewelry constitutes the use a broader variety of aspects considered valuable and ornamental by its users. Depending on the times, jewelry is appreciated as a symbol of status based on the material that went into its making, the pattern used in the making, and the meaning attached to the symbols that the jewelry considers in its design. The making of any jewelry that ever existed is to beautify its user from toe to hairpins. From the ancient to the present times, the mutual benefit between splendors and jewelry in China is clearly observable with the transcendence of personal adornment beyond both culture and gender. Dynamics of styles, designs, techniques and manner of jewelry has been in emergence, but all traces back to the ancient times. The increased interaction between the various cultures, west and east for instance, led to the expansion of the Chinese jewelry in terms of techniques, materials possibility, and designs. However, with all these changes and adoptions, the jewelry industry still shows a deeper cultural meaning of ancient civilizations. It is thus important to understand the ancient art and the various factors that influenced it. China is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. The history of China in reference to jewelry is considerably rich in literature and ideas in the ancient and modern history of the Chinese people and their cultural dynasty. The choice of the topic is because China exhibits an old and currently prevalent jewelry dynasty. Jewelry production in China dates back to 5000 years ago. The Chinese hairpins jewelry is as old as the rise of the Yang-Shao and Lungshanoid cultures of the river Yangtze delta. Since then the Chinese culture has been influential in the whole world (Smith, p.17). The driver of the Chinese culture influence is nothing more than jewelry and the fact that the Chinese are culturally conservative. The surrounding Asian countries have been more influenced by the Chinese culture to the extent that their preference in terms of jewelry is gear towards jade than any other precious stores and silver over the highly valued gold. It is, therefore, worthwhile to study a culture that has a great influence and thus widely widespread. The culture of the ancient China is a typical representation of a widespread culture. The old Chinese hairpins exhibit a historical design that has been in use for the periods of the Ching dynasty. Ching dynasty is the last of the series of the Chinese jewelry dynasties. It started in the 1644, and it was in place until 1912 after the Chinese revolution of 1911 (Smith, p.397). The dynasty began with a positive move that saw a collection of cataloging, energetic collection and exportation of the Chinese jewelry. However, revolutionists terminated the Ching dynasty disastrously. The European laid their demand for tea, soared, the white and blue porcelain, jade, and lacquer. The other vivid colors got their way back to ceramics. The return raised the oversea popularity of the pictorial porcelain platters and vases that festooned the scenes of meticulous painting. The members of the Eccentric painting school developed an exclusive style of expressionism that apart from emphasizing on impulsive brushwork it also brought out the imaginative utilization of colors in art. With innovation, artisans made fragile portable items out of jade and hardwoods. The innovative ideas associated with Chinese artistic work exportation and improvements define the success of the historic Ching dynasty. The designs of the Chinese jewelry mostly focused the use of jade. Jade is a stone considerably of good qualities. Its beauty, hardness, and durability are the characteristics that facilitated its use in the jewelry industry (Smith, p.300). The tradition of jewelry use was based on inculcated beliefs. For jade, the prevalent belief was that, wearing jewelry made of jade protects the user from talisman. Provision of status is unforgettable for the bearer of jade. Jade indicated grace, morality and dignity for the user. During these times, jade was a prestige attached to jade was so high that it bypassed that of gold and other precious metals. Status during these days was defined by nothing else other the amounts of jade in ones disposal. Jewelry and status in the ancient world were two things that complimented each other. Wealth and high-status person of the time could only be recognized through his or her use of the various types and designs of jewels available. The models and the amount of precious metal used in the manufacturing of a jewel were the only items of product differentiation during this period of jewelry history. In ancient China, the traditional items of decoration were earrings, headbands, amulets, headdresses, rings, and pins. All of which worn by both male and female and each displayed the status and wealth of the jewel bearer. However, the blue colored jewels were mostly meant for the royal family. No doubt, that jewelry defined the way of life in the ancient Chinese history. Considering the ancient periods of Chinese heritage, the artistic work was a visual art. By origin, tradition and modernity as practiced by the Chinese performers and artists mostly consist of sculptures and simple pottery (Smith, p.108). Whether overseas Chinese art or the Chinese art of the Taiwan (The Republic of China) the Chinese art is based more on the dominant Chinese culture and heritage. Living in the old times of ancient Chinese history means a devotion to the old themes supernatural beliefs and religion. These themes, however, on most occasions tried to relate humanity and nature. During the Ch’ing dynasty, the system of government in China was an integrated bureaucracy. The imperial system