The objects relate to six major areas of cultural life: the home, the
personal, arts & crafts, eating & drinking, entertainment, and
religious practice. They include items both familiar and unfamiliar—
from snuff bottles and callilgraphy scrolls to moon cake molds and
Mao memorabilia. Ronald Knapp’s evocative text describes the
history, cultural significance, and customs relating to each object,
while Michael Freeman’s superb photographs illustrate them.
Together, text and photographs offer a unique look at the material
culture of China and the aesthetics that inform in