Letter From the Editor: A Meeting of East and West

In 1684, Chinese Jesuit priest Fuzong Shen entered Louis XIV’s palace uninvited and presented the king with Latin translations of three classical Confucian texts. The king was fascinated by the sophisticated Chinese philosophy and decided to send a group of missionaries to the Middle Kingdom to discover more about this remarkable culture. 

These French missionaries returned a few years later with boxes full of ancient Chinese calligraphy, paintings, silk, tea, porcelain, and other treasures. The exotic objects were immediately embraced by European monarchs and aristocrats, leading to a new Eastern-inspired aesthetic called “chinoiserie.”

On the other side of the earth, Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty was fascinated by the intellectual and artistic developments of the West. The emperor learned about European astronomy, geography, physics, music, and mathematics, and even established a centre for scholars to study mathematical laws and the universe. 

The deep appreciation of the two great monarchs for each other’s culture incited a cross-cultural admiration that continues today. 

In this issue, we embark on a journey from East to West, unearthing cultural gems in Japan, China, Europe, North America, and South America. Along the way, we discover how the cultural cross-pollination of ideas, design, and artisanship continues to thrive today.

Scottish designer Wendy Morrison reveals how the far-flung culture of the East inspires her popular handmade rugs, while Brazilian artist Silvia Furmanovich shares how she incorporates rare pieces of Japanese vintage silk into award-winning jewellery, crafted by her atelier in the Amazon rainforest. 

In a Tuscan-style mansion in Bel Air, the owner blends Asian motifs with Italian architecture to bring symbolic richness to aesthetic beauty. British goldsmith Wayne Meeten shares how he perfected his metalwork with Japanese master craftsmen and found spiritual healing through the Chinese practice of Tai Chi.

Emily Thompson, a highly-acclaimed New York florist who made floral arrangements for the White House, integrates what she learned from the Japanese art of ikebana. 

Japanese-American entrepreneur Ann Soh Woods reveals how she entices people’s senses with her Kikori rice whiskey, sharing not only its light, balanced taste but also the Japanese heritage of omotenashi, the spirit of hospitality. 

The beauty of blending Eastern and Western cultures is epitomized in the Shen Yun Orchestra, which seamlessly fuses classical Western and Chinese instruments in original compositions that touch the heart. We talked to conductor Ying Chen who reveals the unique ways it achieves such perfect harmony.

We hope the cross-cultural wisdom in this issue will spark creativity, nourish your soul, and fill your life with timeless beauty.