Art & Thought: Celebration: The Birthday of Chinese Art
When I was young, every birthday was celebrated like a grand occasion. My parents would rent out the private dining room in my favorite Chinese restaurant, and they would invite all my relatives - even distant cousins I had never met before - to gather together to celebrate my birthday. In the hour before my parents and I left for the restaurant, I would pose in front of a camera, wearing a lace dress my grandmother brought home all the way from Taiwan. My mother, having always been the nostalgic one in the family, still keeps these photographs in the same decorated and frilly scrapbook she has put together since my birth. Following the traditional birthday dinner, all my relatives would flock to my home where they would place gifts and shopping bags on the table for me to open. After I tore the wrapping paper off of each box and read the card, I would have to go to that relative, peck him or her on the cheek, and express my gratitude. In one birthday, I could receive a whole collection of porcelain dolls, arts and crafts kits, stuffed animals, and gift certificates with beautiful cards and red envelopes to boot. Like many other kids, I always counted down the days to my birthday because it was the one and only day in the whole year where I would be the sole occupant of the spotlight. All eyes would be on me, and every wish - no matter how farfetched - would be granted by my adoring and loving parents. As a child in elementary school, I always assumed that every culture celebrated birthdays the same way, and it never occurred to me that my parents and family members were actually taking part in a centuries’ old tradition by wishing me long life, happiness, wealth, and success. I relearned this cultural lesson just a few days ago when I visited the exhibition, “Celebration: The Birthday in Chinese Art,” at the Metropolitan Museum. Accompanied by my mother, we passed stunning jade cups and saucers, Ming dynasty butterfly ornaments crafted from white jade, and paintings inscribed on polished white porcelain. All the items were breathtakingly beautiful and detailed. For instance, a single jade cup could be decorated with three-dimensional leaves and flowers in shades of bright to dark green. The matching saucer would contain hints of brown, mimicking the roots of a flower as it stretches from the dark earth to a nearly translucent hue of ivy. As my mother jokingly remarked that jade is better served in jewelry, I thought about how the precious stone used in this cup represented the reverence the ancient Chinese people had for birthdays and their significance. A predominant theme in this exhibition was the portrayal of General Guo Ziyi, a famous war hero from the Tang dynasty who was later celebrated as the god of wealth and happiness. At the restaurant where I used to spend my birthday dinners, my parents would always make me take a picture alongside a golden statue of Buddha and then a similar one of General Guo Ziyi. While I was always annoyed with this tradition as a child, I understood the relevance now, seeing as how so many paintings in the exhibition were devoted to depictions of General Guo Ziyi’s eightieth birthday celebration. On a colorful vase, several noblemen encircle the revered general, holding gifts and bowing at his feet. Painted at the top of the vessel is the god of immortality, Shoulao. He, too, celebrates General Guo Ziyi’s birthday, surrounded by the eight Daoist immortals. The well-wishing that must have been exchanged between the guests and the family is so apparent here, as is the overall celebratory feeling of joy, happiness, and contentment. Many symbols of longevity, wealth, and happiness dominate this exhibition, easily traceable from one painting to the next. On a silk tapestry, Dongfang Suo, a member of the emperor’s court, holds in his hands a peach of immortality. The message is twofold. On the one hand, the picture is a celebration of his remarkable work for Emperor Wudi by wishing him a long life. On the other hand, the painting is also aware of itself, knowing that it has immortalized Dongfang Suo forever just by portraying him on silk. From red lacquer boxes to ornamental dishes to scrolls, “Celebration: The Birthday in Chinese Art” is a truly diverse commemoration of life, health, and happiness. Myths and legends abound in this exhibition, as do Chinese characters and paintings of animals, flowers, fruits, rocks, and trees. The most beautiful piece in the exhibition may well be the oldest, a silk fan depicting two white birds on a winter tree. The scene is peaceful and romantic, symbolizing the bond of love that brings elderly couples together who have suffered and experienced many winter hardships together. For more information, please visit the exhibition’s website. Located in the Florence and Herbert Irving Galleries for Chinese Decorative Arts, “Celebration: The Birthday in Chinese Art” will be on display until November 28, 2010. Katherine J. Chen is a sophomore English major at Princeton University with a certificate in Creative Writing. After viewing this exhibition, she is inspired to make her mother’s upcoming birthday as memorable and happy as possible.
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