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AnonymousIn July, earlier this year, I visited an exhibition of Japanese comic book and manga art at the Cité Internationale de la Bande Dessinée et de l’Image, a museum complex in Angoulême, France, devoted to the comic book genre. The exhibition, “mangapolis, contemporary Japanese city life as portrayed in manga”, featured several popular Japanese artists of the past two decades, and focused on how they incorporated their impressions of the complexities of the modern city into their artwork. A huge mega-city like Tokyo provides not only an inexhaustible background for both science-fiction and realistic contemporary dramas, but also adds to the mood and atmosphere of the story, as did the New York inspired Gotham City for a generation of American comic books. In addition to the exhibits on display, the museum had also scheduled a whole series of workshops and lectures on a variety of different branches of Japanese cultural products, from culinary specialties to origami and art techniques, many of which were suitable for families with children. The comic book genre serves as an effective medium to introduce new audiences to other cultures.
AnonymousThe United States, France and Japan are heavy-weights in the comic book industry, which is quite substantial, catering to many millions of dedicated readers. The graphic artists of each country are finding important audiences internationally. I’ve observed the rise in popularity of the manga genre in both Europe and the U.S. over the years, especially popular with teenagers, and also succeeding the many successes of Japanese animated movies (Akira) and TV shows, some of which date back to the 60’s (Speed Racer, Marine Boy). The current youth generation will presumably be well versed in many aspects of East Asian life-styles and cultures via these media. It is quite intriguing to notice so many young people adapt comfortably to reading a book from right to left. For many, this has contributed to an increased interest in the languages and social realities of those countries. It has also created a mutual respect and affinity for each other’s perspectives. Cultures that can recognize commonalities in their daily experience, share similar values, are more likely to forge peaceful and productive relations. I believe that the continued international growth of popular art forms can play a significant role in promoting tolerance and respect between different ethnic or national groups.
AnonymousAntonio Guzman Jr.
October 16, 2012 class
A couple of weeks ago I visited the Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles. The first exhibit that I saw was the exhibit called journeys. In this exhibit the Chinese immigration to the United States is narrated with an emphasis on the families that came from China and what they left behind; first came the men and later the complete family. The exhibit also focuses on the the settlement of the people to a new community and settlement in California, specifically in Los Angeles. The display is broken up in to four different and specific time periods. An important immigration law and event defined each specific period, along with a brief description and a short personal story about a local Chinese American immigrant and their personal experiences in that particular time period. I learn more when I can relate to the history that I am learning, I always like to make a personal connection to the history or work that I am learning about. I learned the most in the Sun Wing Wo General Store and Herb Shop. This exhibition is a recreation of an actual store that was housed in the Garnier Building across the street in the 1890’s. The Sun Wing Wo store opened to the community in 1891 and remained in this building until 1948 when the building was beyond repairs that the owner wanted to make. The store was a multi-purpose space that showed how self-sufficient the Chinese were and had to be because of racism and discrimination that was present in society, while also being responsive to the needs of their community. Even though the store predominantly served the Chinese, other ethnicities also came to purchase Chinese merchandise. This store was extremely important in continuing the cultural fabric of the chinese people. This was the place where people came to get what they would have gotten at home, they lived in a different place that had the same things as they once had at home.
AnonymousIan Prinn
LACMA, 11/20 (make-up for Session #1)
I was very excited to go to the museum to see some Chinese and Korean art, but was a little disappointed by the limited amount of art work that LACMA had to offer: just a few rooms and that was it. Nonetheless, there was enough in these rooms to make my trip worthwhile.
I started in the Korean wing. In the Korean wing, you will find a number of beautiful landscape paintings on panels from the 11th century. As mentioned in one of our previous lectures, these panels put a stronger emphasis on nature than human life. They do that by painting the people very small, and by having these people surrounded by mountains, rivers, etc. There were also a number of panels that came from the 19th century, again with a strong emphasis on nature, one with flowers and birds, and one with gardens.
Some of the other pieces I enjoyed from the Korean wing included mortuary tablets which tell the tale of a scholar official family during the Joseon Period. Additionally, there were some Buddha and Bodhisattva statues that were quite exquisite. The Amita Buddha statue (1735) was particularly captivating. Lastly, there was a painting called “Bodhisattva and the 10 Kings of Hell” (c. 1841) that I also enjoyed.
