And a Chinese can be an Armenian
This year the comedy play “And a Chinese can be an Armenian” was premiered on the stage of the Hakob Paronyan State Musical Comedy Theatre. The protagonist bears a strong resemblance to the Yerevan-based, amazing Chinese student, who proved that one might be an “Armenian” not only in origin. Feng Yangming, a student from Guangzhou, China, is currently studying the Armenian language in Armenia. He has been teaching Chinese in various Armenian institutions since the year 2019. Being engaged in Chinese-Armenian translational projects and undertakings, Feng has been largely integrated into Armenian society: he has been traveling around Armenia, getting acquainted with its
Armenian traditional garments represented across China
Armenian traditional garments or national costume (Taraz) has always played a significantrole in the perception and expression of the Armenian identity. Armenian students havetaken active participation in the international festivals and various cultural activities withinand beyond university programs, while living, learning, and working in China, attendingperformances and contests wearing their traditional outfits. The Chinese audience was very enthusiastic to encounter Armenian culture and countlesstimes expressed curiosity regarding particularly national costume details, silverwareaccessories, embroidered pieces, handicrafts- the exquisite works of the Armeniandraughtsmen, artists, and artisans worldwide.
Cardboard Sculptures of Chinese Villagers as a Tribute to the Ancestral Heritage
Warren King began sculpting with cardboard as an attempt to add fantasy to the lives of hischildren, creatively crafting masks and helmets out of the recyclable material. This slowly evolvedinto a more time-consuming arts practice as the artist began focusing less time on costumes, andmore time making large sculptures of his own. After a visit to his grandparents’ village in Shaoxing,China, the New York City-based artist felt compelled to more deeply connect with his cultural past.This sparked “Grandfather’s Friend, and Arrival Times”, a series of life-size cardboard recreationsof his ancestors. Read the full article https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2017/12/life-size-cardboard-sculptures-of-chinese-villagers-warren-king
An Armenian miniature reflecting the role of cradles in the Armenian collective memory
In one of the Armenian manuscripts created and illuminated in Crimea by GrigorSukiasiants in the year 1332 (Matenadaran N7664), in the particular scene of Nativity(Pic.) Jesus is not depicted in the manger, neither on the castle-like structure nor evenlying on the stylised abstract ornament. The illuminator drew baby Christ in the cradle orcrib next to his mother. This iconographic nuance in fact speaks on Armenian ethnicideologies and conventional family relations. Armenia itself was frequently described by the foreigners as a “cradle of civilisations” .According to the prominent linguist and etymologist Hrachia Acharian, cradle, “ororots”(օրորոց) in Armenian, derives from the word “oror” (օրոր)-
Chinese dragons and heavenly dogs in the Armenian medieval manuscript
The elements perceived as emanating from Chinese art, such as “heavenly dogs”, “phoenix” and“dragon” motifs, made their appearance in Armenian manuscript illuminations in the second half ofthe thirteenth century. The context was royal Armenian patronage in the kingdom of Cilician duringyears when the small Mediterranean state was in direct alliance with the Mongols.The Lectionary of 1286 (Lectionary of Hethum II, Yerevan. Matenadaran MS 979) contains anorganically integrated group of ancient Chinese mythical creatures. Though neither the name of thescribe nor the artist of the Lectionary is preserved, we know Prince Hethum/Het’um (later king1289–1301) commissioned the manuscript.The Incipit page (fol.292r) displays
