Craftsmen enjoy their brush with success
NANCHANG — Zhou Pengcheng, 76, has dedicated his life
Zhou, who hails from Wengang township in East China's Jiangxi province, has been engaged in this ancient handicraft for more than six decades.
Wengang's long-standing tryst with brush pens dates back to 1979. Over the decades, the town has grown into one of the country's biggest brush-pen markets,
In Chinese culture, writing brushes
More than 400 brush-making enterprises and over 2,200 brush workshops are located in
Zhou
The craft of making writing brushes in Wengang involves 128 steps. The local brushes have proved popular in overseas markets, such as Asia, Europe, and the United States, and particularly in Japan and the Republic of Korea.
"I found calligraphy
In June, Wengang's brush-making skills were listed as a national intangible cultural heritage, says Wu Shaoyun, Party chief of the town.
"Since the beginning of this year, we have mainly focused on how
Currently, the town is eyeing a new boom in the digital era. It has launched tailored services to better meet customer needs in areas of culture, tourism and e-commeice.
2 . For Western designers, China and its rich culture have long been an inspiration for Western creative.
“It’s no secret that China has always been a source(来源) of inspiration for designers,” says Amanda Hill, chief creative officer at A+E Networks, a global media company and home to some of the biggest fashion(时尚) shows.
Earlier this year, the China Through A Looking Glass exhibition in New York exhibited 140 pieces of China-inspired fashionable clothing alongside Chinese works of art, with the aim of exploring the influence of Chinese aesthetics(美学) on Western fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries. The exhibition had record attendance, showing that there is huge interest in Chinese influences.
“China is impossible to overlook,” says Hill. “Chinese models are the faces of beauty and fashion campaigns that sell dreams to women all over the world, which means Chinese women are not just consumers of fashion — they are central to its movement.” Of course, not only are today’s top Western designers being influenced by China—some of the best designers of contemporary fashion are themselves Chinese. “Vera Wang, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu are taking on Galliano, Albaz, Marc Jacobs—and beating them hands down in design and sales,” adds Hill.
For Hill, it is impossible not to talk about China as the leading player when discussing fashion. “The most famous designers are Chinese, so are the models, and so are the consumers,” she says. “China is no longer just another market; in many senses it has become the market. If you talk about fashion today, you are talking about China—its influences, its direction, its breathtaking clothes, and how young designers and models are finally acknowledging that in many ways.”
1. What can we learn about the exhibition in New York?A.It promoted the sales of artworks. | B.It attracted a large number of visitors. |
C.It showed ancient Chinese clothes. | D.It aimed to introduce Chinese models. |
A.They are setting the fashion. | B.They start many fashion campaigns. |
C.They admire super models. | D.They do business all over the world. |
A.learning from | B.looking down on | C.working with | D.competing against |
A.Young Models Selling Dreams to the World |
B.A Chinese Art Exhibition Held in New York |
C.Differences Between Eastern and Western Aesthetics |
D.Chinese Culture Fueling International Fashion Trends |