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Cranes in Chinese River
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Corner Style
Squared
+$0.35
Paper Type
Signature Matte
18 pt thickness / 120 lb weight Soft white, soft eggshell texture
+$0.95
+$0.95
-$0.30
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Cranes in Chinese River
Cranes in Chinese River is a brush painting in the traditional Chinese "gongbi" style. Watercolor and ink on rice paper.
Since ancient times in China, the crane has been regarded as an auspicious bird, next only to the legendary phoenix among all the birds with a divine poise. It was also a symbol of longevity and incorruptibility.
Because a crane was considered the top-ranking bird, it was used as Imperial China's highest demarcation of court status, and its appearance on the rank badge of an official's robe signed that the wearer was a civil servant of the first, or highest, rank.
The crane is usually depicted standing alone on a rock that is surrounded by the rising tide, which represents attaining the highest civil rank. As the Chinese word “chao” means both tide and government, dynasty, or having an audience with an emperor. Thus, a crane standing before the tide represents a top-ranking minister standing before his emperor. Even standing alone means "having attained something by one's own efforts," being successful through diligence in studies.
GongBi is a careful realist technique in Chinese painting, the opposite of the interpretive and freely expressive XieYi style.
The technique calls for brushstrokes to “be as detailed as detailed can be”, using highly detailed brushstrokes that delimit details very precisely and without independent or expressive variation. In addition, it tries to strike a balance between artistic expression and vitality, is often highly coloured, and usually depicts figural or narrative subjects.
Gongbi requires drawing with fine lines first to represent the exaggerated likenesses of the objects and then adds washes of ink and colour layer by layer to approach the perfection of exquisiteness and fine art.
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By Anonymous6 July 2025 • Verified Purchase
Flat Card, Size: 10.2 cm x 22.9 cm, Paper: Basic Semi-Gloss, Corner: Squared
Arrived 3days early lv personalized option, a nice gift with flight tickets. Happy with this purchase
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5 out of 5 stars rating
By maggie f.16 April 2024 • Verified Purchase
Flat Card, Size: 8.9 cm x 12.7 cm, Paper: Signature Matte, Corner: Squared
Excellent quality. Excellent presentation, the perfect professional representation of my store. Together with my business cards that customers comment on regularly, I would highly recommend. Excellent as I hoped and better
5 out of 5 stars rating
By T.31 July 2022 • Verified Purchase
Flat Card, Size: 10.8 cm x 14 cm, Paper: Signature Matte, Corner: Squared
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My cards were printed and posted quickly and arrived exactly how I wanted them. Very good quality and easy to customise - with lots of options! Print quality was extremely good quality. It’s important to use a high-quality photo especially when expanding the image.
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Product ID: 256150332278572323
Added on 25/8/24, 11:36 am
Rating: G
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