ChinaDaily[971006-8]

[Chinese News]

China Daily

97 / 10 / 06 /

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1. Gardens benefiting people's health
2. Guardian's fall auction approaches, sessions set
3. Notes (Page 9, Date: 10/06/97)
4. What's on (Page 9, Date: 10/06/97)
5. [INLINE]
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Gardens benefiting people's health
THE Chinese garden, a kind of "miniature of nature," offers
something for people bothered by increasing environmental
pollution, over-crowded cities and the fast pace of life.
It gives them something to ponder over, in terms of maintaining
good health -- both psychologically and physically, Professor Jin
Xuezhi and Associate Professor Chen Benyuan write in their essay
published in the Chinese language bio-monthly, Literature and Art
Studies.
The Chinese garden offers a refuge from the growing crowd,
allowing people to relieve their minds of the world's problems and
anxiety over materials and status.
As a result, Chinese gardens are generally cut off from the
outside world by white-washed walls, turning the gardens into
their own, independent universes. This is the case in Suzhou,
southern Jiangsu Province, which is noted for its graceful and
sophisticated gardens.
Inside the gardens, tranquillity reigns despite urban hubbub and
bustling crowds outside. The gurgling springs, miniature
waterfalls, rocks in weird shapes, luxuriant trees, tasteful
flowers, graceful pavilions and corridors, twisted small bridges
across ponds and stone-paved paths winding throughout. They
combine to present a multi-dimensional world and "artificial
wilderness" deep inside bustling urban areas.
The gardens utilize two different kinds of counterpoised space --
partly nature and partly urban. In other words, nature has been
moved into the city, offering a place for people to live leisurely
and enjoy natural beauty.
Second, the Chinese garden helps to bring about peace of mind. In
traditional gardens, once owned by men of letters, "voidness and
peace" are emphasized.
In Wangshi (Net Master's) Garden in Suzhou, for example, there is
a building called Bamboo-Bough House. It has large windows and
doors, facing all directions, to facilitate the free flow of air
and to create an impression of "emptiness and voidness."
Once in this environment, one is supposed to lose all thought,
becoming oblivious to the physical world often linked to worries
and anxiety.
Peace of mind is stressed in the imperial gardens, in the
country's north. For example, in Beihai Park, which used to be an
imperial garden, there is Jingxin Zhai (Peace of Mind House).
In Yuan Ming Yuan Garden, the old summer palace, there is a house
called Jingxu Zhai (The House of Tranquil and Emptiness).
Inscriptions in southern gardens often urge people to have a
peaceful frame of mind while absorbing the gardens' beauty.
"Observing quietly and leisurely," "Sitting quietly and taking in
the delicacy of beauty," and "Watching through tranquillity" are a
few examples.
In Wangshi Garden, there is a miniature stone bridge called
"Leading to Tranquillity Bridge," which ushers people into a world
of peace and quiet.
Although the ancient Chinese believed peace of mind and staying
idle were good to one's health, they also believed too much could
harm one's health. So they also emphasized "labouring" and
"movement," which found expression in tortuous corridors, winding
bridges and twisted paths running along the much-indented shores
of ponds in traditional Chinese gardens.
"Winding paths leading to the depth of exquisiteness" constitutes
a very important principle in designing traditional gardens. Apart
from its aesthetic considerations, it lengthens the limited space
in the garden and provides people with more room for their
"moderate labouring," believed to be good for one's health.
At intervals, the winding paths are dotted with pavilions and
corridors. This is deliberately designed to curb people's
"labouring" to a moderate extent because the ancient Chinese
believed excessive working of one's body extracted too much
vitality. Walking along the paths and sitting in the pavilions,
soaking in the garden's beauty, help soothe one's mind and
provides rest.
The traditional Chinese garden offers a kind of "natural-beauty
therapy." Compressing nature into a limited space, the Chinese
garden presents refreshingly beautiful scenes composed by water,
hills, architecture, rocks, trees and flowers, believed to be the
foundation of "pleasure" and "longevity."
The luxuriant trees and flowers that blossom in four seasons,
create a kind of "green space," good for a people's physical and
psychological well-being.
Rocks are important in the traditional Chinese garden. They are
everywhere. They usually block the visitors' vision, ensuring the
scenery is not revealed in one glance.
This, coupled with the paths, creates a feeling of "winding paths
leading to the depth of the exquisiteness." Otherwise, the
garden's landscape would look flat and insipid.
Also, the rocks dot the sides of pavilions and houses, the shores
of ponds and the slopes of hills, developing a kind of refined
view.
What is more important is the rocks constitute the bones of the
garden. A Chinese saying goes: "The garden is not a garden without
rocks."
The "rockscape," in graceful shapes and in tasteful arrangement,
become, occasionally, the major scenery in a garden and a dominant
factor balancing all attractions.
The rocks used in Chinese gardens are special, originally found on
the edge of Taihu Lake. Hence the name Taihu rocks. They are
valued by garden builders because of their convolutions created by
weathering. Some people feel they are products of nature.
Better rocks are "lean," "pierced with holes," "wrinkled" and
"ugly," according to unique Chinese aesthetic standards.
By "lean," it is meant the rocks are tersely shaped, stand tall
and straight. The rocks pierced with holes give an impression of
emptiness, in line with the Chinese's aesthetic aspirations for
"voidness."
Being "wrinkled" refers to the rough textures of the rocks. The
wrinkles are rich, criss-crossing textures in the rocks, making
them a vivid sight. "Ugly" refers to the strange and unique shapes
of the rocks. The "ugliness" is a kind of strange and forceful
beauty that is awe-inspiring to the viewer.
The Chinese garden is a sort of "unfinished art." Only involvement
of visitors will round off the creation of beauty.
The combination of harmony, of the miniature creation, and human
spirit enhances the beauty of the Chinese garden.
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_Date: 10/06/97_
_Author: Bian Yi_
_Copyright© by China Daily_

