Virtual Culture & History Pavilion

Take a virtual tour of the four treasures of Chinese study – Brush, Ink stick, Xuan Paper, and Ink stone- and see highlights from a calligraphy and Chinese seal demonstration. Once you embark on the tour, browse through the links below and create a Chinese stamp of your very own!

Chinese calligraphy demonstration of "Hometown jasmine tea" by artist Pu Chen. Translation: "Spring bud jasmine complements each other, The tea has a clear floral aroma. Hometown is thousands of miles away, A cup of love is always in hand."

Once you've viewed the video, try your hand at calligraphy! Print out the sheet, grab a marker or brush, and try writing each character. Traditionally, Chinese is written vertically  in columns going from top to bottom and ordered from right to left, with each new column starting to the left of the preceding one.

About the Artist

Internationally renowned ceramic artist Junya Shao “Miss Teapot” uses natural Zisha clay (Purple clay), traditional tools and slab technique to hand-make her teapots, and transform a thin paddled slab into a perfectly symmetrical form. The roots of this ancient technique date back 1000 years to the Song Dynasty. Working from the foundation, her works are contemporary expressions of own ideas about color and form, yet draws from the Yixing aesthetic.

What is Chinese New Year?

Chinese New Year is the biggest holiday of the year in Chinese culture. Called 农历新年 (nóng lì xīn nián – Lunar New Year) or 春节 (chūn jié – Spring Festival). Celebrations run for about two weeks from the first day of the lunar calendar. Traditions include gathering with family, sharing gifts, and greeting each other with well wishes to bring good fortune for the New Year.