Chinese art, both ancient and modern

Porcelain vase from the Qing Dynasty depicting the Eight Immortals

On Tuesday, a visit to Shanghai Museum (free admission!) exposed Calee and me to art from this ancient civilization, much of it dating back thousands of years.

Statuette of Buddha. Can't recall the details, I'm afraid. But, trust me, it's old.

At first, I attempted to catalog my photos so that I might write about them for this blog. But there were so many images to be captured, so many artifacts, paintings, sculptures, wood carvings, and porcelain masterpieces to view, that the task was beyond me. In the end, these photos will have to provide inadequate testimony to the priceless treasures within the museum.

Delicately painted porcelain

After Shanghai Museum, we took a stroll through People's Square, as told. There, we came upon an art exhibit by two of China's modern artists: sculptor Gao Xiaowu and painter Joyce Ho. Their work demonstrates how art continues to evolve over these human millennia and how, in this ever-shrinking world, outside influences have penetrated the ancient Middle Kingdom.

Joyce Ho

Gao Xiaowu

Tomorrow, Calee and I catch the high-speed (average 170 miles per hour) commuter train for Beijing. So, this post is my sign-off from Shanghai. I hope you've enjoyed these photos. Check back later for sights and stories from China's capital.

'Til then, just for grins, here's some food for thought from China's premier philosopher, Confucius:

“If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people."