of governance during the ancient Ch’ing dynasty exhibited a hierarchical flow of political power from the top to the bottom in a series of positions all along the hierarchy. The extensive bureaucracy was remarkable in its sense since the governmental position holders secured their positions based on a system of merits established based on government examinations. The meritocracy in ancient China was a worldwide unique system of governance practiced at the lower level of County leadership, and the top leadership remained hierarchical (Smith, p.78). Governance during this period influenced the various directions that a public and significant issue like culture could take. The system of government defined the designs and use of artistic items. Trading and extraction of the various materials used in art were under the strict control of the government. The procedural aspects associated with bureaucratic government systems posed a challenge for global expansion of the Chinese art. The Chinese government has been in support of the Chinese cultural conservation. The Chinese art especially on the hairpins could have been affected by the western culture. The western people regarded the art as untidy and outdated piece. It is recorded in Chinese archives that the work of art was prominent especially in the 17th century. This is the time when most of the Chinese artists produced competent works of art. The works of art were very crucial at that time. More so, these artists were more creative. Their work was presentable at that time. They created attractive impressions, and the art could account significantly to the Chinese economic growth. Most of the visitors from all of over the world visited china to see the chinas works of art. However, as the western people invaded china, most of them could not abandon their culture. The western culture was a threat to the Chinese culture. With the change of culture, it replicated an intense impact on the Chinese art. The artists were thus required to strategize the work of art and come up with skills that could accommodate changes. Most of them even abandoned the work of art as they saw that it was uneconomical for them. They also saw that the art they were producing were outdated and barbaric. They thus, adopted the new western culture abandoning their culture. Mode of dressing change and the hairpins were modernized. The earlier hairpins were seen as large, cumbersome and unimpressive. Somebody who wore them after the western people invaded china was perceived as old generations. The new generation which compose majorly of youth desire change. They wanted to attach themselves to the digital world. Therefore, they regarded the Chinese culture as unfitting to them. Wearing of cumbersome and large hairpins to them was unwelcome idea. It is recorded that as from early 20th there was a mass transition of Chinese people from tradition culture to westernized culture. In 20th century, less Chinese masters of the art were produced. The scanty artist who remained as be die hearts of Chinese culture tried to combine the Chinese culture with the western culture. The art they produced, therefore, were not pure traditional Chinese but a combination of Chinese culture and the western culture. On the other hand, it is reflected that most of the early 20th-century artists copied the western style of the art presentation. At other times as they tried to combine the western and traditional Chinese styles, they could become unsuccessful. The result of that combination was wrong and unimpressive. The influence on the change of culture also has been profound, and it has also extended to the Muslim culture. It is noted that as Muslim extends to other countries their strict culture influences the host‘s culture. Muslims do not allow decorations on their bodies. Hairpins being decorations were seen as an influence on the Muslim culture. As more and more people are converted to Islam, it is replicated in the decline of arts being produced. War also is another factor that influences the Chinese work of art. As the war intensified, the fighters were required to use sophisticated fighting implements. The use of homemade tools such as spears and arrows became a forgotten idea after intensification of the war. Fighters then adopted modern weapons such as guns, grenades and even bombs. These weapons made the Chinese abandon art of producing weapons through heating of metals by smiths. This skill declined with the intensification of the war. The knowledge of smiths becomes scanty with the escalation of the war. Therefore, war had a significant influence on the Chinese work of art. The economic depression of 1930 had a great and terrible impact on china. The depression was widely spread all over the world. As with the Chinese art, it suffered adversely from such depressions. It is argued that even though the depression originated from the western countries, it is also linked to the weak economy of china during that time. The Chinese economy was suffering from other ills such the Japanese invasion, kinds of social disruptions and the civil war. The regional economic division of china’s nation is also said to have contributed to the economic depression. The country was divided whereby the coastal region was for trade. Though the area was ideal for business its full potential was not explored as it was also ideal for agriculture or attraction of tourists. North and south regions were mainly for agricultural production. Their economic possibilities were not fully explored. People frequently suffered from the famine and thus could weaken the countrys economy. The depression had adverse impacts on the chinas work of art. This led to the deterioration of the