Culture

Art

Calligraphy, literally 'beautiful writing', is one of the traditional four arts dating back to the earliest days of Chinese history. For the Chinese, calligraphy, the ancient art of the written word, is not just a method of communication but also a means of expressing the dynamic forces of the natural world.

Music: The body of vocal and instrumental music composed and played by the Chinese people has a history of more than 8,000 years. It has a very early development of theoretical, systematic, acoustical, and material science, and orchestral practice. Chinese music is as old as Chinese civilization.

Chinese opera is a traditional form of stage entertainment, weaving together elements of mime, dance, song, dialogue, swordplay, and acrobatics into one fluid continuous flow. Gestures, movements and expressions incorporated within each performer's script come together to bring forth an impressive performance. In contrast to Western stage entertainment, which is subdivided into different categories such as opera, drama and sketches, Chinese opera has remained faithful to its original format over the centuries.

Chinese Painting is an art which is done using a brush on paper or silk, often with black ink alone. It is a monochromatic work of art derived, perhaps, from calligraphy. A Chinese painting is a distinctive object based on centuries-old traditions common to many things in China.