ART
Featuring the 12 animals of the Chinese Lunar Calendar, Chinese use a lot of art forms that uniquely capture the personality trait of each zodiac animal.
[1]. Chinese 12 zodiac paper-cutting
Zodiac paper-cutting
Zodiac paper-cutting is a traditional subject in Chinese art. With the development of the times, zodiac paper-cutting has been improved from folk art to modern art. The paper-cutting makes the twelve zodiacs have been performed by the insubstantial culture form.
Normally zodiac paper-cutting is used on festivals such as Chinese New Year, weddings and childbirth, as cut-paper artwork is considered to symbolize luck and happiness.
Zodiac pottery figurines
‘Zodiac pottery figurines’ is an important manifestation of zodiac plastic art.
In ancient China, the function is exorcism. According to relevant research, ancient people usually put the zodiac pottery figurines in the tomb to pray for the dead. They believed the dead will protect their young in this small universe established by Chinese astrology including zodiacs.
In the modern society, zodiac pottery figurines provide valuable details for Chinese clothing art and effective information for sculpture art.
Zodiac stamp
Zodiac stamp is the innovation in the Chinese zodiac culture which has the certain succession and the expansibility for Chinese astrology.
The stamp designer ensures the zodiac culture nature the first priority in the design, and then combined the Chinese astrology culture with national features.
In 1979, when the reform and opening-up just began, the China Stamp Issue Bureau, inspired by the Chinese zodiac stamps issued by Hongkong Post, started to prepare for the first round of Chinese zodiac stamps.
The China Stamp Issue Bureau believed that the stamps would not only meet public demand, but also play a role in promoting traditional Chinese culture.
[3]. The 4th round of Chinese zodiac stamp- sheep
[2]. Tang Dynasty pottery figurines Zodiac
The 1st round of Chinese zodiac stamp- sheep
Reference
[1]. Chinasage.info. 2021. Chinese Paper-cuts. [online] Available at: <https://www.chinasage.info/paper-cuts.htm> [Accessed 20 December 2021].
[2]. Reddit.com. 2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtefactPorn/comments/m6zb46/chinese_zodiac_pottery_statues_from_the_national/> [Accessed 20 December 2021].
[3]. Stampcommunity.org. 2021. Chinese Zodiac Stamps - Stamp Community Forum. [online] Available at: <https://www.stampcommunity.org/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=208> [Accessed 20 December 2021].