| Asian-themed performances like NTDTV's Chinese | | | | the boy should have been using to lead the horse. |
| New Year Spectacular offer an entirely new | | | | Without much thought, he picked up an ink brush |
| experience for many Westerners, partly because | | | | and added a rope to fix this apparent flaw in the |
| they are so different from the more typical, | | | | painting. When the buyer came back and saw the |
| narrative-driven, performing art forms. They ask | | | | new rope, he was terribly upset. He told the |
| something different from the audience - a slight | | | | dealer: "I was only willing to spend so much on |
| shift in expectations, a shift in sensibility. | | | | this painting because of the rope that wasn't seen |
| The appreciation for what is implied rather than | | | | but could still be felt!" |
| what is in plain sight sets Asian art apart from | | | | The more something is described in a concrete |
| Western art. Traditional Chinese dance, for | | | | way, the smaller the range it covers. For |
| example, is less precise and strict in form than its | | | | example, the phrase "hot water" describes not |
| Western counterpart, ballet. It is because it | | | | only water but its temperature, so although "hot |
| attempts to evoke a different sort of feeling. Like | | | | water" is more specific than "water," it precludes |
| a glass of claret with its subtle undertones, this | | | | "warm water," "cold water," and other kinds of |
| kind of dance leaves room for the imagination | | | | water and is therefore more limited. Perhaps this |
| while leaving a lasting impression. | | | | is why so much of Chinese art seems to speak in |
| The following story may help shed some light on | | | | generalities. Ink landscape paintings with their |
| the mystery: | | | | broad brush strokes and wide swaths intentionally |
| Once there was an art dealer who had a painting | | | | left blank are particularly hard for the Western |
| that depicted a young farm boy leading a horse | | | | eye to grasp. These paintings can often seem |
| across a bridge. The boy was facing the horse, | | | | vague and unclear, but to the discerning viewer, |
| his body leaning back, and he looked like he was | | | | each brush stroke speaks volumes. |
| exerting great effort. One day a buyer came in | | | | The same holds for the Chinese language -- |
| and had to have this painting. However, he didn't | | | | known for being extraordinarily concise and yet |
| have enough money on him to buy this rather | | | | also rich and descriptive precisely because it is so |
| expensive artwork right away. So he asked the | | | | succinct. Indeed, many Chinese words and |
| dealer to hold the painting for him while he went | | | | proverbs contain concepts that could take |
| home to get the funds. As the seller took the | | | | paragraphs to explain in another language. |
| painting down, he noticed it was missing the rope | | | | |