Art is a rich part of China’s fascinating history. Abrakadoodle’s mascot Splat, accompanied by co-founders Mary Rogers and Rosemarie Hartnett, visited China this summer in part to help launch Abrakadoodle art programs as part of the company’s international program. Did you know Cloisonné was developed in China? Abrakadoodle teaches the jewelry-making art in its classes for children! Splat loved learning about the classical arts that flourished in ancient China to include poetry, dance, music, painting, architecture and sculpture. Seeing the arts and architecture up-close-and-personal was such great fun!

Wow is that old! Some of the earliest discoveries of ancient rock drawings of the Red Mountain or Hongshan Culture dating back to pre-4000 BC attest to the imaginative expression shown by the early Chinese. During the Han Dynasty, artwork was precise with simple lines and incorporating creative themes. Paintings in the Wei and Jin Dynasties focused on Buddhist ideals. During the Tang Dynasty, paintings increased in sophistication with beautiful scenery, human shapes and portraits of faces. In general, Chinese paintings show great attention to detail to include precise ink lines and featured vividness and contrast.

Bigger than life! Chinese sculpture is a lasting tribute to a vibrant culture. From beautifully sculpted ancient cooking vessels to huge statues of Buddha to a green glazed dog to the remarkable Terracotta Army – considered to be the 8th Wonder of the World, China produced sculpted works that give us a glimpse of what mattered to them.

Great design! Chinese architecture combined unique design elements with function that reflects their ideals. The Great Wall of China is a prime example of large-scale architecture, which was designed to protect China from invaders. The palaces of China are large, extravagant and feature detailed roof design. Roofs did not only protect residences from the elements, but they also featured curves to ward off evil spirits. Chinese structure is based upon the principle of balance and symmetry.

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