Chinese Artifacts Essay Example for Free

Chinese Artifacts Essay The artist of this calligraphy scroll, Zhao Mengfu, was highly praised by the Yuan emperor Renzong as unrivaled traditional Chinese polymath (for a lack of a better word). It is said that the emperor admired him for possessing the following seven outstanding qualities: wide learning, Song royal ancestry, elegant and charismatic appearance, pure character and righteous conduct, literary accomplishment, mastery of calligraphy and painting skills, and profound knowledge of Buddhist and Daoist teachings. As an leading and influential calligraphy during his era, Zhao was able to successfully advocate and promote many of the views that he had on Chinese calligraphy. Zhao supported a return to the ancient models, which integrated the Jin (265 – 420AD) and Tang (618 – 906AD) dynasty styles to synthesize a new norm for standard and cursive scripts. In later eras, many printed texts were modeled after the standard script that he helped create. Furthermore, the cursive style script, depicted in this scroll titled Four Anecdotes from the Life of Wang Xizhi, became the foundations of the informal calligraphic styles of those how succeeded him. One of the four anecdotes from the â€Å"Life of Wang Xizhi† tells the story of a time when Xizhi, a ‘calligraphic’ sage, was extremely fond of the [graceful appearance of] geese. In Shanyin there was a Daoist monk who had raised a flock of more than ten fine geese. One morning Wang decided to take a small boat and go there. He was delighted with the geese and wanted to buy them, but the monk refused to sell. Wang tried in vain to persuade him. Finally, the monk told Wang that he loved Daoist philosophy and had always wanted a transcription of Laozis Daodejing with its commentary by Heshanggong. He had already prepared the silk, but no one was qualified to write it. He asked if Wang would condescend to transcribe two chapters each from the Dao and De sections, for which he would give Wang the whole flock. Wang stayed for half a day to write out the chapters, then he caged the geese and returned home. (Citation) In many ways, this story possesses many aspects of traditional Daoist philosophies. Firstly, the events and interactions between the Monk and Xizhi is highly reflective of the ‘interdependence’ between beings. Furthermore, the fact that the Monk refuse to trade his geese through monetary means underlines Daoist de-emphasis of material objects, especially something as superficial as money. Rather, the Monk was willing to give up his geese for an implementation Xizhi’s skill and mastery of calligraphy. In a way, this reveals belief that an individual should play the role of what he or she was ‘meant’. In other words, the Monk’s offer of his geese for calligraphy mirrors some sort of a natural guidance for Xizhi to walk in accordance to the Way. In summary, the story told through the calligraphy of this scroll is highly relavent to the Daoist themes that were studied throughout the course. Object : Buddhist stele, Tang dynasty (618–906), ca. 700 Origins: China Material: Black limestone Size: H. 64 1/2 in. (163. 7 cm) This relic originates from the temple in the Xinxiang County in the central Chinese province of Henan. A stele is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerals or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living — inscribed, carved in relief or painted onto the slab. In this case, the Buddhist stele is made of black limestone and is curved to give the outline of the figure of Guanyin. In this stele, we see many of the symbolism commonly studied in the Chinese Buddhism. Firstly, the graceful of stance the pair of bodhisattvas implicates a noble yet welcoming gesture which is reflective of the characters theor sage-hood. Secondly, judging by the small objects