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Guardian's fall auction approaches, sessions set
THE autumn auction of the China Guardian Auction Corp will open in
Beijing's Kunlun Hotel on October 24.
There will be nine auction sessions, specializing in Chinese
painting and calligraphy, remaining copies of Chinese classics,
Porcelain and jade ware, jewelry, oil paintings and sculptures,
Chinese coins, stamps and art works of New China, a name reserved
for the propaganda-oriented works in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
Some people feel these works display the spirit of that period,
which cannot be erased from modern Chinese history.
The auction will last four days.
Among the Chinese paintings and calligraphy pieces on the
auctioning block are works by Chinese masters like Zheng Banqiao,
Jin Nong, Pan Tianshou, Qi Baishi, Fu Baoshi and so on. Also,
there are works by promising young and middle-aged artists,
including Long Rui and Jia Youfu.
Among the surviving copies of Chinese classics are hand-written
Buddhist scripts by Tang (AD 618-907) scholars, wood-block printed
"Han Book," bearing hand-written comments by Fu Shan, a well known
Ming (1368-1644) scholar, calligrapher and painter.
Among the oil paintings and sculptures are "Beauties" by famous
painter Chen Yifei and "A Scene in Shaoxing" by renowned artist Wu
Guanzhong.
Among the art works of New China will be pieces featuring Chairman
Mao guiding the revolutionary masses while marching heroically
towards the lofty goals, the dining rooms of the people's commune,
students working hard on their homework, landscapes of the
Jinggang Mountains, the chief base of the Chinese Red Army in the
late 1920s and early 1930s. The piece was created by the late
master painter Li Keran.
Stamps of the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), in addition to those
printed in the Chinese Communist-led border areas in the 1930s and
the ones printed during the cultural revolution (1966-1976), are
expected to be on the block.
Coins up for sale are silver, cast in the late Qing Dynasty and
early 1900s, after the overthrow of the Qing monarchy.
Precious porcelain, jade ware and snuff boxes, made in the Qing
Dynasty, are also expected to be auctioned off.
(CD-News)
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_Date: 10/06/97_
_Author: _
_Copyright© by China Daily_

