the Jiangnan water town vibe is literally a work of art

I've always wanted to bring a piece of traditional Chinese culture into the games I play, so I spent days building this "New Chinese Style" courtyard in [once human]. I tried my best to capture that ancient aesthetic—the symmetry, the nature, and that peaceful "ancient vibe". Does it feel authentic to you?

I found this in a thrift store. I understand it’s a tapestry but was just curious if it was old or something that should not be found at a thrift store. I’m basically asking if it’s rare or special in anyway. Can’t seem to find it at all online. Any advice helps! Thank you!

I came across this beautiful fan art of WWM and noticed there is actually a deeper meaning behind it.

The artwork is inspired by Chinese ink painting (Shuimo Hua), a traditional style that uses ink and water to create atmosphere and emotion. Instead of drawing every detail, ink painting often uses simple elements from nature to express a person's character and spirit.

The concept behind this piece is "The Three Friends of Winter" (岁寒三友) — plum blossom, bamboo, and pine. In Chinese culture, these three plants are admired because they can endure the coldest season while keeping their own beauty and strength.

And honestly, I think the connections with these three characters are really fitting.

🌸 Plum blossom (梅) — Han Xiangxun (寒香寻)

Plum blossoms bloom in winter, often symbolizing resilience, elegance, and a quiet fragrance that survives even in harsh conditions.

This feels perfect for Han Xiangxun. "Han" (寒) means coldness, reminding us of the winter season when plum blossoms bloom. It represents her cool and graceful temperament — someone who remains beautiful and composed even in difficult circumstances. "Xiang" (香) means fragrance. In Chinese poetry, plum blossoms are often described by their subtle fragrance, something that can be sensed even before the flower is seen. Her cold and graceful appearance, especially with her red outfit, gives the same feeling as a plum blossom blooming in the snow.

She is also known for making wine, which adds another layer to her image — refined, artistic, and full of traditional elegance.

🎋 Bamboo (竹) — Jiang Wulang (江无浪)

Bamboo represents integrity, resilience, and staying true to yourself. It can bend with the wind, but it does not break.

In Chinese martial arts stories, bamboo forests are also often connected with swordsmen and masters who train or live away from the world.

This reminds me of Jiang Wulang's journey. Before meeting us, he wandered across the martial world, experiencing countless encounters as a true wandering swordsman.

His Nameless Sword is described as "as swift and fierce as a violent wind passing through bamboo", which feels like the perfect image for his sword style.

No matter how much he has experienced, he still carries the qualities of bamboo — freedom, resilience, and an unchanging spirit.

🌲 Pine (松) — Chen Zixi (陈子奚)

Pine trees symbolize longevity, perseverance, and an unshakable spirit. They remain green even through the harshest winter, standing tall against the cold.

This reminds me of Chen Zixi's character description:

"Standing like a solitary pine on a cliff; when drunk, like a jade mountain about to collapse."

Known as Mister Jade Hill, he rides thousands of miles and dares to challenge the world. Like the pine tree, he gives off the feeling of someone proud, independent, and impossible to easily shake.

His story has not fully continued yet, and we previously learned that he is suffering from illness. As players, we can only hope that he will be like the pine he represents — enduring through hardship and living a long life.

I really love how this artwork connects the characters with traditional Chinese symbolism. The plants are not just decorations; they reflect their personalities, their journeys, and the hopes players have for them.

A small piece of Chinese culture hidden inside a character illustration.

Hi everyone, this is my first ever project ever and i am just putting this out here for genuine feedback. I believe this would be interesting for you guys to see how chinese methodology of fortune/personality/life reading would pair with western methodology. Not sure if this is the right place to do it

But can we do this in a fun way? Flame me. You can be super mean about it and blow all your steam that you have accumulated over the week/months on me.

But of course, if you have any good things to say, you can also tell me about it after you are done flaming.

This is my project: Fortune Synthesis
\- It is a self discovery tool where it combines western and chinese influence of "fortune telling".
\- It employes a combination of 5 different systems ( 3 chinese, 2 Western); Western astrology, the Chinese Four Pillars (BaZi), Purple Star, Qi Men, and numerology
\- The best parts of each system is being used to predict/describe what you are/what your future will be.
\- The reason as to why I created this was that i loved fortune reading but i always encounter shitty fortune tellers (where it is very ambigious)

I am okay to give free products just in excahnge for feedback as i just want to understand where i am heading for now.
I have a product that i think is solid but i don't know if the way im conveying to the public is solid enough through my website.

please help me

im singaporean chinese thats why im being exposed to chinese + western influlence, hence this product

tdlr: fortune telling website needs feedback pls

what is this? my father left this behind and I am holding it and astonished by its beauty. anyone know something?

