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All That Glitters. A Study of Gold in Chinese Culture J. Coley ENG 609. Gold Properties. Rare : all the gold ever mined would fit into a 60-foot cube * Corrosive-resistant : gold does not rust, does not tarnish Malleable: 1 oz. gold = 269 square feet . Universal Appeal.
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All That Glitters A Study of Gold in Chinese Culture J. Coley ENG 609
Gold Properties Rare: all the gold ever mined would fit into a 60-foot cube* Corrosive-resistant: gold does not rust, does not tarnish Malleable: 1 oz. gold = 269 square feet
Universal Appeal Gold has been valued in nearly all cultures since antiquity The standard world currency
Gold Symbolism The single color with the most universal meaning: wealth
Gold in China Gold • Color of royal family • Symbolizes wealth & happiness • Confers immortality Huáng (yellow) + Jīn (metal)
Buddhism • The Buddha means “enlightened one.” • The Buddha is typically depicted in gold. • Symbolic for light and immortality The Laughing Buddha
Gold in Chinese Flag The large star represents the Communist Party. The four smaller stars represents classes of people: • Workers • Peasants • Bourgeoisie • Capitalists
Chinese Proverbs • “A book holds a house of gold.” • “An inch of time is an inch of gold but you can't buy that inch of time with an inch of gold.” • “Gold is plentiful compared to white-haired friends.” • “Read critically and you may find each saying worth a thousand ounces of gold.”
Work Cited *Gray, Theodore. The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 2009. Electronic. Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility: Office of Science Education. “The Element Gold.” Jefferson Lab. n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2011.