Only in the past sixty years has “Southeast Asia” been used to refer to the region comprising modern-day Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, and the Philippines. Learn more.
The Himalayas are the highest mountain ranges in the world, and from them flow the major rivers of Asia. Learn more.
The region bordering the Yellow River, which runs more than 3,400 miles from the Himalayan Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, has long been considered the cradle of Chinese civilization. These vast, fertile plains encouraged the rise of agriculture and the development of neolithic cultures (New Stone Age, roughly 6000-2000 BCE). Archeological discoveries made over the past few decades have revealed that early societies also flourished to the south, along the Yangzi River, as well as sites in the far northeast. These finds indicate that Chinese civilization arose through the gradual blending of several regional cultures.
Certain motifs appear with great regularity as surface decorations of vessels of the early Bronze Age in China (approx. 2000-1750 BCE to 500 BCE). Many of these designs consist of composite or wholly imaginary animals.
Arjuna’s Meditation: An excerpt from the Mahabharata, performed by Shadowmaster I Wayan Nartha.
In this lecture series, renowned scholars from across the nation will discuss the manipulation of art by Asian rulers across cultures and time.
Students gain an appreciation and understanding of art and culture, and build language skills by reading; developing scripts; making choices about gesture, voice, and expression; and performing traditional stories alongside art objects in the Asian Art Museum’s collection galleries.
The Buddha triumphing over Mara, 900–1000. India; probably Kurkihar, Bihar state. Stone. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60S598.
Explore ancient Buddhist cave shrines in China, including why the sites were created and the major sponsors and patrons.
A kit’alar is a calligraphic work written on a rectangular piece of paper pasted onto a cardboard backing. In this lesson, students create a kit’alar composed of the initials of their first and last name in Arabic.
Shadow puppet performances were popular forms of entertainment in Thailand. Create your own shadow puppet and perform a scene from the the Ramayana.
Sword making is a refined and highly scientific art that is revered in Japan. A sword guard (tsuba) is a metal guard on a samurai sword between the handgrip and the blade. It protects the hand from sliding onto the sharp edge of the blade. Sword guards vary in shape and design and were carved or molded. Use the templates or create your own shape and design a sword guard.
Students will: 1.) examine the Hindu tradition of threshold art; 2.) research how Diwali (Festival of Lights) is commemorated in India; 3. draw traditional labyrinth threshold patterns; 4.) work in teams to create a large labyrinth floor painting in celebration of Diwali
Flowers, 1615, by Xue Susu (1564-1637). China; Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Handscroll; ink on paper. Museum purchase, B66D22.
In this activity, children will make a paper carp which may be flown at their own homes on May 5th. Skills reinforced through this activity include: greater understanding of traditions, aesthetic awareness, symbolism, fine motor skills, visual discrimination and awareness, measurement and following directions.
Learn to fold a paper lotus flower using simple origami techniques.
Learn about samurai castles.
Asian Art Museum Storyteller Miriam Mills tells a story about a gecko from Bali.
An introduction to the art and architecture of the Hindu temples of India.
Overview of the Hokusai and Hiroshige: Great Japanese Prints from the James A. Michener Collection, Honolulu Academy of Arts exhibition that took place at the Asian Art Museum from September 26–December 6, 1998 (filmed at former museum location in Golden Gate Park).
Learn how to paint a sparrow in the Lingnan tradition.
Beginning in the Eastern Zhou dynasty (ca. 1071‒ 221 BCE) was the development of the so-called ‘hundred schools’ of philosophy, a creative flowering of genius that laid the foundations for all major schools of Chinese thought with the exception of Buddhism. At this time, philosophers began to travel around from court to court offering advice on everything from how to run the state, how to achieve victory in battle and how to achieve immortality. The most famous systems of thought to develop during this time were . . .
Li Bai viewing the waterfall at Mt. Lu, by Soami (1485–1525), approx. 1500-1525. Japan. Hanging scroll; ink on paper. The Avery Brundage Collection, B62D11.
Students will: 1.) analyze the role of the puppet master (dalang) in Indonesian rod puppet theater (wayang golek). 2.) Read a summary of the Ramayana or a scene from this Hindu epic. 3.) Identify the different puppet character types. 4.) construct a rod puppet of a character from the Ramayana or the Mahabharata.