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Notes (Page 9, Date: 10/06/97)
Exhibit on leaders
THE exhibition of Zhao Huasheng's paintings of Chinese leaders
opened in Beijing's Chinese People's Revolutionary Military Museum
on September 28.
His paintings feature Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Zhou Enlai,
Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zeming. Zhao tries to bring out the spirit
of each leader individually. Zhao graduated from Lu Xun Art
Academy in 1964 and is now director of Liaoning Provincial
Painting Institute. He is well-respected for his figure paintings.
Museum opens
THE Wang Mingyuan Calligraphy Art Museum opened on September 28 in
Qufu, hometown of Confucius. About 40 of Wang's calligraphic works
will be displayed permanently.
Wang is noted for his powerful calligraphy. His works have been
exhibited both in China and overseas on several occasions.
One-man show
PAN Jiezi's one-man show was recently held in Shenzhen. Among the
60 gongbi paintings, which mean meticulously wrought realist
works, the most eye-catching were six huge pieces featuring
figures found in the frescoes in the Dunhuang Caves.
The 83-year-old Pan is a renowned gongbi painter in the country
and an accomplished researcher of the Dunhuang arts. (CD News)
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_Date: 10/06/97_
_Author: _
_Copyright© by China Daily_

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What's on (Page 9, Date: 10/06/97)
Stage
Tragic-comedy -- "Get Lost" (Zhaobuzhao Bei), a tragi-comedy
looking at the lives of Beijing's common people, has been in the
capital for three months. It premiered in mid-June.
Performed by the China Youth Art Theatre and the China Research
Institute of Drama, Film and Television, the play describes the
different lifestyles, feelings and concepts of two brothers, one a
bricklayer and the other a painter.
The play is directed by Du Peng. The cast includes Lin Liankun,
Hou Yaohua, Zhang Ju, Lu Wen and Zhao Tingxiu, all well-known
stage actors.
Time: 7:15 pm, October 10-19.
Place: The Cultural Palace of Nationalities, 49 Fuwai Dajie,
Xicheng District.
Tel: 6602-2530
Suicide solution -- "Cutting the Wrist" is being staged at Haidian
Cinema-Theatre.
The historic play tells a sad, romantic story of love between a
Qidan -- ancient Chinese minority -- woman and her lover.
The woman assumes the throne of Qidan Kingdom during wartime, but
gives it up to follow her lover.
She finally cuts her wrists.
Though derived from ancient history, the play is said to still be
relevant for today's urban youth.
Set in the great grasslands, the drama is expected to bring a
touch of wilderness to urban audiences.
Time: 7:15 pm, October 6-10.
Place: Haidian Theatre, Haidianlu, Haidian District.
Tel: 6255-8026
Joyful jugglers -- The China Acrobatic Troupe is juggling, cycling
and tumbling every night at Chaoyang Theatre.
The 46-year-old troupe, one of the best in the country, has toured
more than 60 countries and won international-competition awards.
The company's repertoire includes tightrope walking, martial arts
and traditional Chinese magic tricks.
Time: 7:15 pm, daily.
Place: Chaoyang Theatre, 36 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District
Tel: 6507-2421
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_Date: 10/06/97_
_Author: _
_Copyright© by China Daily_

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Updated on September 24, 1997

[INLINE]

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_[1]The 15th Party Congress_

_[2]Sep. 12 - Sep.18, 1997_

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[3][LINK] _[4]General Secretary Jiang Zemin's
Report to the 15th Party Congress_
[5][LINK] _[6]New Party Leadership elected,
Top Leaders' Profiles_
[7][LINK] _[8]Communique of 15th CPC Central
Committee's First Plenum_

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References

1. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtg124.html
2. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtg124.html
3. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/report.html
4. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/report.html
5. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtgb46.html
6. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtgb46.html
7. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtgb09.html
8. http://www.chinadaily.net/cndy/history/15/engtgb09.html
9. mailto:cd...@chinadaily.net

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