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One hundred thirty-five woodblock prints including New Year's pictures (nianhua), door gods, historical figures and Taoist deities

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One hundred thirty-five woodblock prints including New Year's pictures (nianhua), door gods, historical figures and Taoist deities

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Picryl description: Public domain photo of Chinese sculpture, free to use, no copyright restrictions image.

Woodblock printing first appeared in China around 600, probably following by the much older use of bronze or stone seals to make imprints on clay and silk. At first, woodblock printing was mainly used for printing calendars, calligraphy, charms as well as books on agriculture and medicine. In 762, the first commercially printed books were sold in the markets of the Tang capital, Chang’an. By the end of Tang dynasty, the process for block printing on paper was perfected. The limitations of woodblock printing led to the invention of moveable-type printing during the Song dynasty. In China, because of the thousands of ideograms required to write in Chinese, moveable type was not as efficient as it would be four hundred years later in Western Europe so woodblock printing remained popular in China and Chinese woodblock prints golden age spanned from the late 16th through the 19th century.

New Year's celebrations have a long history dating back to ancient civilizations. The earliest recorded New Year's celebration is believed to have been held by the ancient Babylonians around 2000 BCE. They held a celebration called Akitu, which lasted for 11 days and marked the beginning of the new year, the return of the goddess Ishtar, and the re-creation of the world. The ancient Romans also celebrated the new year, although their calendar was different from the one we use today. The Roman calendar originally began on March 1, and the new year was celebrated on the vernal equinox, which is the first day of spring. The Roman calendar was later changed by Julius Caesar to begin on January 1, and this change was eventually adopted by most Western civilizations. New Year's celebrations have been held on January 1 in many cultures around the world, including in Western Europe, the Americas, and Asia. In many cultures, New Year's is a time for people to reflect on the past year and make resolutions for the new year. It is also a time for celebration, with parties, fireworks, and other festive events. In modern times, New Year's celebrations continue to be a popular way to mark the start of a new year and to look forward to the future with hope and optimism. While both Christmas and New Year holidays are times for celebration, they have different origins and traditions. New Year's Day is a secular holiday that is celebrated around the world, while Christmas is a religious holiday that is primarily celebrated by Christians.

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Date

1800
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Source

Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Public Domain Dedication (CC0)

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