Speak of Good Things: Nianhua and Chinese Folk Tradition 吉祥言 中國傳統年畫 January 24, 2012

Nianhua 年畫or “New Year Pictures" are essential decorations for the Chinese New Year Festival, the most joyous occasion in the Chinese calendar. Traditionally, peasants carved these auspicious images into woodblocks and printed festive designs to adorn homes and public places all over China. These images became especially popular in the Ming明朝(1368-1644 CE) and Qing 清朝Dynasties (1644-1911 CE), but they feature timeless symbols of good fortune, such as chubby babies, folk heroes, and symbolic animals. Dragons and images of guardian deities also serve to ward off bad luck and misfortune. These thrilling pieces of folk not only illustrate a broad array of symbols featured in Chinese art, but they also represent a form of cultural expression shared and understood by elite scholars and illiterate masses alike. Then and now, these festive images transcend geographic, linguistic, and socio-economic barriers to unite people in a common language of cultural symbolism and festivity.

Special thanks to Sally Yu Leung who kindly loaned many pieces from her personal collection for this traveling exhibit originally featured at the UC Berkeley Institute of East Asian Studies Gallery. Ms. Leung specializes in Chinese culture and folk art, often producing and curating cultural exhibits. She has also had many active roles at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum and has served on the Commission of the Asian Art Museum. In addition, she has served on the boards of the Society for Asian Art, Chinese American International School and the Chinese Cultural Foundation.

The exhibit will be on display in the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Extension building at 328 J Street through the middle of March 2012.
The San Diego Chinese Historical Museum is located at 404 Third Avenue in downtown San Diego and is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10:30am-4:00pm and Sunday from 12:00-4:00pm. For more information, please visit our website at www.sdchm.org, email us at info@sdchm.org, or give us a call at 619.338.9888.

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