Make Up Assignments (Please Post Here)

[Anonymous]

I recently visited the Asian collection at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The Chinese exhibit included many works only recently brought out of storage for public viewing. They ranged over several millennia and included statuary, kitchenware, painting, and personal ornament. As usual I was most impressed with the Buddhist works. There are a number of entrancing statues of the Buddha in various iterations. There are also a number of sculptures from the Han Dynasty, including a splendid horse head.
There are also paintings from various dynasties. I especially liked “Dream Journey among Rivers and Mountains, Number 150” from the Qing Dynasty, but there were a number of beautiful examples of Chinese painting.
Next to the Chinese exhibits were some rooms devoted to Korean art. These pieces were very different from the Chinese works. There was a special quality of precision and beauty to the Korean works that reinforced what we learned in the seminar about the distinction between Korea and the other East Asian cultures.
Next time I will return to see the Japanese art section.

[Anonymous]

Missed class: October 13, 2012, Second half


"Revering our Elders" at the Asian Pacific Museum seems like a perfect field trip for our students to attend in learning about Asia during the time period we are studying in this class. Revering our Elders examines the impact of the veneration of ancestors and lineages on the arts of Asia. In cultures informed by Confucian values, worship of family ancestors has generated countless objects for use in prescribed rituals. In other areas of Asia and the Pacific Islands, elders of prior generations are revered for their accumulated wisdom and ability to guide us through life’s transitions. The exhibition includes painting and sculpture from East Asia and the Pacific Islands, including China, Korea and Papua New Guinea. In addition to enjoying a variety of traditions through this exhibition, students can share their own memories of their ancestors, highlighting the richness of Southern California’s cultural diversity.
edited by mwatt on 1/17/2013

[Anonymous]

Missed class: January 8, 2013
This exhibition features a gift in 2008 from the June Tsukamoto-Lyon collection, which provided breadth and further quality to Pacific Asia Museum’s already substantial collection. Kimono in the exhibition run from the most formal type reserved for very special occasions to children’s clothing, undergarments and light summer wear. Fabric patterns in the kimono range from deep black with reserve details in white, to Op-art that dazzles the eyes, with each garment giving a strong sense of the wearer’s taste, the modes of contemporary fashion, or requirements of the season in which the kimono was worn.

From this exhibition I learned a great deal about how Kimonos are created and their cultural references. For example, the patterns that adorn kimono are very significant, for it is through choice of color and, most importantly, decorative motifs that the wearer's gender, age, status, wealth, and taste are articulated.

The images used on kimono often have complex levels of meaning, and many have specific auspicious significance which derives from religious or popular beliefs. The crane for example, is one of the most popular birds depicted on kimono. Believed to live for a thousand years and to inhabit the land of the immortals it is a symbol of longevity and good fortune.

The use of specific motifs can allude to the virtues or attributes of the wearer (or those they might aspire to), reflect particular emotions, or relate to the season or occasion. Such symbolism was used especially on kimono worn for celebratory events such as weddings and festivals, when it served to bestow good fortune on the wearer, wrapping them in divine benevolence and protection. This use of auspicious motifs in dress reveals the Japanese belief in the literal, as well as the figurative, power of images.

When studying Japanese literature, it would be fitting for my class to attend this exhibit. Here they would learn about Asian society through the Kimono, and they would understand how Asian women presented themselves to society.

This was a beautiful exhibit that I highly recommend.
edited by mwatt on 1/17/2013

[Anonymous]

Makeup Assignment for 10/9

Huntington Library: Chinese and Japanese Gardens

I went to the Huntington Library over Christmas Break to visit the Chinese and Japanese Gardens and I was impressed with the beauty and how much space was dedicated to these areas. Although I had heard more about the Japanese Garden, I enjoyed the Chinese Garden much more. The Chinese Garden is called Liu Fang Yuan, which translates to “The Garden of Flowering Fragrance”. My favorite spot in my visit was the Pavilion of the Three Friends. I spent about 20 minutes sitting there, just enjoying the relative serenity. The manmade lake was impressive along with the large stone statues on its banks. There are intricate carvings and reliefs throughout the gardens and are fun to spot, especially for my four-year old daughter. There is also a Tea House there where you can enjoy both Chinese food and beverages in a peaceful setting or even a soda if you want something colder. The Japanese Garden features a representation of a traditional Japanese house that would be great for my students to see how the Japanese used to live. Some of the features of the Garden are the Moon Bridge, a waterfall, and koi ponds. The Zen Garden was a highlight as I was mesmerized with the perfectly raked rocks and the beautiful bonsai trees. There is also a Tea House but it is only used for special events. One aspect that was disappointing was the Bamboo Forest. Many individuals have cut into the bamboo and put their names, among other things. There are signs to not cut into the bamboo but, as with many places, selfish individuals have somewhat tarnished a beautiful location.

Overall, I would want my students to focus on the art and architecture of the two gardens. I would want them to describe the feelings that they have when sitting in the Pavilion of the Three Friends, looking out to the lake or as they walk through the Zen Garden. I want my students to understand not only the history of Asia but also some of the concepts that matter the most in Asian culture.

[Anonymous]

For the second make up assignment, I decided to try something I had been reluctant to before, Dim-sum. I met my colleagues of Asian ethnicity for Chinese breakfast in San Gabriel Valley, Ocean Star. My colleagues had been trying for me to join them for Chinese breakfast for years but I have always been unwilling to. I figured that I should try having dim-sum since it might be a new experience that relates to the seminar. Dim-sum was hectic because I felt that I was fighting with the waitress to have breakfast! I loved that the food is placed at the revolving glass center, and I was forced to share with my colleagues. The taste of the food was new to me but very tasty (and cheap); lots of spices. However, the one plate I could not get my self to try was the chicken feet. I am not sure if it was the nail of the leg, but perhaps next time. My colleague, Winnie Kwan, informed me that Dim-sum means breakfast in Chinese. The experience was pleasant, and I do count on returning.

[Anonymous]

I decided to go to Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden to makeup for one missing class. The garden is located inside the Long Beach University. This was a great experience. The garden is beautiful and peaceful. At the start of the garden there are beautiful lanterns that are used for decoration but were actually used for illumination at one point. At the exit of the garden, there is a wall of bamboo. There were several carvings in the concrete and walls as well as statutes that included lions and dragons. The lake is beautifully decorated with rocks, flowers, and fish. My son enjoyed feeding and petting the fish. The landscape is so beautifully designed and gives you a sense of relaxation. The scent from all the flowers adds a sense of cleanliness. I was very interested by the zig- zag bridge that was designed to throw off the evil spirits. Overall, this was a lovely experience, and it was free. The garden forced my to forget where I was because it is too beautiful and peaceful.

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

Dear Colleagues,

Please post your make up assignments below. To make it easier for me to log, you can just "reply" to this thread with

• your name
• date/session that you are making up
• make-up post.

Your make-up post can be about the following:

• Attend an event (lecture/meeting/discussion panel, etc.) that focuses on issues related to East Asia or visit a museum exhibition or performance relating to East Asia.
• A good place to start is by logging on to our USC US-China Institute website where we post East Asia-related events, exhibitions at USC, UCLA and the community. Please log on to
• Submit" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://china.usc.edu
• Submit

a 150-250 word summary of what you learned, and post it below

Thanks! Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Best,
Yingjia
edited by yhuang on 10/9/2012

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