Art is a venue through which we understand history and culture, and as 3000 year-old civilization, China certainly has the richest of antiquities. Possibly the most common of the Chinese arts are painting and calligraphy, but China has an extensive array of artistic traditions including carved lacquer, imperial silk, cloisonné, ceramics, wood carving, and jade sculptures. Folk traditions also contributed heavily to the Chinese arts bringing paper cut-outs, lanterns, and flour figurines. This list includes both museums through which visitors can marvel at ancient artifacts as well as hot shopping stops where you can pick up something to display in your own home.