inscribed on the crown – a figure of the Buddha – they represent Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara), one of the principal bodhisattvas associated with the Pure Land cult. Despite the damages accumulated over time, the gentle S-shape swing of the bodhisattvas bodies gives an essence of individuality to each of the figures. The Western Pure Land sect, derived from the teachings of the Buddha Amitabha, was the sect that attracted the largest number of followers. As we have discussed in class, this was most likely due to the motivation that salvation awaits each and every devotee in a paradise situated in the western realm of Buddhist cosmology. The ability of Buddhism to discuss subjects like the afterlife was one of the largest sources of its popularity. This black limestone stele is one of the best examples of Buddhist devotional art in the Tang period of Chinese history. Object: Central watchtower, architectural model, Eastern Han dynasty (25–220), 1st–early 3rd century Origin: China Material: Earthenware with green lead glaze Size: H. 41 in. (104. 1 cm) The Han dynasty (206 B. C. –220 A. D. ) is deemed to be one of the most important and inflectional dynasties in pre-modern China due to it lasting effects in imperial structure and formation of a national consciousness. Chinese people, until today, still refer to themselves as ‘Han Chinese†. Furthermore, the architecture styles that were established during the Han period layed the ground works for the architecture of the eras to follow. Han architecture was a grand improvement to the architecture of those that precede them; it includes vast palatial complexes, towered gateways, and city walls were built as symbols of power and prestige as well as for defense. This model art piece embodies many of the essential features of Han architecture: the overhanging tiles supported by the roof, the four sided style infrastructure and the stacking effect. In many ways, this specific model, less a few details, is reminiscent of the temple building the class visited for the lecture on Buddhism. In relation to our studies, a great variety of these architectural models were used in the decoration of the tomb in the Han era to show the status of the person being buried. Object: Spouted ritual wine vessel (guang), Shang dynasty, early Anyang period (ca. 1300–1050 b. c. ), 13th century b. c. Origin: Possibly Anyang, Henan Province, China Material: Bronze Size: W. 13 in. (33 cm) This artifact, a bronze casted vessel, dates back to the late Shang era (ca. 1300–1050 B. C. ). The shape of the wine vessel is said to be loosely based on a figure of a bird; this is identifiable through the hooked beak feature and glaring eyes effect from the face on view. As we have studied, the Shang people had many beliefs about the spiritual world. This vessel is believed to have been used to pour wine and other beverages in ceremonies involving Shang ruler and their ancestors and supernatural forces. Other feature on the vessel includes coiled serpents emerging from the wings, roaring tiger-dragons prowling along the sides, horned bird that serves as a handle. This existence an artifact of this age gives us insights into the superior technology of casting in ancient China. The complicated multilayered designs are unparalleled by other cultures of the time. It is believed that the technique used for this the bronze casting is through a ceramic mold and the usage of an interior clay core. Motel bronze is then poured into filled the empty space between the intricate design and the core. Once the clay core was emptied out, the result is the astonishing bronzed vessel with complex designed as described. Again, such artifacts can be used to validate the hypotheses and speculations about the technologies and lifestyle during an ancient civilization like the Shang.