After finishing up in the Korean wing, I made my way to the Chinese side of the floor. The first pieces I encountered were these beautiful banners with dragons from the Qing Dynasty (c. 1650). Next came some pieces from the Yuan Dynasty, which included porcelain vases and plates embroidered with dragons. A dragon embroidery and a few bowls were the only representations of the Ming Dynasty. The Tang dynasty, by contrast, was a little better represented. From the Tang, the museum had beautiful carvings of two Bodhisattvas (limestone and clay) and one of the Buddha (marble). All three statues were created c. 750. There were some really cool funeral sculptures from the Han dynasty, and a lovely bronze cauldron from pre-dynasty China (c. 500 B.C.E.). The piece in the China wing that “took the cake” would definitely have to be the powerful sculpture of a horse (near life-size) which resides in the middle of the second China (Tang period (700-800 C.E.). All told, it was a fun afternoon at the museum.
AnonymousI work with a lot of South East Asian Students and taking this class has helped me make connections I couldn't otherwise have connected on my own because I had no background of the history. I work with a lot of Korean students I decided to go immerse myself in the Korean culture at the Korean Cultural Center. As Clay and other professors have consistently shared with us throughout the whole course about the fact a lot of South East Asian cultures are based on a lot of Chinese foundations I went on a hunt to try and make those connections. I came across some gorgeous paintings and one in particular stood out to me. I saw one painting of the Chinese zodiac animals as cartoon images. I was shocked to find out that in the Korean culture they also used the animal zodiac as well. Another connection I was also able to make was gije. Gije is the celebration of the anniversary of the death of a relative, [font=sans-serif]There is an alter with food just like the Chinese people do to honor a relatives death anniversary. In Chinese it is called jichen. Even as children, young Koreans were taught to master basic Chinese characters in order to become a great Confucian scholar. Korea has a lot more Chinese influence in their culture then I originally thought. The museum helped me make these connections along with the class teachings.[/font]
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[font=sans-serif]Attached you will find some pictures that I thought I would share 
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edited by dchhuo on 12/11/2012
AnonymousI was lucky enough to take my APWH class to the Japanese Pavilion section of LACMA this year. The goal of this tour is for students to learn about the historical significance of Japanese art, a tradition dating back to 4500 B.C. Students were taken on a one-hour gallery tour which included silk paintings, samurai armor, ceramics, sculptures, etc. One room that was particularly interesting was the Netsuke room. Netsuke are tiny sculptures that hang from kimono sashes. I had never heard of these before and each one is distinct; the craftsmanship is so detailed and impressive. The tour guide had students find one in the room that was most interesting to them. She then chose a few volunteers to explain their choice. http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/mwebcgi/Searchall.exe?keyword=netsuke&xsubmit=Submit
The one-hour gallery tour was accompanied by a one-hour workshop in which students practiced traditional ink painting techniques (Sumi-e). The students and I really enjoyed the tour and I would do it again with a new group. The tour is called Splendors of Japan. The link for the resource guide: http://www.lacma.org/sites/default/files/SplendorsofJapan.pdf
AnonymousName: Cristina Hernandez
Date/Session I am making up: Tuesday November 27, 2012
Subject: Chinese Circus
Since the beginning of this class, I have been motivated to get a better awareness of the East Asian Culture and as part of accomplishing that goal; I look for events related to the different communities comprising the East Asian countries. Recently, I went to watch the Circus of the People of the Republic of China at the City of Downey’s Theatre. It was an amazing performance and it was interesting that both of my children were comparing the show of the Chinese Circus with a performance of the Cirque Du Soleil they attended previously with their Grand moms. The Chinese Circus was a festival of movement, flexibility, music, dance, acrobats and color. Every single act was accompanied by music and the costumes were very colorful and of an intricate design. Furthermore, each performance was telling a story of its own to the audience. For a westerner like myself, it was an eye opening experience because to me Circus equals to trained animals, clowns, and some sort of magicians. However, the Chinese circus was a highly sophisticated show and the performers were incredible. I also learned that this art has been around for hundreds of years. I was really impressed by the abilities of the performers for bending their bodies into very intricate positions, some of them should be impossible to achieve but I guess the only word to describe them is just incredible. Needless to say, I felt in love with this Chinese artistic performance and I am looking forward to see it again and to keep my quest for more knowledge of this culture. Cheers!
edited by chernandez on 12/28/2012
AnonymousI recently attended a presentation by the organization “Liberty In North Korea” (LINK). This organization's goal is to raise awareness about the repressive dictatorship in North Korea. LINK seems to be an organization of young Korean-Americans with local chapters in high schools and colleges. I have a lot of Korean-Americans in my AP World History classes; a number of them are active in LINK, but all of them know about it.
