The first book to analyze and survey the
extraordinary arts of this vast region by material
Throughout history, the beauty and value of the arts of
Asia have been derived largely from the exquisite quality
of the natural materials from which they are crafted.
Materials have spiritual significance in the Asian cultures
that use them, and the art is often born from that signifi-
cance. For instance, jade, because of its hardness and durability,
has long been associated with immortality in China,
while bamboo, which bends and sways in the strongest
winds, symbolizes flexibility in East Asian cultures.
Many of the materials that are most often used in Asia
were actually discovered, invented, or first worked there,
and they pervade every aspect of life—practical, religious,
and artistic. Often materials are not what they
seem to a Western eye. "Rice" paper is made from mulberry
wood pulp; jade is not carved—it is too hard—but
abraded. Lacquer, now used for luxury decorations, was
originally a protective coating on food vessels.
Ten chapters, illustrated with over 400 photographs,
are devoted to the most significant materials: jade, silk,
porcelain, lacquer, ivory, bamboo, paper, gold, wood, and
stone. Each chapter is divided into three main sections:
the characteristics of the material, its historical and social
significance, its etymology, and its associated legends; the
techniques by which it is transformed into art objects;
and, country by country, the principal artistic styles used
throughout Asia.
Complete with details of museums with major collections
and of where to buy Asian art, and photographs of
Asian art used in contemporary interior design, this book
will not only serve the needs of the ever-growing number
of collectors but also be seen as required reading for any
student of Asia and its cultures.
Meher McArthur is Curator of East Asian Art, Pacific
Asia Museum, Pasadena. She is the author of, most
recently, Reading Buddhist Art.
FEATURING WORK FROM THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES:
Afghanistan, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines,
Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tibet, and Vietnam
ISBN 0-500-23823-5
· 9" x 101/4"
· Over 400 color illustrations · 256 pages · ART
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