art also. The high taxation imposed on the works after economic depression also affected the Chinese rational art. It is estimated that most of the Chinese kingfisher pieces used most commissioned, and expensive pieces from Cambodia.it is argued that the pieces may have contributed to the wealth of Khmer Empire. The wealthy Chinese are said to be the primary consumers of the Kingfisher pieces. The royal familys also used the pieces frequently. The traditional artists were viewed as people with excellent and advanced skills. They were creative in nature and thus their works of art were impressive. They were, therefore, treated with great respect in the community. They were accorded high respect and were used as an example to other people. They could be used to teach a new generation so as to maintain continuous generation of artists. Although, they received such great respect at other times especially after the invasion of western culture, they were down treated. Other people could see them as useless people in the society. The artists in most cases depended on the significant people in the society. The royal families promoted the artists work as they were the users of their pieces. Further, the leaders supported them so as to allow continuous generation of artists. The artists belonged to different religious backgrounds. Their differences could not affect their work and thus the piece of art were designed and produced based on the society’s needs and culture. The society viewed both the craftsmen and artist as one identity, though the artists were given particular attention. Tzu-Ju Chen is an American jeweler and is the founder artist of Qing Dynasty Kingfisher jewelry, hairpin. In her masters in fine arts, the artist researched and obtained a lot of techniques and experience. She went back to her native country China where she practiced much of her career. She has been an artist at Xiamen University, Fujian Province and also a lecturer at Central Academy of Fine Art, Beijing, China. Kingfisher bird was and is highly valued by the Chinese for its colorfully decorated feathers. These people and they highly esteem it has used it for a long time in songs and poetry since antiquity. It was used to give colors to tiaras and other head garments. Since the jewelry is valued by these people and they have been using it for many cultural rituals. For example, Chinese paper money made of blue kingfisher feathers is burnt during funerals. The reasons why Tzu-Ju Chen made her jewelry was due to inspiration by her experiences, design with various artistic traditions and intermingling techniques of metals smith. She was also inspired by the cultures she had come across around the world, and therefore wanted to combine the tradition with the unexpected and relate them to relay a message. Her works explore the conceptual play of meaning. This jeweler had a lot of freedom to design and decision-making process. Whenever she traveled and found a culture that is much different from hers, she came back and made a jewel that conveys a message about it. When she completed her work, she took it to the national museums, which is an indication that there was nothing that objected her freedom. In this same year when hairpin was invented, a British architect, David Chipperfield, constructed The Museum of Modern Literature. It archives and displays the twentieth-century literature. The connection between Chens work and that of David is that, both artists in their work seek to conserve their culture through art. David constructs a museum where Chens jewelry are kept. Chens work has had an influence on several people all over the world. People are motivated and would wish to start creative arts of their own. An example is Smith-Jones, who is a paper artist who says that the work of Chen is appealing to the eye and embodied him a kind of spirit of doing better in his art. Chen felt excited and motivated by the influence she has had from different people around the world. She feels honored by the best works in her art that has had an impact on various people and her ability to mold something that carries a message concerning a culture of people. A jewelry that was produced before Kingfisher was necklace. It is worn suspended from the neck and is most commonly made in flexible forms such as a chain, as a string of beads, gemstones, pearls or other natural materials. Like other pieces of jewelry, necklace is used for body decoration but it also communicates to the person. Like any other valued materials by different cultures, necklaces express power, wealth, affiliation, level of resource and skills, prestige and element of identity and position. For body decoration wear both hairpins and necklaces. They are highly valued by people of various cultures and commonly, both items when worn or used carry certain messages. Hairpin is worn on the head while the necklace is hung on the neck. A necklace can have several beads and pearls while a hairpin is a metal; silver decorated by a kingfisher’s feather. The Chinese art has great influence in the United States. China being a democratic nation allows more people from different nations to visit. The Chinese culture is impressive in nature and this makes many people adopt it. Chinese are great business men and thus explore business opportunities in different countries. Chinese invading the US is a threat to both the culture and economy of US. Chinas commodities and specially decorated works of art are cheap. This has made the majority of US people go for these cheap Chinese goods leaving the homemade US products. Works Cited Smith, Richard J. Chinas Cultural Heritage: The Qing Dynasty, 1644-1912. Boulder: Westview Press, 1994. Print. Read More