The Journal of Ancient Chinese Arts and Crafts (JACAC) is an international scholarly journal published by MSPL. JACAC implements a peer-reviewed, open-access policy for original articles and is published twice a year in both print and online formats. All articles in JACAC are under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY-NC-ND, version 4.0). Copyright for each article belongs to its author(s) and is published by MSPL.


JACAC is a scholarly platform dedicated to promoting the culture of ancient Chinese arts and crafts, including painting, sculpture, calligraphy, handicrafts, and more. The main goal of JACAC is to share the culture, thought, and theory of ancient Chinese arts and crafts, disseminate ancient brilliant achievements, promote the study of ancient culture, and strive to be a leader in these fields. In addition, JACAC is also a digital platform that promotes scholarly research and exchange. Welcome researchers from different disciplinary perspectives to submit manuscripts in English.

Open Access


Vol 2, 2024

Open Access


JACAC 2024, 2(1), 16-27; https://doi.org/10.59528/ms.jacac2024.0401a5 - April 1, 2024

 

Jinqi Hu1      ,  Hong He2,  Yi Song1      ,  Meng Liu1* 

by

Design Research
Keywords: Zhang Daqian; Dunhuang Frescoes; Copying; Fenben (粉本); Manuscripts

Abstract: The scholarly community has yet to reach a consensus on the authenticity of Zhang Daqian’s copies of frescoes from the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang and the path of their circulation. This interview revolves around the Fenben (粉本) created by Zhang Daqian at Dunhuang and compares the concepts of Fenben and the manuscripts. Through dialog, this article discusses the role and function of the Fenben (粉本) concept in traditional Chinese painting. It is hoped that through this interview, the two concepts of Fenben and manuscript can be identified and traced back to their origins and, at the same time, trigger an in-depth academic discussion on the circulation of Zhang Daqian’s works copied at the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang.


Latest Articles

Design Research
Keywords: Ming Dynasty; Lacquer; The Records of Lacquering; Influence

Zhenji He*      

Open Access


JACAC 2024, 2(1), 28-37; https://doi.org/10.59528/ms.jacac2024.0726a7 - July 26, 2024

 

by

Abstract: The Records of Lacquering《髹饰录》was written in the Ming Dynasty, has been cited by Chinese and foreign researchers as the most classic text in the study of ancient Chinese lacquer art. The book was lost in China during the Qing Dynasty, and it was not until modern times that it was introduced back to China. In addition to the legendary circulation of the Records of Lacquering, the knowledge of ancient Chinese lacquer art recorded in this book is also invaluable. Huang Cheng (黄成), the author of the book, and Yang Ming (杨明), the annotator, are from Xin’an (新安), Anhui (安徽) Province, and Xitang (西塘), Zhejiang (浙江) Province respectively. Although they did not come from the same place and lived in different periods of time, with the frequent exchanges between craftsmen in the Jiangnan (江南) area in the late Ming Dynasty, and the continuous expansion of lacquer production, the related craft knowledge also circulated rapidly. Eventually, these two master lacquer carvers, though in different ages and places, had the opportunity to bring together various popular lacquer art knowledge, which led to the Creation of the Records of Lacquering. It played an invaluable role in the dissemination of traditional Chinese lacquer knowledge.




Call for Articles

JACAC is a scholarly journal founded in July 2023, committed to publishing high-quality, original research worldwide through scholarly publishing, with a peer-review and no-fee open-access policy. This policy ensures that no fees are charged for either authors or readers.

Thematic research articles, literature reviews, and book reviews are the three types of original articles accepted by the journal. The subjects cover these fields of ancient Chinese painting, sculpture, calligraphy, handicrafts, and so on. JACAC aims to share the arts and crafts culture, thoughts, and theories of ancient China, disseminate the brilliant achievements of ancient Chinese arts and crafts, promote the study of ancient Chinese arts and crafts, and strive to maintain a leading position in these fields. As both a scholarly resource and cultural bridge, JACAC continues to advance our understanding of these remarkable traditions while making them accessible to new generations of researchers, practitioners, and appreciators worldwide, ensuring that these ancient arts maintain their relevance in our contemporary global context.

Submitting Your Manuscript: jacac-editor@michelangelo-scholar.com; jaca.editorialmanager01@gmail.com

See Instructions for Authors for manuscript requirements. 


January 22th, 2025


PUBLISHED BY MICHELANGELO SCHOLAR PUBLISHING LIMITED

ADDRESS: ROOM A, 3/F., WING TAT COMMERCIAL BUILDING, 121-125 WING LOK STREET, SHEUNG WAN HK

TEL: 00852-36197566 

FAX: 00852-36197558; WHATSAPP: +60 11-2370 2845



Keywords: Motifs; Exoticism; Chinese blue and white porcelain; Bird motifs

Abstract: Auspicious motifs evolved from nature worship and totemic beliefs into symbolically rich graphic signs that served cognitive, communicative, and social compartmentalization functions. Between 1573 and 1815, bird motifs from Chinese auspicious designs were introduced to Mexico through Chinese blue and white porcelain exported to the Americas. These motifs became associated with Mexican indigenous cultures, first appearing in the tin-glazed pottery of Talavera, Puebla. They were later widely used in native lacquerware, textiles, and other folk art, symbolizing nobility and exoticism. Over time, these motifs diverged from the cognitive and aesthetic interests of the Spanish patriarchal homeland, ultimately becoming folkloric symbols representing Mexican traditions and appearing in various contemporary Mexican folk artifacts.

by  Fan Liu       * ,  Huamin Wang

Design Research
Open Access


JACAC 2025, 3(1), 1-15; https://doi.org/10.59528/ms.jacac2025.0406a9 - April 5, 2025

 

Design Research
Keywords: Cantonese-style furniture; Structural features; Digital disassembly

Shengfang Peng*      , Wang Liuzhuang      

Open Access


JACAC 2024, 2(2), 1-10; https://doi.org/10.59528/ms.jacac2024.1115a8 - November 15, 2024

 

by

Abstract: The characteristics of Cantonese-style furniture in function, form, construction, materials, and craftsmanship are all products of a specific historical time and space. Based on the investigation of social history, this study uses historical materials and image analysis, interviews with inheritors, 3D scanning, digital reconstruction, dismantling, and other methods to explore the characteristics of the structure of Cantonese-style furniture and analyze its causes by combining elements such as function, form, materials, and craftsmanship. Thus, we can further understand and comprehend Cantonese-style furniture from the perspective of the integration of Chinese and Western cultures and the characteristics of Lingnan local culture and provide evidence for its design and production.