BrightArts & Culture

An Ancient Chinese Tradition: A Home Full of Deities

Save
An Ancient Chinese Tradition: A Home Full of Deities
Ancestor portrait of a couple contains a picture of a child leaning toward the woman, which is symbolic of fertility; Qing Dynasty (1644–1911), by an unidentified artist. Hanging scroll, ink and color on paper; 54 1/2 inches by 30 1/2 inches. 2013 Royal Ontario Museum
Lorraine Ferrier
Updated:

In the not too distant past, the Chinese freely worshiped their ancestors and deities within their own homes. Worship was an important part of daily life and had been that way since ancient times.

Since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took control of the Republic of China in 1949, it has discouraged and finally all but destroyed traditional Chinese culture. Today the religious and traditional beliefs of the Chinese people have been banned, and any trace of their existence has been virtually destroyed or maligned.

Lorraine Ferrier
Lorraine Ferrier
Author
Lorraine Ferrier writes about fine arts and craftsmanship for The Epoch Times. She focuses on artists and artisans, primarily in North America and Europe, who imbue their works with beauty and traditional values. She's especially interested in giving a voice to the rare and lesser-known arts and crafts, in the hope that we can preserve our traditional art heritage. She lives and writes in a London suburb, in England.
Related Topics