| | |  | More Books from Amazon | Home » » Chinese Style: The Art of Living | | | | | | | Description: | | An evocative exploration of the design, style, art and culture of China's rich, ancient world, offering classic design principles that are still applicable to contemporary living. The book begins by studying the classical architecture including the balance of space and layout, and the traditional design principles of yin and yang. The second chapter looks at colour, lighting and wallpaper as well as the ceremony of eating and tea drinking. Chinese style is largely expressed through detail and the following chapters explore furniture, | | | Product Details: | | | Author:
| Bradley Quinn | | Hardcover:
| 192 pages | | Publisher:
| Conran | | Publication Date:
| May 28, 2003 | | Language:
| English | | ISBN:
| 1840912758 | | Package Length:
| 11.58 inches | | Package Width:
| 9.76 inches | | Package Height:
| 0.9 inches | | Package Weight:
| 2.94 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 2 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 2 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
 A Cultural DelightFeb 01, 2012
By Kerrie Redgate
"(Changchub Dolma)"
This beautifully presented book is approximately 60% all-colour images (some full-page in size) and 40% text. As the subtitle implies, there are pages of information on every aspect of Chinese culture, from furnishings (wood, laquer, bamboo), emperial costumes, colour, courtyards, traditional dining settings, textiles & embroideries, symbols (at last I know why the bat is such a prevalent image in textile design!), yin-yang, carpets, pottery & glazes, fans, calligraphy, jade and precious stones, etc...
The information here is not exhaustive, but deep enough to offer an insight into, and broad over-view of, traditional Chinese life and design, with historical references. The photographs incorporate both traditional and modern themes, with some interiors that are a mixture of both. There are also cameo examples.
I love this book. I find it highly useful and informative. So often books on Chinese antiques and furnishings lack the sympathetic eye of the artist, and do not supply the context of culturally historical information such as is presented here. This book is a gem.
If you are truly interested in the Chinese value of design, I believe you will enjoy reading this book as well as delighting in the excellent photography.
(This review describes the large-format paperback 2005 edition, after the initial 2002 edition, I found at a library. I am going to buy my own copy now!
2 of 4 found the following review helpful:
 Why so mean with photos?Oct 31, 2005
By Lupo Montegrigio
It's a beautiful book, but why so mean with photos? I buy this kind of book to be inspired and expect to see a great number of seductive photos of objects in the Chinese style. The most annoying thing is to be presented with only two pictures on a spread and they show exactly the same things, one is a close-up and the other from afar. Sorry, possibly a three-and-a-half star (because the book is well structured and designed), but no more.
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