At the presentation the spokesperson described the existence of prison camps in North Korea and the need to raise awareness about conditions in the camps. They are especially offended by the attention being paid to the new dictator.
Then they showed part of a documentary about these prison camps and about one inmate who escaped. He had been born in the camp of parents who were serving a life sentence, and he lived there until he was 33 when he escaped. (He was also the subject of a segment on “60 Minutes” shortly after the presentation. LINK is sponsoring a speaking tour by this man to raise awareness about the repressive policies of the North Korean government, especially the prison camps.
The presentation closed with an appeal to stay involved and help spread the word. I intend to raise this issue periodically in my world history classes as relevant news items arise.
AnonymousMake-up class (Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, CA), 12/29/12
Pacific Asia Museum has been around since 1971, and is currently one of four museums in the United States dedicated to Asian and/or Pacific Art. The museum resides in an old two story building, which has a U shape. Visitors start at one end of the U and walk their way through the museum, until they end up on the other end of the U. The museum is on the first floor. The second floor contains offices, as well as a research library, and small auditorium. In addition to having an extensive permanent collection, the museum also regularly hosts traveling exhibitions. Currently, the museum is exhibiting ceramic Indonesian art, and contemporary Japanese kimonos.
Within the museum’s U shape, visitors will find about 8 different rooms, each one dedicated to a different theme. Some of those themes include: Art of Pacific Asia, Himalayan Art, The Silk Road, Ceramic Art, Korean Art, Japanese Art, and Chinese Art. For this post, I am going to write about some of the pieces that caught my attention as I walked through the museum.
The first piece I noticed was an almost hideous looking man/creature sculpted in wood and painted red. From reading the caption next to the sculpture, I learned that the figure is called a “Nio.” Nio appear at the gates of Japanese Buddhist temples in pairs. They look menacing because they are there to protect the people inside the temple. This particular piece was sculpted during the Meiji period (1868-1912).
The next piece to catch my attention was a breathtakingly beautiful bust of a Bodhisattva. Reading about this object, I learned that it came from China, and was created during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), and is made out of wood. The caption also gives the definition of a bodhisattva (Buddhas who elect to get reborn on the mortal plain to help others instead of going off into the ether with the other enlightened Buddhas).
Another statue that I noticed was also one of a Bodhisattva. This particular statue was made of jade. It is opaque-white, stands about a foot in height, and depicts a Bodhisattva in a seated/kneeling posture. This particular piece comes from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and was made in the early 20th century.
These three statues can be found in the first room of the museum (Art of Pacific Asia), which also features a beautiful samurai sword and its scabbard (from the Edo Period 1602-1868).
The next gallery, the Himalayan Gallery, features a number of statues of the Buddha, both big and small, mostly from Tibet and India. The most captivating of these statues resides in the center of the room, and is called the Buddha Amoghasiddhi. It comes from Tibet and was cast in bronze in the 13th-14th century. Amoghasiddhi is one of the five Jinas, the five principal Buddhas of esoteric Buddhism. His right hand is in the gesture of fearlessness (as if signaling stop), and his left hand is in the gesture of meditation (resting in his lap).
The next gallery is called “The Garden in Asia.” The first piece in this gallery that I noticed was a beautiful painting of a flowering branch (ink on paper) from the Ming Dyasty (1368-1644). The caption next to the painting details the importance of gardens to scholar officials. Gardens offered an escape from the everyday hustle and bustle of political life. The flowering branch in this particular piece is that of a plum tree. The plum tree is a popular subject in Chinese art because it has the capacity to flower in the late winter while there is still snow on the ground. As such, it offers the first sign of spring. The painting was created by Jiang Tingzhen, who is believed to have been a scholar official. According to the caption, it was not uncommon for scholar officials to also be talented painters.
The next piece of note in the garden gallery is called the “Pipe Dreamer.” It was made with color ink on paper and depicts a courtesan in a garden smoking her pipe. The interpretation of the piece is that she is waiting for a lover who eludes her. According to the caption, this is a common subject and theme in Japanese art. This piece comes from the Edo Period, c. 1760.
There is an ivory piece with garden carvings that is pretty cool, but I am going to skip that to talk about one more garden piece: the “Summer Robe.” This piece is literally a silk bath robe with beautiful embroidery depicting two women and two boys in a garden. Off to the sides are other boys frolicking in gardens. It is believed that this motif of boys suggests a desire by its wearer for male offspring. It is a Chinese turn of the century piece.
