Beautifully illustrated with an array of Chinese art, this book offers a closer look at the rich variety of styles, decoration, motifs and patterns - and the sheer craftsmanship - of Chinese culture. The book is arranged thematically and opens by taking a look at the essential nature and meaning of Chinese art. Chapters that follow place the objects and designs into their cultural context. Each of the intriguing and beautiful artworks is then explored further with amazing close-up views, allowing the reader to get even closer than a behind-the-scenes museum or gallery tour. By showing the complete artwork alongside a detail, the authors provide a fresh view of each object which often allows intriguing comparisons between seemingly unrelated objects and media. The selection of art and details evoke the hand and eye of the most talented Chinese craftsmen past and present. Ideal as a spur to creative inspiration or as souvenir or introduction to a museum visit, this stunning book offers an alternative view of the wide range of Chinese art. The book highlights in close-up and gorgeous colour the most breathtaking aspects of workmanship, materials and design found in stunning ceramics, lacquer, jade, metalwork, brush painting and woodblock printing.

The three arts of poetry, calligraphy and painting are regarded in China as the Triple Excellence, and they are brought together here in a beautifully presented anthology of forty Chinese love poems ranging from the earliest known works in the famous Book of Songs to the work of Chairman Mao and other twentiethcentury poets, including poignant examples from the high point of Chinese poetry in the Tang dynasty (618-906). The subject of all the poems and extracts is love, in all its variations: the love of husbands and wives, family and friends, times and places as well as courtship, passion and parting. Selected English translations by respected scholars are each illustrated with a scene from a Chinese painting or print in the collection of the British Museum. Each poem is also illuminated by the artistic brushwork calligraphy of Qu Lei Lei. Jane Portal's introduction summarizes the history and development of Chinese poetry, and she provides brief biographical notes on the poets as well as suggestions for further reading.