The Presence of Art in China

Throughout our time in Beijing, we have noticed an emphasis on art within the communities and culture. From the first moments of our arrival we saw the first signs of this. The Beijing International Airport had a fascinating curved roof made to make a statement. It curved over an immense area and looked like it was created from sheets of brass; an artistic addition to what would typically be a boring arrivals terminal. As we continued our journey to the hotel at the heart of the city, we passed a building known as the CCTV building or the "Pants Building". This building was constructed by two towers leaning together and connecting at the top to create an image resembling a pair of pants. This is the only building in the world to be built in this way. Once we arrived at our hotel we were greeted with the sound of the violin and piano playing a duet in the lobby; it came from live musicians.  

The next morning we began our adventures exploring culturally and historically significant areas of the city including the emperors’ palace, also known as the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and a pottery factory we visited after we hiked the Great Wall, which is artistic in itself. What was common between both the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven was the abundance of detail and immense quantity of the art presented. Entire rooms were often covered floor to ceiling with painted patterns and symbols. Additionally, the attention to stonework and the construction of certain buildings, for example the main building in the Temple of Heaven, displayed an equally vast array of detail and quantity. Finally, we visited a pottery factory that created a variety of artistic works such as vases, animal figurines, and jewelry. This factory, producing the tradition art, was funded by the government to ensure its’ survival. All of these experiences, from the past and into our present helped to show us how art is important to the Chinese culture. 

This is the "Pants building."
(We couldn't get our own good picture, so this one is taken off of the internet.)

This is an example of some of the fascinating stonework found within the Forbidden City. 

Artwork found within the Temple of Heaven.

Stonework at the Great Wall of China.

An example of a vase that is not quite finished. 

Submitted by: Tessy Smith and Minke Bosma