Source: CCTV.com

01-13-2009 09:11

Chinese folk arts and crafts have a long history and were essential items for diplomats to take with them on foreign excursions in ancient times. The National Art Museum of China has compiled the very best of these works into a single exhibition - the "Chinese Arts and Crafts Exhibition". It opened Saturday in Beijing.

Covering all of the nine halls on the Museum's first floor are 350 objects chosen from 31 provinces and regions on the Chinese mainland.

Choosing what to include in an exhibition of Chinese arts and crafts is truly a daunting task given the vast number of impressive creations throughout the country's history.

Covering all of the nine halls on the Museum's first floor are 350 objects chosen from 31 provinces and regions on the Chinese mainland. They compose the first ever exhibition on Chinese folk arts and crafts in the museum's 46-year-history.

The exhibits are invariably being chosen for their fine craftsmanship and ingenuity in design.

The centerpiece of the main hall is an emerald cabbage by Jiangsu artist Jiang Chunyuan and Shi Qingmei. The clear and bright texture of the emerald display shows a greenish hue. The carving of the cabbage leaves is different in every fold. And the devil horse resting on the stalk seems ready to jump away as visitors come close.

Another jade ware is this clumsy and lovable rhino, designed by Gao Jinyi, a Jiangsu folk artist. The neat and elegant use of the chisel has brought the rotund beast to life.