Students compare and contrast the different ways in which people commemorate the passing of a year by interviewing their families, creating a tablescape, and sharing their traditions with their classmates.
While Bronze vessels were the most visible implements used in the ancestor rites of the Shang dynasty (approx. 1600-1050 BCE), it was through oracle bones that actual communication with ancestors took place. These bones, primarily the shoulder blades of cattle and the undershells of turtles, were dried and had holes drilled in them at regular intervals.
Hear Asian Art Museum Art Speak interns discuss a suit of armor in the museum's collection.
By far the most important items owned by the warrior were their personal arms and armor, which provided both protection in battle and a vehicle for personal display. Learn more.
“Scripture of the Hidden Talisman”, Characters of the signature of Chu Suiliang, 596–658. China; Tang dynasty (618–906). Album, ink on paper. Gift of the Yeh Family Collection, F2002.49.1.
Asian Art Museum Storyteller, Miriam Mills, tells an excerpt from the Ramayana in the Southeast Asian galleries at the Asian Art Museum with the use of artworks from the museum's collection.
As it pertains to China, the designation “Bronze Age” refers to the period beginning around 2000 to 1750 BCE and continuing until around 500 BCE. What were the primary uses for bronze during China’s early Bronze Age? How did the use of bronze in China differ from that of other cultures? What has been learned about early Chinese culture by studying bronzes and other Bronze Age archeological materials?
The term for puppetry, wayang, comes from the Indonesian word for shadow bayang. Wayang kulit, shadow puppetry using figures made from water buffalo hide, is considered to be the oldest freestanding puppet form; the earliest references to it date from the 800s.
Vocabulary associated with the arts of the samurai.
The traditions—Omotesenke, Urasenke, and Mushanokojisenke—provide instruction in the Way of Tea to students around the world. Learn more.
Woodblock printmaking was a complex process involving the collaboration of several people: publisher, artist, carver, and printer.
A host may spend weeks planning for a tea gathering, including making decisions about which group of utensils to use. The assemblage of objects will reflect the season, complement and contrast with each other, and, ideally, create a theme or context that the host and guest will explore together during the course of the tea gathering. Learn more.
Asian Art Museum Storyteller, Jeff Byers, tells the legend of Bokuden, a famous samurai.
Zhoong Kui (the demon queller) on a donkey, 1941, Pu Ru (1896-1963). China. Hanging scroll; ink and colors on paper. Acquisition made possible by John W. and Christine C. Barr, B82D2.
Renowned installation artist Liu Jianhua has created a thought-provoking new artwork that blends the classic and contemporary: Porcelain letters and fragments of Chinese characters, suspended in midair, invite you to hunt for meaning. Commissioned for our 50th anniversary, Liu’s striking artwork links the building’s past as the city’s Main Library with the museum’s distinctly forward-looking mission.
A guardian king, Heian period (794–1185), approx. 900–1000. Japan. Wood. The Avery Brundage Collection, B67S1.
A True Picture of the Steamship Powhatan; A Ship Generally Called a Steam Frigate..., from the Black Ship Scroll, Edo period (1615-1868); approx. 1854. Japan. Handscroll segment mounted as a hanging scroll; ink and colors on paper. Museum purchase with assistance from the Japan Society of Northern California, 2012.60.2.
Buddhism was introduced into Tibet from India and China beginning in the 600s. Over the succeeding centuries, Buddhism became the dominant cultural form in Tibet, exerting a powerful influence not only over religion, but also over politics, the arts, and other aspects of society. Tibetan Buddhism eventually spread into Mongolia and Nepal, as well as into China, where it received imperial patronage especially during the Yuan (1260–1368) and Qing (1368–1644) dynasties.
Explore the ancient kingdom of Angkor, which was one of the most powerful states in Southeast Asia from the 800s to the 1300s. A succession of kings built huge temples that remain in Cambodia today as some of the world's greatest religious monuments.
Archaeology is the study of the material remains of humanity’s past. Excavated materials, along with other historical objects and text records, form the primary source material on Ancient China.
Refined Character Type: Arjuna, third of the Pandava (Pandawa) brothers, approx. 1950. Indonesia; West Java. Wood, cloth, and mixed media. From The Mimi and John Herbert Collection, F2000.86.115.
