David Leffman

Gebundenes Buch

Paper Horses: Traditional Woodblock Prints of Gods from Northern China

Beschreibung

In 2020 a large album of "paper horses" - prayer prints of Chinese gods - appeared for sale. How had these fragile things, cheaply printed in the 1940s and meant to be ritually burned soon after purchase, survived for so long? In answering this mystery, David Leffman explores the techniques behind Chinese woodblock printing, which dates back to at least the Tang dynasty. All 93 "paper horses" are reproduced alongside biographies of the gods, providing an illustrated introduction to the fascinating world of Chinese folk religion.

Autor

David Leffman first visited China in 1985, and he has spent over five years in the country as a travel writer and photographer. He authored regional guidebooks for Rough Guides and Dorling Kindersley, and his articles on Chinese history and culture have appeared in the South China Morning Post and The Diplomat. His biography of Qing-dynasty adventurer William Mesny, The Mercenary Mandarin, was published in 2016. Leffman taught himself to cut, ink, and print woodblocks in his teens, and has visited printing studios across China, interviewing artists and carvers and building up a collection of traditional prints. He was introduced to the world of Chinese folk belief by the late Keith Stevens, author of Chinese Mythological Gods and Chinese Gods; and Ronni Pinsler, the man behind www.bookofxianshen.com. Their works inspired him to explore the legends and iconography of "paper horses" - woodblock prints of Chinese gods.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Blacksmith Books
• Seitenzahl: 192
• Erscheinungstermin: 15. Dezember 2022
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 219mm x 219mm x 26mm
• Gewicht: 892g
• ISBN-13: 9789887554790
• ISBN-10: 9887554790
• Artikelnr.: 62506367