This is an opportunity to experience traditional Chinese art in person. China Highlights would like to introduce you to two ways to discover more in the hutongs:
1. Visiting a Local Family
Visiting a local family in a traditional quadrangle dwelling: Walk into a first-rate quadrangle dwelling and learn about its architecture and landscape gardening, and traditional local life.
2. Braiding a Chinese Knot
Made of a rope or a cord, this decorative handicraft symbolizes good fortune and harmony. The complicated Chinese knot shown above is made of two unbroken red cords. These elegant knots were widely used for clothes in the past, and you still can find them attached to a qipao or a Tang suite. They can also be used as wall decorations, key fobs, etc.There are 12 basic ways of making a Chinese knot. You will learn three ways in this class.
3. Making a Paper-Cut
You can make a paper-cut in hutong.Paper-cuts are usually made of red pepper, with images of totems symbolizing good wishes in traditional Chinese culture. It has developed into an art form with extensive themes, like painting.
You can learn some basic paper-cutting skills in the class. Learn to cut out some flowers for window decoration, snowflake, or Chinese characters (like 囍, the 'double-joy' charater used for wedding).
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4. Making a Dough Figurine
The cute and vivid figurine above is made of colored dough, like Plasticene. A preservative is used in the dough, so if you keep your dough figurine dry, it can be well preserved for several years.
The colorful dough can be made into very exquisite figurines. In this class you can learn to make some simple figurines, like flowers or cartoon figures.
5. Learn to Pain a Chinese Operatic Mask
You can learn to pain a Chinese operatic mask in hutong. Startling, colorful masks are used in many traditional Chinese operas, including Beijing opera.
Learn to paint an operatic mask in a pattern of your choosing, and learn the meaning of deferent masks.
6. Writing Chinese Calligraphy
Traditional Chinese calligraphy artworks are created with Chinese writing bushes.
Learn the differences between regular script and cursive script. Writing your own Chinese calligraphy under the teacher's guidance can be very enjoyable and fulfilling.
Discover More Hidden Gems in Beijing Hutongs
If you are interested in traditional Chinese culture and would like to attend a lecture on a particular topic, China Highlight can arrange a lecture by an expert in the field (translation provided where necessary). Contact us.
Have a look at our well-designed Beijing tour with a visit to hutong.