Xu Bing is renowned for his artistic explorations of the role of language in human life.
Prior to the Edo period (1615–1868), many painters and sculptors remained anonymous, occupying relatively equal status to carpenters and other artisans. The position of the artist during the Edo period changed, as artists became more successful financially, and better educated. Some of them began to be seen as celebrities, arbiters of taste with eccentric personalities. Although many still worked for low wages in obscurity, the Edo period marks the emergence of the artist as individual, as the genius creator in Japan. Learn more.
In this lecture series, Mary-Ann Milford of Mills College and Lewis Lancaster of UC Berkeley discuss the arts of Japan.
Learn more about the arts of Korea and Japan through lectures by renowned scholars.
Spring 2012. Join us as we explore the art of Southeast Asia and the Himalayas. Featuring prominent scholars and curators from across the country, these lectures will showcase many treasures of the Asian Art Museum and illuminate sacred and secular traditions: from the steamy kingdoms in the east and south of India to the mountainous realms to the north.
Observe and discuss how artist Santiago Bose uses cultural symbols and artistic methods as post-colonial critique.
Learn about Bodh Gaya, one of several sights in India associated with the birth of Buddhism.
This selection of resources unpacks main ideas, stories, and practices of Buddhism and Hinduism in South and Southeast Asia and the Himalayas, both historically and today. All selections compliment the Buddhism and Hinduism in Art: Gods, Demons, and Avatars school tour at the Asian Art Museum.
A selection of Buddhist and Hindu terms and their definitions.
Asian Art Museum Storyteller, Leta Bushyhead, tells a new year story about Jizo, a deity whose statues are a common sight throughout Japan, especially by roadsides. Traditionally, he is seen as the guardian of children.
To teach a responsibility for self-advocacy while celebrating diversity, students will generate ideas about what will make their lives better, will create placards based on their ideas, and share their ideas in a "protest" march.
The Conception of the Buddha-to-be in Queen Maya’s dream, 100–300. Pakistan; ancient region of Gandhara.Phyllite. The Avery Brundage Collection, B64S5.
The primary goal of the Conservation department at the Asian Art Museum is to preserve the museum’s collection for future generations. This goal is achieved through a number of activities including controlling the surrounding environment, performing conservation treatment, and researching fabrication methods and deterioration processes.
Dog chasing (inuoumono), approx. 1640. Japan. Early Edo period (1615–1868). Pair of six-panel screens; ink, colors, and gold on paper. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60D1 and B60D2.
A renowned master of Arabic and Chinese calligraphy, Haji Noor Deen brings little known sini (Chinese Islamic calligraphy) to the Asian Art Museum. In addition to using traditional sini, he also transforms Arabic script into Chinese-looking characters, bringing two cultural traditions together in his own way.
View vocabulary related to the Edo period (1615-1868) in Japan.
Tea played an important role in the shaping of culture in the Edo period (1615-1868). Learn more.
In this lesson students will be introduced to the Japanese tradition of Chanoyu (referred to by practitioners as “tea gathering”).
Herons and reeds, attributed to Yamamoto Baiitsu (1783-1856). Japan; Edo Period (1615-1868). Hanging Scroll; ink and colors on paper. The Avery Brundage Collection, B65D14.
The Hindu deity Shiva as destroyer of the three cities of the demons, 1000–1100. Central India. Sandstone. The Avery Brundage Collection, B63S6+.
The Hindu deity Shiva in the fierce form of Bhairava, 1300–1500. India; Karnataka state. Chloritic schist. Gift of the Connoisseurs’ Council, 2000.6.
Japan’s Edo period dates from 1615, when Tokugawa Ieyasu defeated his enemies at Osaka Castle, to 1868, when the Shogun’s government collapsed and the Meiji emperor was reinstated as Japan’s main figurehead. This 250-year period takes its name from the city of Edo that started out as a small castle town and grew into one of the largest cities of the modern world, now called Tokyo. Learn more.
House model. Eastern Han dynasty (25–220). China; Sichuan province. Low-fired ceramic. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60P1802.
Discover a story about the beginnings of Buddhism.
Wayang performances are a kind of blessing bestowed on special events such as circumcisions, weddings, celebrations of the ancestors, and other rites of passage and public events.
