Chinese Folk Arts

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As Confucius once put it, the ideal life for a gentleman is to”set his will on the path of duty, gra sp every attainment in what is good, accord with perfect virtue, and find relaxation and enjoyment i n the polite arts. To find relaxation and enjoyment in the polite arts”refers to studying, practicingand appreciating various forms of arts until all practical techniques are mastered. But the scholars i n later days drifted away from Confucius advocacy for art cultivation. In contrast, the folk artists fol lowed the doctrine better

This essay “Folk Arts focuses on the four classic forms of folk arts-Chinese folk toys, kites, pup pets and shadow figures. They emerged and evolved as an outcome of folk custom, festivals, entert ainment and fitness in Chinese traditions. Today they are still playing an important part in the leisur e life of Chinese people, especially for children and the aged, acting as a vivid reminder of traditiona I life

Chinese folk toys are characterized by their simple and natural raw materials, rich ethnic arts tr aditions, and unique local styles. All the fabrication, styles and subjects are the demonstration of the life style and aesthetic taste of Chinese agricultural civilization, bearing the simple hope of the folks for happy life. Kites are the most typical folk toys in China.

Combining functions like appreciation, e ntertainment, athletics and fitness, and closely associated with folk custom, seasonal phenomena, s cience and technology and history, they fully reflect the rich content of the folk toys Puppet show and shadow play are popular traditional entertainments among chinese folks. the puppets and shadow figures for the show are both the stage property and the folk arts and crafts of local features. Puppets are three-dimensional, and distinct and humorous in personality. Shadow fgures are primary flatly shaped, engraved and painted colorful by exquisite craftsmanship, like folk paper cutting, paper binding, drawing, carving, embroidery, and opera modeling Folk toys