CONFUCIUS: His Life and Legacy in Art

Information from the China Institute in New York (a wonderful place, BTW):

FINAL WEEK

CONFUCIUS:

His Life and Legacy in Art

ends June 13, 2010

During this final week, a fully illustrated scholarly catalogue of CONFUCIUS will be sold at half its original price.

CONFUCIUS: His Life and Legacy in Art
by Lu Wensheng and Julia K. Murray

Exhibition catalogue, 2010. Paperback; xvii, 117 pages: ill.
NOW $16.50 (50 % OFF the regular price of $33.00)

Please check our China Institute Store at http://www.chinainstitute.org/about/store. GET DISCOUNT SHIPPING PRICES FOR ONLINE ORDERS.

Although the arts of Buddhism and Daoism are well known, the study of art forms related to Confucianism is only just beginning. Confucianism, a philosophy based on the teachings of Confucius (551 BCE - 479 BCE), pervades the customs of many Asian cultures from ancient times to the present day, but we are left to wonder, who is Confucius? In this ground-breaking exhibition, intriguing aspects of Confucius and Confucianism are explored through material and visual culture, explaining his teachings and ritual practices. Selected from the Shandong Provincial Museum and the Confucius Museum in Qufu, Shandong, the hometown of Confucius, this group of artworks, including paintings, bronzes, jades, books, costumes, stone carvings, and enamel vessels represent the first exhibition organized in the United States that illuminates Confucius as an historical figure and how he has been venerated for the past 2,000 years.

Gallery Hours:
Monday - Sunday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday and Thursday 10am - 8pm FREE admission from 6pm-8pm
Closed in between exhibitions and on major holidays.

Adults $7/ Students and seniors (with valid ID) $4/ Children under 12 FREE
Members of China Institute, Asia Society, and Channel Thirteen FREE

Experience the exhibition online at www.chinainstitute.org/featuredresources
and www.china360online.org/featuredresources

Discover China Through Art (DCTA)

Our art education program combines an introductory video and hands-on workshop with a gallery tour for a complete experience of Chinese art and culture for groups of up to 30 people. To make reservations, please call 212-744-8181 x 147 or email yma@chinainstitute.org.

This exhibition is supported, in part, by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts and by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

China Institute

125 East 65th Street

New York, New York 10065

Updated Family Tree of Confucius

I love this story! I had no idea Confucius' family tree even existed, let alone to 83 generations! Story from BBC News Confucian family tree 'triples' Friday, 25 September 2009 Two million people are now recognised as being descendants of the Chinese philosopher Confucius, more than tripling the number in the last count. The announcement was made as the fifth update to Confucius' family tree was unveiled on the 2,560th anniversary of his birth, say Chinese state media. Last updated in 1937, the book lists all 83 generations of descendents. For the first time women, ethnic minorities and descendants living overseas have been included. The 43,000-page document, spreading over 80 books, was unveiled at a ceremony in Confucius' home town of Qufu, said Xinhua news agency. It adds 1.4 million names to the family tree of Confucius, known in China as Kong Fuzi, and is believed by the authorities to be the world's largest. "Confucius' family tree is a national treasure," said Kong Deyong, a 77th generation descendant and head of the International Confucius Association. Mr Kong said the family tree was important not only for academic research, but also for "helping Confucius' descendants around the world discover their ancestors and strengthen family bonds". Confucianism has traditionally given women a lower status than men in its strict hierarchy, so female descendants were not counted, but genealogists announced in 2006 that they had decided to "move with the times". Mr Kong said that even if many descendants were not Chinese nationals or Han Chinese - the majority ethnic group in China - "we should count them in because we are one big family". Kong Dejun, a former university teacher who travelled from Switzerland for the ceremony, said being included in the book was "the most exciting moment in my life". "In terms of genes, Confucius' blood is flowing in our body," she told Xinhua, adding that the inclusion of women "shows Chinese females' status is improving". The new family tree cost 10m yuan ($1.4m; £1m) to produce, paid for by the descendants. Confucius was dismissed as bourgeois and a relic of China's feudal past by Mao Zedong during the 1960s Cultural Revolution. But Confucian thought has enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent years and the Chinese government has even funded a film of the philosopher's life, starring Hong Kong actor Chow Yun-Fat.