The Southeast Asian country of Indonesia consists of more than 17,000 tropical and volcanic islands that straddle the equator between the Indian and Pacific oceans.
Learn vocabulary related to the Japanese tea ceremony.
Hear Asian Art Museum Art Speak interns discuss the Japanese teahouse at the museum.
Landscape After Wang Wei’s Wangchuan Picture, 1574, by Song Xu (1525-1605). China; Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Handscroll; ink and colors on silk. Museum purchase, B67D2.
This Buddha has a unique status among Buddhas in China. It bears an inscription on the back that is equivalent to the year 338. This is the earliest date inscribed on any Buddha sculpture from China, anywhere in the world. Listen to Michael Knight, Curator Emeritus of Chinese Art at the Asian Art Museum, discuss one of the museum's masterworks, a Seated Buddha from 338, as you view images of the object and a rendering in 3D.
Generally speaking, Confucianism had been the dominant ideology and philosophy in China since the Han dynasty.
Noh robe with design of butterflies, pampas grass, and clouds, 1800–1868. Japan. Edo period (1615–1868). Silk with gold. Asian Art Museum, 2003.10.
Learn about the origins of the samurai (lit. “one who serves”).
Pair of tomb guardians. China; Tang dynasty (618–906). Glazed earthenware. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60S155+, B60S156+.
Parting under a willow tree, approx. 1500–1552, by Qui Ying (1500–1552). China; Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Fan painting; album leaf, ink and colors on paper. Museum purchase, B79D5.b.
Pillow in the form of a boy and a lotus leaf, approx. 1050–1126. China; Hebei province, Northern Song dynasty (960-1126). Glazed high-fired ceramic; ding ware. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60P1351.
Poem concerning the “Pavilion with Various Views” (Duojing lou), in semicursive script (xingshu). Attributed to Mi Fu, 1051–1107. Northern Song dynasty (960–1126). Album, ink on paper. Gift of the Yeh Family Collection, 2004.31.
As with the industries of printing and paper making, the Tang (618–906) and Song (960–1279) supported important industrial advances in pottery manufacture.
Compare the famous excerpt of the Battle at Yashima (1185) from The Tale of the Heike with the painting of the Battles at Ichi-no-tani and Yashima, from The Tale of the Heike to analyze how artists and writers have portrayed the life and experiences of a samurai warrior.
Under the leadership of the First Emperor, China’s seven previously warring states were unified as one nation for the first time, an enormous undertaking that laid the groundwork for present-day China. Over five centuries of conflict, the states had competed for power...
These Chinese symbols carry lucky hidden meanings. Put them together to create a rebus.
Ritual food vessel (ding), approx. 1300–1050. Shang dynasty (1600-1050 BCE). China. Bronze. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60B1030.
Ritual vessel (zun or gui) in the shape of a rhinoceros, probably 1100–1050 BCE. China; Shandong province. Shang dynasty (1600–1050 BCE). Bronze. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60B1+.
Ritual wine vessel (the so-called Yayi jia), approx. 1300-1050. Shang dynasty (1600-1050 BCE). China; Henan province. The Avery Brundage Collection, B61B11+.
Students will: 1.) Examine the history and stories told in Indonesian rod puppet theater (wayang golek). 2.) Discuss how storytelling reflects the religious, cultural, and moral values of a people. 3.) Discuss how the jester characters express the political and social concerns of the common people. 4.) Read a summary of the Ramayana or the Mahabarata, or scenes from these Hindu epics. 5.) Reenact a scene from the Ramayana or the Mahabharata using the puppet master (dalang) performance outlines written by Kathy Foley.
One of the most reliable sources of information about warriors in Japan is the body of war tales, stories chronicling the lives of warriors and their battles, written from the 900s to the 1600s. Learn more.
This selection of resources explores the history and stories of Japan's warrior class. Materials support the Samurai: Real and Imagined school program at the Asian Art Museum.
Seated Buddha Amitabha (Japanese: Amida). Japan. Heian period (794–1185). Lacquer and gold on wood. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60S10+.
Seated Buddha, 338. Gilded bronze. China. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60B1034.
Larry Reed is the founding artistic director of Shadow Theater company ShadowLight Productions. He was one of the first Westerners to train in the traditional Balinese shadow theater (wayang kulit) and one of the first to achieve the title of dalang ("shadow master"). He is also a trailblazer in contemporary shadow theater and this promises to be a captivating performance. Watch his demonstration at the Asian Art Museum on July 16, 2011.