The Great Gatsby Research Report Essay -- The Great Gatsby

I. Introduction In 1896 F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. After growing up in Minnesota he moved to start a career and marry Zelda, the girl he loved. He published his first novel, This Side of Paradise, in 1920; the novel was a success and Fitzgerald quickly became one of the most famous young writers of the time. â€Å"F. Scott Fitzgerald eagerly embraced his newly minted celebrity status and embarked on an extravagant lifestyle that earned him a reputation as a playboy and hindered his reputation as a serious literary writer†(F. Scott Fitzgerald Biography 2). The parties thrown by Jay in The Great Gatsby reflect Fitzgerald’s extravagant lifestyle. Excessive amounts of drinking, large crowds, parties lasting long into the night all took place at one point during Fitzgerald’s life. â€Å"F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, were guilty of many things. They were impetuous, they were known to drink too much, and they were prone to bouts of serious depression and self-destructive behavior†(F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Age of Excess).Tom Buchanan and his wife replicate the relationship Fitzgerald had with his wife, and with other women. II. Characters Nick Carraway moved from the Midwest to New York to become a bond salesman. Nick lives next to Gatsby in a small, worn bungalow. Nick is more reserved than the other characters in the novel, and states that he has only been drunk twice in his life. Daisy Buchanan is Nick’s second cousin once removed. She shyly introduces herself when meeting people and has a cheerful attitude. Daisy married Tom Buchanan and they live together in the East Egg. Tom Buchanan is a rough, serious man. He played polo and became wealthy enough to bu... ...he pursuit of the American Dream. By placing the setting of the novel in America’s largest, most opportunistic city, the incidences that take place in The Great Gatsby depict the ideals and failures that our nation experiences. Works Cited Churchwell, Sarah. "The Great Gatsby and the American Dream." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 26 May 2012. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. "Colors in The Great Gatsby." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. "F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Age of Excess." The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. "F. Scott Fitzgerald Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014 "The Jazz Age." The Jazz Age. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. . The Great Gatsby Research Report Essay -- The Great Gatsby I. Introduction In 1896 F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. After growing up in Minnesota he moved to start a career and marry Zelda, the girl he loved. He published his first novel, This Side of Paradise, in 1920; the novel was a success and Fitzgerald quickly became one of the most famous young writers of the time. â€Å"F. Scott Fitzgerald eagerly embraced his newly minted celebrity status and embarked on an extravagant lifestyle that earned him a reputation as a playboy and hindered his reputation as a serious literary writer†(F. Scott Fitzgerald Biography 2). The parties thrown by Jay in The Great Gatsby reflect Fitzgerald’s extravagant lifestyle. Excessive amounts of drinking, large crowds, parties lasting long into the night all took place at one point during Fitzgerald’s life. â€Å"F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, were guilty of many things. They were impetuous, they were known to drink too much, and they were prone to bouts of serious depression and self-destructive behavior†(F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Age of Excess).Tom Buchanan and his wife replicate the relationship Fitzgerald had with his wife, and with other women. II. Characters Nick Carraway moved from the Midwest to New York to become a bond salesman. Nick lives next to Gatsby in a small, worn bungalow. Nick is more reserved than the other characters in the novel, and states that he has only been drunk twice in his life. Daisy Buchanan is Nick’s second cousin once removed. She shyly introduces herself when meeting people and has a cheerful attitude. Daisy married Tom Buchanan and they live together in the East Egg. Tom Buchanan is a rough, serious man. He played polo and became wealthy enough to bu... ...he pursuit of the American Dream. By placing the setting of the novel in America’s largest, most opportunistic city, the incidences that take place in The Great Gatsby depict the ideals and failures that our nation experiences. Works Cited Churchwell, Sarah. "The Great Gatsby and the American Dream." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 26 May 2012. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. "Colors in The Great Gatsby." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. "F. Scott Fitzgerald and the Age of Excess." The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. "F. Scott Fitzgerald Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014 "The Jazz Age." The Jazz Age. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. .

Father John World Youth Day Speech Essay

The Holy Father John Paul II starts off his speech by analogizing the young people of the world. It is the celebration of the 20th world youth day. The theme of the next world youth day is â€Å"we have come to worship him. † it is a theme that allows young people from all over the world to follow in spirit the path taken by the Magi, and meet the Messiah. Just like the Magi the young people are setting out on a journey from every region of the world to go to Cologne. You mist be prepared spiritually, with full faith and hear what God has to say. The only reason that the Magi made it to Bethlehem was because they allowed themselves to robe guided by the star. It is important to pay attention to the signs that God is using to call us and guide us. When we are aware that he is leading us then we experience great happiness and a urge to meet him. He started off as poor to show us his divine glory which we shall achieve in heaven. We are set before the mystery of a God who lowered himself to take on human form to give up his life on the cross. Even though he had great wealth he became poor so that we may become wealthy. Faithfully following the path of our savior from the time of his birth to the time of his death we can better understand the mystery of his love which redeems us. The child born of Mary is the Man-God. That same savior is present in the Eucharist. He offers himself to us as the food of eternal life. As the Magi worshiped him in Mary’s arms we can worship him in the Eucharist. The Magi gave the Messiah gifts which symbolize true worship. We to offer the Lord gold but it is our freedom to follow him out of love, and responding faithfully to his call. We should be worshippers of the only true God, giving him pride of place in your lives. Sadly there are people who look for the solution to their problems in religious practices that are not compatible with the Christian faith. Reject the desire of wealth and the lustful temptations. Listening to God causes us to make brave choices, and sometimes may be seen as something heroic. Those who are called to serve him in priesthood must not be afraid. Even those who are not baptized are ignited to attend world youth day. By meeting in Cologne we are becoming better Christian people. This speech that was by father John Paul II was very good. I feel as if we are just like the Magi in a lot of way. There are so many things that the Magi did back then when Jesus was born that symbolizes stuff that we can do in today’s world. The first is worshiping the Eucharist as the Magi worshiped baby Jesus. Just like they showed their faith in God and followed the signs that he presented to them, we can follow God’s signs by not ignoring his calls to us to take up priesthood. As the Magi went to Bethlehem to worship the Lord when we to can worship the lord by going to church and participating in religious practices. If we choose the right choices in life and follow Christ like the Magi’s did then when can achieve eternal happiness.

