In honor of the Museum’s Chinese New Year celebration on Feb. 6, today we are highlighting the beautiful Ming Dynasty Yellow Ox from the Chinese collection.
In China, the New Year was called Spring Festival and celebrated the preparations for the spring planting season.
This ceramic sculpture features the physique of a water buffalo, a domestic variety of ox that has been used for farm labor for several centuries in Asia. It is glazed in yellow, the conventional color of a farming ox, and its nostrils are molded to demonstrate where a leash would be attached.
The year of the ox is noted for the nature of the animal: strength and endurance. Among its many metaphors in Chinese art, the ox is associated with spiritual training.
Yellow Ox is on view in Gallery 202.
Be sure to join us this Friday for all the fun. The popular evening features three performances by the Shaolin Pai Lion Dance Troupe (above) which will knock your socks off. The troupe is highly energetic and fun for kids of all ages. If you plan to watch them, be sure to get to Kirkwood Hall a little early so the kids can get a good view.
Other activities include artist demonstrations of Chinese painting and calligraphy, traditional music by the Kansas City Chinese Music Ensemble, gallery games and of course, art-making in the Ford Learning Center.