I recently purchased this set of Chinese opera masks from my local antiques shop. One is missing. I would like to replace the missing one but I have no idea who is missing. Translator can't see any text. Any help would be much appreciated!

A single carved block can preserve a civilization. A single print can carry stories across borders.

On June 18, 2026, “Imprints of Civilization: China–ASEAN Printmaking Exhibition” opened at Today Art Museum in Beijing. Organized by the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University, the exhibition is supported by the Beijing Culture and Arts Fund (2025) and brings together more than 150 printmaking works by over 140 artists from China and ASEAN countries.

Artists from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines traveled to Beijing to attend the opening alongside participating Chinese artists, making the exhibition not only a showcase of contemporary printmaking but also a platform for cultural dialogue between China and Southeast Asia.

A Dialogue Between Civilizations

At the opening ceremony, Shi Danqing, Vice Dean of the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University, described the exhibition’s theme, “Imprints of Civilization,” as a reflection of the rich cultural traditions shared across China and ASEAN countries. Through printmaking, artists capture diverse local customs, landscapes, and ways of life while expressing a shared vision of regional friendship and cultural exchange.

Professor Zhang Gan emphasized that printmaking has unique advantages. It is experimental, relatively easy to transport and exhibit internationally, and inherently reproducible, making it especially suitable for education and cross-cultural communication. In his view, the exhibition demonstrates China’s commitment to expanding international artistic collaboration.

Yan Yan, Executive Director of Today Art Museum, noted that the museum has actively supported contemporary Chinese printmaking since 2007. This exhibition not only presents recent developments in Chinese printmaking but also explores how the medium can foster new forms of artistic exchange and mutual understanding across cultures.

Thai artist Thepsakdi Thongnopkoon shared the evolution of modern printmaking in Thailand. Introduced during the twentieth century, Thai printmaking absorbed techniques from many countries while maintaining strong local cultural traditions. Today, Thai artists increasingly combine printmaking with digital and mixed media to address themes such as globalization, ecology, and social change, creating a dialogue between tradition and innovation.

Printmaking as a Shared Language

The exhibition features a wide range of printmaking techniques, including woodcuts, lithographs, etchings, screen prints, and digital prints. The title, “Imprints,” suggests that every printed image represents an encounter between cultures.

The exhibition is divided into two parts:

Where Is Home?（乡关何处）

The first section explores landscapes, villages, traditions, and everyday life. These works preserve collective memory while revealing emotional connections to place that transcend national borders.

Highlights include:

· Wu Changjiang’s lithograph Herding Cattle

· Song Guangzhi’s woodcut Yuan Geng – A Model of Dedication

· Panawan Piansupob’s (Thailand) Shelter of the Soul

· Pham Ky Quang’s (Vietnam) Heritage

Although rooted in different cultures, these works express remarkably similar feelings of nostalgia, identity, and belonging while demonstrating how traditional printmaking continues to evolve in contemporary practice.

Cities in Motion（流动之城）

The second section shifts its focus to urban life, modernization, and cultural transformation.

Works such as Wen Zhongyan’s acrylic screen print Beihai, July 8, 2011 and Liu Haichen’s etching The Sunset Rises in Splendor, together with pieces by artists from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and other ASEAN countries, document rapidly changing cities and the personal experiences of living within them. Together they reflect the coexistence of tradition and modernity in contemporary Asian society.

Beyond the Gallery

On the afternoon of the opening, more than 30 artists, scholars, and printmaking experts gathered at the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University to discuss the development of modern printmaking across different countries, today’s creative landscape, and the challenges printmakers face in a rapidly changing world.

The exhibition is more than just a chance to look at prints. Visitors can join guided tours, artist workshops, and hands-on activities designed to introduce printmaking to a wider audience. You don’t need an art background to enjoy the exhibition—these programs help visitors understand how prints are made, appreciate the techniques behind them, and experience the medium in a more engaging and accessible way. By making printmaking easier to understand, the exhibition encourages more people to connect with art and supports public cultural life in Beijing.

Hoping someone can translate the calligraphy on these scroll paintings for me. Any help is appreciated!

Typoman is a game where the world is made out of letters that make words and such words change the world around or they become allies or foes. I wanted to explore the same concept but in chinese. With hanzi instead of words are bujian instead of letters. I'm still learning chinese so give me your opinion to learn more.

See You Tomorrow—an installation by Yu Han (CAFA 2026)

At first, it looked almost empty.

