English Culture Semester 2 Part B. Flashcards
(34 cards)
45What was the ‘cradle’ of northern Chinese civilization?
The first communities who settled in the basin of the 黄河 (Yellow river) (216)
46Why is painting in China essentially a ‘linear art’?
The Chinese painter and calligrapher use the same materials, and judged their work by the same criteria. (219)
47Why did painting have ‘moral’ and ‘social’ functions in the old days?
They influenced the living for good. (219) (antwoord niet zeker)
48In the broad sense, all Chinese art is symbolic. Give one example used in the book.
Everything that is painted reflects some aspects of a totality of which the painter is aware. (221)
49What are ‘bone script’ and ‘metal script’?
- Bone script: the writings on bones used for oracle readings. (226)
- Metal script: form of writing found on bronze vessels. (227)
50When did Chinese artists become attracted to European art?
In the mid-1920s. (238)
51What, in Mao’s view, was the role of art (and artists)?
To reach a mass audience by popularization(popularisatie, begrijpelijk maken0 of styles and subjects. (240)
52What is the most important feature of traditional Chinese architecture?
The roof. (247)
53Why is it that so few old temples in China have survived?
A lot of temples have been destroyed. (252)
54Explain the use of the principles of Yin and Yang in Qing gardens.
To encompass(omringen) all the virtues(deugden) of yin in the Chinese philosophical system, with the extensive use of rugged(ruw) and complicated rockery(rotstuin), yang. (257)
55Who is I.M.Pei?
A Chinese-born American architect. (258)
56What can be seen as the positive and the negative sides of the Chinese writing system?
- Positive: it makes an aesthetic appeal to the reader.( ziet er mooi uit)
- Negative: It is an impediment (belemmering) to education and the spread of literacy. (273)
57What is the major characteristic of Chinese poetry if one compares it to that of other countries?
Its compactness and brevity (kortheid). (275)
58What was the ‘eight-legged essay’?
A poem construction which contrasted tonal patterns to the limit by requiring pairs of columns consisting of long paragraphs, one responding to the other, word for word, phrase for phrase, sentence for sentence. (276)
59What are The Five Classics?
- Wujing, Confucian literature
- Yiling, Classic of changes, a book of divination and cosmology
- Shujing, Classic of history, a collection of official documents
- Liji, record of rites, a book of rituals
- Chunqiu, spring and autumn, a chronological history of Lu, where Confucius was born. (278)
60What was the golden age of classical Chinese poetry? Who was the greatest poet?
The golden age was during the Tang dynasty. Du Fu was the greatest poet. (284)
61What did the May Fourth Movement try to accomplish?
The May Fourth Movement stood for cultural and sociopolitical reform. (290)
62What is the so-called ‘scar literature’ all about?
A sort of national catharsis (reiniging). (297)
63Why is it so that Chinese culture ‘can best be understood through the vehicle of food,’ as is said in the book?
Chinese cuisine, like Chinese philosophy is organized along Taoist principles of opposition and change: hot is balanced by cold, spicy by mild, fresh by cured(gedroogd). (300)
64What are the three great schools of Chinese cuisine(wijze van koken)?
- Beijing
- Sichuan
- Zhejiang-Jiangsu (303)
65 太极拳是什么？
An ancient Chinese form of attack and defense designed to provide relaxation in the process of body-conditioning exercise and is drawn from the Taoist principles of taiji. (305)
66What, according to traditional Chinese medicine, is seen as the cause of disease or sickness?
an imbalance of the forces yin and yang. (308)
67What is the most common application of acupuncture in China today?
An anaesthetic (verdovingsmiddel, pain killer). (309)
68China’s ‘Fifth Generation’ of film-makers has become world famous. Give the name of one director.
Chen Kaige. (311)
