Lexicon

	Alchemy 1. A medieval chemical science and speculative philosophy aiming to achieve the transmutation of base metals into gold, the discovery of a universal cure for disease, and the discovery of a means of indefinitely prolonging life. In China, alchemical Taoism developed as... read more »

	Avant-Gard 1. French for “advanced guard.” Originally a military term referring to a troop of highly skilled and specialized soldiers who served the function of surveying a field before the advancement of a larger army, it has been widely used to refer to innovative,... read more »

	Bat 1. Although in many cultures the bat has mostly negative associations—such as death, disease, ghosts, and, more specifically, vampires—some cultures regard it as auspicious and even sacred. In Chinese folklore and iconography, the bat is a symbol of longevity and... read more »

	Bestiary 1. Originally referring to a medieval allegorical or moralizing work on the appearance and habits of real or imaginary animals or a collection of descriptions of real or imaginary animals. 2. Huang Yong Ping has used... read more »

	Beuys, Joseph (1921-1986) 1. German artist and teacher and arguably one of the most important and influential figures in postwar art. Beuys redefined art making as a nonrarified, democratic creative activity, which he termed “social sculpture.” In his work, the artist was reimagined and... read more »

	Cage, John (1912-1992) 1. American composer, thinker, writer, and artist. Although his creative activities were diverse and varied across mediums and genres, Cage is probably still best known for his 4’33”, first performed in 1952 by the respected pianist... read more »

	Censorship 1. The relationship between art and censorship is a long and complicated one, which continues into the present, sometimes even in milieus that may seem democratic and respectful of free expression. One of the examples most often invoked of the political suppression of... read more »

	Ch'i (Qi) 1. Ch’i (qi) may be defined basically as energy (life energy as well as spiritual energy) that flows through all existing beings. The concept of ch’i is applied to the Taoist understanding of the body as a flow of energy through the channels called meridians. Illness... read more »

	Chan (Zen) 1. One of the major schools in Chinese Buddhism, Chan is perhaps better known in the West in its later, Japanese manifestation, Zen. Chan was founded by the semilegendary Indian monk Bodhidharma, who is said to have arrived in China in the sixth century C.E.... read more »

	Chance 1. Chance, or chance operation, has been a method used by artists since the early twentieth century, reflecting a persistent desire and effort to undermine and critique the notion of authorship. The actual method of chance operation can be almost anything that does not... read more »