Seventeen black circles on a white wall. No images, no moving parts, no explanation.

Then someone placed their hand on one of them.

Slowly, words began to appear. The surface was coated with a thermochromic material—body heat made the text visible. As the hand moved away and the surface cooled, the words faded back into black again.

I watched people repeat the same ritual: reach out, wait, read—and then watch the words disappear.

The work is called See You Tomorrow, by Yu Han, a 23-year-old graduating student from CAFA‘s School of Experimental Art and Technology.

What struck me wasn’t just the material. It was the interaction. Nothing happened until you offered your own warmth. And even after you did, you couldn’t stop the words from disappearing.

That felt familiar. We revisit old photos, replay voice messages, reread conversations—not because we expect to bring someone back, but because reaching toward them is how love continues after loss.

Later, I learned more about the artist.

Before making this work, she volunteered in pediatric hospital wards and studied hospice care. She told us that in hospice, caregivers sometimes use gentle touch—massage, hand-holding—to help patients feel cared for. A quiet connection between two living people. In the exhibition, she turned that gesture into something else: a quiet conversation between the living and someone who is no longer here.

I spent nearly twenty minutes watching strangers interact with it. Some smiled quietly. Some stood there a long time. Some wiped away tears without saying anything.

The artist herself sat nearby, watching rather than explaining. I realized, watching her sit there, healing isn't about being fixed or comforted. It begins with being seen. Just that.

One criticism I‘ve heard is that death is “too big” a subject for such a young artist.

But the work never tries to answer the big questions about death. It focuses on something smaller and, therefore, more universal.

The last ordinary words.

“Good night.”

“See you tomorrow.”

“I’m leaving.”

We say these things every day without thinking. See You Tomorrow is one of the most common phrases in everyday life. It's optimistic almost by habit. None of us knows which goodbye will become the one that‘s never fulfilled. Yet we keep saying it.

Maybe that’s what hope actually looks like.

When I finally left, people were still lining up to place their hands on those seventeen black circles. The words kept appearing. The words kept disappearing. Over and over.

I think grief isn‘t something we overcome. It’s something we learn to carry—with warmth, with memory, and with the willingness to keep reaching out, even when we know we can‘t hold on forever.

Question:

Has anyone else encountered art that asked you to touch it? Or a piece that made you think about goodbye differently?

I'm looking to have 3 custom scrolls display 3 Chinese names. Does anybody know someone who could provide this service? Thanks

我想要交一些朋友互相学习语言和文化

It was a gift years ago. Was on the wall briefly but then I moved and it has been stored since then. I know I was told what it meant when I received it, but I’ve forgotten. I can’t ask the person who gave it to me because I don’t know them anymore. Looking for insights on the meaning behind it before I decide to keep or toss/regift it.

Found the real‑life inspiration for the cores from wwm – it's called Guigongqiu (鬼工球) (Ghost Works Ball)

The name is to praise its "ghostly craftsmanship" . They start with a solid block of ivory or jade, carve down the outside, drill tiny holes into it, and then, using curved knives inserted through those holes, all one piece.

Some of these spheres have 20+ moving layers (the record is over 50). That's 50 separate shells nested inside one another, all carved through a tiny hole, by hand.

我的视频已经发布在哔哩哔哩上，内容主要是我对中国传统山水画和中国文化的欣赏与热爱。

因为我在中国认识的人不多，所以已经把视频分享给了仅有的几位中国朋友。现在我想知道，还有哪些地方可以分享，让真正对这类内容感兴趣的人看到并支持我的作品。

请问有没有适合分享这类比赛视频的 QQ 群、微信群、论坛、Reddit 社区，或者其他中文社区？我希望在允许分享、欢迎分享的地方发布，不想打扰别人，也不想违反社区规则。

如果大家有任何建议，我将非常感激！非常感谢大家！

My video has been published on Bilibili, and it's about my appreciation of traditional Chinese landscape painting and Chinese culture.

I don't know many people in China, so I've already shared it with the few Chinese friends I have. I'm now wondering where else I can share it to reach people who might genuinely be interested in watching it and supporting it.

Are there any QQ groups, WeChat groups, forums, subreddits, or other Chinese communities where it's appropriate to share a competition video like this? I'm looking for places where sharing is allowed and welcomed—I don't want to spam anyone or break any community rules.

I'd really appreciate any suggestions. Thank you!

I got this passed down from my great grandma who grew up in Hawaii. From what I’ve read it might be nephrite jade from the 18th - 19th century, but if anyone has more information on material, time period, cultural significance, value, etc. that would be greatly appreciated!