The word “kimono” in the Western mindset evokes different images: a traditional item of clothing from Japan, the notion of a dressing gown to be worn indoors sometimes in intimate or even erotic...Show moreThe word “kimono” in the Western mindset evokes different images: a traditional item of clothing from Japan, the notion of a dressing gown to be worn indoors sometimes in intimate or even erotic settings, a coded femininity and a fashionable item. The object of this research is to look at three ways in which the kimono was introduced and subsequently integrated into the Western artistic, material and imaginary landscape of the turn of the 20th century: as a collectible material object, a theme in paintings and photographs as well as an influencing force in the realm of female fashion. The main idea of this paper is understanding why the kimono had such an immense popularity across these fields and audiences in the West as well as to point to the high adaptability of the garment. It is capable of undertaking several, sometimes contradictory, meanings and its simple shape, yet intricate esthetic, made it the ideal recipient of global and local dynamics of the 19th and 20th century int he West. In material culture it was presented as an Oriental accessory enabling fantasist imaginary spectacle. In art and in visual mediums, it framed the female, white body: domestic, exotic and erotic. In fashion, its slow assimilation into female dress participated into a still Orientalist but nonetheless modernizing dynamic, motivating the invention of practical and simpler garments for women living in a new world.Show less
In this thesis I explore a type of nineteenth century Chinese-made porcelain decorated with human figures and related texts. I look for possible explanations for the fact that this group has...Show moreIn this thesis I explore a type of nineteenth century Chinese-made porcelain decorated with human figures and related texts. I look for possible explanations for the fact that this group has received little attention. I explore the source of the illustrations from a seventeenth century Chinese wood-block printed book showing forty iconic historical figures. My analysis and comparison of the source of the illustrations with the features of the decorated porcelain suggest that the decorations are organized in a consistent and rational way. The visual impact of the icons of exemplary figures on the porcelain becomes more information than decoration.Show less
Food, as a basic element of people’s daily lives, is closely related to its society. In terms of Chinese food culture, many scholars have done plenty of research about various related topics. This...Show moreFood, as a basic element of people’s daily lives, is closely related to its society. In terms of Chinese food culture, many scholars have done plenty of research about various related topics. This thesis takes the example of Wei Jin Nan Bei Chao period (ca. 220 CE – 581 CE), when the Han Chinese and non-Han people cohabited in a large scale, led by continuous wars and massive migrations. With the method of literature analysis, this thesis focuses on hubing (胡饼), a kind of flatbread, yangpanchang (羊盘肠), a kind of blood sausage and the grape, as three examples non-Han-originated foods, to explore the influence of non-Han dietary practice on the Han cuisine. Further, by relating the food culture to other sociopolitical factors at the time, this thesis analyses how the development of food reflected its wider society, in terms of class and ethnicity. With such analyses and discussions, this study helps in filling the omission in studies of Chinese food history, as well as better understanding the people and society during that time.Show less