The next gallery we ventured into and through is called: “The Art of Continuity: Revering our Elders.” There were a number of really cool pieces in this gallery. The first piece of note was a 19th century Chinese altar cloth made of silk. Ancestor worship is important to Chinese culture, and cloths such as this one were laid upon a table which served as an alter for the deceased loved one. This particular cloth is embroidered with dragons, which is appropriate, since dragons are associated with the sky and the heavens.
The next three pieces of note were all portraits of the deceased made on silk. Ancestral portraits were commissioned mostly so that they could be used during funeral proceedings. Such is the case with these three pieces. The first piece is a 19th century portrait of a man with his mother and his wife on either side of him. The second piece is that of a Manchu nobleman from the early 18th century. The third portrait depicts a Buddhist master. The common thread through these pieces is that all subjects are formally dressed in robes, and all bear dignified facial expressions, which reflects their rank and importance in Chinese society.
The next room has a series of shelves with different crafts and porcelain pieces from all of China’s dynasties. In the opposite room is a Silk Road exhibit which gives the visitor an interactive experience of what it was like to be on the Silk Road. For example, there is an actual Caravan Tent with traditional bedding that you can lay down on, as the traders did in the past. I had my twin toddlers with me during my walk through the galleries, and this was the only room that they liked 😕
From there we moved on to the Chinese gallery, the Korean gallery, and then finished off our tour in the Japanese gallery, which currently features an exhibition on contemporary kimonos. They have several beautiful kimonos on display, each one with its own fun and unique design.
I had a lot of fun at the Asia Pacific Museum, and was very impressed with the variety of art work in the collection, and the creative way it was all presented. If you have an afternoon to spare, I highly recommend the Asia Pacific Museum. Much of the art at the museum ties in nicely with all that we have learned about the Far East in our class.
AnonymousMy post is a make-up for Session #2.
AnonymousI had a chance to go to the Korean Cultural Center at the start of this new year. Unfortunately, the 2nd floor which usually houses an art gallery was empty. The 1st floor was available and housed a timeline from the Paleolithic to the modern era. The artifacts on display were mainly from the the Joseon (Choson) period, 1392-1910. When one first enters there is a brief description that states “…to understand traditional Korean culture, one must focus on the unique simplicity and the loveliness of everyday life of the Confucian scholars and noble women.” Indeed, you see the heavy Confucian influence seen in everything – from the sewing tools in the Anbang (woman’s quarters) to the writing utensils in the Sarangbang (man’s quarters). Despite being restricted from education and social activities, women were still able to express themselves in not just the fabric choices, but also the design of the sewing tools. There was a beautiful display of sewing tools – pincushions, spools, etc.
One room was dedicated to understanding the Korean alphabet – Han’gul (Hangeul). Impressive, this is the only writing system with an identified creator, identified purpose, and date of creation. The room contained beautiful ceramic pieces with the writing. In the main room, there is an information video on the science of the language by the great Jared Diamond, a UCLA professor (yay UCLA!) who wrote the wonderful Guns, Germs, and Steel.
My only criticisms (other than the the empty art gallery on the 2nd floor) are that I would have liked to see a display of artifacts from earlier period and the “voice” of the commoner.
Next door is the Korea Culture & Content Agency which offers information on visiting Korea. The large room was filled with images of K-Pop – there was even a karaoke booth! I was happy I chose to stop by when I was finished perusing the Cultural Center.
AnonymousI visited Korean Bell in the City of San Pedro California. This massive and bell and pavilion was donated in 1976 to the people of Los Angeles by the people of the Republic of Korea to celebrate the bicentennial of the U.S. independence, honor veterans of the Korean War, and to consolidate traditional friendship between the two countries. The bell was cast in Korea and shipped to the United States. Weighing 17 tons, the bell is made of copper and tin, with gold, nickel, lead and phosphorous added for tone quality. When it was built, it cost the Korean people $500,000. Four pairs of figures, each pair consisting of the Goddess of Liberty holding a torch, and a Korean spirit , are engraved in relief on the body of the bell. Each of the Korean spirits holds up a different symbol: a symbolic design of the Korean flag; a branch of the rose of Sharon, Korea's national flower; a branch of laurel, symbol of victory; and a dove of peace. The bell has no clapper but is struck from the outside with a wooden log.
The bell is set in a pagoda-like structure which was constructed on the site by thirty craftsmen flown in from Korea. The pavilion is supported by twelve columns representing the twelve designs of the Oriental zodiac. Animals stand guard at the base of each column.