Ritual bronze vessels were more than just elegant objects of status, but symbols of power, commanding respect. They were cast using ceramic piece molds, built around a clay model.
An introduction to Shinto, one of Japan's earliest belief systems.
This collection of resources explores movement of goods, people, and ideas along the Silk Roads. Activities support the Silk and Spice Roads school tour at the Asian Art Museum.
In Thailand, people build small spirit houses in front of their homes and businesses to bring good luck to the people living and working inside. Spirit houses can be found nearly everywhere in Thailand, from the busy city to the remote villages in the north. Create your own spirit house with these easy to follow instructions and template.
Standing Buddha, approx.700–800. Korea. Unified Silla dynasty (668–935). Gilt Bronze. The Avery Brundage Collection, B65B64.
Tea bowl with dragon roundels, 1615–1700. By Nonomura Ninsei (1625–1675). Stoneware with polychrome enamel decoration. Gift of the Connoisseurs' Council and Bruce and Betty Alberts, 1991.230.
Create a finger puppet inspired by China's terracotta warriors.
Wayang golek puppets are made from light softwood, which is first roughly modeled with a knife. The head is the most important part.
Learn about the evolution of ukiyo-e and woodblock prints in Japan.
The Tang and Song dynasties were the golden ages of Chinese classical literature in general, and poetry in particular.
Asian Art Museum Storyteller, Jeff Byers, tells a Japanese story about a magical raccoon-dog, or tanuki, who uses its shape shifting powers to reward its rescuer for his kindness.
The dalang (puppet master) is a master musician, an epic storyteller, a dancer of dolls, a comic wonder, a deep philosopher, and a political pundit all rolled into one; some dalangs have the power to do exorcisms and other traditional ceremonies. In essence, a conduit of the knowledge embedded in the traditional epics of wayang (puppet theater), the dalang connects the community with its cultural history and with the spirit world.
Touraj Daryaee (UC Irvine) discusses trade and exchange in the Persian World at the Ancient Worlds teacher workshop on March 10, 2012 at the Asian Art Museum.
An introduction and guide to preparing for school group visits to the Asian Art Museum.
Senior Curator of Chinese Art, Michael Knight, discusses the importance of Chinese calligraphy and the Thousand-Character Classic in the exhibition, Out of Character: Decoding Chinese Calligraphy (on view at the Asian Art Museum from October 5, 2012–January 13, 2013).
Watch an exciting lunar new year story about a race that determined the order of the Chinese zodiac.
Young emperor's dragon robe, Qing dynasty, approx. 1850-1900. China. Embroidered silk. Gift of Hok Pui Leung and Sally Yu Leung in memory of their fathers Poon On Leung and Dr. Tin Wah Yu, 2001.15.
Artist Hwang Samyong discusses his artwork Pebbles, which will be on view at the Asian Art Museum as part of the exhibition Mother-of-Pearl Lacquerware from Korea.
Benoy K. Behl's documentary, Ramayana: The Greatest Epic, takes one to India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal and Indonesia to document and tell the story of this great epic through multi-religious, international cultural performances. Generations of children have learned the vast story of the “Ramayana” through the incredibly diverse methods of performance and storytelling. Join the conversation with the director and curator of the exhibition, Forrest McGill.
A holy man in the forest (Shiva as Lord of the Animals), 1981, by Jogmaya Devi (Indian). Ink and colors on paper. Courtesy of Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Museum purchase, 1999.39.39. © Jogmaya Devi. Photograph © Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.
A pair of rectangular blue flags depicting a dragon chasing a black pearl, 1800–1962. China. Shadow puppet; pigments on donkey hide. The Avery Brundage Collection, B62D48.32.1-.2.
Abbreviated Map of All the World's Nations, approx. 1800-1850. Japan. Woodblock print; ink on paper. Gift to honor the Reverend Hodo Tobase, 2010.452.
America: Depiction of an American Ship and Portraits of the First Ambassador Perry and the Deputy Ambassador Adams, by, Shinsei (Japanese, 1850's), 1854. Ink and colors on paper. Bequest of Marshall Dill, F2001.23.1.
