Custodians of the Scholar's Way
Chinese Scholars’ Objects in Precious Woods
Cultural Relics Publishing House, 2017. Hardbound. Item #45942
ISBN: 9787501047819
Chinese language edition.
A landmark study of the precious wooden objects of the Chinese scholar's studio, this volume reveals the material elegance, cultural depth, and refined inner world of the Chinese literati tradition.
Long treated as accessories within the broader tradition of classical Chinese furniture, small scholars' objects have received comparatively little scholarly attention. Until now, no dedicated study has situated these refined works within their proper historical and cultural contexts.
Custodians of the Scholar's Way fills this gap, bringing together, for the first time in a dedicated study, a remarkable group of exquisite small wooden objects created for the scholar's studio. It traces how these objects were made, acquired, used, handled, and appreciated, restoring them to the historical, cultural, social, and aesthetic contexts in which they originally belonged. While offering a connoisseurial appreciation of their materials, forms, craftsmanship, and elegance, the volume also provides a window into the distinctive literati way of life and the intellectual and spiritual world that lay at the heart of Chinese culture.
Price: $260.00