7junipers.com

The ten most confounding Pinyin pronunciations

English speakers have an uphill slog to make sense of Chinese pronunciation from its transliteration. The Wade-Giles transliteration system used a lot of diacritical marks, with all the annoyances that entails. But the Pinyin system, which now far predominates (and is used in the museum’s materials) has its own challenges. Such as: Q This one [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

The ten most confounding Pinyin pronunciations

Daido Bunka enso

This unusual enso based on the character for heart/mind was made by Daido Bunka in the first half of the eighteenth century. * The Character for ”Heart/Mind” as an Ens?, 18th century, by Daido Bunka (Japan, 1680-1752). Hanging scroll, ink on paper, image 11 3/16 x 21 in. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Gift of Edwin [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

Daido Bunka enso

What do Americans know about Asia?

According to a survey reported in a publication from the Asia Society called Asia in the Schools A quarter of all high school students cannot name the ocean that separates North America from Asia. Fewer than 2o percent of adults can identify India as the world’s largest democracy. Two-thirds of all respondents did not know [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

What do Americans know about Asia?

Friday roundup

“Take advantage of what exists.” — Laozi The politics of heritage : From the Deccan Herald “‘A completely new insight into culture and art” : New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts “Padma Bhushans have strings attached” : Says Suhas Roy, declining government honors Giant solar-powered crane : a 35,000-pound 45-foot-tall living art installation of aluminum tubes and [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

Friday roundup

Friday roundup

I’m back (I think). That was a longer absence than I expected. Well, I’m back for now with a new Friday roundup. * “Take advantage of what exists.” — Laozi Rare Buddha statue unveiled at Ho Chi Minh City Museum : An interesting eighth-century Buddha image 50 Years of Iranian animation : An exhibition at [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

Friday roundup

Friday roundup

“Take advantage of what exists.” — Laozi Maya Lin’s big dig : Museum of Chinese in America to be NY Chinatown’s culture hub History of the Khukuri : A national symbol of Nepal Jain manuscripts at the Met : An ancient tradition Kishi Ganku’s Bamboo Forest : A Superlative Japanese screen Manga Kamishibai : The [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

Friday roundup

Photo Wednesday: Red house in Singapore

Singapore has a tradition of vibrant colored buildings with shutters. This great geometric composition comes from swisscan’s photostream. ROOTS AND BRANCHESPhoto Wednesday: Indian bride This photo of a bride bedecked and bejeweled for her wedding is from riceFR's photostream. .Photo Wednesday: Bali cremation ceremony This dramatic photo from a Balinese cremation ceremony comes from BALIwww.com's [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

Photo Wednesday: Red house in Singapore

The Longest Way

This fellow walked across China and made a spectacular time-lapse video about it. ROOTS AND BRANCHESChinese botanical motifs: orchid These leaves from Shitao's album depict orchids, with an accompanying verse on the opposite page...Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture. Follow me on twitter.The Longest Way

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

The Longest Way

Photo Wednesday: Omikuji

This image of two women viewing omikuji, or rolled-up fortunes, comes from kalandrakas’ photostream. Kalandrakas writes: Omikuji are random fortunes written on strips of paper at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. The omikuji predicts the person’s chances of his or her hopes coming true, of finding a good match, or generally matters of [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

Photo Wednesday: Omikuji

Friday roundup

“Take advantage of what exists.” — Laozi Asia in Paris : “a continued desire for an exotic and ‘orientalized’ Asia” Chinese shadow puppets at Princeton : Part of a 2,000-piece collection acquired in the 1920s but only catalogued over the past three years A mandala glossary : An updated version at HimalayanArt.com Value and contemporary [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

Friday roundup

The spirit of stones

Stones in Japan are used for bridges, water containers, lanterns, and many other purposes. They are especially used as steps on paths. In an echo of Japan’s animistic native beliefs, stones are chosen for the spirit they emanate. They form a link between people and the earth. Stones that are scored or pitted or covered [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

The spirit of stones

Friday roundup

“Take advantage of what exists.” — Laozi Chinese traditional art loses youth : “The spirit of the art form isn’t in accordance with today’s society.” Mongolian treasures uncovered : From the sands of the Gobi desert Diamond Ganesha steals the show : Made from 80,000 American diamonds and 800 colored stones A little wabi sabi [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

Friday roundup

Photo Wednesday: Hongkong lights

This photo of Hongkong at twilight comes from Stuck in Customs’ photostream ROOTS AND BRANCHESPhoto Wednesday: Indian bride This photo of a bride bedecked and bejeweled for her wedding is from riceFR's photostream. .Photo Wednesday: Bali cremation ceremony This dramatic photo from a Balinese cremation ceremony comes from BALIwww.com's photostream.Photo Wednesday: Balinese flower bowlflower bowl[/caption] [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

Photo Wednesday: Hongkong lights

Friday roundup

“Take advantage of what exists.” — Laozi Chinese red lacquerward on view at Met : An impressive selection Pakistani contemporary art : Its value is increasing Jain: Images of Perfection : At the Rubin this fall Takashi Murakami : A Retrospective in Format Magazine Korean pop star Rain to appear in Enter the Dragon Remake [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

Friday roundup

Indra’s lute

Indra, a major Hindu deity, also figures in the Thai Buddhist belief system, where he seen as powerful but limited and subservient to the Buddha (and sometimes as one of the four guardian kings of the cardinal directions). He is recognizable by his green skin. The image shown is a detail from a large painting [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

Indra’s lute

Photo Wednesday: Wat Rajabophit

This image of patterns and reflections at Wat Rajabophit, Bangkok, Thailand, comes from Taiger808′s photostream. The temple was constructed in 1869 under the command of King Rama V. ROOTS AND BRANCHESPhoto Wednesday: Indian bride This photo of a bride bedecked and bejeweled for her wedding is from riceFR's photostream. .Photo Wednesday: Bali cremation ceremony This [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

Photo Wednesday: Wat Rajabophit

Friday roundup

“Take advantage of what exists.” — Laozi An interview with Zhao Renhui : Wildlife photographer Is the Chinese art market ready to recover : Mixed signals The eight fears : Of Himalayan art Stealing Ganesha : That can’t be auspicious Beyond Golden Clouds : Exceptional Japanese screens 3rd Gwangju Design Biennale : design in clothing, [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

Friday roundup

Photo Wednesday: Indonesian election officials

This photo of Indonesian officials at an election polling stations is by Andry Prasetyo of Reuters; it appeared in the New York Times. The officials are dressed as puppet theater characters. . ROOTS AND BRANCHESPhoto Wednesday: Indian bride This photo of a bride bedecked and bejeweled for her wedding is from riceFR's photostream. .Photo Wednesday: [...]

Post from 7 Junipers, Tom Christensen's guide to Asian art and culture.
Follow me on twitter.

Photo Wednesday: Indonesian election officials