Japan/China
Dolls Around the World
Doll Reader and The Doll Market invite you on
a journey to discover the wonder and beauty of dolls throughout the world.
Each month, we'll travel the globe to bring you information about the variety
and diversity offered from different countries, and we'll include articles of
interest from Doll Reader and other sources. Be
amazed, be amused, and be awed at the talent and inspiration that each country
has to offer. And be sure to make this page a frequent stop in your
collecting adventures.
Japan/China
The next stop in our Dolls Around the World tour is Japan and
China, regions of the world that can claim a rich, ancient, doll-making
history. Around 1000-1025, The Tale of Genji was written, which is
possibly the world's oldest novel, and it frequently mentions dolls as toys
and purification devices. For the Japanese, "doll" is "ningyô," or
figure portraying the human form, but the concept extends beyond the Western
sensibility to encompass an art form with cultural and spiritual significance.
In China, where paper was invented, it's possible that the first paper dolls
began as puppets in shadow plays. Finally, Japan and China brought porcelain
techniques to Europe, and now the term "china" is synonymous with
porcelain.
To see the huge selection of other dolls available from The Doll
Market, click here.
Articles and links
To learn more about doll making in Japan and China, we present several
articles:
- From Doll Reader magazine:
In 1927, a Friendship Dolls program aimed at forging friendships between
Japanese and American children began after American children sent nearly
13,000 dolls to Japanese children. To express thanks, Eiichi Shibusawa, a
Japanese businessman and educator, collected money from children throughout
Japan to pay for the making of 58 special dolls to be sent to America. The
beautiful dolls arrived, and they toured the country to great acclaim before
residing in museums and historical societies…
see the complete article.
- An unusually robust and educational site features this article,
"The 'Jap Doll' --Ningyô on the Western Toyshelf 1850-1940,"
and more.
Click here
to see what Judy Shoaf, a member of JADE (Japanese & American Doll
Enthusiasts), has assembled.
- If you're interested in paper dolls, see
Traditional Chinese Fashions Paper Dolls.
It includes two attractive dolls and 16 authentically rendered costumes,
including graceful, elaborately embroidered robes, dresses, and tunics from
five dynasties—Tang (A.D. 618—907), Song (960—1279), Yuan
(1279—1368), Ming (1368—1644), and Qing (1644—1911), as well
as the Republican period (1911—1949). Appropriate hairstyles accented
with flowers and decorative combs accompany each outfit.
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