Resting peacefully on the knoll overlooking the sea gate from which U.S. troops sailed into the Pacific, the bell site affords an unsurpassed view of the Los Angeles harbor, the Catalina Channel and the sea terraces of San Pedro hill. The bell is rung only four times each year: the Fourth of July, August 15 (Korean Independence Day) and New Year's Eve, and every September to coincide with bell ringings around the country to celebrate Constitution week.
AnonymousI visited LACMA and I toured the Chinese and Korean art collection located in the Hammer Building. The Chinese art collections were exquisite. I noticed a lot of art creations with dragons and "dragons chasing flaming pearls." I learned that the Chinese civilization can be traced back as early as the sixth millennium B.C. when people started to decorate pottery jars with geometric patterns and simple images of animals. I was particularly interested in several pieces: 1) the Badge of the Imperial Prince with Dragon from the Qing dynasty, 19th - early 20th century, 2) carved limestone exhibits from the middle Tang dynasty, c. 700 - 800, 3) the Quest for Eternity: Funerary Art, Han Southern and Northern dynasties, 206 BC - 589 AD, and 4) Early Civilization and Ancestral Worship, Neolithic Period to Zhou dynasty, 5000 - 221 BC. I paid close attention to these pieces since they referenced some of the periods and dynasties that were discussed during our seminar. Also, I enjoyed viewing the silk paintings. There was a painting of the Zhi Garden in the lower Yangzi River and a portrait of a scholar official that caught my eye. I found these pieces to be exceptionally beautiful because of their colors and design. My visit to the museum was well worth it. Learning about China and Korea in the seminar made my visit more enjoyable because I felt connected having gained more background knowledge of these cultures and time periods. I would definitely recommend a visit to LACMA to view these collections as well as the Art of the Ancient World collection. As an extra bonus, if you have a Bank of America credit or debit card, your entrance to the museum is free the first weekend of every month.
AnonymousMake- up for second half of sessions 3/4 at USC.
On January 4, 2012 I visited the Chinese American Museum located at 425 North Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles California 90012. I learned that many Chinese came to the United States during the California gold rush in 1848-1855 and later they found work in the railroad.The museum is a building that at one time was a place called the Garnier Building a home to many community organizations and Chinese businesses.The recent exhibit was about Chinese immigrants from China and their ability to form their unigue cultural community in Los Angeles, California; They still held onto their traditions and beliefs, they brought with them from China. When they left China they had to make decisions as to what to take and why? The museum displayed a timeline about the challenges they faced after arriving. The title of the timeline is called "Our Journey, Starting A Community". The Chinese people faced many challenges leaving China to come to the United States and form their own community in Los Angeles, while keeping their identity as Chinese people from China. Although, they left their country of citizenship, and perhaps may become a citizen of the USA, they brought with them their very own uniqeness. Weather they left for a better life, religious reasons, political reasons, family reasons, a better education, or for a reason not mentioned aboved , they still came to Los Angeles with their own culture, that includes clothes, religion, food, child rearing strategies, and much more.
AnonymousMake up for 11/27 session
Hsi Lai Temple, Hacienda Heights
I took my family over to the Hsi Lai Buddhist Temple by our house and was overwhelmed with the beauty and magnitude of the place. I had visited the temple way back when I was working on my bachelor's at USC so it was almost like visiting it for the first time. Some of the must visit sections of the temple grounds are the museum, the main shrine, the two fountain areas with a waterfall, and the Bodhisattva Hall. The Bodhisattva Hall is dedicated to those enlightened beings who want to free all men from suffering. It is has five representations of those who did or will strive to help all men. The Arhat Garden is dedicated to the Eighteen Arhats, who have achieved nirvana. A cool thing about the Arhat Garden is a bell that you must ring with a coin (if you can). There is a sign there that says you need to hit the bell 3 times for a wish to be answered, which would probably cost you a bit! The Avalokitesvara Garden is dedicated to Guanyin Bodhisattva, who embodies the compassion of all the Buddhas. She is surrounded by her guardians. The museum has several representations of bodhisattvas and buddhas as well as the Arhats created from different media. Lastly, the Main Shrine contains three Buddhas: Siddhartha Buddha, the founder of Buddhism; Amitabha Buddha, the teacher of the Western land; and Medicine Buddha, who is the teacher of the East. Great place to visit and no cost to enter (just a recommended donation to enter the museum of $1). There are also people making spring rolls and pastries there and there is a vegetarian buffet for $7 a person.