ContentsForewordPainted PotteryOrigin of Pottery ArtDevelopment of Painted PotteryPainted Pottery of the Yangshao CulturePrehistory Pottery Later than Those of the Yangshao CultureJade Artifacts“Beautiful Stones” and JadeJade Artifacts of the Xinglongwa Culture and Hongshan CultureJade Artifacts of the Liangzhu CultureJade Carvings of the Shang-Zhou PeriodFunerary Objects of JadeThe Bloom of Jade ArtifactsBronze WareBronze TechnologyBronze Sacrificial UtensilsDecorative Designs and Inscriptions on Bronze WareAnimal-shaped Bronze Vessels and Bronze Human FiguresBronze Weapons, Helmets and ShieldsPorcelainPorcelain of the Six DynastiesPorcelain of the Sui-Tang PeriodPorcelain Kilns of the Song DynastyBlue and White Porcelain of the Yuan DynastyPainted Porcelain of the Ming-Qing PeriodSculptureTomb FigurinesMausoleum Sculptures of StoneGrotto Temples and Formative Art of BuddhismPaintingThe Origin of the Art of PaintingPaintings of the Han and Jin DynastiesPainting Style of the Sui-Tang PeriodPainting Academy of the Song DynastyThe Literati Paintings in the Yuan, Ming and Qing DynastiesFurnitureFurniture before the Han DynastyDevelopment of “Furniture with High Legs”Ming-style FurnitureIndoor FurnishingArts and CraftsGold and Silver ArtifactsLacquer Works
China is the birthplace of one the four greatest civilizations in the world, hence those cultural relics which, in huge quantities and immensely rich varieties, have always been fascinating. There cultural relics were produced during different periods of the Chinese history, over well over 7,000 years. They were gems of the Chinese civilization. This book gives a brief account of 12 types of cultural relics unearthed in China so far, including pottery, porcelain, statues and bronze, jade and gold and silver artifacts. These are seen as the most representative of the Chinese culture, each in its own way providing a glimpse into ancient China.