The history and artistic styles of Asia are as varied as the cultures that make up the region, including those of the Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai and Pacific Islanders. However, some art forms have been more highly regarded than others among the collective culture of early Asia, and that admiration has continued to this day. Consider these forms of art when you want to gain a better understanding of what kind of aesthetics are thought of highly in the Asian culture.
Scroll Making
Hand scrolls, hanging scrolls and fan-shaped "album leaf" scrolls combined painted images and calligraphy characters to create works of art known as "voiceless poems" among early Asian cultures. This art form allowed artists to tell short stories about the painted subject, which was usually an animal, landscape or foliage in season, and the end product was often a prized possession in early Asian homes. Hand scrolls were meant to be unrolled 2 to 3 feet at a time to be viewed by a handful of people "traveling" through a poem or story, while hanging scrolls were meant to be displayed in full for short periods of time or special occasions.
Gardening
Landscaping is considered a highly developed art form, and it has been respected by Asian cultures for centuries, particularly among the Chinese and Japanese. To this day, the art form is seen as a means of creating a peaceful environment and expressing a desire for tranquility in life through the creation of miniature landscapes that balance natural and man-made elements. In early Asia, the secrets to creating a traditional, symbolic garden were traditionally passed down from master artist to student apprentice, but today virtually anyone with a little outdoor space can practice this most highly regarded Asian art form.
Brush Calligraphy
An art form unique to early Asian cultures is brush calligraphy, particularly in China, where it is known as "Shu Fa" and considered one of the four basic skills to be mastered by educated men. Calligraphy is even more highly regarded than painting as an art form, as it is also considered an excellent mental, physical and spiritual exercise in coordinating the mind and body to produce the best style to express a message's content. Many traditional Asians believe that a calligrapher can express his feelings, thoughts and even personality traits by painting carefully planned and controlled lines with an ink-filled brush on silk or paper. So revered was this art form throughout early Asian cultures, particularly China, Korea and Japan, that it was even used to help select executives in Imperial courts throughout the region.
Playing Music
A well-developed musical culture has been prevalent throughout Asia for thousands of years, and this highly respected art form continues to be practiced by traditional artisans and contemporary musicians alike. Some traditional musical instruments of Asia include the qin, a seven-stringed, zitherlike instrument, various flutes, different drums and a three-stringed instrument called a "shamisen," which is typically associated with Japanese geisha. Seasonal dances often accompany the playing of traditional musical instruments, as they have since Asia's earliest years.
