Bricks carved with patterns in abatement were acclimated for decorative purposes on the exterior of old houses-mansions of officials and the rich, shrines and temples, landscape buildings in parts. They are also found on the enabstraction gates, windows and screen walls in houses which once belonged to big business and the landed gentry, “to bring honor to the owners and their ancestor.”
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Carvings on bricks may cover a advanced ambit of subjects. Usually appahire are human figures drawn from accepted legends, dramas and folklore, most of them lifelike and spirited. Animals and plants are also favorite subjects, mostly those pordisairish ability and good luck or apery certain lofty qualities, for example, dragon, phoenix, plum, bamboo, chrysanthemum and so on. Other carvings reprebeatific attempts to reaftermath acceptable paintings on bricks. Apart from the sculpted picture, they are often complete with inscriptions and seal marks.
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This particular art of sculpture was done on a kind of carefully poliafford blue brick. It was called fangzhuan (square brick) in the Ming Dynasty and jinzhuan (“gold” brick) in the Qing Dynasty. This brick was fine in arrangement and most acceptable for carving, but as it was also brittle, the plan might be easily broke by a blooper of the carving tool.
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