Westward Expansion and Indian Removal - 1480 Words

America is often considered one of the most wealthy and powerful countries in the world. The United States is associated with global reverence and respect; however, could a nation so great preserve indigenous societies continuously impeding the country’s potential growth without giving up on aspirations of success and expansion? Would our country exist as the power symbol it is today without certain actions that removed the barriers preventing American expansion and growth? Although the aboriginal people of America had claimed their land before the settlement of white colonists, the Native Americans proved an impediment towards the ultimate growth in America’s economic and commercial power. However harsh the treatment of Native Americans†¦show more content†¦Though the war concluded in a stalemate between opposing sides of Britain and America with the ratification of the Treaty of Ghent, the Native Americans were the true ‘losers’ of the war, as th e end marked the loss of indigenous independence (Phillips 114). After the war, Native American morale had diminished as they no longer posed as prominent a threat towards the goal of American Manifest Destiny. However, not all Native Americans had retreated further into the West-- large tribes still dotted United States territory and continued to threaten American growth and economic prosperity promised with Western expansion (Welch 32). The Indian Removal Act, passed in Congress on May 26, 1830, supported the eager desires of Americans in allowing the access of western lands no longer in the possession of Native Americans (Kessel 371). In Andrew Jackson’s second annual message to Congress, delivered on December 6, 1830, Jackson stated that: The consequences of a speedy removal will be important to the United States, to individual States, and to the Indians themselves†¦ By opening the whole territory between Tennessee on the north and Louisiana on the south to the settlement of the whites it will incalculably strengthen the southwestern frontier and render the adjacent States strong enough to repel future invasions without remote aid. It will relieve the whole State ofShow MoreRelatedManifest Destiny Essay1433 Words   |  6 PagesManifest Destiny Westward expansion was a key component that shaped the United States not only geographically, but economically as well. The first sign of any expansion West from the original states was when Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803. The country was in need of new land in order to accommodate for the expanding population. Once the country started to expand, its power soon followed. The nation had a struggle with expanding because of the Native AmericansRead MoreThe Lewis And Clark Expedition1424 Words   |  6 Pages On May 14, 1804 in the eastern city of Saint Louis, William Clark and Merry-weather Lewis set of on the westward adventure that would change America as we know it today. Their journey began on the Mississippi River, those rapids would propel Lewis and Clark into the Corps of Discovery. Across the vast land that these men would soon travel lived the many native-american tribes. The Native people hunted freely across their western lands, lived th eir life as one with the ground they so carefullyRead MoreManifest Destiny And American Territorial Expansion Essay1323 Words   |  6 PagesManifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny and American Territorial Expansion, written by Amy S. Greenburg, deeply explains the motivation of the individuals looking to expand their settlements westward. 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